Genjo the Laborer

Today was a great day! Things seem to be finally turning around for me after the execution/dragon ordeal just a few days ago. I finally managed to make a few septims and fill my belly with food and drink. My stomach is filled to burst, and my muscles are sore from a long day of hard work. I also spent a good portion of the day getting to know the good folks of Riverwood. I'm really starting to like it here, but there is a nagging that I must head to Whiterun and speak with the Jarl about this dragon business. I'll write more on that later. First let me tell you more about my day.

I awoke very early in the morning and spent the last of my coins on a meager breakfast of bread.  I had a bit of a rough night tossing and turning, wondering what I'd eat and where I'd sleep if I couldn't make any money, so I groggily ate my bread before stepping out into the brisk Skyrim morning. The sun hadn't risen yet and only the chickens appeared to be bustling about on their day. I watched them for a moment then set out for Gerdur's mill. I had a plan to make some honest money today.

I'll put it back, I promise!

I had overheard Gerdur and Hod complaining about the help at the mill, particularly trouble with Faendal and the bard living in town named Sven. I didn't know much about that at the time, and I wish I knew nothing about it now. What I did know was I could come help out around the mill while I still had some strength in me. There was no one at the mill when I got there, so I surveyed the work to be done. Yesterday, I had passed by on my hunt and spotted Faendal chopping a pile of lumber into firewood, which he promptly delivered to the rest of the town. I found that pile of wood and a nearby axe and set to work.

Genjo vs Wood

I spent two hours toiling over the lumber. I started so early that no one had even showed up for work by the time I was worn out from swinging that axe. I had decided to take a break when I bumped into Gerdur just picking up her axe for the first time that morning. She told me to talk to Hod for payment for all the work I'd done. Thus the search for Hod began. I probably looked for that man for another two hours. I could see why Gerdur was getting on him about drinking all night and sleeping all morning. I knocked at their home, but no one answered. I searched the whole town up and down, and managed to meet everyone living in Riverwood while looking for Hod.

What is Gerdur feeding this guy?
And where is Hod?

He didn't make his way down to the mill until well after 9am. He paid me out a day's salary claiming I'd chopped more wood in a morning than he'd ever seen Faendal chop in a full day. I took that to mean I could have the rest of the day off at the mill. A rainstorm appeared to be rolling into the valley and I didn't want to be working outside so this worked out nicely. Though Hod, once you can track him down, pays well.

Storm rolls in; Hod rolls out.

Now that I had 460 coins burning a hole in my already-tattered pockets, I decided to get a second start to the day. It wasn't quite noon as I sat down to a second breakfast. I filled my stomach for the first time in at least a week. I felt rejuvinated! I was so full of energy, that I headed back out into the cold, misty weather to greet the town as a new, not starving, man.

I was still dressed like I'd been dragged through Tamriel by dirty horses, but the Riverwood Trader didn't have any clothing. They had some choice armor, but I didn't really need any armor for what I had planned so I decided to pass up the hide and leather. I really wanted to get a fresh change of clothes before going to Whiterun, but I may need to go all the way into the city just to find a clothing shop carrying what I need. The alternative is to borrow some of Hod's old clothes. I wonder how long of a walk it is to the city. My feet are still punishing me from walking all around Riverwood in these old, cloth shoes yesterday.

I spent the rest of the morning talking with the villagers that I'd met earlier while looking for Hod. This really was quite a charming place. I could see myself living here, hunting and fishing, perhaps working at the mill. I'd take the occasional hike into Whiterun for supplies, or to trade. This was more or less the rustic lifestyle I was looking for in Skyrim when I left home. I'd planned to be a traveling trader, but now, with my wares stolen by the Imperials at the border, it was going to be more difficult to get a business going. At the very least, I'd need a source of goods that I could sell or trade at the various cities and townships of Skyrim. I heard the striking of a hammer to metal in the distance and realized I should talk to the mill's blacksmith, Alvar, about any business opportunities. Perhaps he needed some deliveries made to Whiterun.

Alvar's Apprentice

Alvar actually wanted to show me how to forge my own weapons. It was often a good idea to cut out the middle man if you had the skill and the time. Since I have nothing else to my name and no responsibility other than to survive, I have the time. With Alvar's guidance, I may develop the skill. He taught me how to make a dagger out of iron. He also taught me how to temper the blade. Then we worked on a hide helmet which he also showed me how to reinforce. The entire process didn't take too long and I feel confident I could reproduce these items if I had the materials. I hoped he'd pay me for the work I'd done around the forge, but instead he just let me keep what I'd made. I suppose that's fair. I sold my old, rusty dagger to the Riverwood Trader and kept my new tempered blade that I'd forged myself. 

The hide helmet didn't really go well with my tattered prisoner clothing, so I stowed it until I'm out on the hunt again and need the protection from wolf bites and the biting cold of Skyrim.

I ate another big meal as a late lunch after all that work at the forge. Then, I tracked down Faendal, the only elf in town, to take him up on his offer to train me in archery. I trust him on archery advice because he's an elf. Elves know about archery. Seriously, though, I felt a bit guilty for chopping all of his lumber earlier that I could at least pay him for his services as an instructor. It was actually a really good training and I'd like to continue with him, but one of the downsides of spending time alone with Faendal is the incessant whining about Sven and Camilla he does.

Apparently I walked into a love triangle. Camilla is the sister of the Riverwood Trader's owner, Lucan. Apparently Faendal and this guy Sven, who I hadn't met at the time, are both vying for her affection. Faendal even tried to talk me into helping him with this particular problem. I better get a discount on my archery lessons, if I do.

I'd only spoken to Camilla in passing, but after spending an hour alone with Faendal, I decided to seek her out to see what all the commotion was about.  I found her at the Trader and we sat and spoke for a while. I found her to be quite pleasant, and apparently she was pleased with me as well. Not once did she mention Faendal or Sven, but she did flirt with me quite a few times. She's a city girl in a small town, obviously bored and lonely. The other women in town are married, so who else would the town's two bachelors fight over? After just our brief meeting, I was sure I could win her heart if I tried. She didn't seem to think one way or another about Sven or Faendal, though I did not inquire directly. That would have been rude. Anyway, good luck to both of them. I hope they leave me out of it or I may just steal her myself!

Genjo the Miner

After chatting with Camilla for a while I decided to set out on a little adventure. I bought a pickaxe from her at the Riverwood Trader and set out into the hills to see if I could mine any iron ore that I had seen on my hunting trip. If I could find enough raw materials, I could craft some new daggers to sell in Whiterun. I remembered seeing a few exposed veins so I knew where to start looking. I spent what was left of the daylight retracing my steps from yesterday picking at the various minerals I found, and I found quite a few more than I expected as well. While I was out digging up treasure, I happened to see a tower in the mists and thought maybe an expedition to check it out was in order. Another day, perhaps, when I wasn't so busy. I also spoke again with Balbus and Anise out near Anise's cabin - both available to verify that they are still creepy in their own way, in case I forgot.

I spot a tower through the mists
(and a hawk, but sadly no arrows)

Anise is so creepy, I put my helm on in case of spontaneous danger.

As I was nearing the spot where I caught some salmon, I spotted an odd rock display across the shores of the river. There was a small island with an unusual looking ore. I swam out to it and found it to be a corundum vein. I wasn't sure what I would do with it, but I could at the very least trade it for iron back in town. Afterward, I crossed the river and spoke with "the hunter" at her camp. She didn't have anything to speak about so I poked around her camp looking for a pickaxe, and when I determined she didn't have one, or any interest in mining, I cleared out a nearby deposit that I'd seen near the Guardian Stones.The sun was beginning to set at that point, so I gathered my things and headed back to Riverwood.

Genjo the Pathfinder

On the way there I discovered a little path I hadn't seen previously. It wound up to a large opening to what appeared to be a mine. What luck! I'm a part-time miner! Unfortunately, as I neared the entrance to investigate, I was warned I better turn around and go back the way I came. I followed the source of the voice cautiously to an armed young woman sitting a few paces away. She warned me if I came any closer I'd be asking for trouble, so I meekly made my way back down the path and back to town. I cut through the woods in order to make better time when I noticed another cave in the darkness. It looked like an alternative exit to the mine. Perhaps the bandit guard didn't realize it was here unguarded. I decided that it was too late to poke around in dark caves, so I headed back to the inn to settle down with another hearty meal and write this entry.

Genjo the Cavefinder

Although I made quite a bit of money today, I also spent quite a bit of money on the archery lesson and the pickaxe and probably ate my own weight in meat and potatoes. I'm back down to 33 coins, but now that I know there's some good work to do in town, I'm a lot less worried about surviving in Riverwood. I can always work for Gerdur and Hod if I need a night's food and lodging.

Oh, I met Sven. I'd heard him playing last night at the Sleeping Giant, but I was too tired to get to know any of the patrons. He's nothing to write home about. He comes off as a bit of a show-off, and while he likes to brag about going to bard college, he doesn't have that great of a singing voice. I'm not very impressed with him. Maybe it's just because I got to know Faendal a bit better after spending time with him. Both of them won't shut up about Camilla, though. That must making becoming friends with them a tiring chore. 

Listening to Sven do his thing.

Anyway, as I said, I only have 33 coins, but I also own my own pickaxe and unearthed quite a bit today. I now have 12 chunks of iron ore, 3 chunks of corundum, and I also managed to unearth 2 pieces of amethyst and 1 garnet. It seems like 144 coins well invested. There is the problem of Riverwood not having a smelter in order to make these ore into something useable. I'll add that to my list of reasons to go to Whiterun. I suppose I could just sell it all to Alvar and let him handle it, but it seems more profitable to turn it into a dagger. Whiterun now has clothes, a smelter, and a Jarl for me to deal with, but there's also the matter of that mine I found.

I can't walk into Whiterun with a new set of clothes, but perhaps I could at least bring a larger sack of ore to smelt, craft and trade. I'll sleep on it and decide in the morning. It's great to finally be going to bed with a full stomach.

- Genjo, the Breton

19th of Last Seed, 4E 201 

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The OOC Corner - Reader's Poll & Author's Notes

First, I need to apologize for the last poll. My intent is to keep the polls running for approximately 48 hours so enough readers will get a chance to vote in on Genjo's life. However, something caused the poll to run only about 20 hours and so it was cut short in its prime. I took in some votes from outside sources and I'm glad they voted for doing some honest work, because it really worked out for Genjo.

Reminder of the restrictions:

Due to mods installed, he is required to eat and sleep certain amounts everyday.
When Genjo dies, the blog ends. I'm trying to play a realistic life in Skyrim. 

What will tomorrow bring?