I woke up in Silent Moons Camp and started my day looting the place. I took all the food I could find as my own supplies were running thin. I only took coins and arrows from the fallen, but left everything else they carried out of respect for the dead. I didn't find much else of note until I began to explore the forge. I found a small journal of compiled notes about the place that I assume were written by the bandit mage I'd encountered yesterday. From his notes, I learned this place was called the Lunar Forge and was used to craft weapons that were enhanced by the power of the moons. I gathered up all of the enchanted weapons and headed out of the camp to sell all this stuff in Whiterun.
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| Exhibit A: Overlooking the Battle at Silent Moons Camp |
As I was making my way out of the camp, passing all the mysteriously slaughtered bandits (and a mudcrab) I noticed something I hadn't seen yesterday. There appeared to be a trail of arrows that had missed their mark leaving a scattered trail out of the camp. I decided to follow the arrows, picking them up one by one and adding them to my own. After a short walk, I found another dead bandit - this one appeared to be a hunter or scout. What could have done all this carnage? I knew Skyrim was not a safe place, but something about this slaughter unnerved me. I saw no evidence of dragons, and I'm apparently the resident expert on dragons in Skyrim. Judging by all the arrows stuck into the ground, I assumed it was something closer to the ground - shorter than a man perhaps. This felt like the work of a fierce sabre cat.
I surveyed the surroundings and found a dead fox. It had no arrows in it so it so I assumed the sabre cat had gotten this little fellow as well. It appeared that the cat must have been interrupted, probably by that bandit scout, and a chase ensued all the way back to Silent Moons Camp. It was all starting to come together in my mind, but where was the cat? I didn't see it west of the camp near where I found the fox, so I decided to give up the search and head back to Whiterun with all the looted items I had recently acquired.
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| Exhibit C: Dead Fox |
Passing southeast of Silent Moons Camp, I caught sight of an deer and managed to lodge an arrow into its neck which caused it to bolt straight into the water where mudcrabs managed to bring it down for me. These mudcrabs apparently make better hunting companions than my wolf. Well, they would be if they were friendly, anyway. I had to kill two of them just to get to my fallen prey and it was there another unusual scene unfurled. I found the bandit mage who had been working the Lunar Forge. He was surrounded by dead mudcrabs and was either a victim of mudcrabs (the thought still makes me laugh) or the sabre cat had passed this way in a foul mood.
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| Exhibit D: The Dead Bandit Mage among Dead Mudcrabs |
Solving the disappearance of the bandit-mage was a comfort, but I now had the problem of where was this man-eating cat? I dug out a silver vein near the fallen mage. I took his coins and the potions he was carrying. I picked the deer clean as well for I would need the leather to continue to work on my own armor. Between the fox and the deer hide, I envisioned a nice pair of leather bracers in my future.
I continued back to Whiterun keeping an eye out for this murderous animal and it wasn't long before I spotted it napping in the sun. I was actually surprised to see it was a sabre cat, considering I had no real knowledge of the beasts and was just making some educated guesses about what had transpired. Perhaps I could find work as an investigator - if they have those up here in Skyrim. Well, now that I'd solved the mystery of Silent Moons Camp, there was just one final task - bringing the creature to justice. I looked at all the junk I was carrying and decided I wasn't ready. I rushed back to Whiterun as quickly as I could.
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| The Murder Weapon Cat Napping |
I sold a lot of my collection to a Khajit caravan outside the city walls then went in and spent the next couple hours moving my wares around the city. I took an hour to reinforce my leather armor and piece together a set of leather bracers. I sold everything I wasn't using anymore - weapons to the Warmaiden, all my extra leather, fur and hide to the Drunken Huntsman, and all my potions to Arcadia's Cauldron. Then I marched up to Dragonsreach and found Lydia because I felt I could use the backup hunting Skyrim's great cat. She was eager to get out of the city and fight alongside me, and so we set out to bring the beast to justice.
By the time we got out of Whiterun the Khajit had broken camp and moved on. I had warned them of the cat, but I was worried about their safety so Lydia and I broke into a jog out to where I had last seen the cat. Fortunately for the Khajit, it was still napping and so Lydia and I set to work. I fired the first shot, which woke it. It was not pleased. Lydia launched a flanking attack while I summoned the wolf quickly. Lydia backed off and the wolf tore into the cat, but it was no match for the great hunter of the Skyrim plains. The cat then set its sights on me and I fumbled to summon a blade to my hands as well as pull the wolf back into reality. Lydia, the wolf, and I made a final surge attack on the sabre cat and it fell before us. It was no dragon, but a great fight and worthy opponent.
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| Surprisingly, I live through this! |
We took what we needed from the sabre cat. I did a count of my money and realized that I was still short about a thousand septims from buying the house for sale in Whiterun. I didn't have enough leather to craft anymore weapons or armor and I knew where I could make some good money - Gerdur's Mill in Riverwood. I decided to part ways with Lydia after thanking her for accompanying me on the hunt and she headed back to Whiterun. I continued on to Riverwood.
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| Case Closed on the Mystery of Silent Moons Camp |
A thunderstorm blew into the valley as I approached the bridge over the river, so I hustled to the Sleeping Giant Inn where I was fortunate enough to have a quiet dinner with Camilla. I hope Faendal doesn't mind. I'm sure I'll see him tomorrow at the mill where I'll be working until I can afford the house in Whiterun. It feels good to be back in Riverwood, though.
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| Quiet Dinner with Camilla |
- Genjo, the Dragonslayer
24th of Last Seed, 4E 201
The OOC Corner - Reader's Poll & Author's Notes
Genjo proves himself to be an effective Stealth-Conjurer. Stealth and Conjuration continue to get the most votes and I think from now on I'll default to either Stealth or Conjuration when the option is available to add perks to those two areas of expertise. It's a strange combination, but it's the polls don't lie and they're the most requested. This will free up the poll to focus on more "choose your own adventure" questions rather than choose your skills - though when in doubt I may ask more about skills, especially if Conjuration and Stealth are not options or have branching paths (such as Necromancy).
Mods I'm running:
- Arrowsmith v3b
- Dynamic Merchants
- Im's More Complex Needs
- Camping
- Realistic Lighting
- Fixed Followers Lite
- Realistic Thunder
I haven't changed anything here.
Now on to the poll!
Genjo is currently saving up to buy his home in Whiterun.
You decide where life takes him after he purchases Breezehome.
Should Genjo join the Companions (Warrior's Guild) in Whiterun?
Should Genjo study Conjuration at the College in Winterhold?
Should Genjo study Dragon Shouts with the Greybeards of High Hrothgar?
