User blog:Pickleseller/The Journal of Batum gra-Largashbur: Entry 4

Middas, 20th of Last Seed 4E 201

I went to the College of Winterhold. There, an Altmer woman wated. "Cross the bridge at your own peril!" she said. "The way is dangerous, and the gate shall not open. You shall not gain entry!"

"Why are you out here?" I asked.

"I am here to assist those who wish to have the wisdom of the College. And if my presence happens to deter those who wish harm, so be it. The real question is: why are you here?"

"I wish to enter the College," I replied. She looked me up and down.

"Those who wish to enter must show some degree of skill with magic. I want you to cast the spell Firebolt at the seal on the ground." She gestured toward a seal on the floor beneath her. "Now I'm anxious to see you cast it."

"Er..." I said. "I don't know that spell." She taught me the spell for a mere 30 gold. I cast it on the seal. She seemed rather uninpressed.

"I'll lead you across the bridge. Once you're inside you'll want to speak with Mirabelle Ervine, our master wizard. Please, follow me." I followed her across the bridge and into the College. There, I found who must have been Mirabelle. She was arguing with a Thalmor agent. I talked to her, and she said she'd give me a tour. So she showed me around and I followed. Finally, we stopped at the Hall of the Elements. She ushered me into the class, where a Nord, a Dunmer, and a Khajiit were being taught by an elderly man. They were arguing about what they should learn, and he finally got everyone to be quiet by suggesting they learn about wards. He naturally chose me to do the demonstration, being the quietest one here. I admitted that I didn't know any wards. He said it was alright and taught me a basic ward.

I stood on the opposite end of the room that he was on, and I held up the ward. He shot a firebolt at me. The ward neglected the damage and the firebolt disappeared from the ward. Next, we were told to get into pairs and start practicing. I was paired up with the Khajiit. We practiced in silence, until he spoke. "Have you mastered the expert-level destruction spells yet?"

"Er... no. But I will, eventually," I replied, wondering why the Khajiit would ask that of someone who just arrived at the College.

"Ah, this is good. But J'zargo will know them first," the Khajiit replied. We said nothing until we were finished. The teacher, who's name was Tolfdir, apparently, stopped us and said that we would be continuing our session in Saarthal, a ruin being excavated by the College. I made my way there, and since I was faster than the others, sped ahead along with Faendal, who was waiting in Winterhold.

Along the road to Saarthal, we came across a frightened woman. She said she was wandering for days and can't find a town. I pointed her to Winterhold. She said she escaped from a bandit fort called Mistwatch, and she marked it on my map. It was far away, and I wondered how she managed to survive all the way here. Nevertheless, I continued to Saarthal.

I arrived in Saarthal. A while later, the Dunmer arrived. We talked for a bit while waiting for Tolfdir, J'zargo, and the Nord. She said her name was Brelyna Maryon, and she was a member of the Great House Telvanni and came here from Morrowind to study magic. Soon enough, Tolfdir came with J'zargo and the Nord and we entered the excavation.

It was just as I imagined: dark, damp, and dead. Tolfdir offered to teach us a spell called Candlelight for a mere sum, so I accepted. I cast the spell and the room was illuminated. We continued through, and Tolfdir gave us each a job. I was to look for enchanted artifacts lying about the ruin. I found some rings, and an amulet. When I touched the amulet, spikes rose from behind me and trapped me. Tolfdir suggested wearing the amulet, so I put it on. A red glow came from the amulet to the place where it rose. Tolfdir said that I should try using magic on it. So, I cast a firebolt spell at the wall. The wall blasted into bits and revealed a tunnel. Tolfdir, Faendal, and I ventured through the tunnel. We entered a room, and an apparation spoke to me. I don't recall what exactly it said, but it said that it was part of the Psijic Order and that they were watching me because I failed their test or whatever. Then, Tolfdir continued talking as if nothing had ever happened. Then, a dragur burst through a coffin. We quickly dispatched it, and continued through a tunnel behind where the draugr appeared.

Coffins. The room was filled with them. Above us, coffins were cramped as far as the eye could see. Under a grate on the floor, there were even more. Tolfdir said he would study them, so Faendal and I continuted on our own. We went through Saarthal, killing Draugr and stuff until Tolfdir finally caught up with us before we entered another room. Together, we pushed the door open, which was jammed for some reason. Then, it opened. An orb of magic, that had a wall of blue magicka surrounding it was in the room. Then, another Draugr woke. This one seemed impervious to anything we did. Tolfdir went down to the orb and shot electric magic at it, while Faendal and I distracted the Draugr. Eventually, Tolfdir made it able to be hurt and we slowly wore it down until it became redead. I found a letter on the body. It read:

Be bound here, Jyrik, murderer, betrayer

Condemned by your crimes against realm and lord.

May your name and your deeds be forgotten forever

And the charm which you bear be sealed by our ward.

He had an amulet upon his neck, of which I put on mine. Tolfdir told me to tell Archmage Savos Aren of the orb, while he studies it. I exited the ruin. On my way out, I noticed another one of those blue scratch walls. Again, it had the same reaction. I shrugged and continued on back to Winterhold.

I am now back in the College of Winterhold, but it is night so I will wait until the morning to tell the Archmage, as he is probably sleeping. Until then, I too will sleep and ponder on what I have learned today.