The Nightmare Raid

It all happened so quickly, bandits from out of nowhere shouting and brandishing their weapons, rushing at us, hacking and slashing. It was all over before we even knew what hit us. I saw my life flash before my eyes as lay in my own blood wishing I had…..darkness.

I wake up, my head pounding, my body aching.

I remember the attack, I was in that caravan, now burning, surrounded by the dead. I must be dead, I died didn’t I? I remember…blackness taking me.

Maybe the bandits thought I was dead and just stripped me of all I own. Some luck! 

 

I can’t seem to remember where I was going or what I was doing, I just know I am Sigvald and obviously I was left for dead on the side of the road.

What now?

With only the clothes left on my back I search the caravan for anything left by the bandits and I find a few coins and some food they missed and also some books they didn’t want. I take them all and feel a touch of guilt that I can’t stay to give the dead a decent burial. The bandits might come back after all.

Looking around for some clues to explain where I am or where I was going, I see a nearby road sign and hobble over.

The sign has a notice on it proclaiming that a nearby Giant has the Jarl’s protection and should be left alone. I am not going to argue with that but what is more important to me is that the note is stuck onto the post with a dagger and I need some sort of weapon right now, so I help myself to it and as I grasp the hilt in my palm I feel its reassuring coldness. Things are going to get better.

 

I look at the road sign again and see that this is a cross roads and the road leads to two different places Windhelm and Riften. I can’t remember these places so have no idea how far they might be away from me.

Something in the grass catches my eye and I see an iron sword, maybe dropped by the bandits as they made their getaway, I pick it up greedily. Things are improving.

 

I decide to give my next move a bit more thought but from a safer place than the crossroads. I see some rocks nearby and head for them.