Bringer-Of-Darkness Journal

First Impressions of Windhelm

 After many days and nights, I made it to Windhelm. Nothing big happened but I did managed to free a thalmor prisoner from three high elves on the road.They pack a punch with their magic but too bad they lack in the physical department. Oh they did try but they had nothing on us Saxhleel who trained since we was deek. Magic can get past our eix, but we train past the pain to win. I gave one of the outfit from the dead elves and gave it to the prisoner. He said he is a stormcloak soldier and that they ambushed his friends, keeping him alive so he can spill the secrets of Ulfric plans. Told me to be careful of them as we walked to windhelm together. I asks what is the empire side doing due to these kidnappings. He said nothing. As long as it doesn't affect them, they turn a blind eye. That when I remember hearing others saying about those high elves breaking into homes and dragging men and women away into the night. That many soldiers decide to join the stormcloaks because they are tired of hearing kids being left alone when their parents disappear. How when those kids ask for help, that they get ship to the riften orphanage once they say high elves was the reason. Tired of nothing being done about it. Sad day when empire soldiers suddenly go blind when thalmor is involved. He asks if I was going to join the stormcloaks and I said yes. Told him what happen in helgen and he understood. We both stood in front of the door and said to be prepared. There are many racists in this city and deep down ulfric agrees with them. He talks a good game though if there was anyone stronger than him to become high king, then that will be something to see.

Talking the guards into letting me into the city, he open the door and letting me go in first. When I went through, I saw two nords harassing a dark elf. Calling her a spy since she is an elf like the thalmor. Nords respect people who are hard working and helping them. They respect fighters, no matter what race they are. Dark elves mostly uses saxhleel slaves for everything. And magic which to nords is a betrayal to their culture. At least that what our classes taught us. They use magic and slaves of other races. Mostly saxhleels because of how hard our scales are so it hard to beat us to death. They left and the dark elf saw me watching. Her name is suvaris atheron and she ask if i hate the dark elves too. Told her no because I do know there are good ones out there. Just haven't run into them yet. She told me how nords made a target of the dark elves and even separate them from themselves. There was something called the grey quarter where all the dark elves lived. My brother Walks with Snakes, would love the way dark elves are treated here. While in cyrodiil, I did receive a letter saying he was enslaved while I was gone. Hope he escaped and fought with pride. Anyway I went to the taven and order some food and drinks. The barkeep name is Elda Early-Dawn and she told me to be careful as many aren't friends to argonians. Most argonians are out on the docks and wasn't let into the city proper. Looking around, I saw what she meant as I noticed glares from the others. I rent a room and she call out the name Susanna to show me to my room as she was busy serving the others.

Susanna glare at the others and said what?! you guys never saw a traveler before? Mind your business! She show me my room, saying that not all nords hate outsiders. In fact she spends more time in the grey quarter because they got better drinks and food in their club. Saying she don't understand why elda don't like the dark elves if she know nothing about them. She ask if I was here to talk with my own kind and I said yes. Since it was late, she told me she will show me the way tomorrow morning as she often deliver hot food to them. I told her thanks as I closed the door and went to sleep.

Next morning, susanna actually woke me by knocking on the door. Told her I be out and was ready in a few minutes. As I went out, susanna begin to explain the citizens and windhelm in general. How it was viola who gave her the name susanna the wicked out of plain jealousy. Viola giordano is a huge racist despite it not being in your face like rolff stone-fist and angrenor once honored. She the one who call the guards if a dark elf even look at her wrong so be careful. She said that the dark elves seem like good folks if you get past the fact that they are elves. She also told me there a serial killer name the Butcher that targets girls. And that the last victim was a daughter of clan shatter shield. They are grieving as their daughter was twin to nilsine. There also another powerful family though unlike the shatter shields, they don't boast about it. Clan Cruel-Sea. They was sailors but now they are farmers. We are walking as she told me about each member of the city. Soon we reach the docks. She smiles as she knew that seeing others of my kind made me happy. She introduced me to the saxhleels. Neetrenaza was sharpening an iron sword on a grindstone. He told me he haven't seen me here before, eggbrother. Welcome! I said hello right back. Susanna then call the others to her while putting a plate of salmon meat, crab legs and horker meats on the armorer workbench. A pale saxhleel name Stands in Shallows asks if he can talk with me in private. He seem quite old so I said yes. He told me he has a skooma addiction and he needs help getting a special kind that is in gnisis cornerclub. It is a double distilled skooma and if I do this he will teach me a technique to help sneaking. Told him sure before joining the others. There was a female name Shavee who seem so polite and close to susanna.

She seem so happy compare to the others and I like her optimistic attitude. then I saw him. He introduce himself as scouts many marshes and he look cute. He told me that he wishes the nords, dark elves and argonians got along better. It seem the butterflies I ate from my pouch was flying in my stomach as he talk to me. He was eating a salmon meat as he told me his troubles. That sometimes cargo goes missing and that torbjorn wasn't paying the workers correctly. He wish that someone will beat the septims out of his fists too. That torbjorn said an argonian labor is only worth a tenth of a proper nord worker. He hiss as he bang his fist on the workbench while saying that his people are not slaves. I told him that I will take care of it. Don't worry about it. I grin at him and he smile back. Susanna grin as she look between us. Shavee ask me if I can help her as well. She said her necklace was stolen and was in a bandit camp. Told her of course and let her mark the map on where it was. She said she follow the bandit to the camp without him noticing her. Ulfric really should be careful on who he treats badly. Susanna pick up the plate as it was empty by this time. She told me that she better get back as she needs to cook more food. I shook her hand, thanking her for everything she did. She didn't need to do as much as she did but so thankful she did. I talk to the others for a few hours before going back to the city. Told them I be back when I do their quests. I first went to the corner club and snuck around til I found the skooma. That was easy cuz I am a thief. I can sneak in and out without anyone knowing I was there. I then ask around til I found torbjorn. I hiss softly as I ask to talk to him. We went to a dark alley as he suspect I wasn't there for good news. I grab him and smash him against the wall roughly, telling him he better pay the argonians their right payment. Or I will be back. Told him you already lost a daughter, do you want to lose the other one? He first refuse and I told him maybe I go after his wife instead. He said fine as long as I leave his family alone. I grin as I went back to the docks. I deliver the good news and they both thank me. I did ask scouts how long he been here and he said he been here as a hatchling but cold air is better than dry air. Think I'm going to stay here and explore the city for a few days. And it has nothing to do with a certain saxhleel.