Every two weeks, Baker Street Holmes tells the story of Urbal gro-Dushnikh, an orc who just wants to be a blacksmith, even though it seems Skyrim has other plans. You can follow his journey through these journal entries with new entries every two weeks. Enjoy!
Flashback Part One Part Two Part Three
25th of Last Seed, 201
The Jarl’s offer turned out to be a selfish one. He wanted someone to attack a Forsworn camp near by, that is why he offered to make me his Thane. I told him I’d think about it. A raid against a Forsworn camp is not a light task. I believe he may just want me dead. Regardless it’s not a task I could take on alone.
I set out before the sun rose yesterday morning, headed towards Falkreath and some known Corundum mines. Walking down from the keep to Markarth’s main gate, I heard guards shouting and came upon a vampire and a couple of it’s thralls. I saw a vampire the other morning in the wilderness, but with the city walls! Unheard of! I steered clear of the fight and only end up leaving town a little later than expected.
I made for Gloomreach, but I had tapped it out of corundum in my last visit so continued on to Greywater Grotto to the South of Helgen, and made at least a little collection there and in some of the surrounding hills. I passed through Falkreath on the way, but decided to stay at the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood as I had before. It was closer to my final destination of Whiterun and Falkreath is just so grim.
This morning, I made good time to Whiterun and was able to sort out enough small daggers that I should hopefully be able to prove to Ghorza that I’m ready for her next lesson. I even got a chance to sharpen my ax and fix the fitting on my armor a little. Whiterun is charming enough I guess, but ever since the whole thing with the dragon, everyone there is calling me “the Dragonborn”. It’s obnoxious. This one little kid kept following me around the whole time. I hope I don’t have to come back here any time soon.
I’m writing this just after a nice lunch at the Bannered Mare, mercifully hidden away in a backroom away from gawkers, and riding a carriage towards Markarth. Normally I would loath to take a carriage, stupid, lurching things, but at this point in the day it’s the only way to reach home by tonight and it is the cheapest way to get there. The driver, a Nord named Bjorlan or Bjorlim or something will not shut up.
Urbal gro-Dushnikh
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26th of Last Seed, 201
Another vampire attack in Markarth when I got in last night. By the time I came in the main gates, one of the guards had already died, so I did what I could to help. I hate Death Hounds. This morning one of the guards from last night asked if I’d help in finding out why Margaret was attacked in the market. That was nearly a week ago, I was surprised they had not resolved it. They handed me a guards uniform and sent me on my way.
I decided to check the murder’s room in the Warrens, and he had a note from someone who called themselves “N”. Leaving the warrens a man attacked me, saying to drop the case. Strangely, not only did the same thing happen when I asked around the Silver Blood Inn, but this time the man that accosted me was a guard. All signs pointed to Thoran Silver-Blood and the reclusive Nepo, so I figured I’d pay them a visit in that order.
Thoran is an ass and in an Orc stronghold, he would have been beheaded years ago. At first he was uncooperative, but a pair of assassins broke in to kill him, and kill his wife when they got in their way. can’t say I feel sorry for the man, but at least he was more talkative after he saw it might cost him his life. Turns out he and Nepo work for the “King in Rags” a man they call Madanach who organizes the Forsworn from within Cidhna Mine. Nepo was an ambush, but an Orc nose can smell and ambush a mile away. His head was rolling across the floor before his little Forsworn housemaid could even get off her first spell.
I followed a note Eltrys gave me the night of the murder, saying to meet him in the Temple to Talos, but when I arrived there he was dead. Two guards and the local Imperial Legate, Legate Admand, were waiting for me. They said that I was under arrest for all the murders, as they needed someone to pin it on. They explained that I wasn’t really supposed to figure any of this out, they just needed it to look like they were investigating. I am a proud warrior, as all Orcs are, and probably could have taken three random guards on. But with the Legate, I knew resistance meant death, and I was forced to go.
I’m scratching this on my pick ax with a shiv, in case I get out of here. I originally started this journal to tell what it’s like for Orcs outside their strongholds. I’ve been framed for murder. Because I’m green.
Urbal gro-Dushnikh
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To those familiar with Skyrim: no, I did not officially become part of the town guard, I just took the dead guard’s armor. I wanted a reason to investigate, but in character he would have just left it to the professionals. So I made him one of the professionals.
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