Chapter 25: 2.14
To read up to 15 chapters ahead: https://www.patréon.com/SlyOW
-------------
Riverwood was a quaint little village, under the jurisdiction of Whiterun. It didn't have many inhabitants, probably a few dozen at best, but it was also the one town every player went through.
As I reached it, I immediately noticed the remnants of old fortifications. It had been so long however, that most of it had disappeared, with only a single rampart remaining at the entrance of the village, the gates nowhere to be seen.
It did not make the village look desolate, however. The village itself was built alongside the White River, and was full of life, with plants littering the side of the road.
Walking into the village, I was immediately greeted with a stern face.
An old woman on her porch, leaning against the wooden railing as she looked at me with bloodshot eyes, screaming, "A dragon! I saw a dragon!"
From my experience, I knew she was telling the truth. But I had no time to waste with her, so I nodded politely, and moved up the road.
I noticed the eyes on me, courtesy given to probably all strangers, and met a few of them, before stopping in front of the blacksmith.
The Riverwood Trader.
It was a small general store where one could buy a little of everything and sell pretty much anything. One shouldn't head in expecting exceptional quality, but it was an important shop nonetheless. I wasn't here for what he sold, however.
Within the shop was a man, probably in his thirties, leaning against the counter as he sighed. He looked tired, with dark circles around his eyes and a beard that looked a few days too old.
As I entered, his listless eyes passed over me, before he forced a strained smile, greeting, "Welcome to the Riverwood Trader, where you may find anything you need."
It was obviously a well prepared speech, but he had no energy left in him.
Well, fortunately for him, I had come here to solve his problem.
Approaching him, I asked, "Hello. I heard something happened?"
The trader, Lucan Valerius, did not immediately reply, and instead looked at me with a scrutinizing gaze, and asked, "Are you a mercenary? A Companion?"
Shaking my head with a smile, I replied, "I am more of a wanderer, although I take jobs from time to time. For example, I cleared the nearby Embershard Mine from its bandits."
Lucan looked surprised at this, his eyes moving over my shoulder as he looked at my sword for a moment, before saying, "You might be able to help then. We recently had a break in. Damned bandits, they stole an ornament, solid gold. In the shape of a dragon's claw."
I pretended to think about it, before saying, "I don't remember seeing anything like that in the mine."
Of course I didn't, it was in Bleak Falls Barrow, with another bandit group.
Lucan shook his head at my ramblings, gesturing towards the West, "That boy Faendal tracked their steps, and found them to be heading to the Bleak Falls Barrow. There were too many of them for him to do anything, unfortunately."
I offered, "I could try to get the claw back."
Lucian was not as enthusiastic as in the game, however, "I appreciate the offer, but they are a large band. There are at least 50 of them, not to mention the crypt is dangerous by itself, probably teeming with monsters."
Flexing my arm with a smile, I said, "No worries, that's for me to worry."
"I don't want an innocent man's death on my shoulders, but if you really are confident, then I will give you gold for its retrieval. It is quite expensive by itself, but it also holds sentimental value to me, you know?"
I nodded, smiling, "I get it."
Lucian looked a little more energized than before as he stood up straighter, asking, "Before you leave, may I interest you with any of my wares?"
"Anything enchanted?"
Lucian replied at once, "A crown with a lesser Fortify Magicka, another with lesser Fortify Destruction, and a few sets of robes for the different schools. But you don't look like a mage."
You would be surprised. But he was right in that none of it interested me.
Waving my hand, I said, "Then I'll be fine. I should go now, when I still have daylight."
"May you be successful then, Sir."
I nodded, and walked out of the shop.
As I was about to leave for the crypt, I heard a female voice say, "So, you are going to help us with the claw?"
Turning to the side, I saw a beautiful Imperial lady, her back leaning against a pillar as she looked at me with a smile.
"I will try, at least. I intended to visit the crypt anyway, so it's not much of a bother."
She said, "Well, in any case, if you do manage to get it back, we would be immensely grateful. Lucan found the claw only a year after we settled here, and it holds quite the sentimental value you see."
I nodded, although I knew it had one more use, to enter the true crypt in Bleak Falls Barrow.
"You were not from here?"
That, in turn, I did not know. I had played a lot of Skyrim, but I hadn't scoured the game and the internet for every piece of information available and every character.
Her smile receded as she sighed, "We were from Cyrodiil, born and raised there. But the war with the Thalmor… ruined everything."
Well, that got dark very quickly.
"Well, I don't like the Thalmor either. No one does, really."
Camilla chuckled, and said, "Good luck on your… expedition, then."
"I'll do my best to come back in one piece."
With that, I walked further down the main road of the village, quickly leaving it behind as I crossed the bridge over the White River.
Even with the way most places had been made bigger by God, Riverwood remained a small village.
Past the bridge, I started walking up the mountain, a path I usually didn't take. Normally, like any other player, I would just run through the White River, find the way up the mountain from memory, and reach the crypt like that.
But for the first time in a long while, I took the normal road. I was rewarded with a damn wolf for my effort.
Unlike in the game, it did not announce its presence with a howl, but instead stalked me silently. Had it not been for the snow it crushed under its steps, I wouldn't even have known it was there.
But thanks to the snow, I heard it, and as it jumped at me from behind, I turned around in time. I knew I wouldn't have the time to unsheathe my blade, however, so I used my hands instead, sending it flying with a powerful punch.
Then, before it could get back up, I finished it with my blade.
And having learned my lesson, I simply rested it against my shoulder, and did not sheath it back in.
In the end, the wolf must have strayed far from its pack, probably due to hunger, as I managed to reach the old tower without getting attacked by any animals.
Just like in the game, the old tower was protected by three bandits, all of whom I dispatched, and I looted the chest at the top, and got rewarded with a Magicka Potion, meaning I had 2 of each now.
And now, it was finally time to raid the Bleak Falls Barrow!
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
SlyOW
SlyOW Hey, you can join the discord if you want.
https://discord.gg/Dqk2UpwY
It will also be in the comments for copy and paste
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone