Adventures in Skyrim (Grave and Nico)

[True Grave]

The great continent of Tamriel had seen much upheaval over the last two hundred years. The Aldmeri Dominion had risen to break apart the Empire that had ruled the land for centuries, and proven their dominance in the Great War that alienated Skyrim from Cyrodiil. Black Marsh had long seceded from the Empire to be their own country, with many of them being tired of both men and mer telling them how they should do things. In the city of Gideon, which had once been the Imperial capital, a young man named Gold-Heart was lusting for adventure. He wanted to go to strange lands and be his own man, and when he became an adult, that is exactly what he did. Leaving the balmy swamps of his homeland behind, he had stepped forward into the frozen northern lands of Skyrim.

Life in this land was not easy for anyone, but the shunning of his race by many Nords made it even more difficult. It was this rejection of him as a person based solely on his race that angered Gold-Heart and inspired him to want to be the greatest warrior that he could be. He would become skilled in battle and prove his merit by the laws of the land, and those straw-headed barbarians would have no choice but to respect him. Of course, before he could begin this quest, he would need to establish a base of operations. Gold-Heart planned to buy a house in Whiterun, but for now, he was living beneath the sawmill in Riverwood. He chopped wood for a living and gave it to Hod, who gave him money in return that he could put toward the house.

Gold-Heart was not much of a striking figure, with barely more than rags for clothes and only an Imperial Sword hanging by his side that he had found in the wilderness after a Stormcloak attack. But deep within him, he knew he was a warrior, and he was going to prove it. He raised his axe and cleaved the piece of wood in two with a single swing, a technique he had perfected through hours of hard work. He was so close to affording his own home, and he only needed a bit more money to make it happen. He continued to chop the wood, making a small pile next to him that he could turn in to Hod. The road had not been easy, but he would not be denied of what he had begun to see as his destiny.

 

[NicoRio]

Skyrim had been my peoples home for generations. I, being a werewolf, was not above going off on my own to explore. People expected it. I had traveled a long way from my home in the high mountains near the snowy cliffs to see the world further beyond. I was not much of fighter, but I never left without my bow and arrows. They were simple but in my hands they were deadly.

I found myself close to Riverwood and thought about finding work. I needed some more money. I didn't have a whole lot but I had a good feeling about this place. I kept myself hidden in dark clothes that covered my marks. People tended to get edgy think and or knowing I was werewolf. But I was different from others. My clan had figured out to change at will. And we had a better control over our wolf forms than most.

I smiled at a passerby and he smiled back at me.

"Where might I find work?"

He answered me quietly and pointed at the blacksmith shop.

"I think maybe the blacksmith was looking for help."

I smiled and nodded my thanks. I turned and headed that way, passing the mill.

 

[True Grave]

Gold-Heart continued to chop wood until mind-afternoon. When he was done, he brought all of the wood to Hod.
"Quite a bit you're bringing me this time. Let's see what you got."
After sorting the wood, he handed him a bag full of Septims.
"You did good, and I hope this will help."

Gold-Heart smiled and walked off to sleeping quarters to count out the gold. Added together with what he had accumulated, he now had ten thousand Septims, which was more than enough to buy a house, from what he had heard. Putting all of his gold in a bag, he did his best to put it on his body in a way that was not conspicuous. As he was walking toward the exit of Riverwood, he passed a stranger in dark clothes and gave him a nod in greeting. He took one last look at the town that he had spent the last month in, and then started on the road to Whiterun. The cobblestoned path led him through beautiful prairie until he could see the city in the distance.

Gold-Heart walked up the path and entered through the large double doors. There were buildings on either side, and people were walking through the streets in a hustle that he was not used to seeing in sleepy Riverwood. As he was heading down the street, a man with blonde hair approached him, and he was fully expecting to hear something like "lizards aren't allowed in this town". Instead, the man seemed surprisingly cordial.
"Hail, stranger. Gray-Mane or Battle-Born?"

A confused look crossed Gold-Heart's face.
"I'm sorry, but I don't understand the question."
"Those Gray-Mane scum want to support the traitor, Ulfric Stormcloak, in his bid to secede Skyrim from the Empire. However, we Battle-Borns are loyal to the Empire and would gladly die in its defense. So, I ask you again; Gray-Mane or Battle-Born?"
"I don't get into local politics, sorry."

Gold-Heart pushed past the man and continued down the street to an open-air market. He went up a flight of stairs and then another flight of stairs to reach Dragonsreach, the austere castle overlooking the town. He had heard stories of a former Jarl of Whiterun capturing a dragon within its walls, and whether this was true or simply Nord bravado, it made for a great story. Gold-Heart made his way up the stairs and opened the doors to enter. He would need the Jarl's permission to buy property within the hold, so he hoped that the man was in a good mood.

 

[NicoRio]

Blue Moon passed by many shops and people. He nodded his head at each in greeting. When he got to the Blacksmith shop, he noticed a man working at the leather stool.

"Hail."

The man looked up and smiled.

"Hail friend. I am Alvor. What can I help you with? Weapons, armor?"

Blue Moon shook his head and bowed his head slightly. He was a tad shy when it came to talking to people. But he needed money to continue his exploration of the world outside his home range.

"I was hoping I could...that is, I'm looking for work and was told you may need help."

Alvor nodded and smiled.

"You are correct. I am behind on my orders. However, I need someone who can work with skins."

He looked at Blue Moon up and down, making him squirm a little. Blue Moon gathered his courage and looked the man in the eye.

"I have quite a bit of experience with making leather and clothes. I am a fast learner and would be of help to you if you give me the chance."

Alvor nodded at the lad. He DID need the help and this boy looked like he may have what it takes. He made a decision.

"You prove to me you can do the work and I will hire you for a short time."

Blue Moon smiled and sat at the small stool. There was already a half done piece of large skin on the rack. He picked up the sharp blade next to the rack and cleaned it before going to work. He pulled the blade over the fur and shaved it off in small easy strokes. His hands worked gently to remove all the fur from the hide so it can be made into something else. It would be easier to do if he took off his cloak, but he didn't want the human to see his marks. They were a dead give-a-way as to what he was.

Once he was done, he searched for Alvor, who seemed to have gone inside for a drink. The man looked at him as he entered the rest area in the room.

"Yes?"

"I finished..."

Alvor got up and both of them went out to the skin rack. The human looked over the work and turned to Blue Moon.

"It is fine work. Now I want to see if you can turn it into a leather helmet."

Blue Moon nodded and went to work as Alvor went to the forge to work on another project. Blue Moon knew how to do all these things from his father. He was never one for such work, being more of healer/hunter, but if it got him money he would do it for a short time.

 

[True Grave]

Gold-Heart strode down the hallway, heading for the Jarl, who was seated upon his throne. To his left was a man dressed in nice clothing that looked like his Steward, and to his right was an armed and armored Dark Elf that was probably some kind of bodyguard. Gold-Heart had a distaste for Dark Elves because of their cruelty to his ancestors, and her eyes watching him like a hawk did not help matters. He turned his head and stopped near the throne of the Jarl.
"Jarl Balgruuf, I am Gold-Heart. I would like to apply for citizenship within your Hold."

The Jarl studied him carefully with eyes that seemed to have the wisdom of the ages.
"You look a little rough, Argonian. Have you come from the docks in Windhelm?"
"No, sir. I've been living in Riverwood for the past year. I spent most of my time as a woodcutter."

"That is a noble profession. Do you have plans to seek employment within the Hold?"
"Admittedly, I do not. I wish to seek my fortune and test my skills as an adventurer, with Whiterun as my base of operations. I wish to be a warrior that Nords themselves envy for my prowess in battle."
Balgruuf laughed after he had said this, but it was a laugh tinged with approval instead of scorn.

"That is a most worthy goal indeed, Argonian. There are many who disparage your kind in this land, but you sound as if you have the soul of a Nord within you. It is a brave path that you wish to tread, and if you are successful, you will find much honor and glory awaits you. I have a notion that you will succeed, and I would like Whiterun to have the honor of being your first home. Your request for citizenship is hereby granted to you."
Gold-Heart was filled with joy at these words.

"As a citizen, I would like to request a house here in Whiterun. I have the money with me and can pay up-front."
Jarl Balgruuf turned to his Steward.
"Proventus, we have a house for sale within the Hold, don't we?"
"Yes, it's a nice place called Breezehome next to my daughter's shop in the Plains District. For a tidy sum of 5000 Septims, it can be yours, Mr. Gold-Heart."

"Just Gold-Heart is fine. I have the money."
He counted out 5000 Septims, and Proventus had someone bag it for him.
"For an additional 1800 Septims, I could have it furnished to the best that it can be."
Gold-Heart was a bit nervous about this one acquisition eating up most of his hard-earned money, but he considered it to be an investment in his future.
"I'll take you up on that."

He counted out 1800 more, and put the sack with the remaining 3200 Septims back in his pants.
"It will take a few hours to get the deed drawn up and your house furnished. You may remain at Dragonsreach until then."
Gold-Heart nodded and took a seat at the dining table. He had waited a month for this moment, so what was a few more hours? He watched as people bustled around, and was looking forward to this new lease on life in Skyrim.

 

[NicoRio]

Blue Moon did his best to do as Alvor bid. He worked until the sun was setting and the light began to fade. He had no trouble seeing in the dark, but the human didn't need to know that. So he looked over the helmet one last time and took it Alvor to inspect.

"Hmm. Good lines, nice balance. It's a fine piece. Ok then..."

He looked at Blue Moon, who only now realized he hadn't told the human his name.

"Blue Moon, sir. My name is Blue Moon."

The blacksmith smiled and nodded. Then placed the helmet on one of the empty hooks behind the sales counter.

"I can use you. Be here tomorrow at sun rise."

Blue Moon nodded and left the blacksmith shop. He turned toward the wooded area. He didn't need to spend what little money he had on a room at an Inn. He went into trees a ways until he was sure he wouldn't be seen, then he undressed and left his belongings hidden under a bush and changed into his wolf form. His hair became fur as silver blue as the moonlight, his different colored eyes piercing the night and highly sensitive noise picking up on all the smells around him.

He wouldn't go far but he needed to hunt. A rabbit or small creature of some kind perhaps. Nothing big. He had learned the hard that you NEVER hunt big game unless you had others to share it and could finish it off quickly. He smiled inwardly when he caught a scent. A male rabbit, not yet mated, was near by. Totally unaware of his fate this night.

Blue Moon crouched low and made his paws shuffle the ground so the dirt would get into his pads and muffle his movements. He edged closer and closer, keeping his ears perked for any noise that may give him away. The rabbit bent his head to nibble on the grass at it's feet. Blue Moon crept even closer, then stopped when the tall ears of the rabbit went up. He too listened. A sound came from the path nearby. Footsteps. Then nothing. Whoever it was had walked by and headed into town.

Blue Moon had his attention back on the rabbit. Dinner is served. Then once the rabbit had it's head down, he leapt forward, mouth agape, teeth barred, claws out. The poor creature didn't have a chance. Blue Moon savored the taste as he tore into the flesh and licked away the blood to get to the good parts. The warm meat was a godsend to his empty stomach and he enjoyed every last bit of it.

Before long, his dinner was gone and he licked the remains of the blood from his fur. He yawned and went back to his hiding place near the tree and bush his clothes and bag were hidden under. Laying his head on his paws he aloud himself to drift into a light sleep.

 

[True Grave]

Gold-Heart sat in the dining room and waited for a few hours, although it felt like an eternity. Proventus approached him and finally let him know that his house was complete and that he could move in at any time. Gold-Heart smiled and took the key and the deed from him before hustling out of the castle. He made his way to the Plains District and entered the first home in this land that he could truly call his own. As he gazed upon the interior, his heart did a backflip of joy. The house was beautifully furnished and had all of the amenities, including his own bed on the second floor!

Gold-Heart marveled at everything within the home, continuously having to remind himself that it was all his. He placed the deed in a nice drawer and sat at the table. This was a fitting base of operations, and he wanted to fill the chest upstairs at the foot of his bed with relics and loot. The time had come to begin his adventure, and what better place to visit first than the blacksmith shop next door? He left his house and went next door to Warmaiden's, as the place was called. Standing behind the counter was a burly man with a black bushy beard and a giant axe strapped to his back.

"Hail, friend, and welcome to Warmaiden's. Don't let the name fool you, we got plenty of steel for fightin' men."
Gold-Heart approached the counter and marveled at a nicely crafted steel sword sitting on the counter.
"I would like to get myself a full suit of Iron Armor, and an Iron Shield."
"Very well. Let's go in the back and get you fitted."

Gold-Heart followed the man, who said his name was Ulfberth War-Bear, into the back room. He was measured at the waist, shoulders, and full-body for his height. He was then helped into a suit of Iron Armor with a hole in the back for his tail. He strapped on his shield and placed his Imperial Sword in a nice new scabbard.
"How's that feel?"
Elliot moved around a bit, and though it was more difficult than before, he thought he could manage.

"Different, but that's because I'm not used to wearing heavy armor. We wear mostly leather and scaled armor in Black Marsh."
"Well, that's some of the finest Iron in Skyrim that you're wearing. It may not be fancy like Elven Armor, but it should protect you well enough."
"How much do I owe?"
"For the whole thing, 3200 Septims."

Gold-Heart felt his spirits sink a bit. That was all of his money down to the last Septim. He would be broke again, and totally dependent on whatever he could find in his travels to support himself. But this was the path that he had chosen, and if he gave in to doubt now, he would never know what could have been.
"I have the money."
He emptied his coin purse onto the counter, and Ulfberth bagged it up and placed it under the counter.

"Pleasure doing business with you."
Gold-Heart nodded and left the store. He exited the gates and saw a horse and carriage waiting near the gates.
"Excuse me, sir. Is it possible to hire your carriage?"
"Of course," the man answered with a smile.

"How much?" Gold-Heart asked, knowing that any amount was too much for him to pay.
"My services are free to all residents of Whiterun."
Gold-Heart was taken aback.
"But, how do you support yourself, then?"
"The Jarl pays me a salary of 1000 Septims a month. It pays me expenses and puts food on me table, so I'm just fine with the arrangement."

Gold-Heart nodded.
"Can you take me to Solitude?"
He had always wanted to see the famed Imperial capital of Skyrim.
"Of course. Climb in the back and I'll have you there before you know it. I've been to the capital more times than I can count."

Gold-Heart went around and climbed in the back, sitting on one of the benches. The carriage started moving along the cobblestone streets.
"So, what do you do if a bandit attacks?"
"I don't carry any money, so the bandits don't bother to stop me. Besides, I work for the Jarl, and messing with me would get them more trouble that it would be worth."
Gold-Heart admired the man's toughness and certainty in himself, and thought that he would like to be a man like that someday.

 

[NicoRio]

Blue Moon stretched as the sun started to chase the coolness from the night away. He yawned and changed back into his human, got dressed and gathered his bag from its hiding place. Moving with a grace bestowed upon him by the wolf in him, he made his way to Alvor’s forge.

The man was sitting at the round fire pit, a small piece of metal in one hand while the other worked the fire.

“Hail Alvor. Nice morning.”

Alvor turned to him and grinned.

“Hail Blue Moon. And yes it is. Are you ready for work?”

Blue Moon nodded and sat at his place at the skin rack. He cleaned the tools and began his daily work of de-furring and stretching furs. Tomorrow he would make them all into armor or some such things. But today was purely for the cleaning and prepping.

************************
By the end of the week, Blue Moon had five full sets of leather armor, half a dozen sward and dagger holders and three very nice looking and sturdy arrow holders all on display in Alvor’s shop. He had made enough money to get him to the next town and was more than ready to move on. He never liked staying in one place for too long.

Alvor approach him and handed him a little pouch with coins in it. Blue Moon held the bag, bounced it and looked at Alvor in question. It was too much. This was NOT what they had agreed on. And he didn’t like to cheat people.
Alvor shook his head and smiled.

“You’ve earned it. Now get... before I change my mind and tie you the forge. You are good Blue Moon and I would like to keep you a bit longer. But I know what it’s like to want to wander for a time. If you ever need work again and are close, come see me.”

Blue Moon didn’t have words to say, so he just smiled and nodded and then turned to walk away. He needed to visit the General Store before he headed out. He needed a better, bigger, bag. His was old and worn down and he never WHAT he would find along the way.

“Greetings stranger. How can I help you today?”

Blue Moon looked around and found what he was after.

“I would like that bag, please. How much?”

The merchant smiled and pulled down the larger bag from the display and read its tag. Blue Moon nodded and counted out the right amount of coins needed. He did the calculations in his head and knew he would need to do something when he got to the next town if he was to afford the prices for his re-supply at the larger city of Whiterun. The big cities tend to be more expensive. And he would need more supplies by then.

He left the shop and headed out of town in the direction of Whiterun. By his estimates, he would reach it in three days’ time if he staid a bit off the worn path. He never liked running into people and he liked it so much better to travel in the trees than on the roads.

 

[True Grave]

The carriage pulled up to the large city of Solitude and parked at the stables outside of the main gates. Gold-Heart climbed down and turned to the carriage driver.
"Thank you for the ride."
"You're welcome. Look me up again in Whiterun if you ever need transportation again."
He turned his carriage around and began the trek back to the city.

Gold-Heart turned and made his way toward the large double doors that represented the main gate of the city. He pushed them open and entered into the city, looking around at the famous capital. To his surprise, a small crowd had gathered and were shouting and jostling each other. He turned to see that what had the crowd all fired up was a public execution. The man to be executed was on his knees, and the headsman was holding his large axe at attention as he waited for the cue to do his job. At the front of the stage was a man in a guard uniform issuing a statement to the crowd.

"This man, Raggvir, has committed treason against Skyrim and her people. He opened the gate to allow the traitor Ulfric Stormcloak the escape the city after the murder of High King Torygg. The city of Solitude has found him guilty of being complicit in the crime, and his sentence is death!"
"There was no murder!" Raggvir protested, trying to look as dignified as he could from his kneeling position, "Ulfric challenged the High King to single combat and won, as is the way of Skyrim, and all true Nords!"
The crowd was having none of it, and he was pushed back down upon the block.
"May the gods have mercy on you, Raggvir."

The headsman took up his position, raised his axe, and then brought it down in a way that cut Raggvir's head clean from his body.
"Good riddance to bad rubbish, I say," Gold-Heart heard one citizen say.
Others were more solemn and silent, and the crowd started to disperse now that the spectacle was over. Gold-Heart turned away, mixed feelings in his heart over what he had just witnessed. He walked through the streets, catching sight of the Bard's College to his left as he headed down the main street. At the end of the street was the Blue Palace, where the Jarl was ruling from, and Castle Dour, which was being used by the Legion as a headquarters for the Civil War.

After he was done sightseeing, Gold-Heart went into several shops before he found a map of the area. Several landmarks and locations had been marked upon it, and he was looking forward to exploring these areas. He pocketed the map and left the city before taking it back out again. One location known as Northwatch Keep had been marked out clearly, and though it was far away from the city, it seemed as good a place as any to start. Gold-Heart decided that he would walk the distance so that he could get used to wearing and moving around in the armor. With his destination in mind, he began heading west for the keep.

 

[NicoRio]

After walking for almost half a day, Blue Moon felt his feet began to ache. He sat down on a rock that let him have a good view of the road without being seen. He scanned the area and listened for any prey that may be worth the energy to catch. He didn't need to eat as often as most, because he was a special breed of wolf, but it never hurt to have a snack now and then to keep up his energy so he can keep his pace as steady as he wanted it.

Nothing. Just some humans and a ... cat. He looked and it was a feline. He never could remember the names of all the species. He was more of a basic learner. Humans, Cats, Lizards, Wolves, Trolls, Dragons, Ghosts, Witches, Elves, Dark Elves, and Bad Elves. That was the sum total of his brains knowledge when it came to naming the types of people in Skyrim. He didn't feel the need to really get to know them by 'proper' names. Although he may want to learn so he didn't insult someone.

As he thought on this and watched as the group went by, talking about an execution going on in Solitude, he wondered if he would run into someone to travel with for a time that might help with that. It's not like he intended to STAY in Whiterun. It was just another stop on his way to discovering the land and finding out what was out there. He would need to stay for a short time and earn some more money, but he was good at things that would earn him quick cash.

Suddenly, a noise caught his attention. Oh boy...a deer. And a pack of wolves that are stalking it. His stomach gave a grumble. He smiled. This would be fun. He got up and went further into the trees and up the mountain side a ways. He put his pack and clothes in a hiddy-hole he had found wedged in between a tree and a rock. Then changed into his wolf form and fallowed the scent to the wolves.

Blue Moon snarled as he approached, letting the smaller wolves know that HE would rip them apart if they challenged him. They knew an Alfa when they saw one and they didn't push their luck. He was counting on this. This was just a hunting party. No Alfa present. He snuffed and let them get a good sniff of him. Then it was all eyes and noises and ears on the task at hand. The deer.

He felt his blood rushing, his heart pounding, his every muscle tensing and relaxing with the beat of the rush of the hunt. This was his favorite part of being a wolf. The rush of adrenaline when hunting, chasing, running in wolf form... what a rush! He grunted to the small wolves and they moved off in a half circle around the deer. They were careful as to not let the deer know they were there. This pleased Blue Moon. Then it all happened at once.

The deer shifted, bent down to eat, and .....
Running, jumping, teeth and claws sinking into flesh, the cry of the prey going down, the tumble of bodies as the deer cried one last time and finally...
Silence. The only thing that was heard was the huffing of the wolves as they caught their breaths after the take down of their dinner. Blue Moon was pleased he was aloud to take first choice of meat. He was not greedy and knew they had pups and a female waiting somewhere. He could smell the rest of the pack on these three and would not take from the female and pups. So he took a good portion, but not large, off the hind left upper leg and went away from the smaller wolves to eat.

He felt good. The rush was enough to put him in higher spirits and the meat in his stomach made his body feel energized and ready for the rest of his walk until night fall. He would not have to hunt again for at least two days.

 

[True Grave]

Gold-Heart followed the rocky trail down the slope and through an archway as he left Solitude. The path continued into the wild, with large trees all around him and jutting rocks to his right, one of which formed an overhang over the road. He continued to follow the road until it linked up with another one, though this one had no destination specified by the road sign. Gold-Heart knew that he needed to continue bearing west, so he took the unmarked road. He passed a company of armored warriors that he believed to be Stormcloaks as he went, but they paid him no mind and were soon behind him going the opposite way. It got snowier as he went along, to the point that the road was almost completely obscured.

As the path took a turn and a dip, he saw something brown and lumbering off to the side. He recognized it as a common troll by its ape-like gait, and knew this could be trouble. He drew his sword and watched as it jumped up and down and snarled, perhaps letting him know that it was going to be aggressive. Gold-Heart was fair with a blade, but this would be his first life-or-death battle. He eased into his fighting stance and gripped his shield tightly, doing his best to steel himself for the clash. The creature began bounding toward him, white fangs glistening in the sun.

When it was within range, it swung out with its right arm in an arc that would send its razor-sharp claws ripping across his chest. Its reach was as good as his with a sword, and though his first instinct was to jump back to dodge it, he knew this would be the wrong move. He could not afford to fight this thing from medium range, since it was stronger than him and could go the distance in a long battle. He stepped back a bit to let the strike go by, then pressed in close to limit its movement. Gold-Heart was not very knowledgeable about troll anatomy, but if it was humanoid, as he suspected it was, he was vulnerable along his side. With a mix of nervousness and determination, he ran his sword deep into its side.

The troll screamed in pain and anger, and began thrashing a bit. Keeping his focus on his own offense despite the distraction, he repeatedly stabbed it as quickly and deeply as he could. It finally pushed him away with a back-hand swipe, and he could tell by its knees that it was wobbly. Since there would never be a better opportunity to finish the fight, Gold-Heart pressed in again and ran his sword deeply into its throat. The creature jerked and spasmed in pain and resistance, but he shoved it in deeper, which took all of the fight out of him. When he removed the sword, the troll fell back and laid dead on the ground.

Gold-Heart cleaned his sword off and sheathed it, feeling happy to be alive but also a bit sorry for the creature. He continued down the path, and the snow turned to verdant grass. He took another turn on the road heading west and came face-to-face with a bandit. He drew his sword and cut him down before taking a sack of gold, a hunter's bow, and some iron arrows off of him. Proceeding down the road, Gold-Heart saw the glittering sea off to his right and thought that it was quite beautiful. Here the road moved past the fort, so he had to carefully pick his way down the slope to his destination.

At last he had made his way to the fort. As he stepped into the gate, he saw some bodies strewn about. Some of them were dressed in the leather and iron of bandits, while others were wearing Elven armor. It seemed to him that a bandit party had tried to raid this fort and some had been stopped here in the courtyard. Whether the Elves had repelled the bandits or whether the ruffians had triumphed, he knew that he had to be careful in this place. Gold-Heart opened the double doors to the fort and carefully proceeded inside.

 

[NicoRio]

After Blue Moon finished his meal, he cleaned himself of all traces of blood and went back to his bag and clothes. He shifted back into his mostly human form and dressed. He stretched and cracked his neck and sighed happily. He would enjoy his walk and just take it easy until night fall.
Walking along side the road, but not on it, Blue Moon listened to the world around him. He could hear all kinds of creatures going about their own lives. He liked this a lot. He never got out much at home and was never aloud to go much further than the Healer's cave in the middle of his pack's territory. So being free to wonder as he pleased was a nice feeling.

He was starting to hum to the rhythm of the forest, when he noticed another sound. A catchy one. Someone else was singing. Blue Moon turned his head and grinned. It was a man strumming an instrument and singing a song, he had never heard before. It sounded like something to do dragons. That got Blue Moon's attention. Dragons? Alive? He went to the road and waited for the man to get closer.

"Hail Friend. What is it you are singing about?"

The man smiled and bowed in flourish.

"Dragons, stranger. Dragons are back in Skyrim. The Dragon Born has been spotted near The College of Winterhold."

Blue Moon tilted his head and wondered what kind of person this Dragon Born would be. What better way, than a bard? Blue Moon got out a couple of coins and held them out to the man.

"I would like to hear more..."

The man smiled, took the coins and started to strum on his instrument.

"Our hero, our hero
Claims a warrior's heart
I tell you, I tell you
The Dragonborn comes

With a Voice wielding power of the ancient Nord art
Believe, believe, the Dragonborn comes
It's an end to the evil of all Skyrim's foes
Beware, beware the Dragonborn comes

For the darkness has passed
And the legend yet grows
You'll know, you'll know the Dragonborn's come "

Blue Moon knew he would be humming this tune for a while. It was catchy and had a good rhythm. When the man got done, Blue Moon clapped and bowed his thanks.

"Thank you. I wish you good travels."

The bard smiled and bowed back.

"To you as well, friend."

The bard went on his way, starting a new song and leaving Blue Moon to his own thoughts once again. He continued on his way to Whiterun and was unaware that he had began to match his stride with the Dragon song.

 

[True Grave]

Gold-Heart was inside the entry chamber of the fort, and the bodies of a couple bandits lay strewn about. Some had wounds from arrows and swords, but others had burn marks that indicated some kind of magic or enchanted weapon. This meant that he was dealing with either a mage or a spellsword, and was thankful that he had the bow so that he could fight long-distance if he needed to. As he continued onward, he suddenly saw a figure in Elven Armor charging at him.
"This fort is the property of the Thalmor!"
Gold-Heart drew his sword and blocked the strike with his shield before launching a counter-strike that glanced off of his helmet.

The two were now locked in combat, but this was the kind that Gold-Heart had experience with. He had sparred back home and done well for himself, and after fighting a troll, this High Elf was not very scary. He narrowed his eyes and watched for the slightest movement, knowing that his only chance for victory would be to stab him in the throat. His opponent went for a strike, and Gold-Heart moved forward, pushing it aside with his shield. He then stabbed him through the throat, and the combat was over as quickly as it had begun. He kicked the High Elf off of his sword and proceeded to look him over for valuables.

It was then that he heard a second voice.
"This is where you die, trespasser!"
Gold-Heart looked up to see a mage at the top of the stairs above him. He was only able to move away just as lightning struck where he was. He took cover behind a wall and drew his bow, waiting a moment to nock his arrow and see what his foe would do. When he heard nothing, he sprang out, took aim, and fired.

By sheer luck, his arrow sliced through the air and struck his opponent in the head, an instant kill shot. His foe tumbled down the stairs to rest at the bottom. Gold-Heart quickly looted him and then saw a large chest out of the corner of his eye. He rushed over to it and discovered some gold, armor, and an enchanted weapon. He had no use for the armor, but he planned to sell the enchanted weapon in Solitude. After a thorough search of the entry chamber, he decided to move on.

Up the stairs was a kitchen area, and a couple guards were seated at the table. He hurriedly let fly with an arrow that struck the first one in the neck. The second one was out of the chair, so he had to hurriedly fire one point-blank into his face. He took some gold off of their corpses and then sheathed his bow to draw his sword. It was not a moment too soon, as a third enemy came at him with his own sword. Gold-Heart blocked the attack and managed to slice his throat with a quick counter-strike before looting his corpse.

Gold-Heart went through a door and into a chamber that had seen better days. There were a couple guards here, and he decided to deal with one creatively. He vaulted off of the top of the stairs and drove his sword through the chest of his opponent, aided by the momentum of the fall. He swung his shield to hit an opponent in the head to knock him down, then kicked him onto his back before stabbing him through the throat from a standing position. He looted their bodies and then continued on to the next room. He could see cages and some torturing devices, so he knew that this room was for a dark purpose.

As he entered the chamber, he saw a dead Nord in a chair and a mage. He knew that he had seconds to react before the mage attacked, so he swung his sword in a way that cleaved his head from his body. Gold-Heart tried not to look at the neck as he took his money off of him. There was a large chest in the room, and he took some gold and jewels out of it. There was a key on the table that he took, as well.
"This might come in handy."

When he left the room, he saw six holding cells for prisoners. There were a couple guards, and he dispatched them easily, having gotten a good understanding of their fighting style. The cells were locked and the key he had was not working. He had no lockpicks, so there seemed to be nothing he could do for them. However, he saw a lever at the end of the hall, and when he pulled it, the cells opened. The prisoners streamed out and began heading for the exit door.

Gold-Heart followed them, but they were stopped by an imposing wooden door.
"It's locked!" one of the prisoners exclaimed.
Gold-Heart gently pushed his way to the front and tried the key on the door. It opened, and all of them were soon outside of the fort. Some of the prisoners thanked him for the help, and others began running into the countryside. Gold-Heart made his way back to the entrance of the fort.

In all, he had made a decent haul from this fort. It would be a good idea to head back to Solitude and get a little bit of money for his take. He thought that it might be a good idea to have a smith work on his armor and weapons, so that he could be working with the best quality equipment. With this in mind, he began following the path back to the capital.

 

[NicoRio]

Blue Moon soon found himself in a lazy mood. Which was not good. He wanted something to make this walk more interesting. So he went closer to the road and smiled to himself. There was a group of people in, what looked like, leather armor. Maybe they were...

"Halt! You there, come out so we can see you."

Blue Moon stopped and came into view. It wasn't like he was hiding or anything.

"It's a Were-wolf!"

*Oh crap...*

Blue Moon wanted something to get rid of the boredom, but he never thought he'd be fighting three guys in the middle of the road way. Who obviously had a thing against were-wolves. He readied himself and braced for the fight. It was going to be a good one. Two long swords and the third guy had two short swords. And Blue Moon...? He had his hands and a small dagger. He grinned. This was going to be fun.

The first sword came flying at him and he ducked, spun around and got the guy in the ribs with his claws. As the first went down, the second one came at him and he jumped the low blow attack and kicked the guy in the head. The third one swung his two short swords in a zig-zag trying to get at both Blue Moon's head and feet. This was a slight problem for him, but Blue Moon managed to dodge the head shot and spin away from the man as the second sword went for his feet.
The first guy managed to get up and went for his back as the third guy came at him again. Blue Moon ducked and spun his leg out and tripped the third guy and the first one slashed at his front. He back flipped and kicked the guy in the chin, sending him flying across the road and into a tree, knocking the guy out.
The second and third guy came at him and didn't move fast enough to get away in time. But managed to lessen the slash into only a scratch on his arm. The big sword came at him and he spun down, rolled and got the guy with two swords in the stomach with a two handed/clawed attack that left the guy breathless and passed out.
That left only one guy. This one was bigger than his friends but that was good. Big often meant slow. And the sword he had didn't help. Blue Moon had just enough time to roll and spin into a crouch as the big guy came at him and swung his sword. Blue Moon called on his wolf power and made his hands double the claws they had been and slashed at the guys stomach and face.
With a yell and grunt the guy went down and hit his head hard on rock as he fell.

*Three down. I win.*

Blue Moon looked at the three and figured they didn't need all that shinny stuff and took the smaller daggers and coins from the men. He wasn't sure who they were, but he figured if they attacked random people, the least they could do was pay for the trouble they caused.