Skyrim: The Adventures Of Strongfury – Series Finale

Tirdas 22nd Heartfire 4E 201.

Jarl Balgruuf refused to give me permission to capture a dragon in Dragonsreach until the Civil War reaches a truce. I spoke to the Greybeards of hosting a Peace Council in High Hrothgar and they begrudingly agreed, knowing they would have to get involved in the political affairs of Skyrim at some point. The hard part was convincing Ulfric Stormcloak and General Tullius to attend the meeting at all but I finally managed to bring them to the meeting. The Blades also came, though they had to argue with the Greybeards to gain admittance. I am not a political man, just a former soldier who became embroiled in the fate of the known world and now I had to help broker a peace deal.

It took a while to get both sides to agree terms but eventually it was done. Ulfric will give up access to Riften and the Rift area, while Tulliius will give up Markarth and Falkreath. This is just a temporary truce until the dragons are dealt with but it got me what I needed. Jarl Balgruuf agreed to allow the use of Dragonsreach to catch a dragon. During the conference Esbern taught me the name of a dragon, Odahviing, who had been resurrected by Alduin. I went back to Whiterun and with the Jarl’s help we set the trap. Now it was time for me to call the beast. I let out the Shout.

The response was almost instant. We heard a roar in reply and soon enough Odahviing descended upon us. He fought against us and sadly some of the guards were killed but we drew him into the trap. It was time for words. Odbdahviing told me he responded to my Shout to test the strength of my Thu’um. I told him I wanted to know where Alduin fled to.

Odahviing replied and said he and others were beginning to question Alduin’s motivations and his power but they would not openly defy him due to the amount of allies he had. It seems Alduin has retreated to the land of the honoured dead, Sovngarde, and there is a portal to reach it in a temple called Skuldafn.

There was one problem however. Skuldafn can only be reached from the sky. Odahviing said he could help me to get there but I had to trust him and set him free. Of course we were all wary but what choice did I have? I told him that I was willing to do this but if he turned on me, he would die. We freed Odahviing and true to his word he did not attack. Instead he waited for me.

He told me the only way to get to Skuldafn would be to fly and since I lack the ability to do so, he would carry me there. I have made some final preparations for this journey, unsure if I shall return. Tonight I will fly on the back of a dragon and enter the realm of the dead.

Middas 23rd Heartfire 4E 201

It is over.

I arrived at Skuldafn at dawn, delivered there by Odahviing as promised. Who knew such a large temple existed in these mountains? How it got here I can only guess upon so I will leave that to the historians. My role was to find Alduin and end his grasp upon the world. Skuldafn was heavily fortified, with Draugr patrolling the walls and the great halls within. They had all the advantages when it came to seeing an enemy, namely me, approaching. I had to move silently for a while to take out the wall patrols but soon enough the Draugr became aware of my presence and attacked. There were many of them and I had to switch my tactics quickly to get rid of them. They were smart but I was smarter and in the end I stood while their corpses littered the ground.

Skuldafn itself would not give up its secrets to easily, with traps and puzzles to stop anyone from making it through. It took some time to work these out but I made it through the temple up on to the roof. By now clouds had rolled in and the scene looked ominous. I could see the portal’s light disappearing into the sky, piercing through the clouds like an arrow through skin. More Draugr showed up to stop me and even dragons sat atop columns and watched my progress. That was the strangest part, why did they not attack me? Were they waiting, like Odahviing, to see who would triumph in the battle to come?

I reached the portal and a Priest awaited me, defending the portal against any who would enter bar Alduin. He was an ally of the World Eater, so he had to die. After I quickly killed him, I did what very few living men can say they did. I set foot in Sovngarde.

I was expecting to see a glorious world but when I arrived all I saw was mist. Alduin had covered the place in mist to confuse the spirits of the dead and to stop them from reaching Shor’s Hall and taking their seats among the other heroes. Instead these spirits were falling victim to Alduin’s hunger as he devoured them to gain strength. I walked through this misty valley of death, encountering a couple of the recently deceased who told me they could glimpse Shor’s Hall but could not reach it. I told them that I would help them get there.

The way to Shor’s Hall was not closed to me and I arrived at the bridge that led to its entrance. However, here I was approached by Tsun, Guardian of the Whalebone Bridge which led to the entrance. He told me I was the first living person to arrive in this place for a long time but still he could not let me past unless I showed my strength to him through combat. This I did and he granted me permission to enter Shor’s Hall.

After crossing the Bridge I entered the hall and was greeted by many of the Heroes of Old including Ysgrammor, leader of the 500 Companions. He advised me to meet with the heroes I had seen in my vision upon the Throat of the World, Gormlaith Golden Hilt, Hakon One Eye & Felidir The Old. They were waiting for me so they could once again face Alduin in battle and defeat him. We left the Hall and the four of us crossed the Bridge to face Alduin.

It felt like I had been thrown into some kind of dream, I couldn’t believe that I was to battle with Nord heroes. We stood on a field in view of Shor’s Hall and the four of us Shouted together, clearing the mist Alduin had summoned. Alduin would not come to us and instead called the mist a few more times, with us clearing it again. Aware that we would not give up and play his little game, Alduin appeared and battle commenced.

[drop2]The spirits Alduisn had consumed had made him much stronger than when I had faced him before. Again his power allowed him to summon fireballs from the skies and he would also not land, instead choosing to try and engulf us in flame from the sky.  Maybe he had forgotten I had Dragonrend, maybe he hoped I forgot but whatever he wished for did not come true.

I Shouted at him with all my might and forced him to the ground. We were now on equal footing and the heroes and I charged at Alduin, swinging our weapons. He kept trying to fly off, I kept forcing him back down. He took a lot of damage and dealt out just as much. It came to a point where I thought I would die in Svongarde. But, just like on the Throat of the World, we succeeded and this time there was no escape for Alduin. He let out a huge roar, his scales started to glow, cracks appearing over his body and then he shattered like glass. We had done it. Alduin was dead.

With this victory, I thanked the Heroes and returned back to the mortal realm where word quickly spread that Alduin had perished. Tomorrow a new day will start. Though Alduin is gone, many of his dragon supporters still live. I will travel the length of Skyrim until they have been destroyed like their master.

It is my destiny. It is my duty.

I am Dragonborn.