No.35- Search for the Elder Scroll

Hidden Beauty (clickable)

A couple of days had passed since the College party before the cobwebs cleared and I had the will and the strength to head North from the College out into the ice fields looking for Septimus Signus. Ideally he'd have information regarding an Elder Scroll which would tell me how to defeat Alduin.

Septimus Outpost

After donning my extra warm long johns, we descended from the College to the shore of the Northern Sea (Sea of Ghosts). Water, ice, a perpetual blizzard, and one wrong step could turn into a lethal frozen bath. I had a hard time imagining anyone spending a lot of time out here. After fighting off an extra large snow bear, out across the broken ice we trekked. Before too much frostbite, we found a wooden door at the base of an icy outcrop. Inside, a ladder took us  down into an excavation in the ice, where we found Septimus, who seemed a little "mad", preoccupied with an enormous Dwemer Lockbox buried in the ice. Dwemer artifacts are his hobby.

Big Lockbox

He agreed to tell us where to find the Elder Scroll. This scroll might tell me how to see back through time and learn how Alduin was cast adrift though time to arrive in Skyrim. At least, that seemed to be the idea. Septimus asked that I take a lexicon, an item that looked like a cube, with me to a large Dwemer ruin called Alftand on the Northern slopes east of the College. This dungeon should lead to a cavern called Blackreach, where I would find the scroll and inscribe it with the essence of its information so that might also show how to unlock the Dwemer lockbox.

Dwarven Centurion

From the snowy cold northern slopes of Winterhold, we descended into Alftand, and eventually discovered Blackreach after fighting a difficult Dwarven Centurion and solving a puzzle.

Blackreach

Don't Touch Any Buttons!

Blackreach turned out to be a unique cavernous wonderland and nightmare. An abundance of luminescent plants made it beautiful. An abundance of Falmer made it abhorrent! There were all sorts buildings and halls infested with groups of hostile occupants. With hesitancy, we spied another Centuiron, but thankfully this one remained stationary. We found the Elderscroll and inscribed the lexicon for Septimus.

Septimus Signus

Fast traveling back to Septimus, he was delighted to get the lexicon back. To open the Dwemer lockbox, he determined a variety of blood types would be needed, as you might guess from unwilling donors and enlisted my help to gather them. I said yes, but this would be after I took care of the Skyrim dragon problem. Next stop was the Time-Wound located at the Thoat of the World. There I would read the Elder Scroll and hopefull would find out how to defeat Alduin.

Prince Mora

As we were about to leave the ice cave, a swirling vision appeared before me, blocking the exit and an evil sounding voice enlisted my assistance! I discovered this was the Wretched Abyss, Hermaeus Mora, the Daedric Prince of Fate, Knowledge and Memory who did not appreciate having a slightly "mad" Earthly emissary (Septimus) and wanted me to replace him. I did not have time for this and declined. I don't know if I'll get another offer.