Download App
6.79% Dragonborn Saga / Chapter 50: Let's Visit Winterhold

Chapter 50: Let's Visit Winterhold

"Hey did you hear that? A 'Student' in today's exam scored higher than the end score."

"A boy who answered in a very academic manner, all the teachers are flocking around him."

"We don't know, maybe he's someone from Summerset or something."

"Rumors that he won the king's tournament and eliminated the team of the College."

"By the eight! A Nord! How can a Nord has a brain for Magic, let alone the Magic knowledge."

Rumors, conversations, secret notes, the first half of the Rank Up exam drew a lot of attention.

The scores paper was:

Jon Dare: 60/40

Laemoth: 30/40

Nilyana: 30/40

Moskar: 29/40

************************************

I think I wrote a bit too much.

When I ran for Faralda to ask her about what happened she said that my third answer contained a number of events argued about in the history and my second answer is considered a Scholar level knowledge.

In my last answer where I wrote about the practices of magic, I also added some small notes about the Thu'um, Necromancy, and Shehai (The Sword-Singing).

I think I overdid it.

Anyway, I found myself being asked about many stuff from all the scholars around.

What saved me was Faralda glares at them.

Now I was sitting away trying not to do anything weird, only to hear people talking and talking about me more and more.

The three who came behind me in the score were sitting together and giving me cold glares. An Altmer boy, a Bosmer girl and a Khajiit boy. Not like I even care."

For some reason, another faces started to appear as if they came to watch.

"The casting exam will start now."

Teacher Mirabelle announced the next exam! Okay! Let's not make a scene this time.

"Jon Dare."

Dammit! Why am I the first!

"Stand there and cast what you are told to cast."

Faralda is the one testing me.

"First, a Ward!"

I cast the normal 'Steadfast Ward'. Faralda casts a 'Fire Bolt' at me and my Ward negates it.

"A channeling Destruction spell."

I cast 'Sparks' this time and Faralda received it easily.

"A bolt Restoration spell."

That's easy, 'Sun Fire' is the spell I need.

"Conjure to your limits."

Now, wait a minute! This will be scary.

Faralda looks at me and says it again. I conjured five 'Familiars', all cats.

"You pass!" Tolfdir claps and ends my dilemma saying that.

I think I was going to look scary if I was asked to make a Blast spell or higher.

I walked away from the stage for the others to get tested.

After filling the form I had to do for my Ranking up, I received a new key and a new 'Apprentice' robes exchanging it with the old one. Now let's head out directly to Nurina's.

"Not so fast!" A voice called for me at after the gate of the tower.

"A problem?" I didn't like the voice or the Altmer who spoke.

"Not at all, I don't know who are you or where do you came from but good to see a new face around!" The Altmer boy said, "I am Orthorn, my team is a research team which can be called the best team in the college, if you..."

"The best team, huh?"

Before I retort someone else did. A Breton girl it seemed.

"I can call your team a bunch of thieves and you won't even retort to the fact."

"Mind your business, Nirenil."

"This's my business too, my team is a team of elite 'Apprentices', we are the team that does all the real work around here."

"I'll pass!" I think it will be a headache to get myself into student fights now.

Nirenil looks at me as if I denied the mercy of Mara. Orthorn, on the other hand, smiled slyly.

"Ah! How sad! The 'Apprentice' rooms have people with all sorts of attitudes, it would be sad if you don't have someone to watch you back." He said.

Ah! A threat! And a bullying threat at that! Double crime.

I know only one way to deal with a bully.

A low blow!

"Aaaaah! You bastard."

Now his appearance is just perfect.

"Hey what are you doing?" Nirenil jumped back from my sudden move.

"If you don't have anything to say, then scram! I'll deal with this trash myself."

She looked at me then turned away on the spot! Smart girl.

"This attitude of yours in Riften will bring you a nice resting spot at the bottom of a canal." I said as I look down on the crouching elf, "Next time I feel something is wrong around me, I'll come and find with you. Don't let me see you around too."

He was immersed in pain but he heard me well.

I grew up in Riften so bullying was something I grew up with! I always respond this way to it.

Leaving the Elf in pain alone I headed directly to the 'Hall of Countenance'. I still have a spell to finish.

Who opened the door to me was a sleepy looking Jullanar, this was still early in the morning after all.

"This is the key to my new room, remember to move our stuff there."

Giving her the key was a way of showing trust. This girl tends to get moved easily by anything like that.

"How was your exam?" Laaneth asked me.

"The first."

"Good, make sure to join a good team. Make some friends and have fun!"

What a kind lady this Lanneth!

Nurina would say something like...

"Well, if you can't be the first, what is the point of me teaching you anything?"

...that!

Sigh!

"Hurry up and finish the spell! We will start the application now!"

Nurina is still in a grumpy mood from working on the Frost Atronachs.

I have already finished the spell before the exam so I have no problem going now.

Holding the final product in my hand, I checked the steps one by one and started preparing the cast.

Casting a spell for the first time is like learning how to walk all over again. The process is slow at first but will improve with practice.

After getting the hang of the steps, I ready myself for the final call.

Conjuration requires a telepathic signal between the souls, that's why conjuration is always associated with soul magic and necromancy.

As the link gets established, I transmit the shape with the effects I learned from the research papers.

Atronachs are beings with souls and ego, they are less tricky than the other daedra but their mental capabilities are simple. Reshaping them was a lost magic but now I am doing it. How many Atromancers would kill for this magic!

After getting everything done, I cast the call mark on the ground front of me. All that is left is for the Atronach to answer the call and open a passage for itself to come from Oblivion to Mundus.

Some people may think that Conjuration is a space magic or a something similar. But the reality is tough. It's all about making a guide for a daedric being and relying on its initial ability to warp the void between realms while bounding it to the caster.

As the mark was put, the void started to warp and a being of fire emerged from it.

For the void to disperse, it is a no long wait. But the anticipation made it seem longer.

The head appeared followed by the rest of the body.

"My oh my!"

Nurina who was ready to cast the 'Banish Daedra' spell anytime exclaimed at what she saw.

What I was wracking my brain around these past days was that form. I wanted to create a more beautiful horse than the ones around Skyrim.

The horses here are hateful in my opinion. I really hate how bulky and ugly they are.

I know that they fit the climate and the nature of Skyrim and all of that. But look at this, this is how a horse should look like ladies and gentlemen.

Finely svelte body structure, concave profile, arched neck, comparatively level croup, high-carried tail. Even the horns of the normal Atronach took a nice form over the head.

The body is made of fire and volcanic stones that formed into a nice pattern of curves and shapes only added to the overall beauty of the horse.

What more can I say? It made any other horses around here look like a bunch of sad potatoes.

You might ask, is that immersive?!

Why would I care? It's a beauty.

"What kind of horse is that?" Laaneth asked.

"Something from my past life."

"Past what now?"

"Ignore that part!" Nurina's and Jull's voices overlapped.

"Do you have a saddle around here?"

"Why would I have one? Also, you need a saddle that can resist fire." Nurina said, "Just try commanding it around for now."

That was easy, the room was vast so making it move was no problem.

The behavior resemblance of a real horse was installed by the process of the spell, but it had no temperament of a real horse.

Still, I want to test the speed, but that will be for later.

After a while, Laaneth conjured a Storm Atronach Bear. It looked fearsome compared to the beauty of my horse.

It had a big body that reassembled a real bear but its shape was a bit too alien.

Storm Atronachs are made of grey stones with lightning power putting them together into a humanoid shape, sometimes it has legs and sometimes it hovers with no legs.

The Atronach Bear looks like that. It looks as if someone put some stones together until it resembled a bear and linked them with lightning.

Unlike my horse that was made mainly for riding, the bear can fight and cast spells.

Finally, Nurina conjured the Frost Atronachs with normal hands, it resembled the one from 'TESIV: Oblivion'.

Practicing was not easy as we had to 'Banish' them then 'Conjure' them back. I also added the Frost Atronach to my arsenal and learned how to conjure it.

Still, I am proud of the fire horse.

I think I can ride it with no saddle if I used 'Fireskin' spell, a variation of 'Stoneskin' that protects mainly against fire.

Okay! Let's do that then!

"I am going to Winterhold."

************************************

Back at the entrance again after a week of crossing the college's bridge. I kinda hate that bridge. Some sort of a trauma I had since my first try of the game.

"Going somewhere?" A scary deep voice returned me back to the present.

I jumped away scared of what kind of creature may cause such a vocal attack.

"Morbagog, don't speak before I ready myself, dammit!"

"Hahaha! Sorry, I forgot!" He was laughing as if nothing happened, "Where are you going?"

"I am going to look for a stable in Winterhold!"

"A stable! That's at the other end of town! Come, I know the place."

Morbagog walks ahead to the gate that opened itself smoothly, I want to study that gate at some point.

Walking this bridge is a hairy experience but I finally get myself to its end.

God, I miss the 'fast travel'.

Winterhold! Ruins of wood and snow just as the game but the damage here is massive and saddening to watch.

There were some intact houses, some other looked new. People are trying to live anyway.

"What is your business here anyway?" I asked Morbagog.

"Snowberries! They at least sell that here."

"So, how can I get to that stable?"

"I'll take you there first then we'll go buy the Snowberries from the inn."

No problem with me.

A few minutes later we reached the stables. The road was along the town as there was a mountain on our right side, some houses were there and also a big 'Longhouse'.

The longhouse is a Nordic style mead-hall that the Jarl lives in. Normally, a Jarl lives in a castle but that isn't the case for Jarl Korir as his hold is in no shape.

I am not a man of politics or governing but I can think of a hundred way to develop such a broken town, for this town to be in that shape for 74 years is a complete waste of time and resources.

Gotta admit, the locals weren't friendly at all. Some even hid there children in their homes from the big bad mages.

Everything looked poor and miserable.

I arrived at the stable with Morbagog, who called for a stable boy yet his voice scared even the horses. This guy has embraced his voice completely.

Negotiating a price was easy as I was loaded with money since my visit to Solitude.

Now! I have the saddle and the reins, the only thing left was to enchant them! As I Followed Morbagog to the inn, I decided to just finish my business here.

'The Frozen Hearth Inn' was the place that can openly deal with mages in Winterhold. One can say it is the neutral ground in the town.

The inn was warm an cozy, and there is a bard too.

"I'll do my business so you sit somewhere and order us some mead." Morbagog said and headed in.

I chose a table in a dark corner so no one can see what I do.

Putting the saddle and the reins on the table, I took out an expensive looking sack.

As I untied it, what appeared inside was a troll's skull, five candles and a glass veil filled with 'bone meal'.

Now let's get to work. First, draw a star in a circle and add all the runes around it. Second, position the candles at every end of the star and the skull between any two candles.

Now it's time.

I took the reins and placed them on the circle, then took out a 'Common Soul Gem' and put it beside it.

After lighting the candles, I consecrated on making a simple spell with one 'effect' and one 'aspect'.

The effect was 'Resist' and the aspect was 'Flame'. After forming the simple spell, I cast it on the skull that transferred it to the circle.

After a while, the soul gem's color started to dim and it broke.

This meant success.

Using the 'Detect' spell confirmed my success.

After that, I repeated the process with the saddle. Nothing out of the norm happened.

This is going to be fun.

After packing everything back, I called the tavern girl.

"May I bring you someth...."

Hmmm!

Oh!

Hallucinations after a long day of work are normal but that's so vivid.

Isn't that Elishka?


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
El_Don El_Don

"As we commend your souls to Aetherius, blessings of the Eight Divines upon you, for you are the salt and earth of Nirn, our beloved...."

"For the love of Talos Vote and Comment."

"My readers are smiling at me other authors, can you say the same?"

------

Donate on Patreon

https://www.patreon.com/eldokhmesy

------

Join our chat on Discord

https://discord.gg/gKcKva7

next chapter

Chapter 51: Whistling Mine

Elishka!

That girl with a sinful body from Solitude Bathhouse.

In Winterhold?

I remember she was going to get married and settle in her hometown!

Oh! What an interesting fate!

So she is from here?

And seeing how her face got pale when she saw me only means she is panicking!

If I knew she was here I would have pretended that I don't know her but we lagged to each other now.

Sigh! How awkward!

"May I get two bottles of mead, normal Nord mead!"

"Yes! Anything else?"

"Thank you."

She is a married woman now! She may be the first woman I slept with in this life but I must know my boundaries!

After a minute she brought the mead. Morbagog came after buying his stuff.

"Hey, Morbagog bro! Is there any establishment like a bathhouse in Winterhold!"

He looked at me and it seemed he did get the meaning.

"Don't you like the bath in our dorm! We bring water from the sea and treat it with magic. What can a normal bathhouse offer?"

This guy is an innocent person! Too bad he may get influenced by me.

Or there is already Eliel, but it's a wonder this guy is taking everything on good will.

"You know! Bathhouses offer some sort of companionship."

"Hm! What do you mean?"

Dude!

"Bath wenches, I mean!"

"Eh!" He seemed to have finally got the hint.

"What are bath wenches?"

Or not.

"Get closer and don't utter a single word."

He got closer and I started explaining to him! He was exclaiming with 'Eh!', 'Aah!', and 'Wha!'.

"So things like that happen in Bathhouses!"

"Yes."

"No, Winterhold has no such thing! I heard of some boys and girls hanging out in the 'Midden' but it normally ended in scandals."

"This is sad."

The 'Midden' is the underground and the underworld of the college, all sorts of unauthorized stuff happen there. You'll find traces of undead, dark rituals, or a dead student. It's the danger zone of the college.

"So no one in the college can practice the 'private needs' this easily, huh?"

"Well, yeah!"

This is gonna be tough!

After this, we dragged from conversation to another!

From Morbagog, I learned about the boy I hit this morning. Apparently, he is a big pain and problematic person. He was involved with some accidents but there was no dust on him.

"He made a team of many members and stolen a lot of researches from the other teams! He mostly enjoys it."

"What about that Nirenil?"

"Orthorn and Nirenil on the same day? I don't know how to react to that! Nirenil is the opposite kind of pain. She is convinced that she is some sort of 'Elite'. Orthorn knows that he breaks the rules but Nirenil doesn't even recognize them! She may do anything to acquire power or knowledge!"

Good grief! Idiots are really everywhere.

Not that I am complaining! Idiocy is a cosmic law. Seeing this kind of people reminds me of my past life. I had a boss and a senior who were that idiotic. I am a rebel by nature, but when it comes to money, I think I was disadvantaged at that time.

Sigh!

"Don't look disheartened. At least you have a background."

"How do you know about my background?"

"In the college, there are hardly any secrets. And you my friend is the hottest topic today!"

I knew this would happen.

Sigh!

Couldn't help but sink into my chair and feel depressed, praying that the world may give me a break.

Yet how can this world answer to a non-believer like me? Accidents always happen.

"What is that noise?"

An inn patron raised a question as there was some noise from outside!

A dragon attack?

No, still four years early for that.

"What is it this time?" I asked and Morbagog went out to ask. I am too lazy to care.

"A collapse in 'Whistling Mine'!"

A collapse! In a mine?

That didn't happen in the game before.

I guess this is the price of an immersive world.

People went into an uproar!

Seems like it is not a usual event.

"Let's ask the jarl for help!"

"We need to get to the mine first."

"Gods! How did this happen?"

The people started running around trying to do something.

'Whistling Mine' if I remember is the smallest mine in the game.

Basically, some landmark to fill an empty barren road of snow.

The interior in the game was small and icy with only two iron veins.

"Morbagog! What are the details?"

"A boy came running all the way from the mine to here, he said something about the mine collapsing and people trapped inside. The Jarl is questioning the boy."

"How far is the mine?"

"If what I heard is correct, a day and a night walk."

"The boy ran from there to here?"

"He seemed to be the mine guard!"

This is amazing! Even I can't run for a full day.

"Look Jon! The college doesn't want us to interfere with the locals, so let's just keep to ourselves."

"I know but..." I don't know how to think about this.

"Let's just see how the Jarl will react!" I said and headed outside carrying my stuff.

The people were standing around the entrance of the Longhouse and Jarl Korir appeared to be giving a speech.

"Folk, we will deal with this. I'll send whatever guards I can and everything will be fine, back to your business or whatever." Korir spoke half-heartedly and dispatched twenty guards!

Only twenty! On foot! Not going yourself?

The townsfolk's faces took all colors, black from disappointment, yellow from shock, pale from fear, red from crying.

The guard was a boy donned in the usual game's armor yet it covered more than the game, of course, some purses on his face as he seemed to have suffered from the damage himself.

Who was tending to him on the side were two women one of them was Elishka.

I somewhat was considered so I went to their direction. And as if she sensed me, Elishka tried not to look at me directly.

"Hey, mind if I help? I am a healer."

As if my help was not expected some people eyed me with strange eyes.

The guard boy looked at me and his eyes lit, "It's you!"

"You know me?"

"Ah! I do, I was in the tournament too. You are the champion."

Oh! He is not the participant so I guess he was just a helper.

"Get healed now, talk later!" I evoked 'Healing' and channeled it on him.

"Tell me what happened." I whispered to him.

He looked around and nodded.

It seemed that his name was Trudvar and last night he was on duty and there was some night shift. As he heard something heavy falling, he ran inside.

The mine owner was not hurt but it seemed that some other miners were inside the tunnel that collapsed and now, they are trapped inside.

Also the tunnel was a new one and some of the miners were new workers.

"The people outside have supplies? Did the guards take any?"

They looked around but it seemed the answer was no. The guards were dispatched hurriedly with no leadership, and the mine lost most of the supplies under the rubble.

Some names were said that made Elishka sob. From what I understood, she managed to get some homeless girls an opportunity to work in the mine.

"The sun is setting so the people under the tunnel have at least one more day." I said, normally people can stay under rubble for two days.

"Bring me some food in a sack, behind the inn, I'll go after them."

Elishka heard and nodded.

I then left Morbagog with a message to Nurina or Laaneth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Thank you for helping us. Please save those girls." Elishka was making a sad face behind the inn, there was no one else so she talked to me.

"I'll do what I can." I took the sack and tied it to my back, "I also want to speak with you about something if you don't mind."

Elishka stiffened from what I said.

Actually, I have no ill intention or anything.

"Relax, nothing if the sort. I just want some information." I said, "I'll go bring those girls."

As I said that, I evoked the spell and I wanted to use and here it is, my beautiful Fire Mare.

Elishka sure took the shock head on. Hehe, witness how awesome the horses can be.

Now, let's put the saddle and the reins which were enchanted to resist fire.

Can't wait!

As I jump on it for the first time I get the feeling of how cool it is to be on such a beautiful creature.

Now now, let's move ahead, slowly at first.

Amazing, even though it has no temperament of a horse, it has the same normal movement.

Finally on the road. Let's see how fast it can go now.

"Okay, buddy! It's you and me now, give me everything."

The horse wouldn't move from just these words, it still needed my direct command by magic.

I cast 'Flameskin' just in case, it's a different variation of stone skin but protects against fire with some physical armor.

Now! I am ready

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Now from zero to sixty, let's..... Uaaaaaaah!"

"WHOOOOO!! WHOOOOOOOOOO!!"

That's amazing!

Let's just admit it! It was awkward in the beginning.

I didn't imagine that the Fire Mare may possess this speed.

It's just ridiculous.

I have seen its performance one 'ESO' but that game didn't give it any justice.

Maybe the reason is me.

I didn't design any offensive features to this shape and made it just for beauty and speed.

This thing is fast to the point that I am not sure if that is still called galloping.

This is madness on four.

I'll just ask Jull to write a poem about it later.

I was supplying it with Magicka from time to time so it doesn't get dispelled.

The effect 'Transfer' is something I just learned opened the spell 'Magicka Transfer' so I can keep the horse from running out of energy.

Atronachs, unlike the game, had no time limit, they had energy limit, if it got depleted then the Atronach will go back to Oblivion. With this spell, I can make it last as much as I can.

I was also thinking of casting 'Accelerate' on it, but that was a scary idea.

[A/N: Accelerate is 'Haste' and 'Longstride'. I'll post Jon's spell at the end of the chapter passed on the latest edit.]

I have already run past the guards and gave them a scare, these idiots were taking it easy.

After two hours of nonstop riding at a fast speed, I killed a bear that thankfully not a big one.

In reality, bears are something I ate only once and I would do anything to eat it again. But all I could do was to just leave it all behind with a broken heart.

The mine was not that far after that, I saw a man standing with a torch on the road so I guessed he is a miner from his appearance.

"Traveler! ...By the nine! What are you riding?"

"I am from the college, Is the mine close by?"

"Wha! Yes, it is, it is over there. Did they just send one man?"

"There is more! Show me to the collapse!"

The man nodded and ran ahead as I followed him!

Upon entering the mine, the first chamber seemed to serve as a camp but rubble took most of it down, to the west is an ice tunnel that leads to a second chamber where the collapse happened.

Some big rocks were blocking the way and two men are trying to remove them.

"Move aside please."

They looked at me not knowing how to react but the man told them to move.

I evoked two spells then cast them, two bulky Frost Atronach appeared.

One was a Miner Atronach with two spikes as arms and was a Hands Atronach.

Now carefully, let's start the rescue.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jon's Spells:-

#Mysticism:-

-Magicka Outer Control:

Manipulation

Dispel - Drain

Absorb

-Extrasensory Perception:

Material - Magicka

-Soul:

Trap

-Necromancy:

Reanimate

Supply Undead

-Divination:

Alarm

Clairvoyance

-Time:

Accelerate

_________________

#Alteration:

-Mass:

Burden - Feather

Featherfall

-Body:

Stoneskin - Flameskin

___________________

#Conjuration:-

-Control Summon:

Command - Banish - Supply Daedra

Bound - Unbound

-Bound Weapon:

Sword - Dagger - Battleaxe

-Conjure Familiar:

Mouse, Cat, Falcon, Owl, Wolf

-Conjure Undead:

Ghost

Boneman

-Conjure Atronach:

Flame: Normal - Horse

Frost: Normal - Utility

_____________________

#Destruction:-

-Flame:

Flames

Fire Bolt - Fire Rune

Fireball

-Shock:

Sparks

Lightning Bolt - Lightning Rune

Chain Lightning - Lightning Cloak

____________________

#Illusion:-

-Light:

Candlelight

-Mind:

Courage - Fury

Calm - Fear

-Sound:

Muffle

________________________

#Restoration:

-Health:

Healing

Cure Disease

-Ward:

Steadfast Ward

Quadrant Ward

-Anti Undead:

Sunrays

Sun Fire - Sun Rune

-Anti Living:

Drain Vitality

________________________

#Powers:

Racial:

-WarCry: Buff Allies, Scare Foes.

-Son of Skyrim: 50% Resist Frost.

-Shadow Stone:

Hide in Shadows: Sneak Buff.

Blue: Combat Speed buff.

Inborn:

-Resis Fire.

________________________

#Thu'um:

Unrelenting Force: Fus Ro ...

[A/N: Spell from one aspect vertically are based on rank, easier above, harder below.]


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
El_Don El_Don

"I used to be a reader like you, but I took a..."

"Okay guys, don't look at me like this."

------

Donate on Patreon

https://www.patreon.com/eldokhmesy

------

Join our chat on Discord

https://discord.gg/gKcKva7

Load failed, please RETRY

Weekly Power Status

Batch unlock chapters

Table of Contents

Display Options

Background

Font

Size

Chapter comments

Write a review Reading Status: C50
Fail to post. Please try again
  • Writing Quality
  • Stability of Updates
  • Story Development
  • Character Design
  • World Background

The total score 0.0

Review posted successfully! Read more reviews
Vote with Power Stone
Rank 200+ Power Ranking
Stone 179 Power Stone
Report inappropriate content
error Tip

Report abuse

Paragraph comments

Login

tip Paragraph comment

Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.

Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.

GOT IT