The Call of the Wind, Children of Kyne, Volume I Options

[Kane]

Darkness Envelops

Crossing the northern ice floes was treacherous, but Kirin and Lydia found some measure of respite inside Septimus Signus’ Outpost. Deep inside a glacier, the elderly scholar studied an ancient dwemer construct of enormous size. The artifact was, according to Septimus, a lockbox of some kind that hid away an immense power. Luckily, he too was in need of the Elder Scroll sought by the two Nords. After minutes of inane prattling, Septimus finally revealed that he knew the location of it – Blackreach. A lost Dwemer city far below the ground, spanning many miles beneath Skyrim’s northern mountains.

Before they parted ways, the scholar produced two objects for them to take – a small sphere, and a blank cube.

“Two things I have for you. Two shapes. One edged, one round. The round one, for tuning. Dwemer music is soft and subtle, and needed to open their cleverest gates. The edged lexicon, for inscribing. To us, a hunk of metal. To the Dwemer, a full library of knowings. But... empty. Find Mzark and its sky-dome. The machinations there will read the Scroll and lay the lore upon the cube. Trust Septimus. He knows you can know.”

He then told Kirin where to being his search for Blackreach and the Tower of Mzark – Alftand. Lydia took the lead this time, eager to get out of the cave and away from the addled scholar. The evening sun cast a warm glow down on the blue ice beneath their feat.

“Let’s hop back over to the shore below the college,” said Kirin. “If we make good time, we’ll hike west along the sea until dark. I’d feel better about making camp with solid earth under our feet.”

“Sounds good to me, my Thane.”

Lydia ducked just in time to avoid the snowball Kirin flung at her.

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A few hours later, dinner sizzled in a frying pan atop the fire that kept them from freezing to death. A horker loaf Kirin purchased from Birna earlier in the day emitted a wonderful aroma that had their stomachs growling. Fuel was plenty due to the endless supply of driftwood that lay scattered along the Sea of Ghosts and the flames were roaring. After they ate, Kirin and Lydia elected to sleep in shifts, keeping the fire lit at all times for warmth…and protection from the local wildlife.

The northern shore was teeming with Ice Wolves, and they roamed in huge packs hunting anything they could find. Horkers also lumbered around the stony beaches, but they are not to be trifled with either. The wolves generally avoided them, leaving smaller critters and unlucky fools that wandered into the wild unprepared for the dangers within.

But the fire kept them at bay, and allowed Kirin and Lydia some relaxation time.

“By the way, Kir…you never did elaborate on your dislike of that Bard’s song in the Bee and Barb. What had you so upset about his piece?”

“This civil war is an utter joke, that’s what. Ulfric and his goons have half the province up in arms over such a trivial matter. The Stormcloaks are blind and too pigheaded to see who the real enemy is – the Thalmor. Not the Empire. We should be manning the borders as proud members of the Imperial Legion, not squabbling over the holds of Skyrim.”

“I see,” said Lydia. “You are right for not wanting to voice that opinion in Riften – they are staunch supporters of Ulfric and you likely would have been hanged for treason. I do see your point, though…even if I might not completely agree with it.”

“Well, then that is your choice. But if you want to see what Ulfric is really about, you need to look no further than the Gray Quarter in Windhelm.”

And with that, Kirin retreated into his tent to sleep for a few hours while Lydia took first watch.

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Morning had come much to fast or both Kirin and Lydia, but they nonetheless packed up and began the uphill trek to Alftand. Kirin was suspicious as to how Septimus knew where to find a lost Dwarven city, but they really needed the Elder Scroll. The trip up was miserable – seemingly endless Frost Trolls wandered about the barre, snow-covered land between them and their destination. By the time they found the entrance, and the ruined camp outside of it, they were exhausted. It was too dangerous to stop outside though, so they decided to head into the glacial crevasse and look for a spot to hunker down.

The first warm room they found did the trick, and they stopped there to set up a small camp for the night. The stone floor was uncomfortable, but it was damn warm from all the steam that poured out from the maze of pipes that flowed throughout the ancient city. Neither Kirin nor Lydia wanted to sleep in shifts, so instead the Dragonborn tested out a Shout he just recently learned.

LAAS

His vision blurred as a cascade of energy emanated from him and spread through the surrounding area. Far off, he could see the glow of unknown foes as they meandered to and fro aimlessly as the patrolled the long forgotten halls of the Dwarves.

“We should be fine to sleep through the night,” whispered Kirin. “There is nothing within any meaningful distance of us.”

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After resting a few hours each, they were back to quietly advancing through the endless tunnels and huge chambers that were packed with automatons, and later, the Falmer. These sickly creatures caused more problems for Kirin and Lydia than anything they had faced before. Everyone arrow loosed and every sword swung was laced with a virulent poison that the Falmer concocted from their Charus pets. Throngs of the hobbled creatures spread through deepest depths of Alftand, and there seemed no end to their massive numbers.

Eventually, Kirin and Lydia came to a huge, open air cathedral far beneath the surface. A large gate stood in their way, and once they dispatched the couple Falmer patrolling it, Kirin climbed to the balcony above. Two levers on either side of the balcony released the gate, and the two Nord warriors soon found themselves facing a new problem.

The massive Steam Centurion awoke from its arch the moment their light footfalls landed on the top step of the central dais. It roared into life as pistons pumped steam out of every orifice and marched towards Kirin and Lydia with surprising speed, ready to swing its massive hammer down upon them. To their fortune, it was not an agile construct. Darting in and out of its long reach, they were able to whittle away at the metal beast in tight and drop it before the machine caused any real damage.

Resting on the stone steps for a moment, they passed each other water, food, and healing potions before continuing on. Once through another gate, they found the entrance to Blackreach that brought them here. Kirin pulled out the Attunement Sphere given to him by Septimus and inserted it into the control panel. Beneath their feet, the ground shook briefly, before the stones surrounding the column sunk into the floor, revealing a staircase down into Blackreach.

[Kane]

Doomdriven

Blackreach was unlike anything Kirin had ever seen, and will likely ever see. The immense dark cavern stretched as far as the eye could see, and was illuminated only by two sources - towering mushrooms with milky white, flowing tendrils and Dwemer lamps. Outcroppings of a mysterious blue rock reflected the spore’s light, sticking out across the dark landscapes like beacons in the night. Far off in the distance, a massive orb hung from the shrouded rock ceiling high above it.

A small structure of dwarven make was directly across from where they emerged into this mysterious realm and in front of it waited a Dwarven Sphere, likely still guarding the domicile from its original owner. Kirin motioned to Lydia and pointed it out. Together, they readied arrows, and let them fly in the same instance, dismantling the automaton before it could unpack itself. The clang of the arrows on armor alerted a few nearby Falmer, though, and soon they were under siege from two sides. Finishing off the last of the gloomlurkers and a Charus Hunter, they ducked inside the small building.

It was a small, one room stone shack with a bed, fireplace, and dining table. The remains of the last occupant lay in a pile on the floor, dead for who knows how many years. Various alchemical books and ingredients lay around the home, which looked like it had been turned into a small lab for alchemy research. On the long shelf a plant was growing in a small pot, and it emitted the well-known sound of Nirnroot – but instead of being the familiar white-green hue, it was a deep, crimson red color. This intrigued Kirin, but not enough to take it. He had no skill in or use for alchemy, and didn’t trouble himself with learning it. Instead, he rummaged through knapsack lying on the floor.

“Grab anything we can use and then we’ll get back out there.”

“You sure, Kir?” asked Lydia. “I really do not like pillaging from the dead.”

“I’m not asking you to take his clothes…just grab anything meaningful to us, and call it a day. Food, water, arrows, potions. You know the drill.”

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A few hours later found them stumbling through the dark of Blackreach, but their goal was in sight. The approximation of the Tower of Mzark given to them by Septimus took some time to align to surface navigation, but Kirin managed it once he was able to pinpoint where they were under Skyrim. Since then, they were making excellent time, and only slowed down to deal with whatever monsters lurked in the shadows. The worst of which wasn’t even abnormal…

Just as they rounded the bend towards the stairs leading to Mzark, a giant lumbered up the road. Typically docile unless threatened, Kirin was shocked to see it charge at them, club raised. Being stuck in the dark must have addled its mind and made it feral. They wasted no time in defending themselves, and Kirin even used the full might of Unrelenting Force to their advantage, making quick work of the goliath.

“I’m sick of this cold, dank hole in the ground, Kir. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

“I agree wholeheartedly. C’mon – the Tower is just over that bridge. Hopefully we are on our way back up.”

Indeed, they found an elevator across the bridge and through the large metal doors. After a quick ride up, they found themselves in a small anteroom lined with bookshelves and smattering of various Dwemer odds and ends. A passage on the other side brought them into a large Oculory controlled by mysterious buttons on the ledge overlooking the top of the reflecting platform.
Kirin studied the devices for a few moments before grabbing the lexicon from Lydia’s pack, and inserting it into the receptacle to the right of the buttons. It locked in place with a snap, as the gears within the device turned, and activated.

“I think I got the gist of this,” said Kirin.

He pressed the only illuminated button and…nothing happened.

Lydia snorted. “Nice work, boss. Maybe you should try asking it nicely.”
“Hush.”

The burly Nord depressed the button again, but still nothing happened. Getting frustrated, he jabbed at it repeatedly until the second button became illuminated.
“Aha! Told you I’d get there!”

Behind him, Lydia rolled her eyes.

“Please, you had no idea what you were doing – just admit it!”

“Never.”

After a few more minutes of random button pushing, the lexicon began to glow as the focusing lenses of the Oculory began to rotate and redirect the beams of light shining from above. Before long, an echoing clang reverberated throughout the chamber as container lowered from the ceiling an opened up atop the platform below. Kirin and Lydia quickly ran down the ramp to the reflecting platform and stood in awe at the containers contents.

Before them lay one of the fable Elder Scrolls. An instrument of immense power was theirs for the claiming and the gravity of the situation was not lost on them.

“I’m almost afraid to touch, Lyds. Think of the power that would be open to us…if Nirn wasn’t in such dire need, I’d be tempted to leave it and bring the tower down upon this place.”

“But we do need it, Kirin. Grab it and let’s get out of here – Paarthurnax is waiting for us.”

Kirin nodded, pulled the scroll from its resting place and slung it over his shoulder, strapping it to his back.

“May the Divines have mercy on us.”

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It was dark outside when they exited from the Tower of Mzark, and a snow storm was blowing through the mountains. Outside of the elevator gate was another ruined campsite with no occupants. Lydia set to gathering fuel and building a fire while Kirin studied his map and tried to pinpoint their location. Eventually, he recognized an outline in the distance knew at once where they were. Rolling up the map, he joined Lydia at the fire while she cooked up the last of their venison steaks.

“I wonder how long we were underground for,” said Lydia. “I lost track of time, and was surprised to come out so late in the night. Judging by Masser and Secunda, it must be nearly midnight.”

“That must have been moonlight reflecting down through the Oculory. Could have fooled me.”

“Who takes first watch tonight?” asked Lydia.

“Neither of us – we both need the sleep. Just be sure to say a prayer to Kyne, and hopefully she will protect us while we rest.”

For near eight hours, the two adventurers slept undisturbed in the tent near the entrance to Mzark. In one sleeping bag lay Lydia, ever vigil with her hand around the dagger under the pillow. In the other, Kirin slumbered with the Elder Scroll tucked firmly in his arms – both of them were dead to the world, getting a well-deserved sleep.

And outside the tent, a large hawk perched on a nearby tree stump, patiently waiting for the bright morning sun to rouse the sleeping friends.

[Kane]

Drawn from the Depths

Needless to say, Divines do not like being made to wait – even the benevolent ones that have chosen their champions and their children. So with that, when late morning began to approach, the large brown hawk that watched over the makeshift campsite let out a hearty morning caw, to waken the sleeping beauties.

Kirin jumped from his sleeping bag in alarm at the piercing call that sounded like it was right on top of them. Pushing Lydia into wakefulness, he stumbled out into the snow and began looking around for the source of the call. He spotted the hawk nearby, and bent his knee in honor.

“Hello Mother. What brings you here to us on this fine winter morning?”

The avian divine cocked her head sideways to study him, before shifting into her fair human form. Kyne smiled down at him.

“I answered your prayers, of course. It is not often that you call upon me for aid, so I felt it wise to come see you. I am glad to find you well, and that I caught you before you embark upon the next chapter of your journey.”

“Do you have need of us, Lady Kyne? Aside from what we are already doing, that is.”

Lydia emerged from the tent and bowed in respect to her matron.

“Ah, Lydia, there you are dear. I trust you slept well last night?”

“Much better than I thought I would, that’s for sure. A dragon could have roared overhead and I might not have even stirred,” she laughed.

Kyne smiled knowingly. “Good. You will need the rest for the next leg of your journey. Which brings me to the reason for my presence out here.”

The Goddess paused, and turned her attention back to Kirin.

“Before you return to Paarthurnax, I ask that you wear the amulet given to you by Dinya, and let Mara guide you once more. She offers a blessing and it is one that you shall need, if you are to survive your fate.”

“Then that is what we will do, Mother,” said Kirin. “I’ll rustle up that amulet as soon as I can.”

“Very well. I shall leave you to it, then.”

Kyne turned back towards the open sky she descended from and prepared to shift back into her hawk form. But she looked back one more time at the two Nords with a smile, and offered a final word of advice.

“And Kirin, dear? When Mara grants her blessing…try not to act so surprised this time.”

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About an hour later, they had packed up their supplies and began the descent down to the plains of Whiterun, when Lydia finally asked the question that was niggling at her.

“’Try not to act so surprised this time’…what do you think she meant by that, Kir?”

“I have an idea and something tells me it won’t be the last time it happens. I would say that scholars have gotten a number of things wrong about the history of Tamriel, and that they continue to do so.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Kirin smiled. “You’ll see soon enough.”

They continued on across the thinly treed tundra, kicking their way through tall grasses and flowered fields. Far off in the distance, deer pranced across the open meadows while sabre cats stalked them in the grasses. Wolf packs roamed in tight groups, avoiding the Giants and their mammoth herds. Kirin knelt to fill up his waterskin at a small stream wending its way through the earth, and nearly got knocked over by a mudcrab as it burst from the dirt. A quick arrow from Lydia buried itself in the crab’s underside just as it leapt towards Kirin.

“Nice shot,” remarked Kirin, as he got back to his feet. “How’d you react so quickly?”

“Luck. I spotted a buck nearby and was waiting for it to come out of the grasses when I heard the earth breaking. You should pay more attention to where you rest.”

He made his way towards her and clasped her shoulder. Lydia couldn’t help but notice a different look in his eyes than she had ever seen before and a soft smile on his lips.

“Well if I were so careful, then what need would I have of you to protect me?”

Hooking his waterskin back on, Kirin resumed their march west, towards Gjukar’s Monument. He wasn’t sure what drew him there, but trusted Mara and her guidance. The amulet around his neck seemed to ease his burdens, and stifle doubt. Everything he looked at seemed to having a glowing aura…and Lydia more so than anything else. Several times, he had to avert his gaze to avoid being caught staring at his loyal friend and companion.

After the third time this happened, Kirin shook his head and tried to focus on their quest, and figure out their next move.


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It was nightfall when they finally approached the tall stone monolith that loomed over the western plains. Masser and Secunda glowed down upon them, illuminating the whole area in pale light, while Kirin and Lydia searched around the statue for a sign of their goal.

A few moments had come and gone before a ghostly figure appeared at the base of the towering monument. Kirin approached the spectral being, and to his surprise, she answered his call to her.

"I'm searching for my Fenrig. He was marching with Gjukar's men, who they say were wiped out here. I've turned over every body, though, and I can't find him. Please help me look. He has a bright red beard and hair."

Lydia joined them just after she finished speaking.

“She’s obviously convinced that she is still alive, Kir. Let’s just look around for this Fenrig, and see what happens. Do you feel any guidance though the amulet?”

“Some – but not the kind I’m looking for. Give me a moment to sort it out.”

He hung his head in concentration and tried to sort out the turmoil of emotions that had risen to the top once he donned the amulet. Listening, or rather – feeling – intently for a nudge from Mara on where to look next, his feet began to move him back east and slightly north.

“C’mon Lyds…I think he is back this way.”

They searched the area around the lonely mountain that sat alone in the middle of the open tundra. Long ago some unknown force had pushed up this single peak, far from the nearest ranges and isolated by the grassy plains surrounding it. At the northern base, they found another ghost, milling about aimlessly.

"Ruki? Where is she? If she's come this far from home, it must be important. Lead on. I just need to report back to camp by sunrise."

Vanishing with a wisp of spectral smoke, Fenrig left Kirin and Lydia alone once again. The tightened up their packs, and began a quick jog back to Gjukar’s Monument, hoping to catch the forlorn lovers before they vanished forever. The tundra raced by as they picked up speed, soon opening into an all-out run across the meadowlands. Two blue lights flickered in the distance, as
Ruki and Fenrig were finally reunited. Kirin kicked in an extra burst of speed and caught up to them just in time.

"Fenrig! You're alive!"

"Of course I am. What brings you here?"

"I had heard that Gjukar's men were wiped out. I came to find you."

"But that battle isn't expected until tomorrow... Ruki, what's going on?"

The two ghosts, reunited at last had begun to elevate above the ground as they spoke, rising higher and higher into the clear night sky. Their conversation began to trail off, but Kirin managed to pick out their last words to each other before leaving the mortal realm.

"I'm so confused. What's happening?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm here. We're together now. And we will be forever."

And they vanished. Together again after a hundred years of fear and longing, Fenrig and Ruki departed for the halls of Sovngarde, to enjoy eternity together, under the watchful eye of Shor. Lydia had just caught back up to him, and hunched over on a nearby rock.

“Did you make it in time?” she asked, breathlessly.

“I did. They’ve been reunited, and have moved on from our world.”

“And a fine job you did of it, too,” said a voice, drifting out of the darkness.

Kirin and Lydia both leapt to the ready and drew their weapons in surprise. The voice had caught them off guard and they hadn’t heard anyone approach.

“Who goes there!” yelled Kirin. “Show yourself!”

From behind the tall standing stone, emerged a figure robed in a simple habit of the purest of white. It strode toward them gracefully, hands folded in front and bearing no hostility. Kirin and Lydia both eased up and sheathed their swords, just as the feminine form approached them.

“Thank you for stowing your weapons,” said the robed woman. “They would not have helped you, but you needn’t them anyway.”

“You gave us quite a fright, ma’am,” said Kirin. May I ask what you are doing out here, in the middle of the night?”

“Looking for you of course, son of Kyne.”

Lydia started – no one but the two of them knew of Kirin’s connection to the sky goddess.

”You may rest easy, Lydia – mortals may not know of Kirin’s fate, but we Divines are an entirely different matter.”

She lowered her hood and smiled at them. “It’s nice to finally meet my sister's chosen one. Good evening, Kirin. I am known to your kind as Mara."

[Kane]

The Winds of Change

Kirin tried not to act surprised, but his facial expressions failed him miserably. Kyne had warned him, but he still couldn’t help but be baffled as he stood before yet another goddess – this time the Goddess of Love. His mind was racing by at a million miles an hour and unfortunately he couldn’t stop himself from blurting out the silliest of questions.

“Um…so does that make you my aunt?”

To his surprise, the Lady Mara laughed aloud at his remark.

“I suppose - in a way - it does indeed.”

Lydia rose from her kneeling position and smacked Kirin on the shoulder.

“Seriously, Kir? That is the first question you could think of to as a divine?” She then turned to Mara, “We are honored by your presence, Lady. To what do we owe your benevolent presence?”

“Now, now, Lydia. You mustn’t be so formal with me anymore than you are with Kyne. I know that you honor me out of respect, but that is not necessary. I have had your prayers over the last few months and that is all that I require.”

Kirin glanced sideways at Lydia just in time to see her blush. Wondering what that was all about he almost didn’t catch the wink flashed to him by Mara. Something told him that the Goddess of Love that stood before them was more deeply entwined with them than he ever expected.

“Back to business, then,” said Mara. “I am here to offer you my blessing, in exchange for fanning the fires of love that had begun to smolder throughout Skyrim. No place on Nirn should ever be devoid of love and the wonderful energy it binds us all together with. It is as intrinsic to the nature of Mundus as music is, and keeps the strings of reality bound tight. You two have done much for love in my name, and your own. I gift to you my boon – a protection against forces that would harm love – and ask that you yet return to my priestess Dinya. You must still be recognized formally for your efforts.”

A warm glow filled the souls of Kirin and Lydia as it enveloped them in the pure light of divinity. They could feel their life forces bolster as the energy swirled around them in the darkness of night, illuminating the area round them. After a moment, the light dissipated but the energy of life and love did not.

“It is done. Please return to Riften at your earliest convenience, and let Dinya know that your task is complete. In the meantime, know that with my blessing, I shall help you in your times of need if you ask. For now, I will seek out Kyne and let her know of this. Good luck on your journey, children…you will need it.”

Kirin and Lydia bowed in respect to the divine, and thanked her for her blessing and her love. Before she disappeared into the encompassing dark of night, she addressed them again.
“One more thing, children. Do not continue to quell the most important emotion of all. You will need it more than anything else in the coming times.”

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They set up camp after Mara had departed, but their late dinner around the crackling flames was a quiet affair. Neither of the two were brave enough to discuss the meaning of the Lady’s parting words, and instead they both dwelled on them in silence. Instead, they both drifted off to sleep under the bright starts of the night sky.

Morning came sooner than either Kirin or Lydia wanted it to. The day prior had been a long one, but they had a lot of traveling left to do – Riften was long way off and after that, a long backtrack to Ivarstead and High Hrothgar. Luckily, Whiterun was nearby, though…the carriage service down to Riften would speed things up considerably and take some of the travel burden off.

So to Whiterun is where they headed, but the two Nords did so in silence. Neither one of them had yet to talk about their meeting with Mara last night, and a passerby could have cut the tension with a butter knife. Onwards they quietly walked, as the warm sunny morning gradually turned to a cloud filled and dreary day, threatening rain at any moment. Within a few hours, the drops began to fall gently around them as the open plains filled with a thin mist.

And still Kirin and Lydia walked on in relative silence, only breaking from their somber mood at signs of trouble or hostile attackers. The weather only made matters worse, intensifying as time wore on. By midafternoon, thunder began to crackle in the distance and a strong wind blew to the west, directly impeding their march east. It was only then that Kirin took the hint…

“Lydia, let’s get out of this mess.”

He looked ahead for any kind of shelter, and was pleased to see the now deserted Redoran’s Reatreat just ahead of them.

“Make a break for the cave before this weather gets any worse. We have some things to discuss.”

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Inside the cave, the air was stale and smelled of dampness and mold. The bandits Kirin killed long ago on the Jarl’s orders had likely been dragged off by scavenging predators, leaving behind an empty earthly domicile. They headed deeper inside to the ending chamber and lit a fire in the stone pit near the back wall. One chair still remained and Kirin offered it to Lydia while he sat on the floor on the opposite side.

The silence endured once more as they warmed up around the blazing flames and nearly half an hour passed before Lydia broke it.

“So, why have we come in here, Kirin?”

“I think you know why. Also because I’m fairly certain that Kyne was behind the abrupt change in the weather that we just experienced. She obviously thinks we should talk about our encounter with Mara and I’m beginning to agree with that sentiment.”

Lydia shifted nervously in her seat and her face flushed once more.

“Lady Mara wouldn’t have given us those last words if they didn’t mean something,” said Kirin. “I don’t think I can hide it from myself or from you anymore, Lyds. Putting that amulet on yesterday brought everything bubbling to the surface and now it’s eating away at me.”

He glanced up at Lydia and was surprised to see the look of delightful shock on her face. It faded quickly and a coy smile soon played around the corners of her mouth. Just as Kirin was about to continue, she got to her feet, walked around the fire and sat down next to him before leaning in and giving him the one present she'd wanted to for a long time. A lingering kiss.

[Kane]

Duel on the Peak

When the two lovers finally exited Redoran’s Retreat, the sun shined brightly down upon them from a cloudless sky. Songbirds chattered all around them and Lydia could have sworn that she spotted two white doves fly overhead. Resuming their journey to Whiterun, they decided to stop home at Elysium along the way for a day or so to relax and get accustomed to their latest development.

The details may be spared, but needless to say – they had a good mini-vacation at the estate. Towards the end, Kirin could be seen tending the forge for several hours while Lydia stocked up on their supplies for the road. Once finished she joined him outside just in time for her to try on a new set of armor.

Gasping at the sight of it, Lydia nearly dropped the two mugs of wine she held.

“Wow - you have outdone yourself, Kir. I thought you were going to smith up a set of that Witchplate armor I found in Riften. But this…”

She picked up the gleaming black armor off of the work bench to check the fit. Her clothes slid to the earth baring her fair skin to the open air as she began to slide the cuirass over her head and on to her torso. After strapping it in, she pulled on the boots and gauntlets, picked up her new shield and sword for a practice swing. The blade was balanced well, and moved through the air in a dark blur as Lydia swung it deftly in her sword dance.

Sheathing the sword when she finished, Lydia looked back at Kirin with a beaming smile.

“Thank you for this, love. But when did you learn how to work with Ebony? I’ve heard that it frustrates even the most skilled smiths to no end.”

“I picked up a few pointers from Eorlund, when we were last in Whiterun. It’s not so bad, once you figure out the optimal forge temperature. Though I did use up most of my wood stock to keep it burning that hot.”

“What about your armor? That engraved cuirass is looking fairly worn and shabby.”

“I have the materials for a full set of glass armor set aside. I’ll work on it later, though. I need a break from hammering for a while – my arms are so sore, they might fall off.”

Lydia strode over to him and grabbed his hand. Leading him over to the outdoor sauna, she lit a few torches around it before turning back to face Kirin.

“Help me get this armor off, and I’ll see if we can do something about that.”

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The following day found Kirin and Lydia leaving Elysium for the Whiterun stables just after lunch. Both of them were armored up in their new sets and looked the part of a formidable duo. Even Uthgerd gave them a wide berth as they sauntered up the cobblestone road towards the carriage driver. Sixty gold Septims later, and they were seated uncomfortably in the back of the wooden wagon, bumbling along towards Riften while the driver prattled on aimlessly.

Morning found them finally disembarking from the carriage and pushing their way through the Riften gates. Not wanting to linger around the corrupt city, they immediately made their way to the Temple of Mara. Dinya Balu awaited them at the altar, and greeted them warmly as they approached.

"Hello my friends. Your efforts have helped illuminate the entire province. I trust by now you've achieved a higher comprehension of love. Carry the blessings of Mara with you, so the rest of the province may shine with her glories."

Kirin and Lydia bowed amicably and thanked the priestess. But Dinya was not yet finished.

“Ah, I see the two of you have found a spark of your own! And…if I’m not mistaken – you bear a unique blessing from the Lady Mara herself! We are honored to have you here at the temple and its doors will always be open to you.”

They thanked her again before heading back out into the market square.

“Well, where to now, dear?” asked Lydia.

“The Throat of the World awaits us. It’s time to embrace destiny head on."

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They stopped briefly in High Hrothgar to catch up with Arngier, but did not linger long. The mountain path cleared before them under the power of Clear Skies, and within hours the summit approached. Paarthurnax awaited them atop the lower peak, an addressed them right away.

"You have it. The Kel - the Elder Scroll. Tiid kreh... qalos. Time shudders at its touch. There is no question. You are doom-driven. Kogaan Akatosh. The very bones of the earths are at your disposal. Go then. Fulfill your destiny. Take the Scroll to the Time-Wound. Do not delay. Alduin will be coming. He cannot miss the signs."

Kirin gave Lydia a peck on the cheek and bid her to stand back. Walking over to the Time-Wound, he pulled the Elder Scroll from his back and unfurled it within the distortion. A flash of burning white light illuminated his vision before the runed pages began to glow. Quite suddenly, a window in time opened up before him and Kirin found himself looking into the past as three Nord warriors battled with a dragon. They appeared to be waiting for Alduin and had hinged all of their hopes on him rising to their challenge.

Things were looking bleak for the stout male hero, but his female companion leapt boldly into the fray and climbed up on to the dragon’s neck, shouting as she swung her sword with deadly precision.

"Know that Gormlaith sent you down to death!"

As she plunged her sword in one final time, the dragon roared and fell with a final shudder. Jumping down, Gormlaith regrouped with Feldir and Hakon as they waited for Alduin. A few moments later, they got their wish as the great black dragon swooped down onto the stone shrine on the peak.

"Meyye! Tahrodiis aanne! Him hinde pah liiv! Zu'u hin daan!"

"Let those that watch from Sovngarde envy us this day!" yelled Gormlaith.

All at once, the three ancient warriors then unleashed their crippling shout upon the winged menace.

JOOR ZAH FRUL

With a mighty roar Alduin was forced to the ground as the concept of mortality raced through his being for the first time. A mysterious purple aura radiated from his massive body as he cursed the Nords and Paarthurnax for their twisted creation. They all fought in vain against Alduin, as he was still too powerful to be slain. The death of Gormlaith resulted in their last ditch effort – the scroll. Feldir unfurled it and with a powerful incantation, he banished Alduin from reality…for a time.

The portal into the past vanished and when Kirin’s eyes finally cleared, he found Alduin himself floating in the sky above.

"Bahloki nahkip sillesejoor. My belly is full of the souls of your fellow mortals, Dovahkiin. Die now and await your fate in Sovngarde!"

The dragon began to fly off towards Paarthurnax, but without hesitation, Kirin shouted the full might of Dragonrend at him, bring Alduin to the ground. Sword and shield at the ready, Kirin immediately began to hack away at the monstrous beast, as Lydia rushed in from the flank and landed as many blows as she could.

A battle raged on for hours, well into the dark of night. Far below, the people of Skyrim looked up towards the mountaintop in wonder as dragons circled, lighting flashed, and thunder cracked around the peak. The air rippled with the sound of the Thu’um as Kirin and Alduin were locked in their deadly confrontation. Paarthurnax had long since lifted to a higher flight once he realized that the World Eater powerfully outmatched him.

Lydia had been wounded grievously with a whip from his powerful tail and lay bleeding in the snow nearby. The sight of her injured form sent Kirin into a primal rage as he relentlessly continued his barrage of Alduin’s near impenetrable hide until finally, the great dragon recoiled in fear.

"Meyz mul, Dovahkiin. You have become strong. But I am Al-du-in, Firstborn of Akatosh! Mulaagi zok lot! I cannot be slain here, by you or anyone else! You cannot prevail against me. I will outlast you... mortal!"

And with a furious rush of wings, Alduin took flight once more and disappeared into the eastern night sky. Breathless and sapped of all his strength, Kirin dropped his sword in the snow and stumbled over to where Lydia laid in her prone form. He poured the last of his healing potion into her mouth and passed out next to her.

Paarthurnax returned to the summit, landed next to the two Nords and sheltered them from the cold until they would regain consciousness.

[Kane]

Elder Council

Kirin awoke some time later on a stone bed within the halls of High Hrothgar. Paarthrunax had called for the Greybeards’ aid when the storms intensified on the mountain, and flew the unconscious heroes down the mountain to the courtyard, leaving them in Arngier’s care. Nearly a full day had passed before Kirin slept enough to recuperate from the harrowing battle with the World Eater. His eyes snapped open and he suddenly jumped to his feet, looking around for Lydia.

Hearing the clamor in the room next store, Arngier arose from his table and went to check on it.

“Arngeir! Where’s Lydia? She was hurt – I gave her a bit of healing potion, but I’m not sure it was enough. Is she here? Did she make it!”

“Morah, Dovahkiin. Breathe deeply and focus.”

The old man’s word settled into Kirin’s mind and after a few seconds, he regained his composure.

“Better?” asked Arngier. “Good. Now, Lydia lies in the room adjacent. Alduin’s tail is a powerful extension of him, and the landed blow shattered most of her ribs. It is good that you gave her the potion when you did, for the force of the blow nearly killed her. We have cared for her to the best of our abilities, but it may be some time before she awakens.”

The panic in Kirin’s mind lessened, and he breathed easier yet.

“Please take me to her, Master. I will sit with her until she wakes.”

“Of course. This way, Dovahkiin.”

---------------------------------------

Three days came and went before Lydia roused from her slumber, and sat up in bed. For the moment she was alone, but on the table beside her lay a plate of food and a large goblet of water. Her eyes lit up as soon as she saw it, and without hesitation she grabbed a fork and went to town on it. The clanging of silverware on her plate and the goblet being set on stone must have garnered some attention, and her ears picked up the sound of hurried footsteps and whispered voices.
Kirin rounded the corner and into view first, smiling in delight at the sight of Lydia awake and eating. Behind him, Arngier followed with Borri. Kirin rushed towards the bed, and sat down next to her on the edge and embraced her warmly.

“Oof, let go Kir – you’re crushing me.”

“Sorry, love. I’ve been worried about you. The battle with Alduin went poorly, and almost did not end well.”

“So it would seem. Did you manage to defeat him?”

“Yes and no. He cannot be killed on Mundus and has flown to Sovngarde, where he is regathering his strength. I’ve been conferring with Arngier and Paarthurnax these past three days, an-“
“Three days! Just how hurt was I? All I remember is the blur of Alduin’s tail rushing at me before I could dodge it…”

Unable to find the words, Kirin simply leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. Instead, Master Arngier answered what he could not.

“We almost lost you, Miss Lydia. Had Kirin not given you the last of his potion, you would likely have succumbed to your wounds before Paarthurnax could get you down here to us.”
Lydia said nothing, but grabbed Kirin and held him close. They’d been through much together, but nothing so dangerous as their assault on Alduin atop the mountain. She squeezed him tighter as tears began to fall gently from her eyes.

“Please tell me that we don’t have to seek him out once more.”

Kirin sighed.

“I wish I could, my love,” whispered Kirin remorsefully. “But if I do not, he will return and seek us out on his own accord.”

She untangled her arms from his torso, and held him away from her, staring directly into his eyes.

“What do you mean ‘I’? You surely don’t intend to face him alone? Kirin it would be suicide!”

“I wish there was another way, Lydia, I do. But the only way to end this for good is by traveling to Sovngarde – and that is something I can only do alone.”

Lydia sniffled and dried her eyes.

“Do you at least have some sort of plan?”

“Master Arngier, Paarthurnax, and I have come up with one, but it will take some doing. Once you are rested up enough, we leave for Whiterun. Convincing Jarl Balgruuf to capture a dragon in Dragonsreach will be a tall order.”

---------------------------------------

The very next day found Kirin and Lydia descending the mountain and crossing the bridge into Ivarstead. All was quiet in the sleepy little village, and only the guards were out making their rounds. A few of them acknowledged Kirin as Dragonborn out of respect, but most kept up the pretense of quiet toughness. They crossed the western bridge out of town, and began the long walk to Whiterun via Riverwood. The Voice of the Sky kept the wilderness animals at bay as they walked beneath the golden leaved birch trees that lined the road in thick groves.
It was an uneventful trip with one night spent lying out under the stars in each other’s warm embrace.
“Do you think we’ll ever have time to just be us, Kir?” wondered Lydia.

“When I come back from Sovngarde, I will make sure of it, Lyds. We are going to lock ourselves up in Elysium and not come out for at least a month. If Kyne needs us, she can blow the roof off of the place for all I care.”

A stiff wind blew through the valley after that remark from her chosen champion.

“Just kidding, mum!” yelled Kirin.

The breeze died off quickly leaving a still night for the couple to drift off to sleep in.

---------------------------------------

Tirdas dawned under cloudy skies that eventually began to drop a cold, dismal rain down on the heads of Kirin and Lydia. They paid no heed to the chilly storm, and trudged on towards Whiterun and warm interiors. Several hours later found them seated around the long fire pit in Dragonsreach, discussing the issue of trapping a dragon.

As expected, Balgruuf was less than thrilled about the idea, and vehemently refused at first. It took a fair bit of convincing from Kirin before he relented, promising only to help if the temporary peace in the war could be achieved.

Once they came to that agreement, the long journey to High Hrothgar, Windhelm, and Solitude began. Arngier agreed to host the council of peace, but it would yet take some convincing for Ulfric and Tullius to show up.

Kirin and Lydia spent the next week riding from city to city in uncomfortable carriages, trying to get the war leaders to attend. In the end, the only thing that worked was pounding them over the head with the threat of Alduin and the end of life as they all knew it. Fear can be a wonderful motivator – even for the war hungry.

[Kane]

Peace and Promises

Around the large stone council table of High Hrothgar sat those who would treat for the most temporary of truces. All who was requested by Kirin to attend were present, and also a few unexpected guests. Sitting on opposite heads of the table were Arngeir and Kirin, respectively. On one side sat the Imperial delegation, composed of Jarl Balgruuf, General Tullius, Legate Rikke, Jarl Elisif, and Elenwen. Across from them stood the Stormcloaks; Jarl Ulfric and Galmar Stone-Fist. Esbern and Delphine had also shown up, as a delegation of the Blades, who apparently were no longer interested in hiding.

Naturally, it was Ulfric who made the first demand by refusing to sit down until Elenwen was dismissed from the council. He argued that she had no place among them, and Kirin was inclined to agree with him. Once she left, the real talks began – and so did the insults. It took many hours of bickering and arguing back and forth with Arngeir settling people down, but eventually terms were accepted by all sides.

The delegates began to file out, leaving those at the core of the matter to discuss the next step…catching a dragon.

“Dragonsreach is ready for you. The great chains are oiled and my men stand at the ready, Dragonborn,” said Balgruuf.

Arngeir then raised the next problem of the matter – how to catch a dragon there. It was as this pint that Esbern piped up again, explaining that with a little research, he had identified one of the dragons risen by Alduin.

“If you call his name, he will not be compelled to come, but Dragons are prideful by nature, and they loathe to refuse a challenge. Your voice in particular, Dragonborn, is likely to interest him. I find it unlikely that he will be able to resist.”

“Thank you, Esbern,” said Kirin. “Jarl Balgruuf, I will see you in Whiterun when I am ready.”

------------------------------------------------

They took a carriage to Whiterun, rather than make the long trek by foot once again. But instead of turning up into the city, Kirin and Lydia first headed back to Elysium Estate. Both of them were laden down with gear from their recent journeys, Kirin needed to attend to his gear before leaving for Dragonsreach. He set about to organizing his new belongings and supplies, while Lydia washed up and began preparing a meal for them.

While she cooked, Kirin went out back to feed the forge – he needed it to be hotter than ever before in order to put his new idea on armor to the test. After loading in most of the deadwood they had left, Kirin tugged a few times on the bellows and headed back inside the estate. Lydia had just set out a plate of venison steaks and poured a bottle of Black-Briar Reserve into a mug for him, while she poured a glass of Colovian Brandy for herself.

Dinner was somber affair while the two Nords dwelled on what was to come. Kirin was unsure of what to expect on the way to Sovngarde, and was nervous at the prospect of not having Lydia at his side. And in turn, Lydia worried about Kirin surviving such a tall order on his own. The last time they faced Alduin, all was nearly lost – and that was with herself and Paarthurnax aiding him in battle.

Lost in thought after finishing up their meal, both of them jumped in alarm when the main door to the estate opened up without so much as a knock. Much to their surprise, in walked Kyne.

“Do not rise to greet me, children,” tutted Kyne. “I will join you at the table.”

The goddess sat down at the head of the table and waved her hand. Next to her appeared a goblet of wine that she picked up and sipped gently. She looked at Kirin, and then over to Lydia.

“Well, you two certainly look somber. Come now, not all hope is lost for this final leg of your journey, Kirin.”

“Forgive me, Mother. It just seems to be so tall an order for one man to overcome. Especially when I will not have your guidance or protection when I leave this realm. Nor will I have Lydia at my side, to help me overcome the odds.”

Kyne simply smiled and look knowingly at him.

“It is true that I will be beyond reach while you are there, but I believe that you are forgetting something very important. Sovngarde is the realm of Shor – my husband. I may not be able to help you in this part of your tale, but he will.”

After that revelation, Kirin and Lydia relaxed considerably. He’d never thought about the connection between the two during all of his brooding on the subject.

“Well, that certainly does change things!” exclaimed Kirin. “The road is yet dangerous, but maybe not as dire.”

“I’d still feel better if I were at your side,” said Lydia. “But I will pray to Shor and entrust him with your safe-keeping.”

Kyne nodded.

“It is always wise to pray for help – especially in the interest of love. I do not doubt that Shor will be ready to provide whatever assistance he can. But I will take my leave for now.”

As she rose to her feet, likewise did Kirin and Lydia. Ever respectful, he began to bow his head, but Kyne stopped him before he could.

“I’ve told you before – you need not be so proper.”

She then embraced him warmly and whispered in his ear.

“Good luck, my child.”

The goddess turned then to Lydia and also embraced her before disappearing into thin air. But what she whispered in Lydia’s ear, Kirin did not know. It seemed to please his love though, so he did not fret on it. Instead, he helped her clean up the mess from dinner before heading back out to the forge.

------------------------------------------------

Early morning came much too quickly for either of them. Kirin had worked long into the night on his new gear, and Lydia slept fitfully. After a quick breakfast, they went down to the armory where Lydia helped him strap on his new armor.

“Kirin this is…incredible. What have you the idea to craft this out of dragon bones and scales?”

“I’ve never fought against such a hardened opponent, so I figured it could offer me the same protection. I just wish it didn’t weigh so much.”

“Well, hopefully it gives you and edge. I’ve certainly never held such a stout bow or such a keen sword. I think your enemies will cower in fear at the sight of your approach.”

“Let’s hope they do.”

Geared up and ready, they left the house and made their way into the city of Whiterun. Atop the highest hill sat Dragonsreach, and the citizens of the town lined the path as Kirin and Lydia wound up it. Many of them wished the Dragonborn luck and offered their respects. He marveled at how fast rumors seemed to travel, but the well-wishers did raise their spirits. Pausing at the central garden, Kirin and Lydia knealt in prayer to Kyne beneath the beautiful flowering branches of the now restored Gildegreen. Its pink blossoms fell about them in a soft shower as the lightest zephyr blew in from the west.

After a moment in silence, they stood back up and continued the walk up to the keep. Pushing through the heavy wooden doors, the found Balgruuf at the ready.
“Come, Dragonborn. Let’s go trap a dragon.”

Kirin and Lydia followed him through the hall and out onto the Great Porch. There, a handful of guards stood at the ready as Kirin walked out under the sky and shouted into the air.

OD-AH-VIING.
Silence followed, broken only by the hesitant breathing of those on the porch, and the sounds of the throngs below. Even the birds were quiet, and it wasn’t long before the familiar roar of a dragon could be heard. Out of nowhere, the great orange beast swooped down and plucked a guard off of the balcony and flung him high into the air.

Odahviing circled once more allowing Kirin to unleash Dragonrend upon him and force him down onto the porch. He, Lydia, and the guards then lured the dragon back further in until the trap fell in place, securing him tightly to the ground.

“Zu'u bonaar. You went to a great deal of trouble to put me in this... humiliating position. Hind siiv Alduin, hmm? No doubt you want to know where to find Alduin?”
As the guards and Jarl Balgruuf watched in awe, Kirin spoke to Odahviing at length for several minutes before they came to an agreement that suited both parties. He then motioned for the guards to release the trap, and told the dragon that he’d be with him in a moment.

Pulling Lydia aside, we wrapped her in his arms and kissed her fiercely before making a promise to her.

“With Kyne and Mara as my witness, I swear to you that I will return from Sovngarde, and when I do we shall journey to Riften and be wed. Nothing will keep me from seeing that though – not even the World-Eater.”

Tears streamed gently down Lydia’s face as she held him tight.

“I will hold you to that, my love. For it is no longer just myself that you must return for.”

They separated and Kirin looked at her questioningly. Lydia beamed at him through her tears and continued on.

“Last night when Kyne embraced me, she told me of the signs I had missed with everything that’s been going on. The signs she recognized immediately when she came to visit."

She pulled him into her arms once more and whispered into his ear.

“I am with child, Kirin.”

[Kane]

Sovngarde

Odahviing dropped off Kirin in the ruins of Skuldafn, leaving the Champion of Kyne to fight his way through to the portal on his own. Hordes of Draugr and many dragons awaited him amongst the sprawling ruins nestled high in the Velothi Mountains. But within him lay a fiery determination – nothing would stop him from returning to the women he will wed, and his future child. Kirin kneeled in silent prayer to Kyne before unsheathing his newly smithed Dragonbone sworn christened with the name Tempest, in honor of the wind that guided him.

The draugr didn’t know what hit them as he dashed up the stairs at full speed and tore through their bony forms in seconds. Overheard a dragon roared in challenge while Kirin retreated back down the stairs and onto the open plain where Odahviing departed from. Accepting his own challenge, the beast landed on the ground in front of Kirin where it quickly met its fate. The onslaught from the Nord caught it off guard and within moments Kirin marched off as the dragon soul fueled his power even more.

He continued to tear through their lines with the fury of a tempest, decimating the patrolling dragur and anything else that lay in his path. Eventually he came before two huge iron-clad temple doors leading into the heart of Alduin’s ancient fane. The gaunt undead of the dragon cults roamed its long halls and high chambers in vast numbers. More than once Kirin needed to rest and regather his strength for the road ahead.

Nearly a full day had passed since he arrived in Skuldafn before he finally emerged from the temple to under a clear night sky. Masser and Secunda bathed the ruins in pale moonlight, illuminating the way for Kirin. He dispatched a few more draugr before coming to Alduin’s portal to Sovngarde. It was flanked on either side by two dragons who didn’t seem interesting in attacking, leaving only the Dragon Priest to stand in Kirin’s way.

The ever vigilant Nahkriin spotted Kirin on approach and immediately plucked his staff from the runed receptacle on the platform, closing the portal off from he who sought to enter Sovngarde. Facing a truly dangerous enemy for the first time since he arrived in Skuldafn, Kirin sought to even the odds quickly. As the powerful servant of Alduin raised his hands and shrieked in challenge, the Dragonborn released his Thu’um.

KRII LUN AUS

Staggering under the brunt impact of the ruinous shout, Nahkriin regained his composure before unleashing bolt after bolt of deadly lightning at Kirin. But it wasn’t enough to stop the Nord’s intense drive and soon enough, the Dragon Priest felt the deadly bite of dragonbone piercing his mottled flesh and sinew. Marked for Death had sunk in fully and after one final downward swing, Nahkriin roared in despair before disintegrating into a pile of ash.

Kirin sat hunched over in weariness upon the steps, collecting some strength before he reopened the portal. He knew not what he faced on the other side and so he rested for some time before fishing the staff out of Nahkriin’s remains. After saying another quick prayer to Kyne and a second one to Shor, he plunged the butt-end of the portal key into the dais and leapt into the opening gateway.

----------------------------------------------

Sovngarde was bathed in a deep fog that permeated throughout the large open valley that stood between Kirin and the mead hall of Shor, the Missing God. Alduin roamed the skies above but did not acknowledge the present of the Dragonborn who sought to challenge him. Seeing no alternative, Kirin walked down into the valley below, past the large stone statues of hooded figures.

Visibility was low in mist and he nearly ran into a Stormcloak soldier that wandered the mist in despair.

"Turn back, traveler! Terror waits within this mist!”

“Who are you?” asked Kirin.

"Near Giants' Gap, in the gloom before dawn, we marched, unsuspecting into the Imperials' trap. Then we stood and fought, our shield-wall defending until by dawn's light the Legion's ranks wavered. But I never knew if nights-end brought victory -- a swift-flying arrow to Sovngarde carried me."

“Do you know where this mist comes from?”

"I do not know -- but none have passed through. Alduin, his hunger insatiable, hunts the lost souls snared within this shadowed valley. Can you lead the way to where Shor's hall waits, beckoning us on to welcome long sought?"

“Yes, that is where I am headed. It is at the far end of the valley from here,” said Kirin.

“I saw it fair when first I trod this long sought path. The pain and fear vanished, dreamlike, and a vision beckoned to-- Shor's hall, shimmering across the clouded vale. But quenched was hope by the shrouding mist; darkened is my mind. I've lost the way and wander blindly. Hurry! Before Alduin your soul devours bring word to Shor's hall of our hard fate!"

And he wandered off into the mist, searching fruitlessly for the fabled hall of the Nord dead. Kirin followed the path into the mist, heading into the direction he espied the great hall from atop the entrance to Sovngarde, trusting his instincts to lead him through. Eventually they did, and the mist cleared before a massive bridge of whale bones that spanned an endless drop. There stood the largest Nord Kirin had ever laid eyes on. He stood at least seven feet tall and towered over Kirin, who was by no means considered short.

"I am Tsun, shield-thane to Shor. The Whalebone Bridge he bade me guard and winnow all those souls whose heroic end sent them here, to Shor's lofty hall where welcome, well earned, awaits those I judge fit to join that fellowship of honor. What brings you, wayfarer grim, to wander here, in Sovngarde, souls-end, Shor's gift to honored dead?"

“I pursue Alduin, the World Eater,” answered Kirin.

"A fateful errand. No few have chafed to face the Worm since first he set his soul-snare here at Sovngarde's threshold. But Shor restrained our wrathful onslaught - perhaps, deep counselled, your doom he foresaw. No shade are you, as usually here passes, but living, you dare the land of the dead. By what right do you request entry?"
"By right of birth. I am Dragonborn."

"Ah! It's been too long since last I faced a doom-driven hero of the dragon blood. But living or dead, by decree of Shor, none may pass this perilous bridge 'till I judge them worthy by the warrior's test."

Tsun unsheathed his mighty axe and stood at the ready, waiting for Kirin to prove his worthiness in battle. Readying his sword and shield, Tsun charged first with a swift attacked that Kirin deftly turned aside with his shield before countering with a series of lightning quick slashes.

The mighty warrior of old withstood the onslaught but stowed his weapons just after.

“You possess a talent unlike I have seen in many an age, Dragonborn. You fought well. I find you worthy. It is long since one of the living has entered here. May Shor's favor follow you and your errand.”

Kirin sheathed his sword and grasped Tsun’s shoulder in respect before crossing the massive bridge towards the doors of the fabled Hall of Valor.

[Kane]

Prophecy Unfurled

The Hall of Valor was massive and filled with the merriment of song and drink. Countless heroes of old roamed the mead hall of Shor in the warrior’s bliss. Barrels of the finest mead lines the walls and every table was laden with a never-ending supply of sumptuous food. Across the room from where Kirin entered sat the empty throne of Shor, nestled amongst the honored dead that Kyne’s husband normall feasted with.

As Kirin stepped down the stairs from the hall entrance, and her of old armored in the ancient irons of a long forgotten age greeted him warmly.


"Welcome, Dragonborn! Our door has stood empty since Alduin first set his soul-snare here. I am Ysgramor, first leader of the five hundred. By Shor's command we sheathed our blades and ventured not the vale's dark mist. But three await your word to loose their fury upon the perilous foe. Gormlaith the fearless, glad-hearted in battle; Hakon the valiant, heavy-handed warrior; Felldir the Old, far-seeing and grim.”

Ysgramor took his leave of Kirin and wandered off in search of more mead. The Dragonborn crossed the hall and knelt before the throne of Shor in honor and prayed for his help with the upcoming battle. Rising to his feet a few moments later, he turned to see the three warriors of which he learned Dragonrend from a few weeks prior. They stood in wait for him and in anticipation of what was to come.

He moved toward them and Gormlaith spoke first.

“At long last! Alduin’s doom is now ours to seal – just speak the word and with high hearts we’ll haste forth to smite the worm wherever he lurks!”

“Hold comrades,” interrupted Felldir. “Let us counsel take before battle is blindly joined. Alduin’s mist is more than a snare – its shadowy gloom is his shield and cloak.”

“Felldir speaks wisdom,” replied Hakon. “The World-Eater, coward, fears you, Dragonborn. We must drive away his mist, Shouting together, and then unsheathe our blades in desperate battle with our black-winged foe.”

“To battle my friends!” yelled Gormlaith. “The fields will echo with the clamor of war, our wills undaunted!”

Kirin nodded but did not follow them just yet.

“I must eat and drink something before we rush to our fate. My journey here has been long and perilous. I would rest for a few moments.”

------------------------------------------

An hour later Kirin arose from the food laden table and joined the fell warriors near the exit from Shor’s lofty hall.

“It is time, mighty heroes of old. Let us seek out Alduin and engage the worm in battle.”

With a might rallying cry that echoed throughout the Hall of Valor the four proud warriors surged out of the door and across the whalebone bridge. At the other side, Tsun wished them will in their goal as they ran past him and out onto the open field of battle.

They lined up on the grass below and Shouted in unison at the encompassing fogs spread throughout the realm.

LOK VAH KOOR

Alduin’s mist dissipated for a time, but far off in the distance his mighty Thu’um breathed it once more back into the fabled lands of Sovngarde as the powerful words echoed throughout. Kirin and his companions cleared it two more times before the World-Eater gave in and met them in his wrath.

“The endless wait gives way to battle!” said Gormlaith. “Alduin’s doom, his death or ours!”

The great black dragon swooped in from on high as bolides streamed down from the sky and crashed around them in fiery explosions. Sword at the ready, Kirin danced around the impacts carefully as he waited for Alduin to glide over them in a hover. Gormlaith, Felldir, and Hakon meanwhile loosed countless arrows at their foe and Shouted their own words of power in any attempt to weaken the beast. The opportunity finally presented itself to Kirin as Alduin came to stop above them. The Dragnborn crippled him with Dragonrend immediately, bringing down the dragon to the field of battle.

In rushed the warriors alongside Kirin as they hacked, slashed, and thrusted away at his heavily armored hide. For hours the battle waged on as the Nords dueled with Alduin’s full might beneath the forever starry sky of Sovngarde. This time though, Alduin was outmatch among the Dragonborn and his ancient enemies as they slowly whittled down his energy.
Nearby, Tsun watched in bewilderment at the incredible amount of power that clashed on the grass before him. Thu’ums rent the air like lightning in a storm as gouts of flame and frost rippled through the realm. Beneath his very feet the ground shook under the might of the battle waged outside of Shor’s Hall. Even he had to be midful of the meteors crashing to earth around all who were foolish enough to stand in watch.

Gormlaith, Hakon, and Felldir held their own in the perilous fight with the World-Eater, but they themselves were in awe of the speed and fury with which the Dragonborn assailed his destined foe with. Even after long hours of battle with Alduin his deadly sword of bone flashed as if a blur while he danced deftly around the dragon landing blow after blow and piercing his hide time and time again.

But he could not keep up the furious onslaught forever and his strength did begin to wane, but not before Alduin’s. With one final shout of Dragonrend, the worm crashed to the earth with a roar. Without hesitation, Kirin boldly dashed up to him, leapt upon the great spiked head of his foe and plunged his sword one final time with a force that pierced Alduin’s hardened scales and buried itself within the World-Eater’s skull.

Kirn leapt down to the ground as the mighty dragon began to thrash about in agony, Shouting into the skies in the desperate throes of death.

“Zu’u unslaad! Zu’u nis oblaan!”

A glow began to encompass the huge black body of Alduin and built up within until the scales, flesh, and bone of Akatosh’s firstborn were cast off in fiery implosion. The black soul beneath continued to writhe in defeat as Alduin’s life force rushed skyward in a blinding column of light before the World-Eater completely disintegrated in one final massive blast that shook even the realm of Shor.

Kirin rose to his feet and walked out onto the grass where his sword lay among the remains of his fabled enemy. Sheathing it in the scabbard at his waist, he turned to face the warriors of old that helped him in his mighty deed. They sang his praise and honored the Dragonborn for finally vanquishing their ancient foe and promised many songs in his honor within the Hall of Valor.
Now that the battle ended, Tsun approached him from his post to offer his respects.

"That was a mighty deed! The doom of Alduin encompassed at last, and cleansed is Sovngarde of his evil snare. They will sing of this battle in Shor's hall forever. But your fate lies elsewhere. When you have completed your count of days, I may welcome you again, with glad friendship, and bid you join the blessed feasting. When you are ready to rejoin the living, just bid me so, and I will send you back."

“I am ready, Tsun,” said Kirin. “My body is weary from the battle and I long to see my love.”

“Very well. Return now to Nirn, with this rich boon from Shor, my lord: a Shout to bring a hero from Sovngarde in your hour of need.”

NAHL DAAL VUS

------------------------------------------

When Kirin’s vision steadied upon his return to Skyrim, he found himself at the peak of the Throat of the World, where countless dragons sat atop the rocky spires and circled the mountaintop. None of them were hostile towards the Dragonborn, but seemed to be lamenting for the World-Eater. Their Shouts echoed through the air and all across the lands far below.

One by one they took to the sky until only Paarthurnax remained on his perch above the shrine.

"So, it is done. Alduin dilon. The Eldest is no more, he who came before all others, and has always been."

“Alduin brought this upon himself,” replied Kirin.

"Indeed. Alduin wahlaan daanii. His doom was written when he claimed for himself the lordship that properly belongs to Bormahu - our father Akatosh. Rok funta koraav. Perhaps now you have some insight into the forces that shape the vennesetiid... the currents of Time. But I forget myself. Krosis. So los mid fahdon. Melancholy is an easy trap for a dovah to fall into. You have won a mighty victory. Sahrot krongrah- one that will echo through all the ages of this world for those who have eyes to see. Savor your triumph, Dovahkiin. This is not the last of what you will write upon the currents of Time."

Paarthurnax then took to the sky and spoke to Kirin once more.

"Goraan! I feel younger than I have in many an age. Many of the dovah are now scattered across Keizaal. Without Alduin's lordship, they may yet bow to the vahzen... rightness of my Thu'um. But willing or no, they will hear it! Fare thee well, Dovahkiin!"

He began to circle the skies with the other dragons before they all filtered off one, leaving Odahviing alone to speak with Kirin. The dragon wished Paarthurnax well in his new quest, and honored Kirin’s mastery of the Thu’um, promising to help if called upon. Once he too left, Kirin began his descent down the mountain to High Hrothgar.

Exhausted from the perilous fight and subsequent climb down, he shoved his way through the door and into the monastery wanting only to lie down in a bed. Instead a figure rushed at him and pinned him to the wall in an embrace that took the wind out of him.

Lydia said nothing as she squeezed Kirin with tears running gently down her face. He returned the hug earnestly and idly ran his fingers through her hair.

“I’m ok, Lydia,” he reassured her. “Just very tired from the ordeal. Come…let’s go find a bed.”

[Kane]

Calm Winds and Low Tides

Kirn and Lydia slept soundly and well into the morning before waking up to eat and recount his trip to Sovngarde. Even Arngeir joined them to hear the tale firsthand. It took a decent amount of time to recount, during which Kirin never seemed to stop eating or drinking. All the while never letting go of Lydia’s hand.

It was the Greybeard who broke the silence that followed the harrowing recap.

"I can see it in your eyes. You've seen the land of the Gods and returned. But I have to wonder…is Alduin truly defeated?"

“We may only hope. I did not absorb his soul when he passed on, so I cannot say for certain if he is truly gone forever.”

"At last. It is over. Perhaps it was all worth it in the end. You've shown yourself mighty, both in Voice and deed. In order to defeat Alduin, you've gained mastery of dreadful weapons. Now it is up to you to decide what to do with your power and skill. Will you be a hero whose name is remembered in song throughout the ages? Or will your name be a curse to future generations? Or will you merely fade from history, unremembered? Let the Way of the Voice be your guide, and the path of wisdom will be clear to you. Breath and focus, Dragonborn. Your future lies before you."

-------------------------------------

Elysium Estate was a welcome reprieve when Kirin and Lydia finally made it home. The first thing they did was soak for several hours in the indoor spa to wash away the grime and relax Kirin’s tired muscles. Afterwards they cooked up a delicious meal to enjoy before heading outside to relax in the calm evening weather.

They laid out in the grass on a large fur blanket chatting amicably and care free for the first time in months. As an evening sun gave way to the dark of night, the sky remained clear and cloudless while they watched stars in complete content.

-------------------------------------

Over breakfast the next morning, Kirin and Lydia began to discuss the parting promise he made before hopping onto Odahviing’s neck and flying off to Skuldafn. And the advent of their child.

“So, when will we be headed to Riften, love?” asked Lydia. “You did promise you know.”

“Of course I did, and we may go at a moment’s notice, Lyds. Alduin is no more and our life is ours to live as we please now.”

“Tomorrow, then. We will leave at first light for the Temple of Mara.”

A soft breeze fluttered through the open window just before a light knock on the front door could be heard. Kirin stood up from his chair at the table and headed for the door knowing in his heart exactly who it would be. Pulling it open, he graciously welcomed the Goddess into Elysium and accept her loving embrace.

“I am proud of you, my child. You have fulfilled your destiny admirably while remaining true to yourself, Lydia, and to me. I will forever watch over you and guide you when you seek it.”

Kyne then beckoned Lydia to her and wrapped her in her arms as well.

“Lydia my dear, you too I shall always watch over your child too will be under my protection. Your place at Kirin’s side was instrumental in his deeds of valor and will forever be remembered as the Last Dragonborn’s loyal companion. And soon to be wife I take it?”

“Yes, Mother Kyne. We mean to make the journey to Riften tomorrow and will likely be wed the day after.”

Kyne smiled radiantly at the two of them as joyful tears filled her eyes.

“Then you will find the day to be idyllic. The weather is my realm and I shall see to it that there be not a cloud in the sky nor a single drop of rain. Ah �" and I must pay visit to my sister to discuss the ceremony. I will take my leave for now.”

“Thank you for visiting us, Mother,” said Kirin. “I was surprised to not have seen you sooner.”

“I knew of your success before you even returned to Tamriel, my dear. I also knew that you would need plenty of rest. Now then �" I will see you in two days.”
She embraced both Kirin and Lydia one more time before exiting the estate and resuming her hawk avatar.

-------------------------------------

It was a pleasant carriage ride from Whiterun down through to Riften and not a single man or creature troubled them along the way. The skies remained free and clear as if the entire world were celebrating the relief of fear that had permeated the spirit of Nirin for nearly a year.

Even the crime-ridden home of Mara’s temple had departed from its usual feeling of seediness and buzzed in a peaceful manner. Spirits were raised and countless folk who were not wholly oblivious to the dragon crisis praised the Dragonborn as they walked through the streets. Guards bowed their heads in respect and even the notorious Thieves Guild acknowledged the great victory that had been won.

Inside the temple, they arranged everything for the following day with Maramal. The priest was delighted to perform the ceremony and eager to wed the Hero of Skyrim and patron to Mara. Once the details were ironed out, Kirn and Lydia headed to the Bee and Barb for a quiet night of relaxtion before the big day.

-------------------------------------

Dawn broke over Skyrim in spectacular fashion as the bright orange rays of Magnus beamed down through the cloudless atmosphere. Breakfast had been arranged with Keerava the night before and they were not surprised in the least to find Kyne waiting for them at their pre-set table. But she had clothed herself in common attire of the age, rather than the ethereal dress that was normally worn.

“Come now and eat, we have a busy day ahead of ourselves.”

Kirin’s sat down to eat, but his ears perked up at the sound of a raucous din coming from outside in the town square.

“The whole town sounds as if it’s up in arms �" what in blazes is going on out there?”

“You didn’t really think it would be kept secret, did you?” asked Kyne. “News of the Dragonborn’s wedding spread across the province like a wildfire. I expect there to be a rather large party awaiting you after the ceremony.”

Kirin sighed.

“So much for a quick and quiet affair. Tell me Mother, when does this all begin?”

“Well, it looks like Lydia here is done eating, so I think now would be a good time. Come on, my dear �" let’s get you ready!”


This post has been edited by Kane: Dec 13 2024, 01:40 PM

[Kane]

Together As One (Epilogue)

Midday had come and Kirin stood in wait before Maramal at the temple altar. He was dressed in the finest attire he could possibly find and look far different than the dragon-armored warrior that charged into the afterlife. Now, Kirin waited anxiously for his bride to be.

The temple bell rang, ushering in noontime and the start of the ceremony. Viarmo himself had come from the Bards College and sat in the corner, gently plucked a soothing song of joy on his lute. The chapel had been adorned in white streamers of fine linen and next to the banners of Mara were new banners honoring Kyne – the Dragonborn’s chosen divine.

Outside in the town square waited a large crowd party goers in earnest, but inside the temple there was naught but Kirin, Maramal, and Viarmo. Dinya Balu was to escort Lydia in at the proper time and that time had come. A soft rustling could be heard as footsteps approached the chapel hall from the side antechamber. The doors were thrown open by Dinya and walked Lydia, the bride to be.

She was dressed in a long, silky dress the color of a blue spring sky. The fabric flowed as if the gentlest of breezes whispered though it and shimmered under the candlelight like gentle raindrops in a clear sky. Kirin never doubted nor ignored her beauty but on this day it was amplified into one of the most aetherial things he ever had the privilege to lay eyes on. Atop her head sat a simple tiara made of flowered branches with pink blossoms and it radiated a white glow that Kirin recognized from all those months ago when they sat in the garden beneath the Eldergleam.

Lydia’s smile could have lit the darkest corners on Nirn as she approached the altar and Kirin, her love. To his amazement, she was followed by two unexpected handmaidens who wore simple dresses of yellow and carried bouquets of Eldergleam blooms. Kyne and Mara both winked at Kirin as they passed and stood to Lydia’s side.

Maramal beamed widely at them and began the ceremony.

“Thank you all for gathering to be here on this blessed day. It was Mara that first gave birth to all of creation and pledged to watch over us as her children. It is from her love of us that we first learned to love one another. It is from this love that we learn that a life lived alone is no life at all. We gather here today under Mara’s loving gaze, to bear witness to the union of two souls in eternal companionship. May they journey forth together in this life and the next, in prosperity and poverty, and in joy and hardship.”

He then turned to Lydia, and continued.

“Do you agree to be bound together, in love, now and forever?”

“I do,” said Lydia, firmly. “Now and forever.”

Maramal nodded and moved on to Kirin.

“Do you agree to be bound together, in love, now and forever?”

“I do. Now and forever.”

“The under the authority of Mara, the Divine of Love, I declare this couple to be wed! I present you with these matching rings, blessed by Mara’s Divine grace. May they protect each of you in your new life together. You many now kiss your lovely bride.”

And Kirin did not need to be told twice. He wrapped his bride in his arms and kissed her warmly as Maramal, Dinya, Kyne, and Mara clapped through tears of joy and love. After the parted, the Divines hugged each of them in turn before quietly taking their leave.

“There are far too many prying eyes out there, my child,” whispered Kyne. “We shall see you at a later hour.”

“Now it is time to celebrate!” said Dinya. “Let us go outside for the reception!”

Kirin and Lydia stood side by side and hand in hand as they followed Dinya and Maramal out into the packed town square to a riotous burst of cheer from the gathered crowd. Flower petals rained down from the private balconies of the homes to the side of the temple.

The vendor stalls had all been removed from the center and replaced with long tables laden with food and drink. Barrels of the finest Black-Briar mead were tapped as the mead began to flow, and plates of delicious food were filled and passed to all, not the least of whom was the married couple. Kirn and Lydia were seated at a high table in front of Mistveil Keep where they were joined by friend and allies. Among them sat Jarl Baalgruuf, Irileth, Esbern, Delphine, Ysolda, and Hulda. And - much to Kirin’s amazement – Arngeir. The Greybeard master had descended from High Hrothgar for the first time in countless years for what he considered a momentous occasion for Skyrim.

The newlyweds and all in attendance feasted and drank for many hours as the sounds of merriment echoed throughout the Rift. The sky remained a cloudless blue, just as Kyne had promised and for the first time in ages, Kirin and Lydia enjoyed themselves free of cares.

Once the feast ended, new kegs of mead were broached and the tables of food were cleared. Viarmo gathered up his fellow bards from Solitude and started playing lively song after song. Throngs of people paired up and began to dance around the town square, laughing and singing along to the band as they played with vigor.

Darkness was approaching quickly as the sun began to set. Kirin and Lydia sat atop the steps to Mistveil and watched the orange sun slowly sink over the horizon. Just before the last light of day slipped over the horizon, two large figure appeared far off to the west, circling down from the Throat of the World. As they got closer, the unmistakable roars of a dragon thundered across Lake Honrich causing quite the stir among the party-goers. Kirin looked to Arngeir who sat nearby with Balgruuf and as the old Greyberd caught his gaze, he nodded reassuringly to Kirin.
The dragons approached with all speed before gliding high above the city, breathing ice and frost into the skies above. Paarthurnax and Odahviing too had come to pay their respects to the Dragonborn.

“Alok Zeymah ahrk Briinah dii! Aal hi mahfaeraak nahlaas ko drem!”

Kirin rose to his feet, looked skyward and responded in kind.

“Kogaan, zok dovah fahdon. Aal paaz ven aak hin alun amativ.”

His voice echoed upwards into the heavens as the crowd watched in awe at the spectacle before them. The dragons roared in acknowledgment and circled one final time before flying back off into the vast and empty sky.

Within seconds the party noise kicked back up once again as people resumed their drinking and dancing under the fair autumn night. Thankfully, Kyne had retuned and sat next to them upon the stone stairs overlooking the square.

“I gather you are ready to retire for the evening, my children?”

“Very much so, Mother,” replied Lydia. “We are wed and look forward to our quiet life ahead of us.”

“Excellent. Follow me, dears.”

She led them around to the back of Mara’s temple where the Goddess of Love awaited them.

“I offer you my blessing once more, Kirin and Lydia. May you go forth in life forever happy and never wanting. Hardships may come, but stay true to each other and your love will endure for eternity.”

Holding them both by the hand she bowed her head and vanished from sight. Kyne then grabbed their hands in Mara’s place and spoke to them once more.

“Would you desire a honeymoon at home in Elysium, or somewhere far from prying eyes? You need only ask, and I will whisk you away to my realm, far above the western sea and beyond the reach of any being, mortal or not. There you shall never want and need only speak what you desire. Bliss awaits under forever clear skies and upon white beaches.”

Kirin and Lydia knelt before her and accepted the offer of paradise.

“Very well, my children. I shall return for you in two weeks’ time.”

The goddess bid them to stand up and with a slight wave of her hand, husband and wife vanished from Tamriel for a well-earned respite from reality.

[Kane]

That's a wrap! Plenty of typos in there, sorry about that. I think I originally typed that one right into the reply boxes at Haven, rather than in MS Word.


I'll post the second volume (Linnea's story, the vampire character I was posting screenies of) soon, once I finish proofreading the second draft in Word. It's much longer, currently clocked in at 94 pages and 100,860 words. I will probably just upload it to my google drive as a pdf and link it here for anyone that wants to read it. Fifty-six chapters, plus the prologue and epilogue is a lot to post one at a time!

This post has been edited by Kane: Dec 13 2024, 02:29 PM

[Acadian]

Nice to have another story up here that prominently features Kyne/Kynareth.

[Kane]

Nice to have another story up here that prominently features Kyne/Kynareth.

My writing has improved a bunch in the six years between books, too, apparently the time was good to me. Lot more character writing in volume two, but it still relies on the plot of the game a good bit. I haven't branched out to doing my own world building. Yet.

[Renee]

Okay, so I am starting a read of this thread. Gonna start checking out everyone's stories in this forum, as it's been my habit in the past to read everyone's tales in the past at Bethsoft, referring to our story threads which pertained to Oblivion and Skyrim. Hope you don't mind.

Firstly, are you writing from experience or imagination? Experience meaning: this story was based on some gaming? Either way, the beginning is lovely. Visual imagery and details from an outside source, which culminates toward the sickly runner crashing through underbrush.

Wow. So Kirin's got a calling to fulfill. Let's see where this goes next. I'll read each chapter per weekly, taking them slow, just because that's my habit.

[Kane]

Okay, so I am starting a read of this thread. Gonna start checking out everyone's stories in this forum, as it's been my habit in the past to read everyone's tales in the past at Bethsoft, referring to our story threads which pertained to Oblivion and Skyrim. Hope you don't mind.

Firstly, are you writing from experience or imagination? Experience meaning: this story was based on some gaming? Either way, the beginning is lovely. Visual imagery and details from an outside source, which culminates toward the sickly runner crashing through underbrush.

Wow. So Kirin's got a calling to fulfill. Let's see where this goes next. I'll read each chapter per weekly, taking them slow, just because that's my habit.

This one and book two were both based on characters I made and I did play out their stories along the framework of the stories they tell. However, book three is off the rails and only utilizes the setting and some existing NPCs. The narrative has moved beyond Skyrim and its quests.


Edit: here is Kirin (and Lydia) circa 2018 - https://i.imgur.com/gG2qo6W.png

This post has been edited by Kane: Feb 23 2025, 01:45 PM

[Renee]

Okay, thanks for explaining. So with the third book your imagination took over more strongly, so to say.

Kirin is handsome. Ha! My paladin was just at that very spot! Let me see, hold on. Yep, there he is! That's Lord Haaf-Mersey, one of my Xbox characters. Anyway, Kirin's quite a looker.

He's reminiscing some better days of Helgen. Good thing that 'immense being' didn't notice your guy standing on the road.

He's going into Bleak Flats Barrow, yikes. Has he ever dealt with draugr before?

Here is my bookmark.


http://chorrol.com/forums/index.php?s=&...st&p=359075

[Kane]

Okay, thanks for explaining. So with the third book your imagination took over more strongly, so to say.

Almost entirely, to the point I was nervous more than once because I had no story framework to follow. It's a leap for me.

Kirin is handsome. Ha! My paladin was just at that very spot! Let me see, hold on. Yep, there he is! That's Lord Haaf-Mersey, one of my Xbox characters. Anyway, Kirin's quite a looker.

Boy, I forgot how different the game looks on Xbox. I played exclusively on my 360 from 2011 until I built my first PC in 2015. I've been running graphic mods and LODs for so long that I'd forgotten how low the draw distance was pre-SE.

He's going into Bleak Flats Barrow, yikes. Has he ever dealt with draugr before?

He may not have by that point, it's been too long for me to remember. I usually explore and get up to other hi-jinks that aren't written about if they don't fit the story, so it's possible he'd been in other dungeons just to help with leveling up.

[Renee]

Oh yeah I still play on consoles occasionally. Something about being restricted to THE GAME. On PC, my prob is I'm spending anywhere from 10 to 50% of the time exiting the game. Tweaking something in the editors, turning a mod on or off, etc. It's rather distracting honestly, and sometimes I have to force myself to just play the game instead of the Creation Kit or GECK or whatever.

Anyway, The Wheel Turns is the next chapter. Kirin seems quite experienced. He's not bothered by most of the draugr, or by Arvel (pretty sure that's the thief who gets caught in that spider web) only by Skyrim's traps and puzzles. Maybe such things are new to him. The Nords did things differently than the Ayleids down south, or the ancients who built all those forts.

Alright shhhh... gotta read!

Yeah, he just got Fus Ro Dah'd!

Lady Kyne "tells" him he must not drop the heavy stone by using a sudden breeze, that's deep. It's also Kirin's fate, as we can see. Hope he can handle it.

-----------------------------

I like when it says it's the "most harrowing experience in Kirin's life".

He seems shocked when the dragon's lifeforce sweeps into him!

He slips away with a mug of mead. 🍺

--------------------------------------------

"My days of seeking glory are over," he says. Hmm. I like how there was a party at the Bannered Mare. I bet there was some spillover at The Drunken Huntsman too.

Kyne speaks to Kirin, as she speaks also to Buffy! See that's a good plot device to include into the story. Lest there's any doubt in Kirin's mind about visiting the Greybeards, Kyne's prompting the mortal into action as well.

--------------------------------------------

Lydia doesn't it when Kirin thanks her for 'calling me thane!"

Ah, Kirin is from Morthal, interesting. Such a backwater burg. Little did everyone know the greatness Kirin would achieve.

Whoa, he can change the weather.


http://chorrol.com/forums/index.php?s=&...st&p=359088

This post has been edited by Renee: Apr 7 2025, 05:01 PM

[Renee]

I like the part where Kirin tells Lydia he's avoiding Labyrinthian because his route should be safer, only to be attacked X time later by a random dragon!

You were playing on Xbox, correct? If so, those dragon attacks were way too frequent in my opinion. I grew up table gaming in high school/college; dragons were rare in those games, they wouldn't be showing up every other darn day. I could never get used to this!

Why does Kirin worry Igrod will recognize him?

I am here.

This post has been edited by Renee: May 1 2025, 04:20 PM