Sunday, November 13, 2011

(9) - The Golden Dragon Claw - Journal entry -

Morndas 24th of Last Seed 4E201


It's already two days ago that I woke up early in preparation of my trip to Bleak Falls Barrow, trying to retrieve the Golden Dragon Claw that had been stolen from Lucan Valerius. After a very tasty breakfast of bread with molten Eidar cheese I set out into the direction Camilla Valerius had pointed out to me the day before. I had only just passed the bridge out of Riverwood, and was enjoying a splendid view of Whiterun from a rocky protrusion when a wolf attacked me.


A distant Whiterun

Being wary of getting afflicted with rockjoint yet again, I blocked the wolf's attacks with my shield and only struck at it with my axe when it was out of balance. I killed it without getting a scratch myself, I am proud to say.
After reaching the snow covered part of the mountain I noticed a watchtower ahead, and two bandits posting there attacked me. I managed to kill the first bandit with just my bow, and again I felt pride. I must say my archery is improving faster then ever, though my axe will always be favorite of course. The other bandit fell prey to my axe, as did another hiding inside the tower. I also found a chest in the tower, though next to some gold there weren't many valuables to find.


A bandit corpse

As I climbed the mountain path further, it started to snow, then snow even harder and eventually winds got so strong, it became increasingly hard to see where I was going as I moved through a now full blown snow storm. I was already considering to turn back and retry when the weather conditions were more favorable, when I descried a large structure up ahead. A large platform, with large arcs arranged in a ribcage like manner, this had to be Bleak Falls Barrow!


Bleak Falls Barrow in a snow storm

When I got close enough to distinct a set of stairs leading up, an arrow whizzed past my head, just missing by a hair's thickness. At first I retreated, but I found another way up the platform while doing so and managed to surprise the three bandits on top from behind. The fight was over quickly, and after looting their lifeless bodies I took shelter from the wind just next to a large set of doors, taking my time to eat a an apple and a few carrots. None of the bandits I had killed so far had the Golden Dragon Claw on them, so it seemed that proceeding through the large doors was the only way to go.

Once inside I found myself in a large hall, the roof partly collapsed. In the distance I could see two bandits, so I snuck closer under cover of large chunks of debris. And the place wasn't only littered by debris, but also with several bodies of large rat like creatures. (I just asked Ralof and he says they are called Skeevers)
Anyway, I was close enough to the bandits to listen in on them, and they were arguing about sharing the profits of their endeavor. I made use of their distraction, and quickly sent an arrow into the head of the closest bandit. Though somehow he managed to stumble towards me, a second arrow finished him. The second thief fell victim to my axe, and I looted both them and a chest in the hall.


Bleak Falls Barrow's entrance

Then I pressed on through a corridor, when I noticed a bandit in front of me, walking the same direction as me. He seemed to be pre-occupied with something, because not only did he not notice me, he also tried to open a gate with a lever without noticing the turning stones in the room, setting off an arrow trap that killed him instantly. After unsuccesfully checking his body for the claw, I quickly found the clues hinting the correct position of the turning stones for the gate to be opened safely.


A bandit lies dead after setting off a trap

As I progressed I reached a wooden spiral staircase going deeper into the ground, and on it I got attacked by what I now know were Skeevers. Though they were easy to slay, I took greatest care not to be bitten, because they looked like they carry many a disease. Continuing on through corridors, the floors covered in thick roots I suddenly heard someone crying for help. Once I got closer to the source of the sound I reached a large open room, and as I peeked inside, I saw the largest frostbite spider I've ever seen in my life. In the back I could just see a bandit hanging from a web, still screaming.

What followed was like a lightfooted dance choreography from my side, darting in the room, unleashing an arrow on the spider, then darting out again to take cover from the spider shooting poisonous web darts at me. I lost count of the arrows I shot at it, but in the end I managed to kill the spider without its poisonous projectiles hitting me even once.



A huge Frostbite Spider

I approached the bandit entangled in the web, and he told me he actually had the Golden Dragon Claw in his possession, and he was prepared to give it to me if I'd cut him loose. I chose to do so, but of course the coward ran as soon as I had freed him, only to run straight into a large spiked trap a bit further on as I chased him, flinging him across the room. I should say the tomb, because just as I approached the thief's lifeless body to retrieve the Claw, one of the skeletons laid to rest in one of the cavities cut out in the walls came to life uttering eerie sounds, and walked towards me brandishing a sword.
For a moment I was perplexed, then I realized what it was; a Draugr! My grandfather more then often told me tales of these undead Nordic warriors, and his descriptions had been accurate enough to make me recognize one. Its strength was surprising, and just when I managed to grant him final rest, two more showed up side by side. By the end of the battle I was so hurt I had to revert to drinking two potions of health back to back to regain a battle worthy state of being.


Draugr

Finally I was able to search the body of the thief, and not only did I retrieve the Golden Dragon Claw, I also found a journal on him. As it said on the first pages, it turns out the Claw is actually a key to Bleak Falls inner sanctum. Not only was I intrigued by this information, the rest of the journal was still completely blank, so this journal would be a great replacement for the by now almost completely writing filled parchment I had been using to record my adventures. Satisfied I sat down in an alcove, and ate a couple salmon steaks and some fruit I still had left in my knapsack. By now I was getting tired, but the riches promised in the two page journal entry convinced me of moving on. In hindsight a mistake, it had been better to retrace my steps and have a good rest, perhaps even a nap in a relative safe place, because I was convinced by now I had seen the last of the bandits die.

As I once again pushed on I encountered another Draugr, this time even more powerful then the previous ones. However I had noticed they weren't the fastest movers, I circled him as I attacked, backstepping when needed. When the Draugr finally collapsed, I noticed the axe it had been fighting with. My father once owned one just like it, an ancient Nord war axe. Now I understood why he never told me where he'd got it, and I smiled as I realized he'd secretly been slaying Draugr without ever telling his family. Typically my father, never boasting about his fights, but fighting them all the same as it turns out.

As I traveled deeper and deeper into seemingly endless amounts of corridors and rooms, I killed at least seven more Draugr, some of them by setting an oily substance on fire they were walking in by shooting the crude lantern suspended from the ceiling above it. It seemed like these walking dead were especially susceptible to fire, though it's something I realize more at this very moment of writing as I did at the time. I suppose I had been too busy fighting, and by that time I was getting exceedingly tired. Not only from the fighting, but I would also encounter the occasional treasure chest, as well as loot every slain enemy for any takings worth the weight of carrying. My knapsack was starting to get weighed down considerably, and I had been filling my pockets with money pouches and anything else small enough to fit them.

Finally I reached the end of the corridor system and reached a dead end large open room with a stream running through it, where I killed one more, yet powerful Draugr. I emptied one more chest, and about as I was to retrace my steps I noticed a chain hanging next to a fence that closed off an opening the stream of water was running through. I pulled the chain, and behold the gate opened, allowing access to a cave, presumably hollowed out by the stream.


A large open room with a stream

Though the caves I moved through were at times narrow and twisting, glowing mushrooms growing on its walls lit my way. On other stretches, the caves opened up, and parts of it ceiling had collapsed with an abundance of daylight pouring in. It was then I realized that night had already passed and I had been walking and fighting for at least a full day already. I killed one more stray and particularly tough Draugr, and I sat down on another chest I discovered to have what apparently was breakfast. Bread, cheese, carrots, fruit and a drink from a nearby waterfall. By now my feet were aching from traveling rootfilled corridors and rock littered uneven moist cavern floors, and from carrying my by now horribly heavy knapsack, its seems creaking from the weight inside.

Then I followed the caves further, and at last they opened up into a manmade corridor. Continuing on my way I noticed a repetitive mechanic sound which increased in volume as I came closer to its source. Before me was a corridor with suspended axes swinging back and forth perpendicular to the length of the corridor. Though I managed to get past them, my timing was barely sufficient, and several times the axes hugged my skin as I just passed them, cutting through my armor. Just past the axes I discovered a chain to deactivate them, though of little use afterwards it at least stopped the daunting sound they were producing.

After that I reached a large room with stone coffins, stairs, a side room and an unusual sight in the centre. There was an extraordinary large eggshell lying in the middle of the room. Just as I wondered if dragons were of the egg laying kind, two more Draugrs attacked me, and I struggled to defeat them in the fatigued and downweighted state I was in. I took a long breather on a bench in the side room, then decided to press on as the thought of having to retrace my steps along the endless caves and corridors dreaded me.


An extraordinary large eggshell

I passed another corridor with swinging axes, but to be honest I was so tired I forgot when and where exactly it was, all I remember is I managed to pass it as well. Finally I reached a large iron door, with a circular puzzle like contraption on it. I immediately noticed the centre keyhole was shaped like the Golden Dragon Claw I had on me, but there was no clue in the room how to set the circular contraption.
I must have been sitting at the door for at least half an hour, with the Claw in my hand, oblivious of how to solve this riddle, when I finally noticed I had the solution right in my hand, engraved in the Golden Dragon Claw.


A large iron door

Rumbling loud, the door opened, and before me was a huge cavern, with both light and water pouring in from above. At the opposite side were stairs leading up to a large altar, a large curved wall behind it brandishing a large depiction of a dragons head. As I slowly made my way to the altar I encountered no enemies, and as I came closer I noticed writing on the curved wall. When I approached the wall, I saw it wasn't written in any language I knew, and then a magical thing happened.



A huge cavern


Writing on a curved wall

It seemed like all light faded, and one of the words on the wall lit up with energy, energy reaching for me in twirling streams, entering my body. It was like something awoke in me, not unlike what happened in County Cheydinhal when the Orcs set my cabin on fire. A sound left my mouth again, yet this time it wasn't a roar, it was a word; "FUS".



Contrary to my roar in Cheydinhal, the sound didn't invigorate me with power. Much to my dismay, as when I turned around, the stone coffin on the large stone altar opened up, and from it rose the largest Draugr I had encountered yet, brandishing a war axe glowing of magic. Thankfully I managed to shed my knapsack from my back before battle ensued, and though eventually I managed to slay this Draugr overlord, I'm ashamed to write I only succeeded in doing so by running around the altar, either hitting the Draugr with an arrow or a quick swing from my axe, then running around the altar again to gain some distance. At times I tried to block with my shield, but he would utter shouts that would almost blow the shield from my very hands. A lot of time and potions of health later, the Draug overlord fell, as I plunged my axe into its skull in a last resort power attack.

It took me an eternity to recatch my breath, and not only did I relieve the overlord's corpse of its ancient Nord war axe of cold, I also found he was carrying a large stone with him with on one side a carving of a dragons head and on the other side inscriptions similar to the dragon wall behind me. I knew this stone had to be of importance, but it was so heavy I had to discard a lot of loot from my knapsack. Stumbling across two more chests, with thankfully small sized light riches like gems inside, I found a staircase leading to an exit from this grand hall like cavern where I'd almost lost my life.

After passing what looked like a burial memorial, I stepped out of the mountain I must have traveled through in its entire length, my eyes squinting from the abundance of light, my nostrils widening while inhaling the fresh snow chilled air. I made it through. Before me and well below me lay what unmistakably was lake Ilinalta.

As I stepped forward on the ledge on the mountainside I was on, I felt something crumbling under my feet. Before I knew what was happening I was helplessly being dragged down by the sheer weight of my knapsack, sliding across loose gravel, nearly hitting large jagged boulders on my way down. I came to a painful stop on top of the skeleton of a Mammoth.  I struggled to get of it, and found myself surrounded by skeletons of the once mighty beasts.


Mammoth skeletons

Bewildered, and by now utterly exhausted I started to make my way back to Riverwood, passing Anise's cabin on the way. Just before catching a glimpse of the town, I came across an Orc, standing between two Sabre Cat corpses. He told me he was looking for an honorable death, and taunted me to be the one to grant him his wish. I might have done so any other day, but after my two day predicament, I just called him an, as I recall, 'no brained freaking madman' and continued dragging my feet to Gerdur's House.


No brained freaking madman

When I finally arrived at Gerdur's close to sunset, I hid my backpack and armor under the bed, wrote a small scribble on my by now fully written on roll of parchment, and slept a dreamless sleep of at least three quarters of a full day. I just finished up tending to my wounds before writing this, and I wouldn't be surprised if I need a few days and a handful of potions to recover from my adventure. However, I made it, I have over a thousand gold to show for it, and I haven't even gone over my loot, I can barely remember what I stuffed my knapsack with.

But first I need to reread that book of the Dragonborn I found in Helgen Keep, for I think it holds the answer to a burning question I have...

2 comments:

Pudi0072000 said...

I've read up to this point, and I really like it! Poor Gwenneth has the worst luck with wolves! (Those things are everywhere!) I like how you're adding her backstory in; it's been so long that no one recognizes her, but she's familiar with the area.

I'll read your next entry after I'm done with Bleak Falls Barrow. Don't really want too many spoilers.

Shilka said...

Thanks, and yeah, it's fun how her history got intertwined with the game, and luckily I found nothing conflicting with the history I came up with. (Other then that on the leaked maps Lake Ilinalta had been marked as lake Klinalth, so I had to change that in the history write-up.)