“We need to go to Whiterun to see Farengar about opening those magical locks” – said Lena in the morning. “Then we can return here again and try entering Mzulft.”

“That’s assuming Farengar actually has something suitable” – noted Hauk. “But if anyone does, that’ll be him.”

They set off West from Ansilvund riding over the geisers. Everything was quiet until Hauk and Stenvar got into a fight with a couple of giants at the Broken Limb camp.

“What?!” – Lena couldn’t believe her eyes. “Are you two that bored?!”

“Always wanted to fight a giant!” – shouted Stenvar. “We can take them together!”

“What did they ever do to you?” – Lena shouted back, but no, Stenvar wasn’t listening. “Surely Hauk should know better!” – she thought, but apparently he was having too much fun.

Thump! Thump! Thump! The giants got angry. Their thundering clubs shuddered the ground – there was no way for Lena to use any kind of targeting – bow or spells. Then… something flew through the air. No, not something – someone. Hauk got sent flying, landing in a pool, knocked out.

“He’ll need a hand getting up” – figured Lena rushing to him.

“Ooh thanks” – he said. “Those giants aren’t joking.”

Next it was Stenvar flying through the air, landing on rocks and needing a healing hand. Lena gave up targeting giants and just kept running between Hauk and Stenvar trying to keep them alive.

Eventually, the giants were defeated.

“Well, at least let’s get their cheese” – said Lena checking the mammoth cheese vats. “And let’s find a road and just ride to Whiterun, ok?”

“Only if you promise not to touch any strange orbs” – laughed Hauk. He had a point.

…

Farengar had what they wanted – a ring of unlocking. Mzulft would be open to them now.

“Can you two hang back here for a few hours?” – Lena got up from a table at the Drunken Huntsman. “I need to check on something.”

“I thought we said no business this time!” – Hauk protested.

“It won’t take long, I promise!”

Lena was out the door. Some things never change.

There was a rumour of an old Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary East of Whiterun, and she had to investigate. She found it – and was able to enter, her enchantment from Cyrodiil obviously worked. A Dark Guardian recognised her – this one was a ghost.

“Sister” – one of the assassins greeted her with a nod.

“How does he know?” – she wondered. “And who are they?”

“We are not really here” – an assassin in Daedric armour addressed her, seeing her confusion. “We are the memories of the assassins that were here long ago, when the Dark Brotherhood still had branches in Skyrim. You were able to find the cave, and then to enter the Sanctuary, so you are a Black Hand. We greet you.” He bowed.

“But I wasn’t able to enter the Sanctuary in Dawnstar” – Lena remembered that failed attempt.

“The Dawnstar Sanctuary had been corrupted” – an assassin in mage robes joined in. “As was the one near Falkreath, as you have undoubtedly noticed. But this one is better protected, so the enchantment still holds. The Dawnstar Sanctuary has been sealed against misuse.”

Lena walked around the Sanctuary. A dormitory, a store room, an armoury – everything you’d need, without the fuss.

“Are you bound to this place forever?” – she asked the assassin in Daedric armour.

“Not forever” – he replied, looking up. “We shall depart, now that you are here – even if you don’t stay. You’ve found this place, and our task is complete.”

“Thank you” – Lena murmured. This was certainly an interesting turn of events.

…

“Right, see – I’m back, and it didn’t take long” – Lena walked into the Drunken Huntsman. Hauk was talking to a dremora, with Stenvar eyeing them suspiciously from a far corner.

“At least with that dremora hanging around here, Nazeem has not dared to come in!” – Jenassa was saying to Stenvar. “He seems harmless. Pays for his board, too!”

“That’s not just any dremora” – said Lena in passing. “Sanguine!” – she ran up to him. “What are you doing here?”

“Drinking mead, thank you very much!” – Sanguine laughed. “And catching up on gossip” – he nodded at Hauk. “I hear you’ve been getting yourself into trouble again?”

“I never!” – Lena protested. “What have you been telling him?” – she turned to Hauk.

“Oh, you know, of daggers and strange orbs” – he winked. “Here – have some mead.”

But Lena didn’t want to stay too long.

“Come on – time to go” – she urged Hauk.

“Go where?” – he looked at her in disbelief. “The sun has practically set already.”

“Enough time to make it to the Nightgate Inn before midnight” – Lena insisted. “I want to try Irkngthand tomorrow, now that we can unlock that door.”

“I told you she’s recovered” – Hauk turned to Sanguine. “Don’t worry.”

…

They rode in silence for a while, Lena going steadily North. Stenvar levelled his horse with Hauk’s.

“She is friends with a Daedric Prince?”

“Yep.”

“To the point that he’s looking in on her?”

“Yep.”

“What else are you not telling me?”

“Oh, there’s plenty. You’ll find out in time” – Hauk laughed.

8 Rain’s Hand

“Well, here’s Irkngthand” – said Hauk as they approached the ruin. “The entrance is on the top floor, and there’s no way to get to it… unless you want to drop in from above?”

“Exactly” – Lena smiled.

Stenvar looked perplexed.

Dropping in from above meant climbing the mountain first. They spotted a path going up and took it.

“No, not again!” – Lena watched in disbelief. “Did you decide to kill all giants in Skyrim?”

But obviously they had to have the cheese, and so… Hrmph. With the Tumble Arch Pass cleared, they continued their ascend.

“This doesn’t look good” – said Hauk. “A Word Wall with a massive sarcophagus next to it. I bet it’s a Dragon Priest.”

“A what?!” – Stenvar started asking when he got hit by a firebolt that almost toppled him over. “Oh I see!”

The fight was intense at first, but then Krosis levitated a bit too far from the edge and… fell off. You wouldn’t normally expect an ultra powerful Dragon Priest to commit such a silly error, but there he was, stuck between the rocks, not able to rise or to shoot spells upwards. Ha!

Lena summoned a fire atronach that graciously floated level with Krosis tickling the Priest with its own fire spells, all the while rather enjoying the firebolts. That, and Lena’s and Hauk’s ice spikes and thunderbolts eventually got him killed. Incredible.

Just below Shearpoint was a small plateau from which one could jump onto the roof of Irkngthand, and then hopefully onto the ledge with the door.

“I’ll go” – said Lena. “Follow if you can, but don’t worry if you can’t. Wait for me down in the camp.” And she was off before anyone could object.

…

Lena came out after 1 a.m.

“Finally!” – Hauk looked worried. “What sort of time do you call this?”

“The time to explore the ruin while avoiding the fighting” – Lena smiled. “For the most part.” She dangled a sack with 21 falmer ears. “There was far more where this came from, and I didn’t collect them all either.”

“Anything else?” – Hauk looked suspicious.

“Yes, I ran into Brynjolf in there.”

“Oh” – Hauk’s eyes darkened. “What did he want?”

“Well, he wasn’t there for me. It seems I walked into something – he was evasive. I lost him somewhere among the falmer slave pens, I think” – she winked.

“So that’s why it was locked” – Hauk concluded. “Damned Thieves Guild.”

“So can we go back to the inn now?” – Stenvar yawned. “It’s too cold out here.”

“Let’s hope we can share in the fun in Mzulft” – said Hauk getting into the saddle. “That’s another ruin with a magic lock.”

“We’ll find out tomorrow!”