The Adventures of a Mage in Skyrim - Part 6

A Journey To Riften – And Barely Surviving

As soon as I crossed the mountains I left the snow and grim cold of Eastmarch behind me. The landscape became welcoming and instead of the ever-present snowberries there were actually flowers blowing on the Roadside. After a short stop at Kynesgrove I continued my way south. The land changed yet again. Sheer endless rock formations, spotted with hot springs and the smell of sulphur everywhere dominated my first impressions of the Rift. I had no clear idea how the hold would actually look like, nor its capital, but somehow I expected a more hospitable place. I've must been spoiled by the placid Whiterun.

Nevertheless I began collecting herbs. Without walking away too far from the road of course.

My senses began to become more alert the deeper I went into this unknown land and soon I spotted a giant's camp just besides the road - I never came so close to them! It was quite a surreal view to see these huge humanoid creatures stroll between this alien landscape, tending their mammoths. I did my best to pass them as quickly as I could. This wasn't the worst idea to have: a smashed carriage with the corpses of several travellers showed me clearly that the danger of this place was very, very real.

They totally ignored me though and after a while the road became pretty steep again and mountains began to build up in the distance. I realized I must enter the region the Rift actually became its name from. The road started to wind its way upwards and it became pretty hard to spot what might wait for you around the next corner.

Suddenly I heard a deep and hoarse roar. A bear! It must been very close, but I wasn't unable to spot it yet. Then it suddenly appeared right before me in the middle of the road. I sent away my firebolts and tried to gain as much distance to is as possible and dodging the strikes of his claws. The oakflesh spell I have learned shortly before helped me a lot too. It just does what its name tells. Well not quite. It hardens your skin to protect yourself from physical attacks. Some master mages are said to be able to make their skins as hard and impenetrable as dragon scales.

I finally landed the fatal blow on the bear, but my victory came for a price. Despite my protection spell it was able to wound me quite a bit. At least that gave me the opportunity to practice restoration magic.

This episode shouldn't be the last encounter with the dangers of the Rift, soon after more fights followed. Mostly spiders and bears but also one or two trolls. My confidence grew and I began to develop pretty good strategies to fight them.

A little setback was the discovery of a roadside watchtower which must been ran over by some enemies just before I arrived. Dead bodies and blood everywhere. I found a letter in there with a warning of a Stormcloak attack which was expected to happen soon. It seems that the tower crew just opened the letter when the attack happened.

Eventually I came to a settlement. It looked so peacefully! Smoking chimneys, a campfire with some people sitting around cooking a meal and chicken walking around the place picking for food. A chat with the locals told me I was in the village Shor's Stone, a small mining settlement.

One person there I found quite remarkable: A young nord woman, Sylgja, who had a bad fall lately when she was working in the mine. She came from a miner's family and her parents were living west of Shor's Stone in another mining village. I promised her to send her mail to them, since she obviously wasn't able to do the journey by herself. I also learned that the mine was temporary closed because some frost spiders which began to nest in it. Being pretty confident from my first few adventures I told them I would take care of the matter.

Ironically Shore's Stone was pretty well protected with guards patrolling outside the mine. Why no-one of them bothered to put and end to the spiders was beyond my grasp. Perhaps the proud soldiers were afraid of spiders?

Anyway, Inside the mine was quite a mess. Immediately after I entered it a group of spiders attacked me, and I barely had time to conjure a flame atronarch to distract their attention from me. Thanks to a generous use of healing and magical potions, and to an anti-venom I made at the Mages College, I was able to turn the tide. The miners, and especially the local blacksmith, who is kind of spokesman and de-facto leader of village, were quite cheerful about my success.

After a bit of trading and equipping myself I continued my journey towards Riften. The landscape was now looking much more friendly. A pretty misleading impression as I soon found out.

Just as the village behind me came out if sight I spotted a fort in the distance, blocking the road right before me. I saw a number of people standing on its walls but flags or banners. So I assumed they were bandits, got myself ready to fight and pondered my chances against them. Still caught in the moment I almost didn't realize a second group of bandits to my right, storming down the slope straight towards me!

I turned back and sprinted back to Shor's Stone. No point in getting into such a mess, outnumbered four or five to one!

The guards came to my assistance and within moments a fight broke out. I did my best to support them with firebolts and a summoned flame atronarch, but as quickly the fighting started, as quickly did the guards end it and all bandits laying dead on the ground.

My second approach to the fort proved me right: it was indeed occupied with bandits. They started shooting arrows at me from a surprisingly long distance and I countered attacking them on the walls and as they stormed out of the fort by running zigzag and keeping distance to them while fireing spell after spell. It was quite a long, tiring fight with a lot of shots exchanged, but many going miss too. As my concentration started to fade I switched to the Staff of Jyrik Gauldurson, one of the artifacts I found at Saarthal, which proved to be very effective against my opponents.

After the last bandit was dead, I set my foot into the now quiet courtyard. I was loaded with adrenaline and very euphoric about my victory, so I ran up the stairs to the leader's quarters challenging her for a fight too.

I was very, very lucky I got out of this alive.

Upon entering the room I was attacked by two opponents. My atronarch and I took out the first pretty easily but the second did land some serious blows on me before I even realized what was going on. I turned to the door in panic, ran for my life but suddenly the world blacked out around me.

It all happened so fast... When I came to me I was barely able to move from pain. I was freezing to the bones and feeling every part of my body aching. My tunic was crusted with blood. I almost blacked out again when I tried to get at my feet. I tried to focus on a healing spell. I knew I needed immediate treatment.

After I was able to stabilize myself I cleaned my clothes as good as I could. Only then I realized they robbed most of my belongings – and over four thousand septims!. All they left me was the clothes I was wearing and the herbs I collected. Quite ironic: the things with the least value for them would prove to be most useful for me to restock my items.

The rest of my way to Riften was uneventful but nevertheless tough. My healing magic helped me a lot but I still felt sore and terribly exhaustet. I must have lost quite an amount of blood.

Riften itself was rather disappointing: a filthy, run down city gathered above a smelly canal. To make things worse the city guard tried to cheat some money from me by inventing a “visitor tax”. I really wasn't amused by that at all.

In the city itself I got almost instantly approached by some shady figures. One trying to intimidate me, the other trying to make me steal from a local store owner. A really awesome welcome.

One of the few bright spots was a warrior lady called Mjoll the Lioness who told me about her oath to cleanse the city from thieves and corruption. Bold lady. I hope she watches herself. Her friend Aerin seemed rather concerned about her.

I got myself in order again and took a bed at the Bee and the Barb. As I closed my eyes I promised myself I wont spent too much time in this damn city.

The next day I did investigate if any of the merchants bought items the bandits did steal from me and indeed the Dunmer at the marketplace had quite a number, which he bought this morning without having an idea where they came from. He wasn't too cooperative though and I couldn't afford the price he named to get them back. And frankly, I didn't even wanted to pay for what actually belongs to me, even if I had the money. Quite upset I rushed off.

I had more luck at the local alchemist though even if it was pretty hard to find his store. Unlike everyone else, he put his store down at the lower level near the canal. He must not really be much interested in customers. Anyway. He had some good stock and after I bought a few ingredients from him with the little money I had left, he allowed me to use his alchemy-lab.

It didn't took long and my purse was recovering again.

Riften wasn't going to be the love of my life, so much I could say already. Actually I had the strong urge to leave that cursed place as soon as possible. Still I headed to the local Castle to connect with the court wizard. That lady was a total mess too. I don't think she is able to think coherent enough to get anything done. She asked me to return some of her items she lost - all across Skyrim! I agreed. Hoping I would at least get a decent reward for the errand.

Leaving the Riften Castle I really had enough of the city and went outside of its walls to gather some herbs and to inquire where to go next.

I discovered a road leading to the west, to the city of Ivarstead and over the mountains to Helgen. I knew though that Helgen – or what was left from it - was most likely was still smouldering ruins. But Helgen is not far from Riverwood and Riverwood not far from Whiterun – familiar grounds!