The Adventures of a Mage in Skyrim - Part 9

More Lessons To Learn

Unsolved business: The view at Bleak Falls Barrow form a safe distance

Following the White River up to its origin, I reached Lake Ilinalta and continued wandering along its shore. I even found a half-sunken fortress, which would fit to the description the old Dark Elf at the Shrine of Azura gave me, but after my recent defeat I found its a better idea to stay out of trouble for now and to get better before trying something silly again.

There is a short chain of mountains north of the lake. I followed them to the west and then turned north, finding myself on the road to Whiterun again. I didn't wanted to return there with empty hands. So I decided to take the road to the city of Morthal, north-west of Whiterun instead.

When passing fort Greymoor, a large stronghold occupied by bandits, I met two imperial battlemages which seemed rather friendly. They were both not too happy with the presence of bandits so close at a frequented road, so we attacked them together.

The battlemages were bold. They stormed into the castle, while I was still busy with dodging arrows. The resulting fight though didn't took too long and soon the two wizards were laying dead in the courtyard. I was next. The bandits stormed out of the fort and I did the best I could do in that moment: I ran for my life!

I knew if I wanted to survive this my only chance was to reach the Western Watchtower where a number of Whiterun's guards was posted to defend the city from dragons. But it was so terribly far away! I lost my breath and turned around if they were still following me. They did! And they were way too close! Quickly I sent an atronarch against them and took one of my scarce stamina potions to be able to continue running. While desperately trying to reach the tower I ran past three Redguards, two of them men in their traditional clothing. They were busy with discussing something and as I tried to warn them from the bandits running after me they totally ignored me!

Finally I reached the tower and alarmed the guards. They rushed off to attack the bandits, while I took shelter in the watchtower to heal my wounds. As soon I felt able to fight again rushed to the top of tower to assist the guards. Together we took them down without further loss of life. Their arrows though were well aimed and pretty effective.

This really wasn't my most glorious hour: Two imperial battlemages dead, the two Redguards too, and me again just barely able to save my own life!

At least the Redguard woman was unarmed, though looking pretty disturbed. I searched the bandits for their belongings and then left this embarrassment behind me. I'm sure the guards weren't too impressed of that silly novice-mage who tried to play hero.

The rest of my journey to Morthal went rather uneventful at least. As the city itself is. Its at a rather peculiar location though: To the west and north lies a great swamp which expands almost till Skyrim's capitol Solitude and in the west nothing but snow and mountains. I found Morthal isn't a too cozy place to stay. Also the recent events did shake my self-confidence quite a bit. Time to return to the College and get more seriously into magic. No carriage or boat was departing from Morthal so I had to do the journey back to Winterhold by myself again. I did inquire for the best way and got pointed towards Dawnstar in the north-east and then just follow the shoreline.

After a stop at the local alchemy store, the Thaumaturgist's Hut, where I did my usual mix and trade, I went to the local Inn (with the name Moorside Inn, suiting, isn't it?) and stayed there over night. The next morning I departed towards Dawnstar.

The road leading out of Morthal soon became very inhospitable. It was slippery from the freshly fallen snow and the temperature did drop the nearer I came to the mountains it was leading along.

After a while I saw smoke rising up in the distance and soon a thatched roof too. As I came closer I identified the place as miner's colony. A talk with the locals identified the Colony as Stonehills and the mine as Rockwallow Mine. Suiting names I guess.

There wasn't much an aspiring mage could do. No spiders in this mine, as its leader Gestur assured me. But I could deliver a message for them to their owner, Thane Bryling in Solitiude. Pactur, who seemed to be responsible for the mine's paperwork was quite frightened of her and didn't stop warning me of her bad temper!

Not far east from the mine I got attacked by a group of bandits. Again pretty resistant guys who made me quite some trouble. With the assistance of the mine's guard I got rid of them though.

After this event I did only encounter some occasional spider, but nothing serious anymore, till I arrived at Dawnstar.

My first impression of Dawnstar was that it looked like a horseshoe with its houses cluttered around the small bay of its harbor. Apart from this my first impression the city wasn't too remarkable either. Like Morthal it didn't even had city walls!

I had a walk around town, talked with some locals, got orientation and visited the stores before heading to Windpeak inn, to warm myself and get a bed for the night.

The final leg of my Journey to Winterhold did lead me to at least halfway familiar terrain. This time I was better prepared for the climate way up in the north though. So it wasn't as disastrous as the first time I went to the College.

Well, not disastrous, but not without its perils too. Especially when travelling along the shore. I will have to “thank” that guy in Dawnstar who gave me that advice next time I go there.

I've never seen a snow bear before and it just turned at me after it finished killing one of these giant semi-aquatic beasts the locals call horker. And again Skyrim saw me running for my life. Luckily I had enough stamina potions and after a few risky leaps from ice-sheet to ice-sheet, I found myself in safety again.

A familar view - the college can't be far away.

My dear reader might sense some sarcasm in my report. I can assure you your impression isn't wrong. At this point I was quite upset about myself running into one disaster after the other.

When finally arriving at the College I made up my mind: I had so much to learn still before I could call myself an at least acceptable mage.

I entered my room the Hall of Attainment and fell on my bed, instantly drifting off into sleep.

The next day I found my fellow students busily practising magic. I felt a bit bad just having ran off to play the great adventurer while they stayed here hitting the spellbooks. At least, I guess, my journey falls under the category “practical experience”. And hey – after all I found the legendary White Phial! Well, it was broken – but that wasn't my fault! And well, I admit, its not like I ever heard of this artifact before Nurelion pointed my nose at it, but still: I found the White Phial! That sounds nevertheless pretty good, doesn't it?

I wanted to tell Brelyna about my adventures. She is after all the one in the College I get along best, but I found her pretty occupied with her magical experiments. Also I didn't wanted to boast too much. After all it was me who found that magical orb at Saarthal, where she found nothing but dust.

To do her a favor I agreed in helping her with her latest experiment: a new spell she developed. I had no idea what was supposed to do, but I was sure it wasn't something harmful.

And indeed. The magical effect wasn't harmful. Just very annoying. It made me turn green!

I spent the rest of the day in my room waiting for the effect to wear off, which took way too long. At least it did entertain the people who walked by and gave them a nice and funny story about novice students, which I'm sure would make them laugh for weeks to come...

Later J'zargo approached me with helping him testing a spell he created too – which I more or less politely refused.

I'm sitting now at my desk in the College and look through the write-up of my adventures in Skyrim so far. It became already quite a story! I will try to keep my diary up-to-date and write it as my time allows me. I also want it to be a report of my progress in becoming a mage. I hope one day when I mastered the arcane arts, I will look at these lines with a smile and remember the good old times.