Off to Riverwood
Amidst a hastily improvised camp during our break, skillfully assembled by my new companion, Za'ren-Dar, I found myself standing before a map spread out in front of me, revealing the beautiful Skyrim.
With experience, Za'ren-Dar had adjusted the map to the ground, pinpointing our current location with a firm gesture of his finger. My eyes scanned the map, which highlighted only a few prominent villages and cities in the vast expanse of the land.
My restless mind immediately began to chart a course. Our location was situated between Helgen and Falkreath, indicating that the most advantageous route would clearly lead towards Helgen and from there, proceed to Riverwood and then Whiterun. But why this route? Well, the answer lay in the events now surrounding Skyrim, a fear that suggested dragons were already awakening, with Alduin, the World-Eater and the primary threat, already committed to his dreadful mission.
In terms of lore, Alduin was eager to bring the current Kalpa to an end and initiate a new Kalpa, in essence, a new cycle of existence, wiping out this reality to build another.
As I pondered, I emitted a murmur of unease, carefully examining the pieces that composed my plan.
Za'ren-Dar, with his gleaming axe in hand, broke the silence with a tone of concern in his voice. "So, Chosen of Lorkhaj, what fate do you plan for this journey? I'm starting to regret joining you. May Azura forgive this poor suffering Khajiit for making this decision."
I turned to the feline with his backpack filled with mysteries, weapons, and books. "I'm contemplating which path offers the best outlook," I said, mentally tracing the winding roads ahead of me.
"Look, this Khajiit is only going to Whiterun, and from there, our paths will diverge," he stated firmly.
"Don't be like that, Za'ren-Dar. All these events mark both of us with significant roles, perhaps to save the world," I said, trying to persuade the cat.
"Lorkhaj saving the world?" he scoffed. "I'm seriously rethinking it; I have a family to take care of."
"Calm down," I said, looking at him seriously as I invented a lie to convince him. "Lorkhan, Shor, Lorkhaj, Shezzar... It doesn't matter what you call him. This divine being, or ex-divine, has assigned us a mission, and if we don't fulfill it, it will result in severe consequences," I continued, smiling afterward. "You're aware of the terrible consequences that await those who defy an Et'Ada, aren't you?"
The Khajiit remained silent, filled with apprehension about where my decision would lead us.
Returning my attention to the spread-out map, I asked Za'ren-Dar to hand me a blank notebook and something to write with. Although the cat grumbled, he complied, rummaging through his backpack for the items. I began to feel sorry for him, but my own survival was the priority.
With the notebook in hand, I began taking notes, a challenging task given the problems that plagued Skyrim. Here, legendary artifacts, magical objects, and historically forged weapons were common, as were creatures that seemed to spring from the dark abysses of Oblivion. Problems permeated every corner of this realm.
Dragons could be considered the primary problem, but the world of Tamriel faced an additional danger: vampires led by Lord Harkon sought to extinguish the very "Sun" known as Magnus. This star, in reality, represented a vortex, a mana hole emanating from another plane, Aetherius, and connecting to the current plane, called Mundus, within which Nirn, the "planet" where I currently found myself existed.
In addition to these threats was the presence of the first Dragonborn, who, although at the moment seemed to have limited influence on Solstheim, an island in the northwest of Skyrim, could not be underestimated as a latent danger.
Moreover, the political context was tense, with a civil war in progress. The Imperials, who ruled this land and the central province to the south of Skyrim, known as Cyrodiil, were in conflict with the Stormcloaks (Nords), a rebel faction that had risen in Skyrim after the empire's war against the Thalmor. One of the reasons was that the Thalmor, by imposing a peace treaty, had banned the Nords from worshiping their god Talos, the king who long ago unified Tamriel and apparently ascended to a state akin to that of a divine Aedra.
Although I typically made choices based on my roleplay, I was now actually inside this world and needed to make a prudent decision. After careful analysis, I chose to support the empire. My life was literally at stake, and my actions could have repercussions across the world. If my choice was crucial to the fate of the world, the Imperials appeared to be the best option.
After the civil war, the Thalmor, who had been at war with the empire a few decades ago, would benefit from the success of the Stormcloaks. The Thalmor, these supremacist High Elves, would employ the perfect tactic: divide and conquer.
With the Stormcloaks' victory, a rebellion I believed to be justifiable, the empire would have the worst chances of success. In this scenario, the empire would be reduced to only two provinces: Cyrodiil and High Rock. The latter, bordering only Skyrim and Hammerfell, would have its communication lagging, diminishing the empire's effectiveness and strength.
This would be the perfect opportunity for the Thalmor, who despised humans, to conquer one province after another in a much more advantageous war for them.
And then, my thoughts drifted to an urgent topic: were my mods working in this new world? Since I wasn't transported to the conventional start of the game, it could be that the Alternate Start mod had played its role.
To my potential dismay, this was nothing more than a mere supposition. What if I wasn't the Dragonborn, the hero destined to face Alduin? The Dragonborn in the lore possessed powers capable of taming dragons and bending time, a force that transcended the simple game. The lack of these abilities posed a danger to me; how long would it take for me to learn the basics to survive?
Amidst a silent lament, I realized with distress that I didn't even know how to wield a sword.
My race seemed to be that of the Bretons, known for their proficiency in magic. It was time to explore the magical arts, especially those focused on defense. Magic, the stage for great wartime feats, could be the key to summoning beings from distant spiritual planes or enhancing the power of weapons with magic and mana. Perhaps even ascending from this plane.
Necromancy, despite being frowned upon, didn't trouble me morally. Restoration, unlike necromancy, would allow me to heal mortal wounds, combat diseases, and strengthen my own body. There was also the possibility of delving into Illusion, Alteration, and Destruction and even diving into the secrets of ancient mysticism.
The arcane arts were a vast path full of promises. I chose to make being a mage my primary focus on this journey and, over time, deepen my knowledge in various aspects. Although I could spend some time in Whiterun learning a thing or two as a warrior alongside the Companions faction, I had to have an ace up my sleeve when my mana ran out.
My immediate focus? To discover if I really was the Dragonborn.
I looked at the scribbled pages in the notebook, which represented a new chapter in my life, and stored the map. It was decided; I was heading to where the events at the beginning of Skyrim started. I had to know what had happened or if it was yet to happen. Either way, these events were on the path to Whiterun, Skyrim's trade city.
"Well, my friend," I said as I gathered the cat's belongings, or rather, our possessions, "off to Helgen!"
---
"System, I summon you," I declared with a curious look tinged with a hint of fear, wondering how the heck I had ended up inside the world of Skyrim.
The air was imbued with the scent of pine and snow, and the mountain peaks pointed to the blue sky. Nevertheless, I knew this was not just a simple sightseeing tour – I needed to find a way to unlock my newfound extraordinary abilities.
Trying to figure out how to view my stats, I exclaimed, "Status!" with enthusiasm, but only the sound of the howling wind replied to me. Nothing. It seemed that Skyrim didn't have an accessible status menu with a voice command. Well, at least I had tried.
Desperate, I decided to try something all Skyrim players knew. Raising my voice, I shouted, "Fus-Ro-Da!" with such intensity that my throat hurt. The shout came out more like a timid roar from a baby dragon with hiccups.
My lips twisted, and the wind tousled my unkempt hair. As expected, my attempt to conjure a powerful Thu'um failed miserably. At least my throat was warm now.
Za'ren-Dar's eyes turned to me, a look of strangeness and caution marking his feline face. "Are you alright, my friend?" He asked, watching me with suspicion. His tail swayed slowly, as if ready to act at any sign of danger.
Scratching my neck, I replied with a sheepish smile, "I'm just testing my abilities. You know how it is." My words weren't enough to dispel the Khajiit's suspicion, who continued to look at me distrustfully.
"Hoo! Za'ren-Dar, what have you gotten yourself into? All because of greed," he lamented. "Look, I don't know why we're heading to Helgen, right where that dragon was. Do you want to put us in danger?" he exclaimed, clearly apprehensive.
As we continued down the trail, I explained, "We need to find out if the events in Helgen will unfold as predicted."
"As predicted? Are you a seer now or something?" he continued to retort, shaking his head in frustration.
"There are two possibilities, my friend," I took a deep breath. "The first is that the dragon hasn't attacked Helgen yet; the second is that the attack has already occurred, and now we only have to make our way to Whiterun and inform Jarl Balgruuf about what happened."
The Khajiit's fur bristled, and he commented, "This Khajiit really hopes it's the second option. Being turned into dragon food? No, thank you, this one has cubs to take care of."
---
Finally, after long hours of exhausting march, it was almost late in the afternoon when we spotted the gates of Helgen.
"Wow, we've arrived! I can't wait to stop walking," I said, stretching my aching legs.
The Khajiit remained silent, watching the fortress cautiously. "It seems we've arrived at your second option," he murmured cautiously as we stealthily approached the gates.
We entered the fortress, and to my surprise, Helgen was much larger than depicted in the game, with more buildings and residences all around. Unfortunately, everything was in ruins, some structures still smoldering, victims of Alduin's attack.
Za'ren-Dar led the way, and I followed, trying to mimic his agility as we navigated through the wreckage left by the dragon's attack.
"It looks like we have some burnt bodies ahead," the Khajiit commented, pointing with his finger.
My face twisted in disgust. "Seeing this in person is worse than I imagined," the sight of the corpses of men, women, and children was just a prelude to what awaited me in this world.
Za'ren-Dar raised his hand, signaling for us to stop. "It looks like some bandits have been here," he whispered, nodding in their direction.
"Let's get out of here. They seem to have the upper hand," I said, noticing ten bandits, some of them looting the dead bodies.
My companion nodded in agreement, and we headed towards Riverwood.
---
On our way down to the village of Riverwood, we came across the Standing Stones that marked the beginning of Skyrim.
"Where are you going?" Za'ren-Dar asked when he noticed me walking towards the stones.
"These stones, they can give us some power," I commented as I approached one of them.
My fingers brushed the stones, feeling the faint chill of the rock under my hand.
"Hmm," I murmured, uncertain. "Mage, Warrior, and Thief..."
All three stones in front of me represented a unique advantage in the game, providing a 20% increase in skill improvement for the one I chose. However, this situation was conditioned on the premise that the world behaved according to the game's rules. There was also the possibility that reality was different from what I was accustomed to, necessitating a reevaluation of my strategy.
Some hints reinforced this hypothesis: the world appeared on a considerably larger scale, and mortality was alarmingly realistic.
Reflecting on the rules operating in this new reality was necessary. While Skyrim had its own rules, the lore revealed significant differences from what the game showed. The Dragonborn, for example, proved to be much more powerful than portrayed in the game mechanics, and the cities and armies possessed an immeasurable magnitude. Additionally, the lore displayed a wide range of possibilities in terms of magic.
The three stones in front of me represented a significant advantage, and choosing one of them was an interesting dilemma. At the moment, I was limited to selecting only one, but I was considering the possibility of obtaining the Aetherial Crown, which would allow me to choose an additional stone, giving me the opportunity to adopt two advantages.
There were a total of thirteen Standing Stones scattered throughout Skyrim, each offering a specific advantage. Considering obtaining the Aetherial Crown and my future path as a mage, I envisioned choosing the Mage Stone, providing a 20% boost in magic skill learning. Additionally, I would select the Lover Stone, granting a 15% increase in skill learning for all skills. This way, I would achieve a substantial 35% skill learning rate in magic.
I continued to gaze at the Standing Stones. The Mage Stone would accelerate my magic learning, but I was planning to spend time in Whiterun and improve my combat skills with the Companions, so the Warrior Stone would be more effective. When it was necessary to journey to the College of Winterhold, I could return here and gain the Mage Stone's advantage.
---
Night was beginning to fall, and my companion warned me that we wouldn't reach Riverwood before nightfall.
Oh, how sad it was to be transported to Skyrim. Reality was hitting harder and harder as my inexperience in the field of survival became increasingly evident.
My partner couldn't help but notice how lost I still was in this new reality and promptly offered to help me.
"I don't know how you've survived until today. Did you live in a castle like a princess?" he remarked with a laugh. "Lorkhaj really favors you."
I couldn't believe my luck in finding someone so experienced in this situation. Za'ren-Dar began to explain the process in detail as he unpacked his backpack and retrieved the necessary supplies.
Thank the divine for bringing this Khajiit to save me! I thought with relief.
"First, it's essential to choose a suitable campsite," he said. "Preferably, a flat terrain, difficult for predators, away from the road, far from rivers and lakes to avoid flooding at night. It's also important that it's a sheltered spot from the wind."
Following Za'ren-Dar's instructions, we chose a sheltered spot among some rocks, which provided natural protection from the wind. He then began to skillfully set up the tent, securing the stakes firmly into the ground. As he did so, I watched and tried to learn as much as I could.
"For the fire," he continued, "we'll use dry wood and stones to create a circle around it to prevent the wind from extinguishing it. I'll show you how to do that properly."
We started gathering dry twigs and fallen branches. Za'ren-Dar was as agile as a cat in the shadows, and I tried to keep up with difficulty. He showed me how to select the best materials for the campfire and how to create a ring of stones to contain the fire.
"First, we need a campfire. It'll keep us warm and deter potential predators. If you don't know magic, use this flint stone and this piece of charcoal with twigs to ignite it," Za'ren-Dar handed me the materials and watched with a patient smile as I attempted to replicate his feat. After a few tries, I finally managed to start the fire.
With the fire burning, the Khajiit took out a pot and began preparing a simple meal using ingredients he had in his backpack. It was fascinating to see how he turned seemingly random ingredients into a delicious meal.
"Hunting may be scarce, and you should always carry food and basic utensils to survive on the roads of Skyrim, Kvolt," he told me while deftly stirring the pot. "Also, keep in mind that it's important to keep a fire going at night. The warmth wards off the cold and deters creatures that prefer the darkness."
I watched every move closely, absorbing every bit of knowledge. When the meal was ready, we shared a simple and comforting feast under the starry sky.