Post by simonstormcloak on Aug 3, 2012 20:23:05 GMT -5
The next morning we continued along the road until I saw a large stone temple across the river.
"Ralof," I said. "What's that?"
"The stone temple? Bleak Falls Barrow. Big for a barrow. Full of Draugr, it is."
"That's what they say in Hammerfell. Except that all we got are ancient structures left to us by the Dwemer."
"Must be hard to explore with all their creations."
"What? No, There's not much in there. Just a few zombies and rats."
"A zombie? What's that?"
"Kind of like a Draugr. But no armor and no weapon. They're rotting corpses that moan and walk around. Lots of them in Cyrodill."
"So... Not deadly then?"
"Quite the contrary. They can punch and claw. Most adventurers can handle them, but I've seen a few running out with a few zombies after them. But the guards always put them down."
"Let's keep going."
We kept along the path, and eventually Ralof came to a stop.
"These are the Guradian Stones." He said, pointing to three large tall stones, one with a carving of a wizard, another with a hooded man, and a man with a horned helmet and an axe.
"That's the warrior, the thief, and the mage."
"Oh, you mean like birthsigns?"
"Huh?"
"You know, the Tower, the Steed, the Atronach..."
"Yeah, the stones! You put your hand on it, and you're given powers!"
I was astonished. How did he not know about birthsigns?
"Yeah. You're born under them, aren't they?" I said.
"No..."
"Of course! I was born under the Tower! What about you?"
"Well, I was interested in magic when I was little, so I got the Mage, but now I'm a warrior. But you can only touch a stone once, so I'm stuck being a wizard with a sword.
"So, pick your sign carefully. Or else you'll be stuck being a phoney forever."
"Okay." I said.
I walked over to the Warrior stone. I put my hand to it and...
Nothing happened. No blinding white light or big blackout, nothing at all."
"Hmm." Said Ralof. "If you're 'born under the Tower', maybe it just can't change it."
"It's funny," I said, "How things change in different parts of the world."
"Yeah, born to be Tower, I guess."
Eventually we came to some stone and wood walls. Well, not really stone and wood, more like a little portion of a wall for people to get a view.
"This is Riverwood." Ralof said. "A cozy little town on the border of Whiterun and Falkreath."
"What hold is it actually in?" I asked.
"Well, let's say right now I'm in Falkreath." He took a step into the town.
"Now I'm in Whiterun." He said. "Come on, let's find Gerdur. She's my sister, owns the lumber mill with her husband Hod. Got a little child, too. Name's Frodnar."
I took a look around and from what I saw, it was a pretty decent town. There was a Blacksmith shop to my left, General store to my right, and a little bit ahead there was an inn. In between the Inn and the Trader I could see a few houses. Right in front of the Smith to my left, there was a wooden path leading to the mill.
"A Dragon! I saw a Dragon!"
What? I turned to my right. In front of the Trader was a house with an old woman up front. A man with long dirty blonde hair and a muscular build went up to the woman.
"What? What is now, Mother?"
"I-It was as big as a house, and black as night! It flew right over the Barrow!" She saw it too? The man didn't seem to be showing any suprise.
"Dragons now, is it? If you keep rambling on like this, everybody will think you're crazy."
"Sven, I'm not lying! It roared and flew straight away! You didn't see it?"
I was about to cut in when Ralof grabbed my arm.
"Let's try not to draw any attention to ourselves, okay?"
We went to the mill where there was a big man in a white tunic working the mill. Down below cutting wood was a blond woman in a green dress.
"Gerdur!" Ralof said.
She looked up.
"Ralof! Why are you here? Are you on leave-"
"Gerdur, Gerdur! We're fine. Is there someplace we can talk without being overheard?"
"Ah, yes. Follow me."
She led us to a tree stump, then turned and yelled to the man at the mill.
"Hod, get over here!"
"What is it woman? Sven drunk on the job again?"
"Just get over here!"
Hod looked down and was clearly suprised by what he saw.
"Ralof! What are you doing here? Er, I'll be right down!"
We waited awhile and Hod got over.
"Now, Ralof." He said. "Why are you back?"
Was there some family arguement? He didn't seem too friendly.
"Yes," Gerdur said. "We heard Ulfric had been captured."
Oh, they were just worried about him and Ulfric.
"Sit down." He said. "It's a long story."
"Ralof," I said. "What's that?"
"The stone temple? Bleak Falls Barrow. Big for a barrow. Full of Draugr, it is."
"That's what they say in Hammerfell. Except that all we got are ancient structures left to us by the Dwemer."
"Must be hard to explore with all their creations."
"What? No, There's not much in there. Just a few zombies and rats."
"A zombie? What's that?"
"Kind of like a Draugr. But no armor and no weapon. They're rotting corpses that moan and walk around. Lots of them in Cyrodill."
"So... Not deadly then?"
"Quite the contrary. They can punch and claw. Most adventurers can handle them, but I've seen a few running out with a few zombies after them. But the guards always put them down."
"Let's keep going."
We kept along the path, and eventually Ralof came to a stop.
"These are the Guradian Stones." He said, pointing to three large tall stones, one with a carving of a wizard, another with a hooded man, and a man with a horned helmet and an axe.
"That's the warrior, the thief, and the mage."
"Oh, you mean like birthsigns?"
"Huh?"
"You know, the Tower, the Steed, the Atronach..."
"Yeah, the stones! You put your hand on it, and you're given powers!"
I was astonished. How did he not know about birthsigns?
"Yeah. You're born under them, aren't they?" I said.
"No..."
"Of course! I was born under the Tower! What about you?"
"Well, I was interested in magic when I was little, so I got the Mage, but now I'm a warrior. But you can only touch a stone once, so I'm stuck being a wizard with a sword.
"So, pick your sign carefully. Or else you'll be stuck being a phoney forever."
"Okay." I said.
I walked over to the Warrior stone. I put my hand to it and...
Nothing happened. No blinding white light or big blackout, nothing at all."
"Hmm." Said Ralof. "If you're 'born under the Tower', maybe it just can't change it."
"It's funny," I said, "How things change in different parts of the world."
"Yeah, born to be Tower, I guess."
Eventually we came to some stone and wood walls. Well, not really stone and wood, more like a little portion of a wall for people to get a view.
"This is Riverwood." Ralof said. "A cozy little town on the border of Whiterun and Falkreath."
"What hold is it actually in?" I asked.
"Well, let's say right now I'm in Falkreath." He took a step into the town.
"Now I'm in Whiterun." He said. "Come on, let's find Gerdur. She's my sister, owns the lumber mill with her husband Hod. Got a little child, too. Name's Frodnar."
I took a look around and from what I saw, it was a pretty decent town. There was a Blacksmith shop to my left, General store to my right, and a little bit ahead there was an inn. In between the Inn and the Trader I could see a few houses. Right in front of the Smith to my left, there was a wooden path leading to the mill.
"A Dragon! I saw a Dragon!"
What? I turned to my right. In front of the Trader was a house with an old woman up front. A man with long dirty blonde hair and a muscular build went up to the woman.
"What? What is now, Mother?"
"I-It was as big as a house, and black as night! It flew right over the Barrow!" She saw it too? The man didn't seem to be showing any suprise.
"Dragons now, is it? If you keep rambling on like this, everybody will think you're crazy."
"Sven, I'm not lying! It roared and flew straight away! You didn't see it?"
I was about to cut in when Ralof grabbed my arm.
"Let's try not to draw any attention to ourselves, okay?"
We went to the mill where there was a big man in a white tunic working the mill. Down below cutting wood was a blond woman in a green dress.
"Gerdur!" Ralof said.
She looked up.
"Ralof! Why are you here? Are you on leave-"
"Gerdur, Gerdur! We're fine. Is there someplace we can talk without being overheard?"
"Ah, yes. Follow me."
She led us to a tree stump, then turned and yelled to the man at the mill.
"Hod, get over here!"
"What is it woman? Sven drunk on the job again?"
"Just get over here!"
Hod looked down and was clearly suprised by what he saw.
"Ralof! What are you doing here? Er, I'll be right down!"
We waited awhile and Hod got over.
"Now, Ralof." He said. "Why are you back?"
Was there some family arguement? He didn't seem too friendly.
"Yes," Gerdur said. "We heard Ulfric had been captured."
Oh, they were just worried about him and Ulfric.
"Sit down." He said. "It's a long story."