Exiled and Alone, An Altmer on the Run Options

[Kane]

Diary of Kiranyae, 3rd of Midyear, 4E201
Fleeing from Summerset

I can’t believe this is how my life has ended up. On the run from my own home, city, and country. And all because I chose to stand up for my ideals, and dared to disagree with the Thalmor and their ruthless methods. No more. I won’t be a part of their wrongdoings and misgivings. But, where to go? The Empire is not what it once was, and the Thalmor have their grimy fingers in just about everyone else’s sweet roll, too....

Whatever. I suppose I’ll head to Hammerfell and go from there. Nothing remains for me here in Firsthold. Those evil bastards saw to that, when they killed the only family I had left. Rest peacefully, brother, and know the cowards who ambushed you have seen their actions returned in kind. And I won’t stop there, either. Someone has to take the fight to these radicals, and when that time comes, I will be there to lend my talents in earnest.

[Kane]

Chapter I - A New Beginning

The village of Riverwood is a quaint little mill town, nestled on the bank of a small river, in the shadow of a monstrous mountain. I've never seen anything quite like of it, anywhere else in Tamriel. Embry, the town drunk, tells me the Nords call it 'The Throat of the World'....I wonder - is it what the Thalmor refer to as Snow Throat? It would have to be. Small wonder they are actively involved in Skyrim.

There isn't much mention of the war, though, and I can't seem to get people to talk about it either. Doubtless they think me a dirty elven spy. Not even Faendal, a Bosmer, seems to have an opinion on it as an outsider. He is happy to live his life working at the mill, and drinking at the inn every night. Maybe Whiterun will have more people who are willing to speak to an Altmer.

Finishing a sweet roll, I rose from my chair, bid goodbye to Embry and headed out into the day. The sun damn near blinded me as I stepped out into the chill morning air. The children were already out playing with their dog, and running up and down the street. I couldn't help but smile as they dashed passed me in their excitement, closely followed by the loyal Stump. A clang of hammer on iron shook me from my thoughts as I glanced over to see the smithy, Alvor, working amicably at his forge. He was a very capable smith from what I'd seen, but I have no use for anything more than an iron dagger and he didn't have any 'fancy elven stuff' as he called it.

Instead, I stepped inside Lucan's shop to sell some of the jewelry and gems I found in my travels. An argument was going back and forth inside, and the shop seemed to be in disarray. Lucan quickly hushed up his sister Camilla, and apologized that I had to hear that. I didn't care and stepped up to his counter, pulling out the small bag of valuables I had, "What will you give me for these?"

"Well, that depends. Do you want to sell them outright, or trade them for something else?"

I thought about it for a second. "Hm, I could do to learn a few new spells.... Do you have any spell tomes?"

His brow creased as he frowned in thought, "I may have a few dusty old tomes lying around here somewhere. If you want more, you'll have to go to the college in Winterhold."

Oakflesh and Raise Zombie were the only useful spells he had, so we haggled over the price until finally coming to a deal. I was about to leave, but my curiosity about what happened here came to the forefront, "Did something happen here?"

Lucan paled, but continued anyway, "Yes, we did have a bit of a... break-in. But we still have plenty to sell. Robbers were only after one thing. An ornament, solid gold. In the shape of a dragon's claw."

He looked at me hopefully, but I really did not want anything to do with chasing down bandits. They could be anywhere. "Sorry, I can't help you right now, Lucan." I left the shop in search a quiet place to sit and learn my new spells. Just across the outside of town, I found the perfect place. A small copse just outside the wall had a large stump that was perfect to sit against and take in tome. Sitting under the shade of the firs that enveloped the area brought a calm and peaceful serenity that I had scarcely found since leaving Alinor. Skyrim was truly a beautiful place that rivaled my homeland in it's own way. Staring out over the road and listening to the flowing water I found myself drifting off into a mid morning doze, before I roused myself.

"No, not right now. I've got to much to do," I said to no one in particular. Searching my pockets, I found the bounty flier that Orgnar handed me a few days ago. Embershard was a short walk down the road, and it would be the perfect place to practice my arcane skills, and also offered a foot in the door at Whiterun. I rose from my cozy spot and made my way west, following the cliff face, rather than the road. It was a pleasant walk under the looming trees, and before I knew it, I stumbled across a small cave opening up out of the rock. The map I had showed this to be very close to Embershard, so the chance of this being a back door was very high. I readied my spells, and headed into the darkness.

Torches lit the path ahead of me, and I could hear the crashing water of an underground stream from somewhere in the dark. I plucked a torch off the wall and slowly moved forward, coming out on a ledge overlooking a small grotto within the mountain. Several bandits toiled about amicably, and had yet to see me. A quick Fury spell soon had them fighting among each other, and the remaining scourge fell quickly to a gout of white hot flames. I grabbed what little of value I could find before heading deeper into the mine.

Just as I rounded a corner a loud shout rang out behind me, as a fur clad bandit charged out of the shadows "Skyrim belongs to the Nords!" I ducked under the swing of his heavy iron mace and hit him full in the back with my fire spell. That was too close, I though to myself. I need to be more careful. The dead bandit had a key I snagged for the locked gate he was guarding, netting me a small bit of gold and a new spell tome. Shortly on, I pulled the lever for a drawbridge and spotted to more bandits milling about ahead. This time, my fury spell once again put them at odds, before I mopped up the remaining lout. That seemed to be the last of them, so I headed up the mine slope towards the front entrance. Outside was a single remaining bandit that fell quickly before me.

It was now midday, as I stood basking in the warm sunlight. The sky was a clear azure, with few clouds dotting it from horizon to horizon. The path in front of me led right back down to the road, and as I stood where they converged, I saw a strange stone formation just up the hill to the west. When I approached the henge, I noticed they were intricately carved with silhouettes of star constellations. Thief, warrior, and mage. These must be the stones that I overheard Delphine talking about.

I knew without a doubt which one was calling to me, and as I knealt before the Mage Stone and prayed to Magnus, a brilliant beam of blue light burst up into the heavens.