Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Forward II Before the tale of Eric the Red

            Long ago in the province of Elsweyr, in the port city of Senchal, a fair haired and fairly large woman and her skinny but well armed husband disembarked from a boat that had just arrived from Skyrim, the very tip of the world of Tamriel. Upon arriving to this new land, the locals looked down on the new arrivals as they were outsiders and didn’t belong. When the skinny man approached the harbor master, and asked “Do you know where my wife and I my stay for the evening? My wife is in need of rest as she is with child” The harbor master turned to the man sniffed the air and glared at him. “You are a Nord! We don’t accommodate your kind here. Go back to where you came from you smelly milk drinker” When the Khajiit finished what he thought was a good insult he turned around and was preparing to walk away, when a hand with a monstrous mud crab grip grabbed his arm. “Wait, please. Perhaps, we got off on the wrong foot here. My name is Ulfmer Red and this is my wife Helgra, I’ll give you 50 gold pieces for your assistance”
                The Khajiit’s eyes widened and a warm grin appeared under his thick fur. “You Ulfmer Red are a very learned man; you know how to make friends well. My name is Rawmeth Keij and I will help you and your wife. Follow me” As Rawmeth lead the Nords to the nearest Inn, he stopped them at the front door and said “tread lightly, Nords are not really welcome this far south” As they all entered the Inn Rawmeth addressed the Inn keeper in Ta’agra the language of the Khajiit. Then he turned to Ulfmer and said “it is arranged you can stay here for the night.  In the morning I will come and meet you here and we can talk further as to why you are here in Elsweyr” As Ulfmer smiled to his new found Khajiit friend he extended his hand and they both shook hands.
               As the birds chirped on the warm spring morning, Ulfmer and Rawmeth sat in the common space eating and talking. As Ulfmer explained about how he and his wife escaped from Skyrim and how the Thalmor were looking for them. When Rawmeth asked why the Thalmor would be looking for them? He simply just said because they were hunting all the people of his belief, and that the more information that Rawmeth knew, the more likely he would be at risk. Rawmeth left it at that and from that day on the two became very good friends. Ulfmer taught him Nordic hunting methods and ways of fighting off the cold, and Rawmeth taught Ulfmer how to make friends with the other Khajiit, and how to work in this strange new world.
                When the time came Ulfmer’s new son was born. Ulfmer and Helgra named him Eric Red. Rawmeth visited to greet the new addition to the family, and upon holding the new born baby in his arms realized, this baby has a great destiny to one day lead his people in defeating a great threat. When he came to this realization he suggested to Ulfmer to call him Eric the Red for it means Great Ruler of his people. Ulfmer took to the new name and from that day on his son was called Eric the Red. 
                As the Years went by Ulfmer’s family prospered in their new land. But even as they were getting on with the Khajiit the stories of the war and the rebellions always brought great worry to Ulfmer. One day while Helgra prepared dinner, Ulfmer announced that he would be returning to Skyrim. Eric looked up at his father’s stern face, in the same breath his mother dropped the plate of food that she was preparing and looked at Ulfmer with the sadness of death.
                “I have decided to go and help with the rebellion in Skyrim. You and Eric are safe here and the Thalmor have no idea that we are here. I will travel to Skyrim through Cyrodil with a Khajiit caravan. No one bothers the Khajiit caravans” All Eric’s mother could do was agree, although the expression on her face was that of why! Ulfmer could catch her feeling and assured her that it would be the safest way. “The ports and sea are being watched by the Thalmor and Imperial Legion. So I must travel by land” The next day Eric and his mother hugged their beloved father and husband for the last time.
                Ulfmer was never heard from again. And as the years passed by, whispers and stories of a Nord traveling with a Khajiit caravan sacrificed himself against three snow trolls, so that the rest of the caravan could escape. When Eric heard this tale he knew at once that it was his father, and at that moment felt both joy and sadness. When he returned home he told his mother of the tale of his father’s bravery. Then he proceeded to tell her that he too will leave for Skyrim. All she could do with tears in her eyes was say “ I love you my son, and I’ve always known that one of these days you will leave me to do good in this world. Be safe and remember you are always welcome back here” with that the young Nord set out next day on his adventure.
                As Eric reached the border of Elswyr and Cyrodil he met a Khajiit caravan heading to Bruma so he bartered passage with them to Bruma, when he parted ways with the caravan, after arriving to the town he continued on his own.  When he arrived to the border of Skyrim he was ambushed by some legionaries and was bound and thrown into the back of a prison cart he banged his head and blacks out…

To Be Continued. 

Forward I

                As I explore the world that is Skyrim I find loads of situation, much like a child finding loads of presents under the Christmas tree that simply just, blow my mind.  The systems that bind Skyrim’s unique world together are one of Ahhh inspiring wonder. I have been playing through the game now, for nearly a hundred hours and haven’t even come near the half way point in the main quest.
                From all my time in this beautiful and serene world, I have decided to post about my travels. Much like the books of old Tamriel that are scattered throughout Skyrim, this will be an addition to them and their tales of old.