(20) - Searching Farkas - Parchment scribble -

Turdas 3rd of Hearthfire 4E201

I left my Journal under my pillow at the Jorrvaskr barracks. I can only hope no one finds it while I'm away...
After waking up this morning I had a fruit breakfast when Vilkas came to me saying Skjor was looking for me. Once I finally found Skjor he told me he had an important task for me, and it would be important for fully becoming part of the companions; I had to find a Wuuthrad Fragment which he explained is part of a weapon of Ysgramor, some legendary Companion. Then he told me to find Farkar, for he was going to be my shield-brother.

Farkar was having breakfast outside when I found him, and told me he would meet me at Dustman's Cairn. Just as I was going to ask him for directions he jumped up and ran off. I suppose they expected me to know my way around Skyrim perfectly, but after 15 years in Cirodiil I can assure you this isn't the case. Oh well, best they didn't know anyway, next to that I knew where to find directions. I headed straight for Dragonsreach, the room where Farengar had been to be exactly, for that was where I had seen the detailed Skyrim map. Lucky enough Dustman's Cairn was indeed marked on the map, it was Northwest of Whiterun, so at least I knew where to go then.

Skyrim map at Dragonsreach

When I left Whiterun I noticed the Khajiit traveling merchants were gone. Shortly after I left the path to the West, chasing an elk with my bow drawn, and managing to kill it with my second shot. As I was cutting across the tundra I heard a roar overhead. Kneeling between the dry bushes I saw a dragon soar overhead, heading to the West guard tower, where it started to attack the guards present there. I snuck closer, and chose position next to a overhanging rock. Each time the dragon landed and breathed frozen air at the guards (this obviously wasn't the firebreathing kind), I would carefully aim my bow, and manage to get one or two arrows in before the dragon flew up again.

Dragon attack at the West guard tower

Just when I thought I would be able to assist the guards this way without being noticed, the dragon turned it's head to me, took off and flew straight at me. It landed right before my feet, pinning me at the rocks behind me. I was lucky it was using frostshouts, at least I was hardened against the cold. Had it been fire I might not have survived this encounter. With nowhere to go I was just blindly hacking at its head with my axe, keeping up my frozen shield to protect me from its snapping jaws. Finally I ended up being lucky, my axe finding a way between the creatures scales, cracking its skull. The beast fell, its flesh being consumed again, as well as me absorbing its soul.

The dragon's flesh gets consumed by fire

After regaining my breath I ran to the tower. Thankfully all but one guards were still alive, and after talking to the guards I took shelter in the tower, allowing myself to have some time to eat some cooked beef, washed down with honningbrew mead. As I was about to leave the guards were alarmed by a nearing giant. I decided not to take anymore risks, and gave him a wide berth when I left.

A bit down the road I saw where the giant had come from. A large bonfire marked the location of a Giant's camp, complete with a mammoth herd. Again giving it a wide berth I went into the direction where the map had been marked for Dustman's Cairn. After managing to kill 3 deer, each with one long range arrow, then taking the time to skin them I noticed a couple of rock pillars on a hill. As I approached I saw a large Nord waiting in between. I had found Farkas!

Dustman's Cairn

Although Farkas wanted to hurry ahead, there was a flight of stairs leading down to a door, I demanded we'd rest and eat first. After all I'd been traveling all day, and fought a dragon on top of that too! Once he caved in we sat down with some cooked beef, salmon steak and wine, and I took the time to write this on a parchment scroll I had on me. I'm still mad at myself for forgetting to take my journal... Soon we will enter the inner works of Dustman's Cairn. I'm curious where Farkas will lead me.