Sigvald is Resting Up

I have decided that Sigvald is going to take a break from his non adventures in Skyrim, for the time being anyway.

As I chose to start the game with no identity, I thought that it would give me the freedom to do what I wanted without restricting me too much, as this is a role playing experience. However the result of that decision is that now I am pretty much running around aimlessly trying to discover my identity which does not exist.

I need to either decide what my identity is and 'discover it' to continue the game or give Sigvald a rest until something else pops into my head. I am choosing the latter for now.

Exploring Solitude

I wake up feeling 10 years younger, it's amazing what a pretty girl can do to your spirits. 

I make my way downstairs to the dining room and order some eggs and mead. While I eat Corpulus tells me about the different trading stores in Solitude also about the Bard’s College and how to get to the Blue Palace. 
 

Deciding to start my explorations at the traders just outside the Inn I head off.

As I exit the Winking Skeever I bump into Gisli, the sister of Erikur the Thane of Solitude, she seems to think the world revolves around her brother, which is leaving her in the shadows. Sympathizing with her I move on.

Passing by the Outfitters Radiant Rainment, I don’t need any clothing just yet.

 I come to the general trader Bits and Pieces.

 

The woman behind the counter is a Redguard named Sayma and she is married to the local smith Beirand. 

 

Sayma is very friendly and I trade some of my items with her, we chat about the execution as it’s on everyone’s mind. 

Seems the locals are divided as to the justice of it.

 

Across the street is Angeline’s Aromatics, just the place I need to stock up on my ingredients.

On entering I meet a pretty young lady behind the counter whose name is Vivienne Onis, she is the niece of the owner Angeline. I greet her politely and she asks if I saw the execution, ‘Yes’ I reply, not sure if she is for or against it.

‘I think he deserved to die for helping Ulfric escape’ she announces in return.

‘You may be right’ I reply in a non-committal way, not wanting to offend her.

'This must be your Aunt’ nodding my head respectfully at the older woman that was standing next to Vivienne.

‘Can I help you’ Angeline Morrard asks.

‘I need some ingredients and training if possible?’

‘I can’t assist in your training young man but I can sell you herbs and potions if you desire’ Angeline replies. 

We trade for some new ingredients I have not seen before and I ask permission to use her alchemy table. Permission granted I start to experiment with the new ingredients and thankfully this time my eyebrows remain intact.

 After about an hour at the alchemy bench I say my goodbyes and leave the shop.

The next stop the smith.

I greet Bierand warmly and we exchange some news and I deduce that he is clearly in favour of 'The Empire' running things. 

I ask permission to use his forge and buy some steel ingots from him. These I keep for later.

My next stop is the Fletcher just next door to Beirand.

Fihada another Redguard, seems to be a few in Solitude, is the owner of the store.

After we exchange greetings he curiously asks me if I am after some dragon-slaying arrows, declining his offer I wonder who he thinks I am.

Does he know me perhaps? 

‘Have you seen me before?’ I ask hurriedly.

‘Never in my life’ he replies looking up from his seat to get a better look at me.

My hopes dashed I mutter ‘I’ll take my leave then’ in return.

Outside I walk down the stone ramp wondering if I am ever going to find out about my past. At the bottom of the ramp I see a square filled with stalls, it must be the Market area. I head toward it.

The first stall is the Fishmonger Advarr. I discover that it was his wife’s brother they executed; he tells me that he is focusing on providing for his family as best he can during these tough times. I offer my condolences and move on.

The next stall is Jala’s Fresh Produce. 

She greets me by telling me that I could do with a ripe apple because one a day will keep me healthy.

‘I’ll take six then’ I reply not wanting to succumb to any sudden illness.

Jala laughs at my joke but insists I buy some apples anyway. I ask about her life and she tells me that the Stromcloaks killed her Brother, another 'Empire' supporter here, but who can blame her. For the second time this morning I offer my condolences and move on.

The last stall in the market is the wine merchant.

Evette San tells me that she has a particular family recipe for spiced wine that I cannot get from anywhere else. 
Intrigued I ask for a sample to taste.
‘Heavenly’, ‘I’ll take two bottles please.’
Paying for the wine Evette asks if I can help her with a problem she is having with one of her shipments down at the docks. 

As I am planning on visiting the docks anyway I agree to speak to the customs to find out what the issue is.

I say ‘goodbye’ relieved that I do not have to offer my condolences to anyone again.

Marching off with my spiced wine firmly tucked under my arm I pass through an archway which reveals some lovely views of the city.

I continue walking down the stone street and pass the Hall of the Dead. I wonder if there are more skeletons down in the crypts, a chill passes down my spine. I take solace in the sword hanging by my side and walk on.

I pass the Bards College and continue until I come to the Blue Palace.

It is a magnificent building and on entering I see that it is just as majestic on the inside. 

Hearing much commotion I follow the noise up some stairs and see what must be the Jarl on the High Seat and several important people surrounding what looks like a messenger.

I overhear the messenger tell the court about some ‘unnatural magic’s’ coming from a place known as Wolfskull Cave. 

The Queen promises to ‘send a legion to scour the cave’.

Convinced the problem will be dealt with swiftly he departs.

In my curiosity I unknowingly moved nearer the edge of the gathering. 

I see an advisor looking directly at me, as I wonder what he is thinking I hear him persuading the Queen to send a small party to investigate the cave to be a better option. My eyes bulge, I hope he is not referring to me!

I am not going near some witch infested cave! Backing away as fast as possible I exit the building thanking Talos that I made it outside without getting mixed up with that craziness.

Enough exploring for one day, I head back to the Winking Skeever to enjoy my spiced wine.

Renting a room and ordering some roast venison to go with my spiced wine I take a seat nearby and listen to Lisette the bard, sing my favourite tune with that beautiful soothing voice of hers.

After eating half a roast leg of venison washed down with a bottle of the spiced wine I am ready to hit my bed, my head feels light and legs heavy as I struggle to coordinate then to make my way up the stairs.

Gratefully I fall into bed, another day over but still no closer to my goal.

Solitude

After a long and uncomfortable trip in the back of the carriage I finally arrive at the front gates of Solitude.

Its early evening as I enter the city only to be greeted by a public execution. 

The execution is well attended by the cities inhabitants although there are mixed feelings about the justice being served out. A few questions directed at the spectators reveal that the unfortunate, soon to be headless, Roggvir helped the Nord’s New High King escape the city after defeating the old High King in single combat. The execution proceeds swiftly ending with the bloody head of Roggvir rolling onto the flagstones.

Pretty hectic first impression of Solitude, nothing says stay out of trouble like a public execution.

Tired from my journey I look for the nearest Inn, luckily I don’t need to walk far as it’s just across the square from the execution. The sign outside the entrance reads The Winking Skeever, not much of a welcoming name in my opinion.

I open the door and to my surprise the place looks pretty good, not a skeever in sight.

The Inn keep Corpulus Vinius greets me cheerfully; I respond in kind and ask for the days specials, hoping that skeever is not on the menu. I order some roast and lots of ale to wash away the taste of the road. Corpulus entertains me with the tale of how the Inn got its name, as a boy he had a skeever as a pet and it used to wink at him, so that’s how he came up with the name. I am relieved because I was imagining giant skeevers running around at night eyeing up the lodgers for dinner and winking to their friends when they found a suitable candidate for dinner.

I pay for a room and enjoy my dinner on the landing overlooking the main dining hall. The bard is singing in the most beautiful voice and by the look of her she is pretty good herself. 

Dinner finished and my spirits much improved I head down the stairs to take a closer look at the bard and meet some of the patrons.

Corpulus introduces me to his son Sorex Vinius who declares his intention of taking over the business on his father’s retirement. 

Jawanan is an apprentice Fletcher from Hammerfell and remarks that ‘a well-made arrow strikes forth like the fury of a god’ and I believe him.

The bard announces she is taking her break and walks upstairs to her room, I follow her.

On the landing I come across Jorn, also a bard, who is attending the Bards College here in Solitude. He mumbles something about a Festival of the Burning of King Olaf but my mind is elsewhere. 

I excuse myself from Jorn wanting to finally meet the beautiful woman with the voice of honey.

Smoothing down my hair and putting on my best smile I greet her warmly, her name is Lisette and she is a Breton. I compliment her on her voice; in return she gives me a smile that could melt the coldest snow-covered mountain-top in Skyrim. My wits gone I blabber on about her singing and she knowingly replies ‘being surrounded by good music, good drink and good friends is all I’ve ever asked for’.

I think I’m in love. Uttering some nonsensical goodbye I retreat to my room before I embarrass myself any further.

It’s been a long day and I fall asleep thinking of love and the possibility of me already having a wife waiting for me somewhere that I can’t remember.

Whiterun and Carriage ride to Solitude

I once again start the day early at the chopping block, food and ale costs money and my coin pouch always seems too light. My thoughts are quickly interrupted by a beautiful sunrise which I take the time to enjoy.

I return to the Bannered Mare and collect my payment while enjoying a breakfast of cold cuts from last night’s roast. 

While I am savouring the smoky taste of the meats I ponder my next move. The journey to Riverwood wasn’t of any real value as I am no closer to finding out anything about my past.

Perhaps I need to try a different big town, maybe Solitude but before I do that though, I want to explore the parts of Whiterun I missed on my first visit.

I leave the Inn and head up to Dragonsreach, when delivering the sword to the Steward on my previous visit I noticed the Court Mage tinkering away in his laboratory, I wanted to speak to him but wasn’t able to at that time, so I will start with him.

On entering his laboratory the Mage is hunched over his table studying some, no doubt secret, scrolls. 

I greet him in a softly not wanting to anger him and get turned into a chicken or something even worse for my troubles. 

The Mage looks up ‘Do you know about the Mages Guild’

‘I confess am ignorant of all things arcane’ I mumble politely.

Farengar’s gaze is piercing and I feel as though he is looking into my very soul.

‘Are you interested in learning some rudimentary enchantment techniques?’ he almost whispers.

I think about my response for a moment and decide it should be safe enough.

‘Sure’ I stammer, not knowing what will happen next.

Moving to the Arcane Enchanter he calls me over and explains the basic technique of first disenchanting something to learn its particular enchantment then re-enchanting a new item using a soul gem.

‘Thank you so much’ I blurt out, not having the faintest idea what he was talking about.

‘In exchange for my little lesson, I wish you to deliver something to Arcadia for me as I don’t have time right now’ Farengar utters.

‘With pleasure’ I respond feeling a bit like a courier service. 

Farengar gives me the Frost Salts for Arcadia and hunches back over his scrolls oblivious to my presence. Leaving the laboratory I end my tour of the Jarls Seat of Power.

I make my way to Arcadia’s to deliver the salts. On the way I pass by a religious nut, pronouncing doom on the world, standing in front of a statue of Talos. I cant take his ravings more than a few minutes and move on.

  

Continuing past the preacher I see the Temple of Kynareth and enter.

Danica Pure-Spring greets me warmly and enquires about my health, thanking her; I reply that my health is just fine.

If I don’t want to be cured then perhaps a donation of some kind she proffers. Damn these priests are good! 

I drop a few coins into the collection box and ask about the history of the Temple. 

Danica talks about the how the Gildergreen Tree standing just outside is ailing and needs restoring of some kind and how she wishes for someone to undertake the arduous task on her behalf. Damn these priests are good! 

I inform her that I am not the one she is looking for but perhaps another donation will aid her in her search. I don’t wait for a reply before heading out the door.

I walk down the steps and across the market and enter Arcadia’s Alchemy shop.

Arcadia is so ecstatic with the delivery that she offers to give me some more training in the arts of alchemy, I gladly accept, at least this makes sense to me.

Walking past the Drunken Huntsmen Tavern I turn right and come to the Hall of the Dead. 

 

Do I need to go in there I ask myself. Perhaps the priest will recognise me or remember some family member entombed within. The decision made I enter. 

The first area consists of a chapel and in it, prominently displayed, is the Shrine of Arkay. Adjacent to this is a living quarters presumably the priests.

In these living quarters I find the priest, Andurs, looking bewildered. 

‘Are you well? Priest’ I ask.

‘I’ve misplaced my Amulet; it’s the most valuable item I own’ Andurs replies.

‘Do you remember where you saw it last?’ Thinking the answer might not be what I want to hear.

‘In the catacombs’ Andurs says sheepishly.

‘So what’s stopping you from going to retrieve it’ I reply, my voice betraying a bit of nervousness. I definitely don’t like where this is going.

‘I am an old man and recently my mind has been playing tricks with me, sometimes I hear noises and they frighten me. Can you go into the catacombs and retrieve my Amulet for me?’ Andurs pleads.

‘If I have no other choice’ I sigh.

Not showing the Priest my fear I enter the catacombs.

No sooner do I look around the chamber when I am beset by a skeleton brandishing a sword. 

I dodge the first blow and draw my weapon, now we can dance together, my strikes are too much for this animated set of bones and I quickly send it back to where it came from. Experience tells me there are probably more where this one came from and I proceed with caution. I encounter two further skeletons which I dispatch without too much fuss. I have come a long way since my first terrifying encounter with that wolf on the South Road at Mixwater Mill.

I search the catacombs and sure enough I find the missing Amulet and return to Andurs.

‘Here is you amulet’ I declare triumphantly.

‘Thank you, my son. You have made an old man happy, may the god Arkay bless you’ Andurs pronounces in return.

I accept a small reward for my kindness and leave the Hall of the Dead as Andurs can shed no further light on my situation.

Midday over, I return to the Bannered Mare and pack up my meager belongings. 

Its time to leave for Solitude.