Tordis - Middas 20th of the Last Seed - Part 1

Here is the second part, or should I say, second day of the Tordis's Journal. But before we start, I want to notify you of some changes concerning screenshots. I changed the gauntlets and boots to steel because I found the fur more aesthetically pleasing and more fitting to the white fur cloak and hood. Also I'm using a different, softer DoF setting now. I\'m not sure if this is permanently, or just for these scenes in the fog.

Again, just a friendly reminder that for the best reading experience (because nexus doesn\'t like aligning, justifying and margins), please follow the header link on the top of this description.

Now without further ado, please enjoy the tale of Tordis.

- - -



Middas 20th of the Last Seed e4 201 - This morning when I woke up I had no clue what time it was. During the dawn I presumed, a thick milky fog must have floated down form the mountains, making all forms of navigation impossible. I started to wander down the road immediately after I finished my breakfast and a quick wash with some water from molten snow that I placed near the campfire in my tankard. But as I started to walk, with only seeing about one or two meters in front of me, I began to wonder whether I was going the right way, or down again to Lake Ilinalta and Riverwood. But after checking my map and walking a couple of meters further I figured I was going uphill and in the right direction.



But still, the fog was so thick I had the feeling it could strangle me. And at some point, (and even now while I'm writing this), I still don't understand how, But I must have walked off the road. I think I was heading towards the Western gate of Helgen, but I am not certain. I was expecting to see at least Imperial towers, or stone walls looming up before me at some point, but that didn't happen. It was so quiet, all I could hear was my own breathing and the snow beneath my boots as I walked on in hope of finding any sign of civilization.
After a while I went slightly downhill, and it seemed like I arrived in a small valley were I was hoping to find a road, but before I did that, I saw a shape appear that was definitely heading into my direction.



I stopped moving, my heart was beating in my throat, I let my hand lower slowly towards my axe. There was a big chance that it would be a bandit. There has been word of a lot of caravans and people disappearing to the South of Helgen, near the Pale Pass. But it would also be odd for a bandit to wander to close, and alone, near the Imperial fortified town. As the shape drew closer I was prepared if it would be a cave troll, my mind was racing for my best option against any foe. But as it was nearly upon me, and my hand was resting on the hilt of my axe, the fog moved and revealed a tired looking man in a fur.



At first, he looked as tense as I probably did. I removed my hand from near my weapon and the man seemed to settle down by this gesture of trust. He smiled calmly, and asked me if I was just as lost as he had been. I replied with a quick nod and asked him if I'd been heading in the direction of Helgen. At first he looked shocked by my question, but after a short moment he started to laugh and cough. I crossed my arms, obviously not getting the humor, and asked him what had been so funny. After he had calmed down he gave me a screwed look and asked me if I had heard what had happened. I shook my head, explaining that I had been travelling since yesterday. He shook his head slowly and told me that Helgen laid in ruin. Nobody apparently knew what had really happened, some say that Ulfric Stormcloak, the jarl of Windhelm had destroyed the town with his mighty voice as he had killed the king, but others said it had been just a Stormcloak raid that came down from the mountains.

All this time I just stood there with my mouth wide open, I couldn't believe what I just had been told. The man nodded at my expression and continued to speak about a more disturbing rumor, a rumor about a monster, black as the night, a dragon, that came out of nowhere and desolated the place. I shook my head in disbelieve, dragons were creatures out of the past, out of legends. The man shrugged and explained it didn't matter what it had been, the town was burned to the ground and bandits were roaming the ruins. He looked me up and down quickly and added that I looked like the type that could handle myself but still he warned me to stay away from the place.

I felt a stroke of rage taking control of me and told the man that I\'d find out myself. He made a gesture that he didn't care, gave me a nod, and walked further disappearing into the fog.
I think I must have stood there for at least ten minutes, grinding over what I just had heard. Helgen ruined, burned to the ground, I still thought it was impossible. I had to find out.

I started to sprint through the fog, trashing the snow as I went down towards the valley. After several minutes I reached the road again, not caring anymore if it\'s been the Western or Southern gate. I ran down the path and already after a minute or so the walls and gate appeared out of the fog. I slid to a halt over the snowy road, and now I calmed down and was only a few meters from the gate I started to notice the details. The gate was shut, but that wasn't as shocking as the impaled corpse and skulls decorating the main entrance. It didn't frighten me though, even if it should have, I was beyond reason and rushed the gate, kicking and hammering it with my fist, taking my axe and hacking away at the woodwork, screaming to let me in.



But after few minutes I was exhausted, I dropped my axe on the ground and slid down, just starring at nothing. After I got my breath back I slowly got up and grabbed my weapon, listening for anything. I moved slowly backwards from the gate, now very well realizing I could have been shot down at any moment from the walls or get overrun by the bandits I had been told about. But luckily, it remained silent. All I could hear was the wind that started to blow down from the path behind me and an eagle screeching high up in the mountains.

As I turned around, looking for a place to sit down, I noticed a pole with signs. And apparently if those were correct, I was as the Southern side of Helgen. Places on the signs were as following; Riften, Helgen and Ivarstead. I crossed my arms in dismay. I had spent a half of my day heading in the wrong direction, hadn\'t I?

Now I\'m looking back on these events while writing this, I wonder what would have happened if I had reached the Northern gate as planned not getting lost, would I have walked straight into the arms of the bandits or Stormcloaks? Either way, fate had played a strange card on me this day.



As I stood there, the sun started to break through the fog in long beautiful beams. It was about noon and a good time to get something to eat after this eventful morning and consider where would I go next. I didn't feel like backtracking and wasting more time, but the last possible direct route from here would be up, towards the Pale Pass and through the Jerall Mountains in the Western direction and later lower, towards Falkreath. A very dangerous path indeed...

To be continued in part 2 ...

- - -

This day will be split up in 2 days because else it would simply get too long! I hope you enjoyed it, and don\'t forget to add some feedback. :)

Comments (4)