-
Posted by
Paul M November 30, 2014 -
519 views
The north wind seems to carry a thousand daggers as it blows over the fractured ice flows towards Winterhold. I stand facing it, at once reminded of the isolation and harshness of my old college and doing so affords me the opportunity to consider again the conversations I have had that brought me here.
Ultimately I have come back here for the war effort, although there seems little military significance to this region: the college itself is interested in greater things than politics, and at the moment seems still obsessed with the mystery orb from Sarthaal and the appearance of the Psyjic Order. But when I returned to Solitude from the autumnal lands of Riften, General Tullius once again found some reason to delay an assault on Windhelm, where our enemy still sits licking his recent wounds.
The strategy seems to me unsound: the more we dismantle the Stormcloak alliance the more we push all of Ulfric's supporters into one concentrated and angry mass. Yes, when we eventually do hit them we can look to wipe out their force in one go, but one grand battle rather than an early surgical strike its going to be a brutal exercise in killing, for both sides in this conflict.
Leaving Solitude I had considered walking the northern coast once more, as I had done before in search of the Dawnstar courier. Ultimately though I opted for a horse and cart over the snow covered roads to Windhelm, and then on to Winterhold. I have left the horse I bought in Riften, "Bono", with the stable master there for the time being as I am expecting at some point soon to catch up with Lydia again, and she is not one for the equine arts.
I took my breakfast at the Winterhold tavern, and dealt with the once more resurrected blue dragon that I have had a hand in killing twice before. It must have a base of operations nearby, but I have neither the time nor the inclination to discover what else lurks there, festering bitterly about their unlooked for mortality. On returning to the college I instead found my way to a glowing wall of light that sits under the keep. It told me that the great orb is in some way connected to a magic staff, but as with all things magical the advice did not include either where to find the staff or what it would achieve.
Before heading out to the imperial camp further west I took one last tour of the college's exterior, and so came to this spot where the wind chills even this adept fire mage. On the stairs up here I spoke to the Dean and Mirabelle about the wall of light's words. The latter thought a group of traveling wizards out of the lands south of Skyrim came through town recently seeking the staff, but she cannot recall where they went next after visiting the college. Perhaps if they sought it here they will also have asked the Greybeards? It is worth some further investigation, but for now I must return to my orders from the General.
After a night's rest in my old college bed I head west out of town, down the wall of mountain that leads to the frozen northern coast. At last I come to the Legate, who explains my mission will be to free some prisoners from Fort Kastav. I can't remember ever going there, but the name does ring a bell. Checking my map I see it was the pass in the mountains south of Winterhold where my first go at riding a horse came to an abrupt end. We are not far from Windhelm them; could the end of the war be in sight?
The sun has started to set by the time I have made clear what my mission will be, so I strike out for Dawnstar with the plan to spend the night there and then head south and then east to approach the fort. I arrive at the Windpeak Inn for 5:30, and take a brief dinner before settling down for the night.
Morndas, 20th of Frostfall is another snowy day, though slightly less windy than yesterday. At Fort Dunstead I turn at last east, opting for a path that leads up the line of mountains at the north end of the Pale. The views are spectacular, as the sun slowly rises over the crisp mountain air. For a time I stand and look, but even so I still make it to the fort for 9:30.
I begin the assault myself, but I'm soon joined by Hadvar, fresh from the southern campaign. The courtyard battle is surprisingly hard fought, with only H and I living to talk about it. I suggest he stays outside while I investigate the interior of the fort, even though from what I know of Hadvar he is a tough man to put down. It turns out though that the task of taking the fort is actually complete, and freeing the prisoners puts the matter beyond doubt. Hadvar in any case is satisfied, and directs me to report back to the General. Given how close we are to Windhelm I'm optimistic my next set of orders will be focused on taking the final steps needed to dispose of Ulfric Stormcloak and end this bloody war.
