Lucy’s Journal #3: Loredas, 23rd of Last Seed 4E 201
Well, I now have a few answers, but more questions. At the urging of Jarl Balgruuf and his entire court, I travelled around and then up the Throat of the World to talk to a bunch of old monks aptly named the Greybeards. They told me some stuff, showed me some stuff, and they want me to do some more stuff. Before I get to all that, let me tell you what happened along the way.
First of all, I am now a thane of Balgruuf’s court. He even assigned me a house carl to follow me around, carry my loot, and shoot my enemies before I even figure out where they are. I feel pretty worthless with her around. Not sure how I feel about having a servant anyway. I understand the loyalty of friends, but why wouldn’t a servant rob you blind and run off the first time you fell asleep? But I felt guilty about keeping Faendal away from Camilla, and I’d feel horrible if he died helping me, so I put my doubts aside and sent him home and accepted Lydia’s help on the road.
While I was still in Whiterun, I started feeling run down. I tried getting a good night’s sleep, and I ate some decent food, but it didn’t help, so I went looking for an alchemist. Never actually found him, which is too bad, because I’m carrying some frost salts for him. Instead, I went to the shrine of Kynareth. Inside, I found priestesses trying to heal soldiers wounded in the civil war. I tried to help, but I couldn’t honestly tell if I gave them any relief. I did pray at the altar, and since then, I’ve felt better than normal, really energized. Probably a good thing, as it’s been a really long journey.
What else? OH! Tiber Septim was a nord! When I heard that, I got this rush of excitement, thinking, “This explains how we’re related!” Then I realized it doesn’t explain anything, because while I am a daughter of Skyrim, I'm not a nord. So I’m back to the beginning with the question of my family heritage.
I got an anonymous letter from a secret friend. It told me to go to Lost Tongue Overlook to find a source of great power. I stuffed the letter in my pack to think about later. My parents always taught me not to take candy from friendly strangers, so the letter feels a bit creepy.
I learned a couple of interesting things about giants. 1) Never try to talk to them or fight them head on. You’ll find yourself smacked off the mountainside and plummeting into the river gorge. 2) Mammoth cheese is really tasty, if you can get away with snatching it behind their backs. HAHA!
I did manage to impress Lydia once. After a fight where she’d taken quite a beating, I healed her wounds. Her eyes got wide, and she asked me if I was a priest. She must have been kidding, as she’s seen me do some pretty unpriestly things.
I’m getting better with the hunting bow. We loaded up on pelts, which I am eager to sell in exchange for healing potions or ingredients for some better camp food.
Toughest choice of the trip: Came across two Imperial soldiers arresting a stormcloak rebel. The soldiers rudely ordered me to be on my way. I seriously thought about shooting them and breaking the stormcloak free. Assuming Lydia had followed my lead, I think we could have taken them. In the end, I decided to just go on my way. I was so close to journey’s end by then, and I guess I just wasn’t ready to shoot at soldiers. They’re not all bad; there are some to whom I owe my life. When I think about what may have happened to that rebel though, I don’t feel good about myself. Was my choice rational and principled, or cowardly and selfish? Did I walk away because that was right, or just because I didn’t want to get involved?
All the way from Ivarstead, people kept telling me that the Greybeards never talk to anyone. I had to wonder if it was a wasted trip, but when I arrived, they were waiting for me, and one named Arngeir was assigned to talk to me. He said it was too dangerous for the others to speak because their Voices were so powerful. Guess maybe Arngeir’s Voice is not so hot.
So they taught me a couple of shouts that let me push back enemies and sprint extremely fast, and they explained that anyone can learn shouts, but that it takes years and years of practices to really be able to do them—unless you are dragon born. Once again, we come back to this idea that I am special and linked somehow to Talos, aka Tiber Septim, and that whole extinct Imperial line. Now think about this. Talos is worshipped as a god, and the Thalmor consider this worship so dangerous that they forced the Empire to outlaw his worship. Somehow, I am sure this ties in with why those Altmer mages and the dark-cloak-guys were looking for the amulet, and why the Argonian Imperial magistrate tried to execute me in secret.
I didn’t tell the Greybeards any of that. It was obvious they didn’t know. All they could say was they didn’t think it was a coincidence that I appeared and then the dragons came back. I’d rather not admit to anyone that I might have caused it.
On the way up the 7000 Steps were a number of stone shrines, where I learned how Alduin and his dragons were banished from the World by Men using the Voice, which they got from Kynareth with the help of Akatosh the Great Dragon. The name Alduin rang a bell for me. That was the first word on the inscription on the amulet. So while I was there, I did a little studying in their library, and I learned that Alduin is called the World Eater here in Skyrim, but the Southlanders figure he’s just another form of Akatosh. How did I manage to not know any of this until now? There’s a lot of subjects that I’ve never paid attention to. I mean this is what my neighbors believed! I never imagined it’d eventually be important to my life.
Arngier told me then that they could teach me much more, but first I had to bring them the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller, which is buried halfway across the country and no doubt guarded by dangerous creatures. That’s when I got suspicious. Next thing, I’ll be painting the monastery and cleaning the sewers and the chimney. I don’t want to do their odd jobs. I don’t even want to be special. I definitely don’t want to be an emperor or a god. I want to find my family and friends and save them if it’s not too late, or make amends if it is. And then, I want to get on with my life and the career I've had planned out since I was little. Dragons? They don’t seem to be the end of the world. Really, that last one wasn't as tough as the giants were.
Yeah, I think I’ve got all the answers I want for now. It’s time for me to find my way home. Problem is, my city doesn’t seem to be anywhere on my map, and geography is one of those subjects I never really studied, so I have no idea where to find my own city.
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