The Diary of Arabelle Bienne

[Gagarin]

I sit here at a table in the Sleeping Giant in Riverwood in Skyrim and try to sum up the past few eventful years in my head. The crackling and warmth from the fire in the hearth is soothing and homely. I could stay here forever, but i can't. I have a job to do.

I do not know who you are, dear reader, and how you got your hands on my diary. If you do not know me, perhaps i should introduce myself and tell you a bit of where i came from.

I will try to be breaf so you will not get bored. My name is Arabelle Biene. I am a Breton of North Kambria in High Rock where my father and mother owned a small farm. My upbringing was simple, something that might be reflected in my writings (apologies in advance for my limited knowledge of spelling and grammar). I am the youngest kid of four, all of my older siblings were brothers. Being the smallest kid i had to fight for everything, being a girl didn't exactly make it easier. "She can't handle the horses, she's just a girl." "She can't cut all that wood, she's just a girl." "She can't protect the cattle, she's just a girl."

One day enough was enough and i went into a rage i had never felt before. I yelled and i swore and i fought anyone who dared get close to me. And then i got sent away.

A small monastary in the Western Reach specialized in dealing with troubled youth. I was to learn how to behave and become calm and in tune with my inner spirit. I was to become connected with The Nine (oficially The Eight but the monks at the monastary refused to sieze their Talos-worship). For years i lived in the barren monastary with a shaved head and ragged clothes as my only possessions. I learned much. Discipline, spirituality, the ways of the Eight (Nine)...
We even got to learn the basics of magic. A healing warmth to cure small wounds and a small fire to keep us warm in the harsh climate of the Reach.

On my 22nd birthday, after 8 years in the monastary the head monk came up to me and told me i was ready. He had one last task for me so i could prove myself to be mature and independent.
Skyrim to the east had recently gone through some troubling changes. I was to go there and see how the situation might affect the monastary and how the monastary might help the people of Skyrim. I was free to go and do as i please but breaking any of the four commandments of the monastary would endanger my spiritual ripening and i would risk losing my spirit to eternal suffering.
The commandments are:
-I shall never own anything with the exception of: Clothes to keep me warm and decent, Books to help my spiritual ripening, Food to keep me from starving and enough Money to keep me alive.
-I shall always strive to do good and help man and mer in all situations and to the best of my ability. My main goal should always be to bring peace and prosperity to the world.
-I shall never break the laws of man or divines.
-I shall never worship anyone but the Eight (Nine).

Just a few hours after crossing the border an imperial patrol intercepted me and asked me what i was doing (they probably had me for a thief). I replied i was on a mission from the Nine.
Just as the words slipped my lips i realized my mistake but it was too late, it wasn't long before i was in a carriage towards Helgen...

 

[Gagarin]

OFF: You do not know me, i am new here. I have been playing Skyrim on and off for a while (me and my spouse have almost 450 playing hours together). Lately i've been coming here on my breaks at work to read up on Skyrim stuff and i stumbled upon the brilliant thread of Hrisskar the Third.

Being an old short-story writer as i am i was really inspired and wanted to try this myself.

I will be playing on PC. The difficulty will be Expert.

I am playing with some mods but nothing that makes the game unbalanced (mostly graphics and immersion mods).

I will not be using any items what so ever (as stated in my introductory post) that means no potions, no weapons, no armor. I am not sure if this is doable but i will try.

I do have a full-time job and a girl to cook for and a home to clean so i will probably not update this every day. This is more of a fun project of mine. Also, i am not a native english speaker (i am Swedish) so i would like to apologize in advance for any incorrectness in my texts.

I hope you will find some amusement in the upcoming posts.

 

[Gagarin]

Sundas, 17th of Last Seed, 4E 201

We had just escaped a dragon attack. I could not believe it. My hands were still shaking from the rush of battle. Me and Ralof made it out through some caves under the Keep and stood panting and gasping for air. I did not say anything because i didn't know what to say. Ralof spoke first.
Aparently he had a sister in Riverwood nearby. Gerdur was her name. He suggested we'd go there for help. We started walking and Ralof started talking. He talked about the places we walked past, about memories from days past and about the cause. He thought i should join their rebel group, the "Storm Cloaks". I politely declined. I am not one for war.

As we walked along a river i heard something growling under a tree nearby. Before i had time to think two wolves came darting towards us with their drooling jaws open wide and ready for lunch. During the second or two that ensued a single thought was stuck in my head. Did we escape the dragon just to be eaten by wolves?

I don't know why but just before the wolf was going to pounce at me i lifted my hand and evoked the warming flame i came to learn in the monastary. I do not know if it was the danger of the situation, the rush of battle or the bottled up anger in my body but something made the flame shoot out like a jet. The poor wolf wimpered and retreated, his fur seared by the jet of flames still flowing from my stretched hand. With a thump Ralofs axe hit the other wolf in the head and we were soon off again towards Riverwood.

Gerdur was a nice woman. She offered me protection from the imperials and then treated me to some bread, cheese and grilled grouse breast. In return she wanted me to go see Jarl Balgruf about sending her aid against the dragon. I would have done that for free. If im going to see a Jarl i will need some finer clothes, i told her. These rags won't do. Gerdur pointed me in the direction if the local trader.

I walked into some kind of argument in the shop. An argument about something that was stolen, a golden claw of some sorts. I immediately offered my help but as soon as they started talking about bandits and a barrow i started regretting my offer.
I have no idea how i'm going to get them their claw back.

I did find a nice pair of boots though, for only 6 gold. That leaves me with enough gold to get me a good nights rest.

I continued from the trader to where i currently am. The Sleeping Giant. The crackling fire warms my back and an overwhelming haze of tiredness are slowly descending around me.
Tomorrow i will have to try to get some more money so i can buy me some breakfast and then i will try to find a nice set of clothes, fit for meeting a Jarl, but now i have to sleep. I can't remember when i last used a bed.