No.20- Markarth- Don't Trip, Then to Riverwood

Reach Country

After saving Thorald Gray-Mane and leaving NorthWatch Keep, we stopped to feast on broiled Horker and check my map. Instead of heading direct to Riverwood to find out who had beat me to the Greybeard's Horn, it would make more sense to first drop down and check out Markarth, the city in The Reach, Skyrim's Western area.

 
We traversed beautiful valleys ringed by big rocky mountains whose tops were in the clouds. Happily we were below the snow belt. Unhappily we kept running into antler-wearing yahoos who called themselves Forsworn.

Forsworn @ ESWiki

River to Markarth

We had to swim a river on the way and found Markarth butted up against a mountain range. My first impression it looked like an ancient ruin of a city, but once through the gate and inside the wall, its appearance improved a bit, very vertical, with narrow steep stairs, long ways to fall, and water flowing out of the mountain walls.

Markarth Outside

Markarth Inside

 The purpose of this trip was mostly reconnoiter and to pick up an item to be enchanted at the college. I wanted to meet the local Jarl, but along the way I found myself in a discussion with Vigilant Tyranus about a haunted house and let myself be roped into exploring the house. There was some kind of demon, turns out a Daedric Prince in there who insisted I kill Mr. Tyranus. When I refused, Tyranus got spooked/possessed and  attacked me and I ended up killing him to defend myself. There was more to this, but currently I did not have the time, so we (Lydia and me) quietly snuck out and made our way to the palace.

Markarth Jarl- Posture Noted

Up at the Jarl's place, we spoke briefly and got an education regarding the Forsworn and the Markarth Incident. Very interesting. The gist of it is during the Great War, the Empire more or less abandoned Skyrim. Some Bretons rose up and took over the city of Markarth. Stormcloaks volunteered to retake the city in exchange for the right to worship Talos as they pleased. After striking an agreement and taking back the city, the surviving Bretons (Forsworn) fled to the hills. But then the Empire and the Thalmor achieved a truce by outlawing the worship of Talos. The Stormcloaks agreement was not honored, the seeds of today's Stormcloak rebellion. I also learned there is a prominent family living in Markarth who own just about everything and pull the strings behind the scenes. This will be a good place for some butt kick'n in the near future.

Delphine Plans, Lilgalad Listens

Without patience to trudge all the way over to Riverwood, we fast traveled were I met Delphine,  co-owner of the Sleeping Giant Inn. She had a arrow over her head, a good sign when questing. I rented a room. Once we were alone, I discovered this meek woman was Inn Owner by day, Blades Warrior by night! You may remember the Blades from Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. She had taken the Horn from Ustengrav, leaving a note for the Dragonborn (me) to meet her in Riverwood. Her mission is to reestablish the Blades and find out why dragons are appearing in Skyrim. After giving me the Horn, she invited me to prove I was Dragonborn by following her to a Dragon Mound and killing a dragon. "No problem" I told her, I'll meet you over at Kynesgrove." That is after I did my usual crafting chores and loot runs...