Chapter II

Chapter II

Cold. It was so cold out here. Many colovians think mountains around Bruma are cold, the temperatures average 15 degrees in summer and -20 in winters. Here in mountains of Hjaalmarch, snow never really melted, Vigilants around here said that in heavy midsummer there might be around 5 degrees but because the earth is so cold and mountains breathe the aura of chill the snow never melts. I moved up towards the mountain, I saw small path in distance and that was which I followed. Keeper of the Hall decided that I would be given a simple task at first, but still a dangerous one. I was to scout and report back any activity of nearby Mehrunes Dagon Shrine which was somewhere bit higher in mountains, basically in Vigilant backyard as I understood from many crumbles, maybe 2 kilometres as bird flies, I of course was warned had to take different path and had to be ready to walk 5-8 kilometres to get there. Recent reports suggested some activity near the shrine so I was advised to take utmost caution and avoid fighting and warning Daedra worshippers of our presence and knowing about them.
I had walked around half an hour wishing I had taken some warm mittens with me and was busy figuring out how I would wear them with my steel hand protections. The steel protected my wrists and upper parts of my hand, but left fingers bare, for better movement and unfortunately also not keeping them very warm. So deep in thoughts I was until I slipped on something and fell on my backside, it was not pleasant at all, have you ever fell in full armor? Well I did not have plate mail on me, but I still carried my various pouches around belt, some food with me, and of course shield strapped on one hand and mace on other, plus the steel boots and gloves, well needless to say I fell heavy, and unfortunately I managed to fall on one of my stamina potions, I picked pieces of glass out of my arse for some time, and had really uncomfortable feeling now that backside of my robes were quite wet and stinking of medication. Fortunately my flames spell managed to dry me up decent enough and enchantment of robes protected them from singing if I kept heat low, unfortunately heated stamina potions smell even worse. I was not very pleased. The smell reminded me of filthy rats in cough sirup, don't ask... well one of Bruma professors had odd way of performing alchemy experiments.
After short analysis I managed to find what caused me to trip, it was a book, a very old book by looks of it, that appeared to be burned a bit or maybe dragged around in warm fireplace. It looked to be completly out of place in here as well as being here for some time at least as I could not open it, because it was frozen solid, I decided to leave it as the condition of it seemed very poor indeed, and if melted it would have been even worse for certain. I did however decided to try to hold flame spell in half form to try to warm up my hands, the stratagem was quite helpful and I was pleased with my discovery. 

Moving upwards just around 30 or so steps I found possible location of the book, a hidden cave alcove in side of mountain, filled with blackness, I peered in a bit and immedietly backed away again. It smelled bit like Arkay catacombs, but not clean musty, dusty old bone smell, but more like wet, damp, old bone smell with something else, I do not know if it's possible to smell evil, but I did. I had great sense of dread just standing near that cave. Eventually I decided to leave it, it was not my mission and it did not seemed to be any reason for me to go in just to see what's in there.

Next couple of kilometres went by without any problems I scaled the mountain I was on before, descended into shallow valley and now was starting to scale another one, only signs of life I saw was lone snowfox in distance, until.
I first heard a snort, from some distance by my right something I would expect middle-aged big drunkard maybe would do, but considering I was not in a tavern it was probably something more sinister, I looked around me carefully, another snort and scratching of snow allowed me to pinpoint the maker of sound, it was ferocious looking giant wild hog, and it seemed it did not like me being there. I carefully drew my mace from belt and took ready stance, the hog charged at me, not sure whether because part of my action or it just decided to charge at that moment. I barely managed to jump away at right time and avoid the fate of being gorged on his tusks. That circle continued for couple of times, with me jumping away while it charged and so on, I finally realized that I can't keep it up, I was tiring, I had no stamina potions either because of my previous accident, I actually started to think the smell I carried with me of broken and heated mix of stamina could have been the cause of boar attacking me, I had heard they were quite sensitive to smells. I decided that next time I duck, I will also try to hit it as he charges by me,  " Arghh" I hit the snow hard, my left side bleeding heavily, one of beast tusks pierced me and probably damaged the kidney, I was just to slow with steel mace to try both duck and hit the hog and not get hurt in the process, and my mace barely even managed to hit him, it managed to charge before I could get up, dazed as I was but fortunately I managed to deflect his tusks with bracer and mace this time and only got tossed on ground yet again, this time I was up faster and managed to jump away from next charge, still I was bleeding badly and had to figure out something quickly. Fire. "Yes, that might work" I mumbled to myself and ducked again but this time managing to send small stream of flames after hog. I fell on my knees, completly exhausted, out of magicka and fumbling for health potions, as soon I gulped one down and felt bleeding stop and myself slowly healing I had huge adrenalize rush, I was alive, the crisp, smoking and crushed hog was not.
I only used fire because I thought it would scare beast away, but in fact it only enraged it further, what followed was lot of dodging, ducking and letting go short streams of magicka until my pool was completely empty, fortunately by that time the boar was pretty toast as well, slow smoking but still angry, wheezingly trying to catch breath for another charge but I then beat it to it, hitting boar hard between tusks right between eyes and nose, felling it finally in process, still it was not dead though, it took 2 heavy hits more to head to kill the beast.
I had not been so glad to be alive for a long time, probably never, not even when Stendarr saved me, fighting for ones life and only barely succeeding really changes person. I kneeled there for I don't know how long until cold managed to shake me out of my thoughts, after that I used bit of healing magic as I found that parts of my magicka had regenerated to complete the healing of my side and get over nausea and started slowly to move on again.

After some time I finally saw it in the distance, it looked like a big statue of man guarding a door. I decided to warm up my hands again.

I closed remaining distance with great awareness, waiting fierce daedras on me at any possible moment, yet I got closer and closer, I knew I was only semi decent sneak if that, yet I had gotten really close to the shrine, I could see it clearly now. No movement, no signs of life, no burning torchfires, nothing. The temple was carved into the mountain itself, on top of entrance huge statue of Mehrunes Dagon wielding fearsome waraxe, if embodiment of Lord of Change was as terrifying 200 years ago in Imperial City, Martin Septim was even bigger hero than I previously thought. Timidly, bit afraid of statue of itself and any possible traps, I scouted nearer, looked, investigated and even tried to get into the temple. All to nothing, there was nowhere around, no signs that anyone had been there for years, the temple was sealed shut and any signs of footprints that were in the area ended around 50 metres before Temple, footprints seemed to go to north towards a small hill and to south towards distant Whiterun. But there was nothing here, this Daedric Shrine itself was safe.

Chapter I

Chapter I - New Start, Path to Redemption

Part One

My name is Valentinus Nathan Urbanus and I am Imperial living in Skyrim, not by choice but rather of something I would call Divine Intervention.

I was gambler, the worst kind, making bets of fighters when they fought for their lives in pits, betting at cards, at horse races and dog fighting, everything was game for me, nothing was sacred.
My family passed away couple years ago and they left me well off, I was rich, as Rich as minor nobles in Imperial City, but gambling takes it own, I had already spent most of my family fortunes.
My poor brother was aghast at my behavior, our fortune was shared and I was spending it all away, but he did not care that much about money, no, he was just worried about me, he worked at nearby Bruma's university as a copy writer and did not have any ambition to go higher, he was content.

I was not, I gambled just for the thrill of it, to get the fix, the adrenaline, the thrill, the pain of losing, the wild abandonment of winning.
I felt alive gambling, when I gambled I had no worries in the world.
One day it all changed.

I was playing and gambling at cards with one of the regular patrons of Pit

a Redguard who had bit of a drinking problem, antsy looking Breton who wore raggard wizard robes and huge hairy Nord with a really thick accent.

Tonight I did what I usually don't do, I cheated at cards, I was worried about money running out, and if money runs out there's no gambling. Many of my fellow gamblers were now indebted to Pit owners and runners, some of them have been forced to fight in the Pit itself to erase their debts, most of them were now dead.
I thought I would be smart, I would cheat and then made bets on myself in card games thus never running dry of Septims, I was very good at cards, knew exactly how do sort and spread them to make my odds just a bit better, just enough to win and not cause suspicion or so I thought. I did not want to end up indebted and fighting in Pit, my father had taught both me and my brother some skills of fighting with sword and shield, the legacy of his Legion days but I knew it would matter little in the Pit, when there is no fair fight or no fighting in formation, just pure survival, and the odds that I would get huge Berserker Orc against me, were almost same as getting a fellow indebted gambler, some fights were rigged you see, to the profit and entertainment of Pit owners.

I was doing fine until my brother visited me, he had been there couple of times already to try and drag me out, to talk to me about moderation, duty to our dead parents all that sort of crap, I guess that's what he though was his duty, being an older brother and all.
I ignored and shrugged him of as always, though this time was bit different, he did not left he just went to bar ordered a drink and started looking towards me, obviously thinking about new stratagems to get me out.
I tried to ignore him and focus on game, Redguard was almost out of money already, but he was to drunk to care, Nord was getting angrier and angrier but I was not that worried, Pit had couple of bouncers in case of fights, raggedy wizard was calm though I had emptied his purse almost completly as well, Nord was already starting to put his silver garnet rings as bets having emptied his purse.
And then... All hell broke loose.

Breton saw me, he was looking at me very closely and he saw me slip a card, he immedietly muttered incancation and the false card shined brightly for all to see. There was a moment of silence.
Then a small thud. Redguard had finally passed out and his head hit table with a thud, but I did not notice, I was arguing with Breton wizardy type that I was not cheating and in the meantime trying to look at Nord who was actually quivering and shaking from rage.
CHEATER!!! He suddenly screamed and hit me hard with left on side of my head. Whole world went dizzy and I had to crasp table to not fall off with my chair, I saw bouncers and my brother starting towards us. And I saw Nord lines blurring, I was confused then he lashed out with his right hand into my face, not a fist anymore but fingers sprained like claws, and claws it were, furry big claw hand thing. Excruciating pain in my face as the force of the impact shred my lips, jaw and threw me on the ground, the pain in my face such I could barely feel it, It felt like part of my jaw had been ripped away. I heard some sounds dimly like they were far away, screaming and ripping clothing and then a terrible wolfhound, I was starting to pass out, but before that I heard fight going out and saw my brother fall besides me, his throat a bloody ruin. And then I saw no more.

Part Two

I felt weird, not quite out of breath but very light, I got up and looked around, all around me was grey, just a solid grey mist with overcast sun trying to pierce the world.
The smell here was not of blood, smoke and sweat and lost dreams like in pit, but rather it smelled greenish and cold, it was the smell of morning tundra covered mountainside, very fresh and nice, but definetly not the Pit.
This was certainly not the Pit, "Where the hell am I, Divines I hope I'm not dead, but what else is this place?"
"Would you prefer do be dead?" a deep voice asked, I turned around and saw a hooded figure not twenty metres behind me, he seemed to be cloaked and hooded but it was really hard to make out any details due to the mist.
"Who are you? What is this place? What happened to me?" I blurted out alltogether, is was very anxious now, I was in strange place that seemed more and more outworldy as minutes passed and for all I know I could be dead, and what of my brother I sadly reminded myself..
"You almost died, actually you are still dying, slowly bleeding out in that smugglers pit, followers of Hircine are not to be taken lightly" Ominous figure said to me while walking closer, I say ominous because that was truer and truer, I saw him clearer now, he was tall, even taller than that Nord, I still did not see his face, oddly enough there was light under the hood but I could see the face, but his voice, his voice gave me shivers, it was both harsh yet oddly warm, in the same time there was sharpness behind it,  it's hard to describe even now. Whoever he was I was then sure, he was not human, yet oddly enough my fear passed, for some reason I was certain he would not hurt me.
"Who are you?" I quietly asked in slight awe. I looked around more and now saw that mist had dissipated some, I saw great old structures in mist, magnificent even in ruin, yet I felt only slight sadness and feeling of honor, of ages past glory and proudness.
" I am the enemy of Daedra, Abomininations and protector of Mer and Men. You were almost slain by one of them, a vile Werewolf, the lines of Mer and Mer who are leading the fight are thinning, and so I will save you so you may keep up the fight against evil, for that is my Will!" he made a motion with his hand and I felt warmth in my face, and suddenly I knew my wounds are healing where I lay in Pit, then he just looked at me intense and felt my connection with his world weaken and darkness overcome me, before that I heard more of him in my mind though, he said that in order to repay his favor to me I need to join Vigilants of Stendarr, travel to Skyrim chapter, their place of operation far in north and redeem myself.

Part Three

Skyrim. Land I knew next nothing about, and yet now I was here. In Hall of Vigilant deep north, Vigilants around here were not sure themselves whether they were under Hjaalmarch or Morthal jurisdiction or The Pale of Dawnstar. I arrived yesterday evening, chatted bit with Keeper Carcette and went to sleep. The road to Skyrim was not easy nor short. It took a day to get from Bruma to border of Skyrim, partly because of the harsh and cold weather, partly because caravan I joined decided to take scenic route because of the bandit threat. Then from there it took better part of another day to get to Falkreath, charming large lumber village really, but nothing to special, and when we finally reached Whiterun it was midnight, that was the place mine and Caravan route would end, Caravan would follow on to Solitude but I would have to go farther North, into the mountains, I had gotten rude directions and even more generic map from a hunter who I met in Falkreath when we stopped there to lunch, in an odd tavern called Dead Man's Drink, I mean who puts Drink into tavern name. Well Nords I guess, us Imperials would think it's rather offensive and would turn noses upon it, Nords as much as I have seen them would drink upon end of days if given half a chance, mead, ale, wine all flows in rivers. And they don't even drink proper good stuff for most part, no, it's all quanity not quality with these folks. Anyway it took me larger part of third day for me to reach The Hall of Vigilant, I almost managed to get lost on the way, and had to stop and ask directions from a farmer named Loreius who pointed me to right direction finally. And so I reached my destination at night fall.
I had a "hearty" breakfast in the Hall, as I found out, the Vigilants where all high praise for personal sacriface, So I was offered moldy bread and halfbloody and halfscorched venison, only seasoning was salt, and only drink to wash it up was water, Vigilants did not even drink ale, nor did they recognize the boon of warmth, or light. There was just enough candles in the hall to show where to put one's foot to not stumble and just enough warmth in main hall that one could cook food there, sleeping quarters where dark and cold, barely and heat reached there. When I got up in the morning, I was cranky, cold, depressed, hungry and generally in a bad mood, oddly enough my sense of mission and gratitude to Stendarr was still there though and I was anxious to repay my death and carry on the mission of Vigilants. I broke my bread with High Vigilant called Viranya, a haughty Altmer, she had interesting view of the world, but she was also kinda fanatical about it, she also had some harsh words to say about Keeper Carcette and human Vigilants in general, saying that they are/were to shortsighted. After that I spoke some time with Carcette, she was strict but quite pleasant women, fervent in her quest to rid Tamriel of Daedra, their worshippers and spawn of Daedra like Vampires and Werewolves, she was also quite vehemant about undead and nercromancers though not as adamant about conjurers saying that lesser evils can wait if need to be. She also said that I might have to make choice sometimes between hard choices and told me to study human character and Daedra to know more about them. She told me that many Daedra fight each other for dominance and I can sometimes use that to my advantage, and if I am in position to see that I can help Daedras Meridia and Azura and their servants to help them vanquish greater evil, and if all greater evils are gone then destroy them as well, she also pointed out though that many Vigilants are more fanatical than she is.
She did gave my first quest though, She wanted me to check out nearby shrine of Mehrunes Dagon, saying that people have been seen nearby lately.
She also teached me simple healing spell to help me in my journey and gave me basic Vigilant equipment of robes and hood, and some steel hand protection, she also traded my iron shortsword to much better quality steel mace, which she said is better and more suitable weapon of Vigilant is most cases. I also picked up couple of potions in the hall and I already had my father's old banded iron shield so I was ready to go on my first mission.