Morndas, First Day of Sun’s Height, 4E 180
So Hjarek was right about one thing, the ruins of Ree Reil Rielle are so pretty. I’m going to get a hiding for sure but I don’t care, this is my new favourite place in the Whole of Nirn. It shall be henseforth known as Fort Frylda, dare Ye not tresspass here for the most feircist archer in all of Cyrodill will be the last thing You see!
Some say the Hero of Kvatch found a grave and defeated the evil monster that lived there. Ma said never to go here because it’s dangerous but if the monster is dead then it can’t be anymore. She can’t be angry anyway because I’m practising my writing like she said I should. It’s fun so I’m coming back here again and writing in my jurnal, it’s my place now away from all the ice brains in Bruma.
Tirdas, Third Day of Hearthfire, 4E 183
I hate them, I hate them all! Those snotty milk-drinkers think they’re so funny, don’t they? Trolls might be ugly and big but they are also strong and can smoosh sissy little boys like Corelius into jam if they want to. He found that out the hard way, I hope his nose stays that way so I can tell him he looks like an orc, ugly little PIG-FACE. Ma was furious, I ran away again. My fort is the only place I want to be in now no matter what she says. There may be monsters in the wild but it’s better than Bruma, the monsters there are much worse. I have a favourite tree that has a nice big branch I can sleep on, it’s so peaceful and I wish I could stay here forever but I love Ma too much, she’s all I have.
Fredas, Fifth Day of Evening Star, 4E 186
A Scamp savaged me in the forest today while I was hunting, Shor’s bones my leg smarts. It spit fire like a demon and startled me before the little runt sunk its teeth into my calf. I managed to put an arrow through him then caved its’ little skull in with Hjarek’s bow, I broke the shaft in half… Now I’m defenseless and stuck here until I can remember Ma’s recipe for healing potions. I should pay more attention now that I’m the one gathering ingredients for her concoctions. The shop hasn’t been doing well lately so I’ve been hunting more to put food on the table and make what little I can from pelts. I used to make a few bob doing that but now the civil war in Skyrim is getting worse there are fewer travelers going through the Pale Pass
There’s a blizzard closing in, need to see if I can drag myself back to Bruma somehow? Now didn’t Ma mention Aloe Vera leaves? If I could patch myself up I might have half a chance. I pray to Talos I can find some in all this bloody snow! If this is the last entry I make in my journal can the person who finds it tell everyone I died fighting a Troll? Hell, tell them it was a Dragon for all I care! If I can’t meet my Da in Sovngarde because of some rancid flying rat then this small act of kindness will suffice.
Morndas, Eighth Day of Evening Star, 4E 186
So by the grace of the Nine I live to see another day, albeit stuck in bed with some minor frostbite and an infected wound. I remembered the recipe and made a very rough healing mixture that tasted like Skeever liver but it gave me enough energy to stagger to Applewatch farm. I was half buried in snow when the guard found me and dragged me back here. Ma wasn’t angry, we hugged. She knows that I don’t really run away anymore, the wilds call to me and I answer. She says I’m just like my Da, I cried but don’t tell her. I wish I could have met him. I will always remember the old smithy Hjarek, Talos rest his soul, reciting his poetry from the Great War, particularly the ones about him and Da fighting shoulder-to-shoulder against the Aldmeri demons. I imagine him looking down from Sovngarde with deep shame for what the Empire has become. I pray nobody finds my journal, the Thalmor officers would try to drag me off to one of their prisons though I’d like to see them try.
Fredas, Twelfth Day of Evening Star, 4E 186
The leg is healing and Ma has been showing me how to treat the wound, I delight in listening to her ramble on about her processes and techniques. It’s very relaxing and I even convinced her to teach me how to make a paralysis poison, excellent for hunting game. She thinks that I could run the apothecary even better than her, one day she wants to pass the business on to me. I didn’t know how what to say, I love my Ma but home life just isn’t for me. She keeps telling me that I’m still freezing to the touch even though I’ve got two wolfskin blankets on and have set up permanent residence by the hearth, I feel fine though.
Loredas, Thirteenth Day of Evening Star, 4E 186
What in Oblivion is going on? Almost everything I touch freezes on contact! The poor mutt howled because I was stroking his ear and it turned to frost! I pet him with mittens now but they’re frozen stiff! Ma has been distant and hasn’t spoken much since this started happening, but she hasn’t called for a mage either. I’ve taken to writing in my journal more recently because, for some reason, it doesn’t happen when I read or write… Shor’s bones! What is going on?
Sundas, Fourteenth Day of Evening Star, 4E 186
Ma sat me down and told me everything today, it’s starting to make sense now. She thinks I have always possessed some kind of sensitivity to magic, just like Da! Hjarek never mentioned anything about it because Ma told him not to, I always thought he was embellishing for poetic effect when he claimed Da slew a hundred Elves at a time and was this unsung war hero but I know the truth now. Da was a powerful mage, way more powerful than those prancers from the Synod, but the mages looked down on him for being a Nord and the Nords frowned on him for knowing magic. Ma and Da left Skyrim for Bruma when I was born so we could live in peace but the war broke out and Da went to fight. Ma reckons my recent experience ‘woke up’ the magic in me, that spending so much time in the wilds near those Ayelid ruins drew me closer to the magical forces of this world. She knew the whole time and never said a thing, bless her soul.
Sure, magic is more accepted in Cyrodil but Ma fears for my future. She wants me to marry a ‘nice Imperial boy’ who can treat me right and give her little grandchildren but the people in Bruma want little to do with me, they call me the ‘mountain goat’ in the tavern… No doubt Corelius’ doing. If people knew I was a mage then they would suspect I was a witch, or a necromancer… or worse. The tavern tales would be spun for everyone to hear, it would break Ma’s heart. I shall keep it a secret for now, take some time to recover and learn how to master this power inside of me. I’ll ask Ma to pick me up any books she can find because it is the only thing that relaxes me, that and picturing Corelius trying to play his lute with broken fingers.
Also, as much as I love my Ma I am NOT marrying an Imperial. I’ll never settle for anything less than Ysgramor himself! I’ve seen illustrations of the monuments in Skyrim and that glorious beard of his. Ma says I’m a strange one, has that only occurred to her now?
Turdas, 10th Day of Last Seed, 4E 201
I bagged a troll today, can’t wait to tell Mother! She loves the tough, gamey meat and the hide is really valuable! I did a neat trick, wood is very resistant to ice so I’ve been freezing my bow and quiver, it’s like firing pure ice and it helps down game and other beasties. Soul gems I’ve found on the road help power it for longer, maybe I could ask the Castle wizard for some more? I’m so glad to be away from Bruma at the moment, the Thalmor have been crawling around the city because they want to sniff out Talos worshippers. I’m sorry but every Nord in Bruma has their little shrine or amulet to Talos, no mouldy piece of parchment is going to stop people believing in their gods. What are they going to do? Kill us all? I’ll bet if the tables were turned and they weren’t allowed to worship their precious Auri-El then they would fight it too, pretentious bastards.
I stumbled on some of the Bruma folks praying at their makeshift shrine near the farm, I watched for a bit and they noticed me. They even invited me over! I preferred to keep my distance but it was nice to be asked for a change.
I went back to Rielle today and realized I had never actually seen the inside. There were old traps that had long since rusted through, except one floor trap that nearly slammed me into the ceiling! These Ayelids were very paranoid but creative, I’ll give them that. The architecture was unlike anything I have ever seen, there was a beautifully carved, glowing image of a tree on the main door to the tomb. I can see why I’ve always been drawn to this place, it’s so magical and even though it was made by Elves it will always be special to me.
Fredas, Eleventh Day of Last Seed, 4E 201
The monsters, those filthy Altmer… They can’t get away with this… I have no words… I came back to Bruma to find the shop ablaze with… Ma… My Ma was inside with Perseus. Bless her and the old mutt, may their souls meet in Aetherius… Corelius was there, he told me the Altmer came looking for me… They found Ma instead. Some sorry waste of skin reported everyone from the Talos shrine but I know it wasn’t Corelius, poor man was white as snow. He told me they had left town for the Pale Pass, the Thalmor don’t know the region like I do and I WILL catch them. I’m going to make sure they never make it to Skyrim.
Loredas, Twelfth Day of Last Seed, 4E 201
The lazy scum didn’t get far, they were resting in Applewatch… I shooed the farmhands away before things got ugly. People are so scared of the Thalmor but they were like rabbits to my arrows, my primary target was the justiciar so I dealt with his subordinates swiftly then put an arrow clean through his knee. He cried like a child when I froze of each of his limbs one by one, pulled them off and shattered them in front of his eyes. Whenever he passed out I stuck my arrows in his stumps, that kept him awake long enough for me to ‘spill’ nightshade extract down his throat for a slow death. After he drowned in his own vomit I ransacked his belongings and read an official order by some Thalmor bitch named ‘Elenwen’… He did keep screaming that he was ‘only following orders’ and now I know who from. One, sniveling wretch remained cowering in the outhouse; he didn’t even dare fight me because he was so scared… He’s just a boy… Should make him easy to break…
The boy was very helpful before I eased his passing, I asked him who this Elenwen was and he explained she and her lackeys were based in Skyrim… He thought he had nothing to lose by telling me, naïve fool. Farmhands are like fishwives and I can’t stay in Bruma anymore, there’s nothing for me here now. I will avoid the pale pass and cross the Jerall Mountains to Skyrim… I will end those creatures and their tyrannical regime. Better write down what I know about my targets before I forget:
Ancano: This rancid elf is masquerading as an advisor in the College of Winterhold, the boy didn’t explain why. I must investigate and try to help the mages there, who knows what the Thalmor have in store for them? Estormo is one of his subordinates and I should keep an eye out for them as well.
Ancarion: Apparently this one has launched an expedition to Solstheim to look for a rare material called ‘Stalhrim’. Well, I didn’t think this would be easy but if I must leave Skyrim to punish the Thalmor so be it.
Gissur: I can’t believe a fellow Nord would stoop to help those snooty elves, I was shocked to hear that one of our own is acting as an informant. He deserves the same fate as his Elven masters.
Lorcalin: Apparently this one has been launching raids on people attending Talos shrines across Skyrim, I will seek out the shrines and flush out this rat.
J’datharr: Another one of the Thalmor lackeys, a Khajiit will be easy to spot in Skyrim. Not many of those going about north of the border.
Valmir: This one is a Thalmor Captain who has gone undercover in the wilds near Riften, I wonder why a high-ranking officer would be undertaking such a mission?
Elenwen: She is already dead, she just doesn’t know it yet.
I’ve spent my life wandering, searching for adventure and purpose but fate has dictated my charge… I will make every last Thamlor pay, I will make them bleed, I will make them scream and I will deliver justice for my people and everyone suffering from their evil deeds.
Replies
Hey SecondHand, you’ve done a really good job here. Captured the personality and emotions of your gal. From being innocent, to the encounter by the Scamp and her powers ‘emerging’ followed by the Thalmor visiting her. I’m surprised that Corelius didn’t doubt them in, all things considered. Swing by the Story Corner’s archives as I think you’re missing a backstory tag? Or something similar
Thanks for the feedback! I thought about her character a lot and didn't want her to be straight up prejudiced against other races. It would've made her a very black and white character, I like the idea that her quest for vengeance transcends her respect for the magic of Elves and the Imperial culture.
Oh I'm new to this so not sure what tags I'm missing?