Einarr the Nord

• Posted by J Lebowski October 26, 2011 - 895 views

  Einarr grew up in a small, quiet farming community called Weatherleah. Weatherleah was originally owned by two twin brothers around the end of the third era, but following the Oblivion crisis, the brothers decided to welcome farmers and travelers to their land eventually creating a peaceful farming community. Everybody in Weatherleah got along. It was a place that encouraged ethnic diversity and fair treatment to all. Einarr was the second child to a loving family. Growing up Einarr did not see much outside of Weatherleah. He and his father would make monthly trips to the shops of Chorrol or Kvatch, but for the most part, life was pretty sheltered and innocent. His parents reinforced teaching the religion of the Nine Divines for their son and daughter. Neither of the children entered any rebellious stages in their childhood.

  During his teenage years, Einarr grew tired of the simple life and took interest in joining the Imperial Legion. Legionaries would travel through the community on occasion and every one had a very friendly demeanor. Einarr's older sister took a deep liking to alchemy and planned on joining the mages guild to further her studies. Einarr's parents supported both paths that their children wished to take. Einarr's father served in the Imperial Legion before he decided to settle down and start a new life with a family. Serving in the Legion went back a long way in the family. An ancestor fought in the battle of the Imperial City when Mehrunes Dagon attacked the capitol of Cyrodiil at the end of the third era. Einarr's sister took a journey to all of the major guild halls in Cyrodiil to earn her recommendations in order to join the guild. At this time, Einarr was 18 years old and of age to enlist in the Imperial Legion.

  One day, Einarr left home to go to the nearest Imperial Legion outpost. Upon arrival, he met a lieutenant who told him to return within a week because the recruitment officer was not there at the moment. He then asked Einarr where he was from.

  "Weatherleah," replied Einarr.

  "Oh, I'm afraid to tell you this but we have been getting and increase in bandit attacks in the region. The attacks are moving in pattern we have noticed. They began somewhere north of Chorrol and moved southward. We are worried that they are headed in this direction. The Legion has been increasing patrols in this area, so you should be safe. But if I were you, I would return to Weatherleah and warn them of the danger. I would also recommend evacuating to one of the cities, Skingrad or Kvatch maybe," Hallius warned.

  "Thank you for the warning. I will be sure to tell everyone when I return home," Einarr said as he left the outpost to return home.

  When Einarr returned home, he noticed that his sister had returned home as well and had received all of her recommendations from the Cyrodiil guild halls. She was going to spend some time at home before she left for the Arcane University. Einarr told his parents that he would return in a week because the recruitment officer was not there. However, he did not warn them about the possibility of a bandit attack. He certainly thought about it, but for some reason, he felt that if the Imperial line failed to hold off an attack, he may be able prove himself to the Legion by fighting off the bandits.

  The next day, Einarr woke up and walked to the south side of Weatherleah to feed the sheep. Einarr was all alone in the sheep's pen for a couple of hours until he heard a scream.

  "BANDITS!!! BANDITS!!!! RUN!!!!"

  Einarr ran to the center of town to find a clan of over a dozen of bandits raiding the small village, setting fire to every house, killing everything in sight, and looting anything of value. Fearful for the safety of his family, Einarr ran to his home to find his father mutilated in the dining area. He ran upstairs in search of his mother and found her tied down in her bed with her clothes stripped and her throat slit. He ran outside and immediately one of the bandits attacked him. Einarr evaded the attack and swung with all of his strength at the side of his assailants head. Einarr could feel the bandit's skull crush against his fist. He never knew he wielded so much strength. Right when Einarr looked up, he felt the piercing of a dagger enter his abdomen. He slowly lost consciousness while watching everything he ever knew burn right in front of his eyes.

  Einarr woke up to the sight of five men dressed in cheap armor and rugged clothing. He felt his hands tied and his neck chained to a large rock. The wound on his abdomen had healed over, leaving an ugly scar. This meant that he must have been unconscious for quite some time. He slowly gained awareness of his surroundings. He was in a cave he had never known. He recognized the faces of some of the men as bandits from that dreadful day. There was one Dunmer, two Imperials, one Orc, and one Argonian.The five captors sat around a fire talking to each other not paying any attention to Einarr. As they talked, Einarr stood up in a rush of adrenaline and tore the chains on his neck from the rock, tearing the rock in two. The five bandits jumped and unsheathed their weapons. The Argonian pressed the attacked. Acting in complete instinct, Einarr disarmed the Argonian a planted the battle axe in his head. Einarr jumped toward the others and in a matter of seconds, the remaining bandits were lying on the ground dead. Einarr could not believe what he had just done. He found the key to his chains on the body of one of the bandits and freed himself. He found his way through the cave, killing anyone who stood in his way. He then searched every corner of the cave and found that he single-handedly killed every bandit who attacked his village. He expected to have a feeling of revenge and that justice was served. Instead, Einarr slowly exited the cave and made his way to Weatherleah.

  Once he made it to Weatherleah, Einarr found every part of the community burned to the ground. There was not a sign of life. He found the body of his sister lying on the eastern edge of town. Einarr felt only regret and grief. He sat next to her body weeping for hours on end, thinking about what he could have prevented if he had only warned them.

  Einarr made his way north to the Imperial outpost to report the destruction. Upon arrival, Einarr found the outpost burned down and every Legionary murdered. It is exactly what Einarr had feared. The Legion was unable to defend itself from the bandits. Einarr continued to travel northward until he reached Chorrol. He told the first guard about his experiences , what he saw and what he had found. The guard already knew about the outpost attack but did not believe him when he said that he killed all of the bandits. No matter who he told, nobody seemed to care to help Einarr. It seemed that everyone in the city cared only for their own agenda.

  In the following weeks, Einarr spent his time in the Grey Mare, resorting to a life of drunkenness, constantly getting in trouble with the law for public intoxication and shoplifting from inns and food stores.

  One day, while sitting at the bar, Einarr decided that life in Cyrodiil was not for him. No matter what he did, every moment spent in the province would remind him of his failure to warn his community. Einarr decided to travel north, and find a new life in Skyrim. As he climbed the Jerall Mountains, he felt a sense of accomplishment and that he was on his way to start a new life. Right before passing the Cyrodiil-Skyrim border, Einarr stopped at an inn to rest. After his rest, Einarr decided to spend a little more time at the inn and  that it was appropriate to relieve his mind of the stress by getting a little drunk. Instead of staying a little longer at the inn to sober up, Einarr continued on his quest, reaching the wilderness of Skyrim drunk.

  Einarr found a road that he decided to follow in hopes of reaching a city or settlement. He came across a Legion guard who told him that the road is closed. Einarr, still drunk, continued to walk and did not say anything. The Legion officer attempted to arrest Einarr for vagrancy, but Einarr turned and hit the guard on the side of the head. The guard yelled out for one of his comrades to aid him in arresting Einarr. Einarr jumped on the guard and continued to swing at him, beating him mercilessly. The other guard came from behind and bashed Einarr on the side of the head with his shield.

  Einarr woke up in a prison cell. He saw the two guards from earlier standing at the gate.

  "You have been arrested for vagrancy, public drunkenness, resisting arrests, assault on an Imperial Legion officer, and the attempted murder of an Imperial Legion officer. You are sentenced to death by decapitation." As the guard spoke, Einarr sat and did not move a muscle.

  During his stay in prison, Einarr  was constantly tormented by the guards. He soon realized that they were holding off his execution just so they could humiliate him. The only thing he could to do in prison was think. He was regretful for not warning his community about the attack. This lead him to feel guilty for all that loss of life. He would call himself a fool for wanting to join the Imperial Legion, blaming them for his captivity, and their corrupt behavior while he was in the cell. He only retained part of his faith in the Divines. He blamed them for his misfortunes, but also prayed to them to allow him to redeem himself. His hair and beard were growing long. He sat in the prison cell for ten years.

  By the time Skyrim begins, Einarr would be 28 years old, and he would finally be off to his execution. He would have mixed feelings about facing his end. For one minute, Einarr wants them to just get it over with, and the next minute, Einarr prays for the Divines to give him a second chance.