Clark in Skyrim, A continued report from across the border. Options

[ghastley]

If mALX is back, then Clark should return too.

We left him in Evergloam at the beginning of the 4th Era, where Nocturnal had just inducted him and Minx as Nightingales, to join Dralsi. The two other members of the first trinity had been slain by Ogrim the Restless, who was the original occupant of the cave complex that became the Twilight Sepulchre.

He's about 225 years old now. Nocturnal and Azura made him immortal, rather than risk having to train a new one. He retired as a Nightingale some time ago, and went back into business managing brothels, and other enterprises that remain profitable in times of war. Much of the other intervening history should emerge as this unfolds.

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Part 1 - Over the border

"So Gilda, have you been into Skyrim before?" Clark asked the young woman sitting next to him. Ahead of them, the horse plodded onward, pulling Clark's carriage along the road towards Helgen. He gave the reins a jiggle, but the horse's gait didn't change. It only knew slow and steady.

Gilda wasn't really paying attention. She was busy looking at the scenery, which is why Clark had asked. "Oh, what? No, I barely got a mile from our farm before now. Mother didn't like me wandering off; she was scared I'd run into bandits."

"Is that how your nose got broken?" Clark guessed.

"Yes, the one time I did get away, she turned out to be right. When the bandits found out I didn't have anything valuable, they ... well, you can imagine what they had in mind. I gave the first one who tried anything my knee, and he did that in return. The others didn't stop me when I ran off, they were too busy laughing at our discomfort."

"How long ago was that? It looks like it's been that way for a while."

"About five months, I think. One day was much like another at our farm, and I lost track of time. I can't thank you enough for getting me away from there."

Clark wasn't sure what had made him offer to take her with him. He did need a new apprentice, that was true, but why he'd suddenly decided it could be her was beyond him. It wasn't her looks, for certain. Apart from her nose, she had crooked teeth, and looked like she never ate anything. Her mother was the exact opposite, so it was clear where all the food went in that household. She was wearing one of her mother's hand-me-down dresses, which fit her like a sack.

But he'd stopped at the farm for directions when he left Bruma, and she'd caught his eye. Before he knew it, he'd told her mother she could have a good career as a merchant's apprentice, hinting that she might be able to send some of her earnings home.

And if she'd persuaded him to do that, she probably had some speech talent, so she might work out well. He'd need to heal her nose, and fix her teeth first, and that would need more magicka than he had. Once he got to Whiterun, he'd be able to use the Alchemy lab at his house to make some fortification potions, but until then he couldn't do anything.

"We'll be in Helgen before long," he told her. "It's just over there, where you can see the smoke rising..." Clark's voice trailed off, as he realised that there shouldn't be that much smoke. Something had apparently set part of the town on fire, if not all of it.

They soon met a ragged bunch of imperial soldiers coming the other way, telling of a dragon attack on the town. Clark didn't think there were any dragons in Tamriel.

"Nor did we, until that one swooped down on us," the legionary told him. "We were preparing an execution for Ulfric Stormcloak and some of his men, when it was interrupted by a blast of magic. Threw everyone around like dolls. We'd heard that Ulfric could use the Thu'um like that, so we had him gagged, but a beast that size doing it was something else entirely."

"General Tullius and the Thalmor Ambassador were there too," one of the other men put in. "We have no idea if they got out."

Nobody knew if it was safe to try passing through. There were trails to Falkreath that might be preferable, as long as you weren't hauling anything heavy.

"But watch out for bandits if you go that way," another soldier advised. "That applies any time you leave the main roads in Skyrim."

Clark had heard much the same from legionaries in Cyrodiil. In his opinion, the roads weren't any safer than any other route, just better paved. He let his horse continue down the road.

Helgen was deserted when they got there. Most of the population seemed to be lying dead in the streets, scorched by the dragon's breath. Anyone alive had presumably fled, and the dragon itself was nowhere around. Clark decided to continue down into Riverwood and let them know what had happened. If the dragon didn't attack there next, of course.

---

Riverwood was intact, but they'd seen the dragon fly over. Gerdur, the mill-owner, told Clark that her brother Ralof had escaped from Helgen, and she thought that Hadvar, the legionary from the town, had too. Ralof had brought a stranger with him, and she'd gone on to Whiterun to warn the Jarl.

Clark knew from his earlier trips that Ralof was a Stormcloak, and he asked Gerdur if he'd been one of the men the soldiers had mentioned as due for execution. Ralof hadn't mentioned that part, just that he'd escaped from the dragon. But now it made sense why Hadvar had been there at the same time. "I'll make sure Ralof stays well hidden," she told Clark.

She turned back to what she'd been doing when they arrived. "When the dragon flew over, I was so startled, I dropped this firewood I'd just split in the river. I was trying to dry it out with a flare spell, but it looks like I'll just have to split some more."

"There's an easier way, you know," Clark told her. He took one of the pieces of firewood and stood it on a stump. "Cast a frost spell on it," he told Gerdur. She did so, until Clark told her to stop. "Now dispel the ice"

Gerdur didn't know that spell, so Clark taught it to her. "Now try the flare."

The wood caught immediately, and she quickly dispelled the flames. "I hardly used any magicka doing that. It was a lot easier than the way I was trying."

"Right, especially as the frost comes easily to you. Here, I'll help you finish these."

"You make it look so easy," Gerdur told him. "Are you sure you're an Imperial, not a Breton?"

"It's all practice, not magicka reserves," he told her. "It looks easy because I'm using less magicka than you would. Just like you know how to roll a log instead of doing it the hard way by lifting. But some spells are beyond my normal reach. That's why I have to wait until I get to Whiterun before I can heal Gilda's nose."

Gerdur noticed Gilda for the first time. "I can help her with a good meal, and you too. I owe you for that firewood trick."

"I hoped you might. Cooking is where you show your skill."

---

"Looking at her, I expected she had no appetite," Gerdur whispered to Clark. "But she's on her third helping of the stew already."

Clark told Gerdur that he suspected her mother had been starving her. Whether that was to keep her thin, or just because the mother ate all the food, he didn't know, but the mother was really fat. "She didn't think enough of Gilda to get her teeth straightened, so I doubt she had any positive feelings for her."

"If Gilda eats like that all the time, she might take after her," Gerdur warned.

"I don't expect she will. I'll get Lydia to look after her, and she'll keep her fit, not fat."

Lydia was Clark's housecarl in Whiterun. She'd been part of the deal when Jarl Balgruuf made Clark a Thane of the city, for his services to its people. He'd forgotten what he'd done for them; nothing major, just a lot of small things that added up. And the Jarl had noticed his effect on the local economy. Even the Khajiiti caravan that camped outside the gates seemed to be more prosperous after Clark had arrived.

They'd be at his house, Breezehome, by the end of the day, if there weren't any problems on the road.

---

"Oh, It's you, Thane," the guard at the gate knew Clark, even if he didn't know the girl. "Is she with you? I have orders to keep strangers out, with dragons sighted in the area."

Clark vouched for Gilda, and the guard opened the gate for them.

"That's a new development," Clark remarked. "The only ones not allowed in before were the Khajiit traders. They have an unjustified reputation as thieves. Well, maybe it's partly justified, but they're not the worst. They just have a more sharing attitude to property than the Nords are accustomed to, and it's often misinterpreted."

---

"What have you got in the sack?" Lydia asked.

"That's not a nice thing to say," Clark admonished. "Even if that is a good description of her outfit. This is Gilda, my new apprentice, and we'll be exchanging that 'sack' for something better-fitting as soon as we can. She's about your height, so is there something in the wardrobe she can try on?"

"You know I only keep a few changes of armour. If you're looking for a dress, you're probably out of luck."

"Leather armour might be more comfortable, if it fits."

Gilda took a look in the wardrobe, but there weren't any dresses, and the leather was loose, even with the straps tightened all the way. She put the "sack" back on, and tied the string back around her waist.

"We have to go to Belethor's in the morning anyway. We'll find you something then. Come out to the back room while I brew up some potions, and then I'll see what I can do about your nose," Clark told her.

Lydia was already back at the cookpot, stirring up some food. She could see that the poor girl needed feeding, even if Clark couldn't.

This post has been edited by ghastley: Oct 2 2014, 07:52 PM

[ghastley]

Acadian Clark will be going to Solstheim eventually, but since many of the DB MQ activities take place in Apocrypha, which only the Dragonborn can reach, won't be able to take part in those. Diablita gets a mention in this one, though, as does another unusual gem.

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Previously: Clark is quite worn out, and needs to relax with a bit of life-or-death dungeon diving.

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Part 31 - Uttering Hills

"We're getting close," Lydia remarked. "I think I can see an archer up ahead, guarding the entrance."

"I think he's seen us, too," Jordis replied, raising her shield to block an incoming arrow.

Lydia already had her bow out, and was preparing to send one of her own back. Gilda fired off an Ice Spike, and Clark a Firebolt. Lydia denocked her arrow, it wasn't needed.

Jordis pulled the arrow out of her shield and checked it for damage, then added it to her quiver. "Only steel, but they're good enough for bandits."

"Do we know how many are in the gang?" Lydia wanted to know.

Gilda hadn't got that much information about them. Just that they were Altmer, so there were bound to be mages among them, and that the leader's name was Linwe. They didn't just need to eliminate the gang; she was also looking for for Fjotli's locket.

"Who's Fjotli?" asked Jordis.

"Was. She was the daughter of of Torsten Cruel-Sea, in Windhelm. The gang killed her and stole her silver locket. Her father wants it back, and he's the one the Guild wants won over. Getting Niranye back as a fence is a bonus."

"Windhelm seems to be a dangerous place for young women," she continued. "When I went there to talk to Torsten, someone had just killed another one in the graveyard outside the Hall of the Dead. I discovered his hide-out in an abandoned house, and tracked him down. That was despite everyone's help, pointing me at the court wizard instead. When I asked him, Wuunferth recognised the amulet I found in the murderer's lair as the Necromancer's Amulet, and it all fell into place. I caught Calixto trying to stab another woman in the marketplace, and put my blade in him, instead."

"They told me that he'd killed two more women before Susanna the Wicked. One of them was probably Friga Shatter-Shield, because he'd taken over her house, but I don't know who the other was. When Torsten told me about Fjotli, I assumed she was the one, but he'd already found her killer, and identified the Summerset Shadows as the people behind the murder."

"And you're sure this Calixto wasn't one of them?" Clark asked.

"He was an Imperial, so I doubt he had any connection. And Fjotli was younger than the women that Calixto was killing, just a child really."

Gilda paused for a moment. "You know, I think I saw one of those gems in Wuunferth's room. When we get back to Windhelm, I'll go check, and see if he knows anything about them."

---

They encountered several other Shadows inside the cave, one at a time, and disposed of each without much effort. The end of the cave was the first time they met two Shadows together, and neither of them was Linwe. "He must be in here," Lydia indicated a door set in a stone wall.

"This looks like there was a tower above at some point. Can't go up, so I'd guess they'll be downstairs," she continued, after they'd gone through the door.

There was nobody in the room below, but a tunnel led off it, and they could hear footsteps coming towards them. Lydia sent an arrow into the dark, and a cry of pain, and the quickening of the footsteps, confirmed a hit. Another Shadow ran out into a flurry of swords. He didn't last long.

Another of Lydia's arrows took out a further Shadow, before she could even get out of her chair, at the end of the next tunnel. "That looks like a dead end," Clark remarked.

"It was for her," Lydia responded.

"Through here," Gilda urged. "This looks like the main chamber."

The ceiling there was higher, and a large banner hung in the middle of the room. Clark had a flames spell ready, so he torched the banner to see if that evoked any reaction. If it did, the Shadows would be emerging from those two doors opposite.

"Stay back and wait for them," he instructed, and as they all rushed out of the adjacent rooms, hurled a fireball into their midst. Since most of the party were using swords with Fiery Soul Trap, the enchantment stacked on the existing flames, and it was quickly over. Linwe was the last to fall, and the locket was on his body.

His room also contained a copy of Mace Etiquette. Clark gave it to Jordis, as the junior member of the crew. She was the most likely to benefit from reading it.

---

Wuunferth knew very little about the unusual gem in his room. He'd found it in a cave somewhere, but he didn't recall where. He'd noted the minimal levitation spell on the case, and that's why he'd picked it up. When he got it back to Windhelm and examined it further, he couldn't find anything special about it.
Gilda told him the little she knew of its origins.

"Well, if you're collecting them, you can have this one. The only reason I still have it was curiosity, and that's more likely to be satisfied if you can get the whole set. Let me know if you manage it."

---

"Where next?" Clark asked.

"The silver mould is supposed to be at Pinewatch. That's a small cottage outside Falkreath, so there won't be a whole gang to deal with there. I was thinking I'd just sneak in and steal it back."

"I think I know where you mean. Siddgeir was trying to sell me a plot of land near there. He's not exactly the trustworthy type, even if he is Jarl. He called it Lakeview, so it wouldn't surprise me to find the land's at the bottom of the lake. Still, I have the directions from his steward, so I could take a look while you're retrieving the mould."

"I take it we're going back home, then?" Lydia asked, indicating herself and Jordis.

"Take Jordis back to Breezehome, and I'll pick her up on the way back. I'm sure you two can find something to do at the Bannered Mare."

"And sell the stuff we picked up here, to pay for the mead?" Lydia inquired.

"I thought the men bought all your drinks?"

"Busted!" Jordis laughed.

---

Before travelling back, they all went to listen to Luaffyn sing, (and have a drink or two) at Candlehearth Hall. Gilda recognised the mage sitting by herself in one corner.

"Isn't that Brelyna, from Winterhold? We met her at the Frozen Hearth when we went back to Enthir to get Gallus' journal translated."

"Yes, I think you're right. I wonder what she's doing here?" Clark agreed. He almost hadn't recognised her. She'd been wearing a rather shapeless Apprentice robe before, with a hood that hid most of her face. Now she had a tailored Expert robe, that revealed a slender, but shapely figure, and showed a bit of leg. She'd shed the hood, and Clark couldn't help thinking the next step should be re-styling her hair.

It turned out she was on her way to fetch some books from Fellglow Keep, not far from Whiterun. A mage apprentice called Orthorn had stolen them from the library, and one of them was apparently connected to the Eye of Magnus.

"And you're going alone?" Clark asked. Brelyna hadn't exactly struck him as the bold, adventurous type when they'd first met. Capable enough, but not really confident in her own abilities.

"Yes, and it surprises me, too. I'd never have believed I could do that before I met Diablita. She's shown me my spells are up to the challenge. Mind you, I'd still feel happier if I had someone with a big sword coming along with me."

Jordis and Lydia both giggled at the double meaning, and drew Clark's attention. "I may have the next best thing," he told Brelyna. "Jordis and Lydia here are heading that way, and would be delighted to help."

"But tell me how you know my old friend Diablita," he continued. "Was she at the College?"

"Only for a short time," Brelyna explained. "She'd come to buy a spell tome for Ebonyflesh from Tolfdir. He's the only one who sells that*. When she arrived, we were all in the Hall of the Elements having a lesson on wards. She listened in, and helped Toldfir with a demonstration, just before we all went off to Saarthal. You know what happened there."

"Was Diablita with you at Saarthal?" Clark asked her.

"No, she stayed behind at the College, shopping for other spells, I think. Anyway, she was there when we got back. I told her all about what had happened, and how scared I'd been. The Psijic monk appearing in a vision, and then all the fights with the Draugr. Fortunately Tolfdir was there to help me with Jyrik Gauldurson, or I'd never have got out alive!"

"Diablita told me that Tolfdir had said the same about me. He said that if I hadn't taken care of Jyrik, he'd be dead. I suppose it was a joint effort, after all."

"She told me I just needed a bit more experience to get my confidence up, and she could help with that. We went off and explored a few caves in the area, and fought a few bears and trolls, and I think she was right. It was her idea to use staves for my destruction, so I wouldn't have to raise all my skills at once. And she helped me with my magical practice, too."

Brelyna looked a bit embarrassed when she said that. "I did turn her into a dog at one point. But my spell to reverse that worked, so it all turned out well in the end. And I'm a lot more confident in my spells now, too."

Clark grinned. "Well, two housecarls may not add up to one Diablita, but they're better than nothing. And they have a lot more armour! Use them as a shield, they're quite tough. Or turn them into dogs, if you feel inclined."

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Note: Clark and Vicu�a both use Ebonyflesh, and didn't get theirs from Tolfdir, who really is the only source in Skyrim. Clark learned his long ago, and Vicu�a before she arrived from Morrowind.

This post has been edited by ghastley: Jan 11 2019, 10:32 PM