Chapter 5
I returned to Whiterun.
This time, the guards allowed me to enter—not because I looked trustworthy, but because I had single-handedly wiped out the bandit camp to the north. Apparently, news travels fast in Skyrim.
Once past the gate, I headed straight for Dragonsreach. Inside, the Jarl sat on his throne, speaking with his steward—probably his adviser, or secretary, or whatever people called that role in this world.
With the politeness one should show a leader, I bowed slightly.
“Forgive me for disturbing your time, my Jarl.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Who are you, and what business do you have with me?”
“My name is Alex. I came to inform you that the bandit camp to the north—Halted Stream Camp—has been cleared.”
The Jarl turned to his steward. “Proventus, is there really a bandit camp to the north?”
“Yes, my Jarl. I was actually planning to post a bounty for its removal. But since this young man has already dealt with it, the bounty is no longer necessary.”
“I see,” the Jarl said. “Then it is unfortunate that the bounty was never officially posted, and you cannot claim the reward. However… I am not a petty ruler. Tell me—what do you want as compensation?”
I answered immediately.
“I wish to be allowed to trade freely with Farengar, your court mage.”
“That is all?”
“Yes, my Jarl.”
“Very well. He is to the left of the Main Hall. You may speak with him.”
“Thank you, my Jarl.”
I headed to Farengar. As I entered his workspace, the scent of herbs, oils, and arcane residue filled the air. His enchanting table glowed faintly, and his alchemy equipment bubbled with strange liquids. He looked exactly like a mage should—robes, arcane tools everywhere, and an aura that made the air feel heavier.
“Hello, sir. I’ve been granted permission to meet with you,” I said.
He glanced at me, eyes narrowing.
“Oh? Hmm… You possess a rather high degree of conjuration skill, it seems.”
How in the world did he know that? Mage senses?
“I do. I’d like to trade with you… and if possible, learn enchanting from you.”
In the game, you could just ask him. Here, too, apparently.
“Very well. I can teach you,” he replied.
Enchanting worked almost exactly like the game.
If you have an enchanted item—say a ring that gives +20 Magicka—and you want to learn it, you break the item down. It vanishes, but you gain the enchantment as permanent knowledge. The stronger your Enchanting skill and the more perks you allocate to it, the more powerful your enchantments become.
To enchant gear, you need filled soul gems.
Empty soul gems require the Soul Trap spell to charge them. Cast Soul Trap on a living target, then kill it within a few seconds. The soul enters the gem. The stronger the creature, the stronger the soul—petty, lesser, common, greater, grand, and at the top, black souls.
After that, I purchased several spell books:
Bound Sword, Bound Bow, and Conjure Flame Atronach.
Bound Sword and Bow summon spectral weapons for about two minutes—longer as the skill improves.
Flame Atronach summons a fire elemental that fights beside you for one minute.
Then came the perk allocation. For Conjuration:
- Novice Conjuration: novice spells cost half Magicka
- Apprentice Conjuration: same for apprentice spells
- Mystic Binding (5 points (max)): bound weapons deal +100% damage
- Soul Stealer: bound weapon attacks automatically apply Soul Trap
I allocated for sneak:
- Stealth (1), 20% become harder to detect while sneaking
- One perk to Bow Overdraw, increasing bow damage by 20%
- One perk to basic Enchanting, boosting enchant power by 20%
Then suddenly, a familiar voice called out.
“Hey, Alex. We meet again.”
Astrid.
She had returned… already.
It seemed our separation truly didn’t last long.