JoS/Halvor/1st Journal - A Letter From a Friend

Last Seed, 19th, 4E 201

As of late, I've been keeping to myself. After months of adventuring through Tamriel, it's been nice to take it easy for a while. I've spent the last few weeks furnishing Hjerim, my new home in Windhelm. Now that I've hung some of my favorite trophies from my travels, it's actually starting to feel like home. It's crazy to think I've owned the place for almost a year now. Of course, I've been gone most of that time. Save for the occasional night or two when I pass through town, I haven't been living here at all. I've had to force myself to slow down a bit, but a little R&R is just what I've needed. After my latest trip to Morrowind proved a little crazier than I expected, relaxing back home has been nice.

It seems my time to relax has come to an end, though. This morning, a courier stopped by with a letter from Jarl Balrguuf. It didn't say much, only that he needs my help with something and that it's urgent. I really could use a little more time to finish getting things settled here. With rumors of a dragon destroying Helgen and the civil war heating up, it doesn't sound like the best time to be running around Skyrim alone either. But if there's one thing I have never been good at, it's saying no to a friend. Jarl of Whiterun or not, I can't bring myself to turn him down. My steward can hold down the fort here while I'm gone and with any luck, I'll be back before too long. Whiterun isn't all that far anyways. It's not like I'm planning to leave Skyrim this time.

My day was spent making arrangements and packing my bags once again. I sent word to Ulundil, the dark elf who runs the stables to make sure my horse is ready. My steward went to the market to buy food I'll need for the road. Tomorrow morning, I'll be heading out at first light.

Last Seed, 21st, 4E 201

I made it safely to Whiterun and spoke to Jarl Balgruuf at Dragonsreach today. The threat of the dragon's return seems more real to me now. I've never seen the Jarl so concerned before. He's especially worried about the town, Riverwood. Since it was so close to Helgen and doesn't have a wall, it would certainly be an easy target. He was really happy about the bottle of Shein I brought him, though. Balgruuf was one of my best customers of the stuff when I used to run supplies from Morrowind. He was disappointed when I sold the shipping line, but I still send him a bottle from time to time when I get the chance. Of course, a good bottle of Shein has become pretty hard to find after the eruption of the Red Mountain. Conflicts with the Argonians only made matters worse. But I still know a few places where I can get my hands on some.

Now about that thing the Jarl needed. His court wizard has been looking into the return of the dragons and needs someone to take a trip to the ruin called Bleak Falls Barrow. He needs me to retrieve some stone that may not even be there. Apparently this thing is supposed to be a map of ancient dragon burial sights. His hope is that it will give him some clue as to the meaning behind their return. It's not really the sort of thing I'd normally do, but that's what I get for offering to help the Jarl with some bandits once upon a time. Now it seems I'm his favorite person to call on when he needs someone to get their hands dirty. If it where anyone else, I'd probably turn them down.

The Jarl was nice enough to offer me a place to stay in Dragonsreach. I told him I was just fine at the Bannered Mare, but he insisted. I must admit it's a great improvement over sleeping in a noisy inn and trying to drown out drunken rabble all night, even though I've had to listen to Jarl Balgruuf's kids complaining all evening. I also may have picked up another job I didn't want--kind of. His daughter, Dagny was going on about a new dress that was supposed to come from Solitude, but got held up due to the war. I told her I would be happy to get it for her if I end up in Solitude. She was really happy about it and gave me a big hug when I told her. I reiterated that I didn't know if or when I would be in Solitude, but I get the feeling she ignored that part the second time, too. Now I know Jarl Balgruuf won't really care either way, but I'm sure he's probably beyond sick of hearing the girl complain about it.

The good news is that it sounds like this business at Bleak Falls Barrow won't take long. Soon enough, I'll be back home and who knows, maybe I'll find a new ancient Nord artifact for one of my empty display cases.

Last Seed, 22nd, 4E 201

There’s a good reason I try my hardest to avoid ancient Nordic crypts. Delving deep into Bleak Falls Barrow isn’t my idea of fun. Sure, there were bandits. I’m used to that. But when the dead start walking, that’s where I usually draw the line. Those damn Drauger things give me nightmares. I’ll take 100 pirate ships from back in my shipping days over a cave full of those things. But the good news is that not only did I make it out alive, but I managed to find the dragonstone thing that Balgruif’s wizard wanted. It was quite the journey, so even though it’s a quick trip to get back to Whiterun, I’m spending the night in Riverwood at the Inn here. I don’t know if I could really deal with hearing Balgruif’s kids whine right now anyways. Not to mention, I’m honestly a little more drunk than I would care to be staying with the Jarl. So I’ll head back to Whiterun in the morning to deliver the goods.

Last Seed, 23rd, 4E 201

If there was any doubt in my mind that dragons have returned, it’s gone after today. Not only did I see a dragon, but I faced one in battle. Since you’re reading this words, you know too, that I live to tell the tale.

I woke up early this morning to make the short trek back to Whiterun. Not long after I arrived at Dragonsreach and met with Balgruf’s wizard to give him the Dragonstone he’d asked for, did we get the news. A dragon was attacking the Western Watchtower. Balgruf ordered his city guards to head there to fight the dragon and asked me to join them.

I made my way out of the city as fast as I could, Irilleth, Balgriuf’s personal selsword was close in toe along with the guards she was commanding. We could see smoke from off in the distance, surely evidence that it had been attacked. When we arrived, it seemed for a moment that we’d missed the dragon, it was nowhere in sight. Moments later, I looked up to the skies and saw it. At first, it appeared to be an eagle. But as it grew nearer, it was clear that it was far too big, too fast to be anything but a dragon. I barely had time to draw my bow before it flew down and began breathing fire, burning two of the guards alive. A few yards away, I could feel the heat from where I was standing. Iknocked my first arrow into my bow and began firing as fast as I could. It was so big, my arrows seemed as though they would be nearly useless against such a great beast. Before I had a chance to test just how effective my arrows would be, the dragon flew up into the sky and began circling the tower from up high.

In the midst of the chaos, I heard high pitched screams coming from the west. With a moment of reprieve while the dragon was in the air, I turned around to see a woman and her young daughter. I recognized them from the market in Whiterun. Indeed, the woman Carlotta had left the city to fetch her latest shipment. The carriage carrying fruits and vegetables from the south had broken down and they had gone to meet it. This was undoubtedly a bad day for such an incident. Both mother and daughter looked terrified as you might expect.

Thinking quickly, I ran over and ushered both of them into the watchtower where they would be the safest. From that point on, I had made it my duty to protect the two of them the best I could. I continued firing arrows at the dragon from the door to the tower. It felt like hours, but it was probably only a few minutes before we took the dragon down. There were moments where it felt impossible. It was surely the scariest thing I’ve ever done, but we did it, Iraleth had much the same reaction that I did about the whole thing. It was proof that dragons can be killed. What happened next though, was nearly as incredible as the feat we’d just accomplished.

When the dragon was dead, we all took our turns examining the corpse of the giant beast. Sure enough, Carlotta and her daughter had their turn as well. When Camilla’s doughter got closer, the corpse seemed to catch fire, I was alarmed at first, but it suddenly looked as though the girl was absorbing the dragon in some way. The look on her face told me she was just as confused as I was. Meanwhile, Carlotta looked to be trying to protect her daughter, fearing that it was something sinister.

Once it was over, all was calm and the dragon car as before us was nothing but bone. Even though it had been a formidable enemy just moments ago, it suddenly looked to be an aging skeleton. And it seemed that this girl had caused it somehow. That was when one of the guards came up and said that she must be a Dragonborn. I have of course heard the stories and songs that have prevailed through Skyrim throughout the years of Dragonborn absorbing souls. But I never thought I would ever see something like this happening. There was some argument about what it all meant, but alas, our duty was done and it was time to return to the city.

When we got back to Whiterun, we heard a strange sound coming from the sky. I wasn’t sure what it was. After what we’d just been though, my first reaction was to look to the skies to find another dragon, but there wasn’t one. It was Balgruf who had the answer when we returned to Dragonsreach. It was the call of the greybears, calling a Dragonborn to High Hrothgar.

When we relayed the events to Jarl Balgruf, he confirmed that the girl could indeed be a dragonborn. The Jarl’s stweard, Proventus was less than convinced, though. I swear I don’t know what the Jarl sees in that man. He is an absolute idiot. Maybe the Jarl likes keeping someone around who questions him with different perspectives, but I’d think he’d prefer someone at least a bit more level-headed.

At any rate, it’s clear the greybeards did call the Dragonborn. The big question is what do we do about it? It’s not like the child can make it all be herself. Her mother is certainly no soldier and wouldn’t last a day out in the wild without getting raped by bandits or worse. Not to mention, the war complicates things quite a bit. Iraleth, suggested she might go with the girl, but Balgruf wouldn’t hear it. He needed her close by in case more dragons attacked or the war required her presence. She conceded that her duty was to Whiterun and the Jarl.

That leaves the only person who can be trusted and has plenty of extra time on his hands to take on such a task—-me. Now I haven’t formally accepted or anything. But I don’t see many other options. It’s said that the dragons mean the end times are near. It’s said they are supposed to bring on the evils that end the world. If that is true, how can I refuse? The Jarl and his court will be revisiting the matter tomorrow morning. It’s too soon to know for sure, but it sounds like this won’t be a short trip for me after all.