What Happens In Solstheim

Chapter 1

The Retching Netch.

The only inn in the entire land of Solstheim, the tavern that serves the best sujamma in all of Tamriel, the most welcoming innkeeper anyone could ever wish to meet... and yet those three factors never seemed to lure any new travelers to the Dunmer island these days. Nothing ever happened there that gave the Dunmer spellsword a craving for adventure.

Truth be told, he's been craving adventure ever since he made this ash-covered island his home years ago. True, he could hit the road alone and have his long overdue adventure – but he was no n'wah. Solstheim wasn't your typical walk in the park. Even the most powerful mage and warrior wouldn't survive a day in the land of ash and snow with the ash spawn and reavers ambushing travelers on the roads. It was safe – or not – to say that there were more danger here than tourist attractions. No wonder other races flocked to Skyrim when it came to settling somewhere else.

Teldryn felt stuffy that close to the hearth, his chitin armor absorbing the heat of the flames and sending hot flushes across his face. Why he still tried was beyond him. Why he still bothered with sitting in the Netch day in and day out, all week and every month, he had no clue. It never changes. Every day he sits on the very same chair in the very same spot, his eyes never leaving the door for in case he might miss an opportunity to get out of the tavern and have an adventure. Yet all who ever walks through those doors were the usual Dark Elves of Raven Rock, Glover Malory after he closed up shop, the always pissed off Mogrul and his bodyguard Slitter. And none of those listed above had any work for him that sent him maybe a mile outside of town.

Some days, which came rarely, he grew annoyed of the sitting and the waiting. That's when he'd leave the Netch, cross the ash-covered street and see if Glover needed a hand with some armor or smithing. Not to boast, but the Dunmer knew his way around the forge, since he made his own armor and tampered his own weapons. However, even while hammering on a shield and sweating at the forge, he never allowed his eyes to leave the doors of the inn. He never missed a thing.

And that proved to be useful when some people around town started acting strange – mostly those who spent their days outside working. Teldryn didn't know what it was, but he sometimes caught Glover wandering off towards the Earth Stone in the distance, his eyes hazy as if he was in a trance. And not just him, but others too. It couldn't be normal. And when some started muttering the name 'Miraak' under their breaths as time drew on, he knew that they weren't as safe as they used to be in Raven Rock. Even the guards were under that trance! Only those who remained in the Netch, Drovas, Geldis and himself, seemed to be normal – but for how long? And how could he prevent whatever was going on to get to him if he didn't know what it was in the first place?

The Dunmer lifted his helmet barely an inch to allow some fresh air to seep in. Normally he didn't mind the heat, since his kind never did well in cold weather, but somehow the hearth seemed hotter than usual that night. He pondered getting up and grabbing a stool at the bar downstairs but decided against it. He must keep an eye on the door at all times. He must not miss a thing.

And by some miracle or cruel fate, the doors opened that night and a stranger walked in.

At first Teldryn thought it was a trick of the sujamma, for he had almost three whole flasks that evening. But after blinking thrice and seeing that the stranger was still there, he perked up.

By Azura, they were real!

Through the glass holes in his helmet he studied them. They wore unmatching light armor, had a sword tied at their hip, a bow on their back and an empty quiver. The lower half of their face was covered by a cowl to keep out the ash and he could only see their eyes – a pair of blue orbs that reminded him of the clear blue sky in Skyrim. He couldn't really make out the color of their hair though, since it was covered with dull greyish-red ash.