Chapter 8: A Blubbery Accomplice

Chapter 8: A Blubbery Accomplice

The ship on the Solitude coast that the Hunter had cleared a couple of months ago continued to provide the warmth and shelter he had longed for many years. He had adored the warmth and comfort provided by the well finished bed, thankful it was not simply a flat rock or rotten tent that was often the used in his life when he was back in the wilderness. Such simple luxury is often forgotten and unappreciated when life has been such a dramatic struggle each day.

Despite the joy and feeling of relief provided by the ship and the supplies within, the Hunter soon realised that he would have to move out eventually. The food supplies were dwindling and he was keen to get a renewed feeling of the lands beyond the precious little ship. The Hunter quickly packed away some necessary equipment for a short trip across the coast for more supplies and headed up towards the deck.

He walked down from the luxurious cabin, and down through the halls past the blood stained wooden planks and corpses of the previous owners that he had yet to clean up.  He was shocked when his journey came to an abrupt end before he could even reach the top of the vessel. Two uninvited Imperial Guards blocked his exit and stared upon the confused Hunter.

Two months may have past but the stubborn Imperial Legion and Solitude guards had clearly not forgotten about the Hunter’s successful escape from Castle Dour in the city. Their investigations must have pointed to this abandoned ship and the Hunter soon started to regret foolishly remaining so close to a hostile city.

The Imperial Guards swiftly unsheathed their weapons and moved towards the Hunter, eager to get revenge for those slain by the Hunter during his escape. A battle ensued and more footsteps could be heard above. These two guards weren’t alone as an intrigued soldier headed down the steps to see what all the noise was about.

The first two guards were quickly dispatched by the Hunter, who was still competent at swordplay despite his lengthy resting period. As his two foes fell to the ground, an Imperial Officer, the intrigued soldier and another guardsman rushed down in an attempt to defeat the proficient warrior.

Using the narrow hallways and doors, the Hunter took cover and made the Imperial bows useless, forcing the Officer and his companions to engage in melee combat.

It wasn’t long until only the Hunter and the Imperial Commander remained. The Hunter quickly realised that this was a much stronger foe than the poorly equipped guards he had just slain, so he attempted to flee the ship instead of facing another long, exhausting fight.

Unfortunately this plan failed to work with the Imperial Commander dangerously close to delivering a fatal blow to the running Hunter. He made a brash decision of facing the Imperial Officer just before reaching the exit. He quickly turned and sliced his sword across the chest of the Officer, forcing him down to his knees before unleashing a fatal stab through his shoulder blade.

With a few moments to spare, the Hunter looted some coin from the corpses and rushed out onto the top deck. To both his left and right stood more Imperial Guards, 5 to be precise. Already nearly exhausted from his previous fight, he fled from the ship in hope of losing his pursuers.

Unsurprisingly, the Imperial Legion continued the chase. Three of the soldiers took out their bows and let loose several arrows in the Hunter’s direction. The other two soldiers eagerly followed the Hunter with their swords drawn as he headed north away from Solitude and his besieged ship-home.

When some distance developed between the two parties, the Hunter took the chance to lose his pursuers once and for all by heading towards a small cave to the west of Solitude Lighthouse.

It was deemed a risk considering he was unaware of what creatures dwelt within but he was soon relieved to see that only a family of Horkers inhabited the cave. The Hunter was aware of the Horker’s aggressive and unpredictable nature so he kept his distance as he found a place to hide.

A few moments later, the two sword grasping Guards entered the cave in search of the Hunter. Thankfully the other guards were likely searching elsewhere. One guard took out a torch while the other sheathed his sword in preference of using his bow instead. They started exploring the cave among the Horker in search of the fugitive.

One guard was becoming dangerously close to the hidden Hunter, who was undetected on a small rock facing above the pool of Horkers. The consequences of being caught in a narrow cave by more guards made the Hunter weary of combat but he decided it would be best to eliminate the guard who was simply too close for comfort.

He pulled back his bow and released a precise shot that punctured the skull of the unfortunate Imperial. His torch fell loose from his palms and fell to the ground, followed closely by his bloody corpse.

The talking and movement of the guards were clearly irritating the Horkers and when the first guard finally dropped to the ground; the restless Alpha Horker retaliated by attacking his companion and blocking his escape.

The guard bravely tried to fight off the 3 tusk beast, desperately swiping his sword at its thick, blubbery skin. However, his survival attempt was inevitably futile when the creature mortally wounded the guard. 

The Horker seemed particularly happy with his kill as it disturbingly started to chomp on the guard’s head. The Hunter was also very pleased with the help from the Horker but was eager to not disturb the creature after witnessing that damage it could do. The Hunter slowly backed off towards the exit, leaving the Horker with its prize.

The Hunter left the cave and was relieved to discover that no other guards were in pursuit. Unfortunately he wouldn’t be able to go back to the ship he had loved and was now back in the Wilderness of Northern Skyrim.

Chapter 6: Imperial Blood

Chapter 6: Imperial Blood

The Hunter sat down on a hard wooden chair within his jail cell and reflected upon his failures on the streets above. He stared down at a loaf of stale bread and a block of mouldy cheese as the melancholoy sounds of jail shackles continued to echo the Castle Dour Dungeon. The dullness of prison life soon set in and the occasionally bite of bread did little to uplift his sadness.

The Hunter of Blunders soon realised he must escape. For a person who has relied on vast expanses of land for most of their life, the restricted and uncomfortable jail cell was horrific. As days past by, the Hunter began watching a prison guard wearing standard Imperial uniform, intending to remember his patrol routes.

He started planning his escape in his cell, searching every corner and every container for anything that could aid him in his escape. A few rotten apples and several small pots of salt found in nearby sacks only frustrated the Hunter further. However, his determination to search was soon rewarded, discovering a vital lockpick hidden beneath a basket.

The Hunter had now noticed the patrol route that the Guard would take, consistently circling the central base of the dungeon and peaking into every jail cell. The prison guard stopped and looked upon the Hunter’s cell with a deep sense of suspicion when the clutter he had found in his cell littered the stone floor.

The Hunter was soon relieved to discover that his escape would not involve leaving through his prison cell gate when he accidentally discovered an unstable section of wall when searching some nearby sacks.

He waited for a lull in the prison guard’s monotonous patrol before investigating the stonewall further, coming to the conclusion that it would fall if enough force was applied. Eager to take advantage of the Guard’s supposed absence, the Hunter released a powerful fist straight into the wall, breaking it and revealing a hidden pathway. 

The Hunter ran with haste, desperately hoping that this pathway would leave to a quick and easy escape route. There was a sense of urgency and panic as the stonewall crashing to the ground released a loud blast of sound, no doubt alerting the prison guard. The Prison Guard was quick to prove the Hunter’s worries when he entered the jail cell. Bow-drawn and ready for combat, the Hunter had become the hunted.

Further along the narrow pathway, a fortunate gap in another section of the Dungeon walls gave the Hunter access to his belongings that were confiscated when he was originally arrested.  The lockpick that he had discovered proved its worth when it was successfully used to open the chest.

While the Hunter was busy gathering all his gear, the Prison Guard had discovered him. He silently lowered his bow and unsheathed his Imperial sword. He then slowly walked forward towards the Hunter, stepping on a patch of hay that delivered enough sound for the Hunter to be alerted.

The Hunter quickly snatched his fine sword from the chest and delivered a swift swipe of the blade in the Guard’s direction, saving himself from the Prison Guard’s intended silent finishing move. The Hunter and the Guard were now on equal terms as a sword battle ensued within the hidden pathway.

The Hunter appeared to be winning the battle, delivering several critical strikes on the Guard that left several deep wounds on his lower body. Before the Hunter could deliver the final blow, another guard suddenly appeared to support his struggling comrade. 

The Hunter realised that he would have to keep moving, otherwise he would have the entire Imperial Legion to fight in his escape.

After sprinting down the hallway in an attempt to create some distance between the two parties, the Hunter noticed that the two guards were still pursuing him and there was little hope of evading them for much longer.

He turned around and faced the two guards, this time delivering a crucial swipe on the second one, slowing them down and giving the Hunter a bigger chance to escape.

The loss of blood soon overwhelmed the first guard. A blank look in his eyes was constant as he fell to his knees and crashed to the ground. Meanwhile, the other guard continued to pursue the Hunter down a small set of stairs

The end of the hidden pathway was discovered at the bottom of the stairs. A ladder leading to the streets of Solitude stood beside him. The Hunter realised that he wouldn’t be able to climb the ladder without an arrow being shot into back so he made a final standard against his pursuer.

A short battle followed with both men almost exhausted. Fortunately, the Hunter was successful in the tense melee, stabbing his enemy and pushing his bleeding corpse on a wooden bench beside the ladder.

The Hunter sheathed his blood stained blade and climbed the ladder to the surface just outside Castle Dour. He was greeted by a clear night sky but still had to evade the guards on the Solitude streets before he could rest and get a true sense of freedom.

He took out his hood to make his blood soaked prison rags less obvious and jumped down to the street below to begin his final challenge of the night.

Fortunately, the streets were relatively empty due to the time of the day but the Hunter soon spotted the guard who had put him in the depths of Castle Dour. The Hunter was eager to get some revenge for his capture but the risk was too high. He evaded the guard and made way to a small passage down to Solitude docks.

The Hunter was free and back in the favoured wilderness.However, He now had the blood of the Imperial Legion on his hands and decided it would be probably best to leave the Haarfingar hold.

Chapter 5: The Radiant Robbery

Chapter 5: The Radiant Robbery

After the trouble with the Thalmor Wizards on the tough roads. The Hunter of Blunders had finally reached the city of Solitude, surrounded by a thick stone wall and protected by General Tullius' legion. He entered the city gates as the earlier clouds diminished and the beams of sunlight were revealed. The Hunter walked down the main street, intending to explore and find a good location to sell off his goods. 

A short walk from the city gates soon brought a small market into sight, including a fish stall. A quick browse through the vendor's wares delivered little interest from the Hunter and he turned away from the market, heading towards The Winking Skeever, a small Inn located near the city gates.

He took a seat on a wooden stool beside the bar counter, opposite the Publican, Corpulus Vinius. A short conversation about the peculiar name of the Inn led to the Hunter asking to rent a room with the coin he had collected from the corpses of his enemies. Corpulus kindly accepted the Hunter's coin and led him to a well furnished room upstairs. 

After a period of settling into the warm, comfortable rented room, the Hunter of Blunders decided it would be best to continue exploring the surrounding area. Word around the Inn had sparked the Hunter's interest when discussion about the rich yet incredibly rude Altmer sisters running the upper class clothing store across the street arose.

The Hunter was always keen to make some easy coin in the city, especially after having so much trouble finding coin in Skyrim's dangerous wilderness. The opportunity to steal from this store and make good use of his sneaking abilities was simply too tempting.

 

He returned to the Inn and headed back upstairs to his room intending to rest till nightfall. He later peaked out of one of the room's windows and patiently watched as the citizens of Solitude returned to their homes, leaving the streets empty but for the occasional guard patrol. He eventually crossed the street, hiding in the shadows provided by Radiant Raiment and the surrounding walls.

 

It was not long until the Hunter took a gap in a guardsman's patrol as an opportunity to open the locked door of the clothing store. Unfortunately, he managed to break several of his lock picks that he found during his travels across Skyrim before successfully unlocking it. He then quietly opened Radiant Raiment's wooden door, closing it behind him just before one of Solitude's guards walked past the store.

 

Upon entering Radiant Raiment, he cautiously walked towards the counter where some valuable jewellery and the finest clothing lay were on display. He reached across and grabbed several prestigious items worth hundreds of septims. The hunter was elated with what he managed to steal and was eager to discover more in the Sisters' private quarters. He slowly entered another room where a feast of food lay on a nearby table. Unsurprisingly, it soon caught the attention of the Hunter, who had learnt to appreciate food far more considering how scarce it can be in the wild. 

 

The luck of the Hunter soon failed when he blundered, moving too fast towards the plentiful food while indoctrinated under its smell and sight. The floorboards above made several quick, sudden sounds, someone was awake. He frantically began stealing everything he could possibly carry as the sounds became louder and closer.

 

 

The sound of movement suddenly stopped and appeared to be replaced with the worrying sound of an unsheathed weapon. The Hunter turned around and saw a furious Endarie staring at him. His greed managed to get him caught in the act of theft. He quickly attempted to flee, unwilling to get himself into more of a mess through murder. He jumped on a dining table, crushing food and cutlery under his boots in a desperate attempt to escape.

 

The dagger wielding Endarie blocked the Hunter from escaping, lashing out at him with several fast and deadly strikes. The Hunter ran from corner to corner of the small room in an attempt to evade the frenzied elf, causing more destruction as sweet rolls and wine littered the wooden floorboards.

Taarie could be heard sprinting down the stairs to aid her sister so the Hunter did not hesitate to push Endarie aside, using the opportunity to flee from the clothing store.

The two sisters followed the Hunter outside in pursuit, driving the petrified Hunter away with a trail of stolen goods leaking from his clothes as he sprinted away.

 

 

The Hunter soon evaded the furious store owners in Solitude's narrow streets. Nevertheless, he was exhausted and embarrassed by the fact he was caught. He slowly walked back to the inn to lick his wounds and ponder on how much coin he could have had if he didn't let his obvious greed overcome him.


 

The final blow occurred just as the Hunter reached the door of The Winking Skeever. A guardsman stopped him with his weapon raised. He had clearly talked to the Altmer sisters as he was aware of the Hunter's crimes. The guard took his weapons, and led the exhausted thief to the infamous Dungeon of Castle Dour.

 

A few hours later, the Hunter found himself standing in a cramped cell wearing nothing but rags. The blundering fool had lost everything. He soon began to wonder whether it was all worth it, and established that city life wasn't for him.