The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, released in 2011, is a game almost unlike any other. Developed by Bethesda Game Studios, it is an action RPG continuation of their popular Elder Scroll series. Lauded for its dense, living and breathing environment, one truly feels that they have entered a real fantasy world. People mill about, doing their business, animals roam the wilderness, sometimes hunting, sometimes attacking a poor soul too naive to realize that a cave bear does not want to be petted (thats Far Cry: Primal).
So... I've decided to do something a bit different. For a while at least, I'm going to journal my adventures in the game. I'll try and be as narratively concise as I can, but also I am going to be as accurate in documenting my gameplay as I can. You could consider it as a journal written by the character if you prefer. Anyway, this first entry will bring you up to speed with what I have done so far, and I'll probably skim a lot. So this will be spoiler heavy, but also skip a lot of plot elements etc. So if you want to live your own Skyrim adventure, you won't be totally spoiled by what I'm writing here.
Why am I doing this? Well, mainly a writing exercise for myself. Keeping a journal for 31 days or longer. So I thought to myself, why not about my adventures in a game? It makes for far more interesting events, considering that I'll be evading warlocks and getting my ass handed to me by giants. Compared to say, getting a cup of coffee and finding out that it is cold and lamenting over the weather. So... Here we go!
The Story Thus Far...
My name is Rognar and I'm a slave... As far as I can tell, I am a Nord from these lands of Skyrim, which resides in the norther wastes of Tamriel the great continent. It also seems like I have no memory of my prior life. I found myself being taken on a horse drawn cart to a small outpost called Helgen and I was not alone. Alongside me were fellow northmen, one with a bound mouth, a couple of warriors and weak little man who could not stop talking. Maybe I was being carted off into a Gulag or some sort of work camp for what I had done? What did I do?
"Oh..." I declared when I saw the first head get lopped off by an executioner after we were offloaded into the courtyard.
To my great surprise, this was not a prisoner transfer after all, but a god damned execution and my turn was next. I tried my best to discover an exit strategy, but my hands were tied and the earlier warrior died with such grace that I could not dare die a coward. Hmm... Coward, maybe I was one before I got my amnesia? Was I a deserter? I'm pretty buff for a normal person, and one doesn't really get this big working at a farm. Yes, my final thoughts as I laid my head down on the block were of my huge biceps. Well, this is a short lived game I thought as the executioner raised his axe.
Then came a strange roar. Everyone stopped and looked to the skies...
"Oh..." I muttered a second time as a dragon descended and literally lit the place up. During the fiery commotion, I managed to escape with the help of my fellow prisoners. We quickly made our way down through a cave as the outpost was destroyed above us. All I could hear were the roars of the dragon, the screams of soldiers and the crushing pounding of rubble hitting the ground. Finally, reaching sunlight we parted ways. Friendships are short, like our lives it seems, in Skyrim.
Then, standing there, alone, in the wilderness of Skyrim, fear gripped me again. What the hell am I going to do now? One of the northmen spoke of a village he was heading to. But he was rather adamant that we split up. Screw it, I'll just follow him to his village and find myself a new life there. One of peace and quiet. Where no one or dragon will ever want to hurt me again.
I was greeted by a small village next to a river called Riverwood. It was beautiful. A mill was quietly spinning as the river rushed underneath. A man was tending the mill, sawing some wood. I was greeted by a lovely old lady, walking about her day. There was a big gray dog happily chasing chickens, quickly followed by a child. Yes... This will make a swell home...
I spent my days chopping wood, working the mill and collecting plants. I frolicked naked around the river, went for a swim and got drunk in the tavern. I even managed to help sort out the local love triangle. Life was good. But, it seemed fate had other plans. And so did the people of Riverwood. Conversations kept on evolving into tasks people wished me to perform. I had to find a claw ornament that was stolen from the store clerk, I was asked to report of what I saw to the Jarl of the land, I kept on getting mail from people I didn't know to meet them at far of locations... The call to adventure was screaming in my ear and all I wanted to do is chop wood man! This place is awesome! I had my taste of combat when I slaughtered everyone to get the clerks ornament back. I saw far off places when I told the Jarl about the dragon attack, who promptly told me that another one was spotted and asked me to join in the fight. Yeah right! I'm just a woodcutter, man... I've had my fill of blood. Yet, this all changed when the vampires attacked.
I was making my way back to my friend's home (they had basically adopted me) back at Riverwood after a rowdy night of drinking and singing in the tavern when they attacked. It was dark outside, so I couldn't really see what was happening. All I heard was screaming, the clash of weapons and the cries of battle. I hid behind the bushes as they continued their slaughter of guards, when suddenly they attacked the nice old lady who lived down the road.
"No!" I screamed as I pulled out my woodcutter axe and charged headfirst into the fray.
Whacking and hacking away until the last of them were dead. Almost including myself. I managed to heal myself enough and drag my bloodied body to bed and rest until I was healed. The following morning I walked outside, expecting a funeral for the old lady and the guards we lost, but it was not to be. The world of Skyrim is harsh and so life would be too to the point of disregarding human decency. Across the streets the bodies of the fallen lay where they fell. Including the lovely old lady. Right there, outside her home in an unnatural position. I did what I thought was right and dragged her body back inside.
Stepping out, everyone else just went about their lives as if nothing had happened. Stepping over the other dead, I heard one of the guards mention the formation of what was called the Dawnguard. Vampire hunters. Yes! I thought to myself. Here was a chance for me to seek revenge on the ones who killed the lovely old lady. Here was a chance for retribution! I pressed further about the Dawnguard and was given the location of their fort.
Fate had found its way as my days as a lowly woodcutter had come to an end. In the name of the old lady I would lay down my axe and replace it with a sword, to become one of the Dawnguard. Laying my vengeance upon all vampires, ending their scourge in Skyrim once and for all. This wasn't about adventure anymore... This was revenge!
Then as I took my first steps towards the fort, one of my fellow villagers stopped and looked at me funnily.
"You look a bit ill, are you ok?" she asked.
Truth be told, I had felt a bit weak after the attack, but I was sure it was nothing to be worried about.
No comments:
Post a Comment