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The Elder Scrolls: Kriiahmik

Summary:

The Dark Brotherhood have regained their foothold upon the Starry Heart, their newest Listener using his Dragonborn powers to lead the storied group of assassins into a new era, while saving the world to boot. And yet life carries on; new threats emerge from the shadows, hidden machinations yield terrible results, and the Wheel, once again, turns upon the Last Dragonborn.

He relishes it.

Skyrim AU, exploring a time after the Main Quest and the Dark Brotherhood story.

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Chapter 1: A Normal Day, Mostly

Chapter Text

-Chapter 1: A Normal Day, Mostly

 

Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, The Pale, Skyrim

 

The little girl was not right . Her cheeks were sunken, her skin was pale as frost, her eyes burning with hatred and knowledge; too much for anyone at her age. The grin she flashed was more that of a feral animal than a guileless child, fanged and wide as it was. And when she spoke… Oh, it was the voice of youth, but not the tones; this was the voice of someone who’d seen far more than ten years. “Oh, you spoil me! Not that I’m complaining… I was about to find some hapless idiot for my meal.” she hissed, before her sharpened fangs sunk into the human heart before her; spattering blood across her face and hands.

 

“Damn it Babette, can’t you eat like… Like a civilized person?” asked the other child, rubbing her forehead in mild exasperation. The air of mild dread was shattered like glass. Though visibly older--fourteen-- this young lady was definitely the age she appeared. She wasn’t, after all, a two-hundred old vampire. “I go through all the trouble of cutting out that guy’s heart, least you could do is not go at it like a ripe fruit.”

 

Babette grinned, her skin regaining some of her normal complexion; pale, but not overtly so. In a voice sweet enough to stop the heart of a pastry chef, she pleaded: “Sorry Runa, I was just really hungry. Could you forgive me~?”

 

“Oh don’t you dare give me the damned puppy-eyes, you… Crone! Rotting corpse! Old, dust-minded--”

 

“Pleeeeease~?”

 

Runa Fair-Shield sighed in defeat. “I can’t decide if you’re cheating with illusion spells or not when you do that.” she grumbled.

 

Babette chuckled, the sugary tones dropping to her usual tone of dry wit. “Truthfully, I’m not certain myself. I’m the first to admit that I don’t quite know all the intricacies of my condition.” She cheerfully resumed eating the heart, her pace more sedate. Far too casual for a vampire eating someone’s body part, Runa thought. She snorted eloquently, and looked about herself; a sort of communal bedroom, stone walls that seemed permanently covered in ice and frost, with torch sconces bravely fighting the cold. Usually, living in a literal cave would never be something she’d consider, but then she never expected she’d make the cut.

 

Runa had to laugh aloud at this last thought, ignoring her companion’s quirked brow. She’d made the cut alright. Various cuts, actually. That’s how she’d gained entry into the Dark Brotherhood. She’d been wanting to for years, of course; ever since that foul woman at the orphanage was murdered. Most of the other children at Honorhall were simply elated at being freed from Grelod’s wrath; Runa was the only one to take any interest in the killing itself. It was artistic, in a sense--Grelod had left to sleep, and was found the next day, smothered to death. Perfect entry, perfect exit, no evidence (not that anyone wanted to spend the effort to actually investigate that hag’s death)... 

 

She’d grow to enjoy learning what she could about this mystery killer--because she was certain, even then, that they were the same one the papers and the criers were mentioning months later. Amidst the talk of the civil war and the dragon attacks, they always seemed to be lurking in the shadows, ready to continue whatever mission they were on. Sometimes their victims were almost random; an Orcish bard, a miner in Dawnstar, a fishwife or a gravedigger. Then there were the kills that still reverberated today when mentioned--Victoria Vicci of the East Empire Company, a Commander of the Penitus Oculatus... the Emperor of Cyrodiil. And it was only on the last that a scrap of parchment was left behind; a black hand drawn in ink, and the phrase ‘We listen.’. 

 

The other children; hell, most of the people of her home city Riften, they were all busy gushing and singing praises to the ‘Dragonborn’; a man like any other in body, but with the voice of dragons, and the heart of such famous heroes as Tiber Septim or the Eternal Champion. While few knew the specific details--actually, Runa was certain no one but the man himself did--they say he’d traveled to the after-life to slay an evil dragon named Alduin. Certainly, after the man resurfaced, the other dragons had been content to not fly around killing people anymore, and supposedly this was due to Alduin being dead. Or close enough to it, depending on who you asked. 

 

Funny, that Runa’s mystery killer was the same person, as it turned out. And, after she’d proven her long-practiced skill with knives on that idiot at the docks, he’d been happy to accept her into his Family, the Dark Brotherhood of assassins. 

 

Blinking out of her reverie, Runa glanced at Babette, who was licking the remaining blood off her fingers like glaze from a sweetroll. Creepy . “Ay, Babs.” Runa asked, in her usual tough voice (she was tough, she thought with a stab of anger; she wasn’t a faker, Nazir could jump in a river), “Where’s the boss-man at?”

 

Babette flashed another fanged grin. “Don’t let Cicero hear you call him that. He’s a traditional sort; if you call him anything other than ‘Listener’ he might carve you up in the middle of the night.”

 

Runa glowered, unfazed. “You’re bluffing, cut the crap.”

 

“Only kind of, actually~! Anyhow, he’s following up on the information we, uh, extracted from my last snack’s owner; thanks for that, by the way, it was really filling. The Listener left to tackle some bandit fort or something.” Babette chirped.

 

Runa let the silence drag on for a bit, to let the un-child stop joking around. “You’re… You’re not serious.”

 

“Of course I am, Runa! Just the right blend of fear and pain, still fresh with the juices it pumped in life--”

 

“No, dumbass, about the ‘Listener’! He’s not seriously assaulting a whole keep of bandits alone!?”

 

Babette smiled in mock-patronage; Runa was sorely tempted to punch the kid, undeath be damned. “I keep forgetting you’re still rather new here; this is normal for Flynnach. This is the kind of thing he does for fun. Business, in this case, is a nice bonus.” 

 

Runa whistled, disregarding her annoyance in favor of being impressed. “Is it true that he can speak a magic language, to use the powers of dragons? Because I could see a bandit fort falling to dragonfire, even if it comes from some bloke.” She blinked, then smirked. “Actually, which parent do you think was the dragon? And will his kids breathe fire?”

 

Babette giggled, and tried her damndest not to. “Oh, Cicero is going to hate you. You’ll fit right in… Anyways, yes he can use the Voice; as far as I can tell, the Dragonborn are just naturally good at it. As for his family, er, mechanics , I don’t know. And I probably don’t want to.”

 

“Neither of his parents are dragons.” came a new voice--from the ceiling. “And neither of us know if Dragonblood is hereditary, though I certainly hope any future kids don’t breathe fire…” Runa jumped a bit (and noted that Babette did not), and looked up to see a short woman, in Brotherhood armor, with messy brown hair. And hanging upside down from a rock on the wall with a book in her hands.

 

At that moment, Runa decided to well and truly settle on the entire Dark Brotherhood being not only killers, but insane . “Oh, hey Muiri.” Babette chirped, as if this was a normal thing that normal people did. “What’s with the hanging? Trying to be an echkin or something?”

 

‘Muiri’ grinned wildly. “Nope! I’m trying to see if I can read books upside-down. It’s difficult! I’ve always wondered if I could. Surprised neither of you noticed me, really.”

 

“I can hear heartbeats, Muiri.” Babette said breezily. “But if you wanted to try that, couldn’t you… I dunno, turn the book upside down?”

 

There was a pregnant pause, followed by Muiri acrobatically dropping while pivoting to land on her feet. “I am not here. You cannot see me. I am hiding behind a wall of shame .”

 

Runa cleared her throat, mostly to move the conversation away from sheer lunacy. “Muiri, was it? Another Sister, I take it. Name’s Runa.” she gruffly stated.

 

Muiri did not laugh, but her eyes said she really wanted to. It was only due to this restraint that she didn’t get punched in the face (which Runa was rapidly proving adept at). “You’re the new one? Nice to meet you. I’m… Not really part of the Brotherhood, but well-”

 

Babette cut in suddenly, her voice sharpening. “No, Muiri. We’ve gone over this; you’re not just Flynnach’s bunk warmer. You’re a damn good healer, a damn good apothecary, and push comes to shove you’re a damn fierce fighter. You may not be good at murders, but you make sure the rest of us can do our jobs. You. Are. Important.”

 

Muiri snorted at this tirade. “You do realize you’re a better alchemist than me, right? You can do everything I do, and you can tear out the throats of creepy old men.”

 

“That sounds suspiciously like an actual thing that happened.” Runa interjected, mostly to try and not be a part of an argument as to whether or not this mystery madwoman was ‘deserving’ to be here. “Babette, have you actually gone and torn out the throats of creepy old men?”

 

Babette blinked. “...They’re my primary food source. Well, that and idiots on the road. But yes, sucking off old men is my usual Sundas evening.”

 

Runa snickered. So did Muiri. Babette quirked a brow, muttered the sentence again to herself, and then she promptly hissed . Eyes burning, fangs showing... Like a gods-damn animal . Runa was tough, but she’d admit that she was immediately reminded to be terrified of the ancient vampire. Muiri was likewise not smiling, though she just seemed embarrassed. “Now that I’ve reminded you to respect your elders …” Babette growled, before flicking her internal lever to the usual snarky child, “I’m gonna go see with Nazir about when the Listener is coming back. Bye~!”

 

She walked off. Runa and Muiri sat there for a little while, silently commiserating over Babette being really scary and the weirdness of this whole ordeal. Finally, Runa broke the silence. “Hey, Muiri… Um, not trying to be rude, but are you and Flynnach actually… Y’know…”

 

Muiri smirked in a rather bizarre, lopsided way. “Makes visiting the in-laws an experience. Ever gotten relationship advice from a Hagraven?”

 

Yep, that settled it. Not only killers, the Dark Brotherhood was--to a man-- completely insane. 



Sanctuary Kitchen

 

“And I’m tellin’ ye,” Hrottogahr said passionately, “this Glovid fellow hasn’t got the balls Mede had. He couldn’t lead a horse to water, let alone head the damned Empire. Loathe as I am ta’ say it, Ulfric’s won already!”

 

Aerva clucked and shook her head, stirring a delicious-smelling pot of… something. A soup of some sort? Babette had no need of actual food anymore, of course, but there was nothing stopping her from having food. And Aerva, consistently, was very good at making her want to have food. “Hrotto, calm down, or no soup for you.” she said, as Babette entered the kitchen proper. “You haven’t been with the Empire for three years; you’re a Dark Brother. No need to get so… Worked up about it.”

 

Hrottogahr nodded briefly at Babette, then turned his attention back to Aerva. “Aerva, we joined at the same time, no need ta’ remind me! And don’ get me wrong, I’ll behead the whole damned Legion if tha’s what our Mother wants. But it’s still a damned shame–I could respect Titus Mede. Hell I still do; the way the Listener described him facing death is downright bard-worthy. But Cassynder Glovid!?” he suddenly began shouting–Babette winced a bit–”He’s a witch-assed mammothfucker! If the Stormcloaks somehow don’ have Skyrim by next year, the Thalmor will!”

 

“I’m serious Hrotto, shut up.” Aerva snapped, annoyed, as she moved the pot off the fire. “You’re my brother by blood and by Sithis, but you’re an asshole when you’re worked up. I’m not serving soup to you when you’re like that.”

 

“Thank Sithis.” Babette sighed, as Hrottogahr raised his hands in mock-peace. “I hate it when he shouts like that… Do you know where Nazir is? I want to ask him about Flynnach.”

 

“Oh, you haven’t heard?” Aerva asked, spooning out soup into various sturdy bowls. “Flynnach is on his way back already. Sent a letter and everything, and he said the whole Family’s getting together soon–hence, the soup.” She hummed to herself. “As for Nazir, I don’t have a clue where he is.”

 

“Smells great.” Runa grunted,  having walked in with Muiri. Babette had to hide her grin–Runa was trying far too hard to be ‘tough’, and it was hilarious. But she was a good kid–bright future if she was lucky. Babette stopped that train of thought before it led her down the path of old friends–she didn’t need to mope about those who’d been gone for two hundred years. “It really does~!” she chirped at Aerva. “If you could spare another portion, I’d appreciate it.”

 

“Oh, don’t you worry Babette, there’s enough for everyone. Even my ear-bursting brother.” Aerva said kindly–almost motherly, Babette had to refrain from pointing that out. Let the young have their fun or whatnot. “You’d think he’d have learned that the Thu’um isn’t about volume .”

 

“Oy, this has nothin’ ta do with Dragon Shouting! But I’m a Nord man, a warrior and a killer, and damn it all, I ain’ ashamed of it!”

 

Aerva snorted, handing a bowl to him. “Hrotto, we’re both Nords in case you forgot. And I’ve not known a single man, from here to Summerset, that loves his voice like you do.”

 

“You’ve been to the Isles?” Muiri asked eagerly. “I thought the Aldmeri Dominion barred anyone not an elf.”

“Oh, they downright kill people for trying to get into Alinor.” Aerva replied breezily, handing another bowl towards Runa. “But some of the other islands are open for visit–Silatar, Calluis Lar, Auridon. We’re confined to major cities, but I managed to sneak out to the countryside anyways.”

 

“Why’d ya do that? Not interested in a bunch of fancy knife-ears’ idea of culture?” Runa asked, sipping her soup and barely controlling her delight.

 

Aerva froze momentarily, then handed a bowl to Muiri. “Not… Quite. I had a specific reason to visit the Isles, and the service I required wasn’t… Available in settled areas.” Before Runa could ask, Aerva fired a brief but potent glare at her. “And I’m not going to elaborate further.”

 

To Babette’s surprise, Runa acquiesced. She had to remember to ask Aerva to teach her how to glare like that, it was useful. Suddenly, as she moved to sit down at the spacious table everyone was at–she’d had a bowl placed at her usual spot–she was shoved from behind. A familiar growl filled her ears as she fell over, followed by the unsettling feeling of being licked .

 

“What the Atmoran fuck is that!?” Runa screeched.

 

Babette shoved the over-eager monstrosity, and he obligingly allowed her to get up. “This is Gnaw.” she explained, petting the frightening beast. It was two-legged, with a gaping maw filled to the brim with sharp fangs, white-scaled and bearing the eyes of a predator; it looked like a mouth on legs and the nightmare of children. And he was Babette’s baby. “He’s a wickeder; they’re related to the kagouti of Morrowind, but they trade raw strength for a paralytic bite. Isn’t that right, Gnaw~?” she cooed to her baby horror, who flopped down so Babette could pet his head (she couldn’t reach it otherwise). “Who’s a good monstrosity? You are!”

 

“And… And he just hangs out here? Like a puppy?” Runa asked, still unnerved.

 

“Sure; actually, having a pet is sort of a Brotherhood thing in general.” Muiri piped in. “Over in Mathiisen they have a sea serpent hatchling, and Flynn says there was a frostbite spider in the previous Skyrim Sanctuary.”

 

Technically she was a familiar of one of our mages.” Babette clarified. “But basically yes, Liz was the old pet.”

“Huh. What… Happened to the last Sanctuary, anyhow?” Runa asked. A heavy sort of silence descended on the table at that point; even Hrottogahr bowed his head. “Oh… Shit, bad topic?” she quickly asked, trying to lighten the suddenly downcast mood.

 

“Quite, but you didn’t know. Couldn’t know.” Aerva replied softly. “The Sanctuary near Falkreath was raided three years ago by the Penitus Oculatus; only Babs, Nazir and the Listener survived, and Cicero wasn’t present at the time. Shortly after that was when they completed that branch’s last mission, to kill the Emperor, and then they moved here to Dawnstar. Hrotto and I joined then, followed by Muiri and then you.”

 

“And we got our sweet vengeance on the Penitus too, let me just say.” a new voice rang out. The tall, dark-skinned visage of Nazir sauntered up to the table. “I don’t think they found all the pieces of that Commander Maro.” He sat down at his ‘usual spot’, to the left of where Flynnach usually sat, and immediately began digging into the bowl of soup placed there.

 

Hrotto frowned. “I thought our leader took on that mission by his lonesome. Why were you there?”

 

Nazir chuckled darkly. “Don’t get me wrong; Flynnach was more than capable of doing it all on his own. But I am, at the end of the day, a simple man. If someone wrongs me, I retaliate. With violence.”

 

Runa was about to make some disparaging comment–Nazir delighted in teasing the youth, and Runa was rapidly learning to fire back properly–when Gnaw decided to introduce himself to her. His massive fanged visage, tusked and ominous, flopped onto the poor girl’s lap, and a low growl that sent Babette’s undead bones shaking emanated from him. “Uh. This is… He’s being friendly, yeah?” Runa asked shrilly. 

 

“Yes, Princess, the mouth on legs just wants pettings.” Nazir piped in.

 

Runa glowered at him, quickly ignoring the beast starting to drool on her. “Oy, fuck you, sand-ass!”



Nazir grinned evilly. “Ah, of course, how could I forget you hate that name! Perhaps another would be better? Maybe ‘shrimp’? Or ‘rat’?”

 

“Bite me, asshole! You ain’t a Redguard, you’re a Deadguard!”

 

“Oh, such wit! Clearly , you’re more of a ‘skeever’. Apologies~”

 

“I AM GOING TO KILL YOU, PAY A NECROMANCER TO REVIVE YOU, AND KILL YOU AGAIN.”

 

“You’d have to actually beat me first, child. Or even be able to reach the swords.”

 

“At least I still know how to use a damn sword! You’ve gone fucking senile, ya geezer!”

 

“Aha, is it to be a contest, then?”

 

“Your mother was a contest!”

 

Nazir’s grin widened, and he raised his hands in mock surrender. “Aha, the low-hanging fruit of repartee. Still, I applaud your spirit, so… Consider this a victory.”

 

Runa snorted. “Yeah, yeah, good game, old man.” She had actually started to pet Gnaw without really realizing it, and though she’d taken notice by now she’d internalized that the behemoth brute was just a large baby. For obvious reasons, Babette could not have children, nor did she want to have children–motherhood was one of the very few concepts she still feared. But Gnaw was her baby, and that was widely accepted. 

 

“So, Nazir, where’n the Blasphemies is the Listener at?” Hrottogahr asked after a lull. 

 

“I told you, Hrotto, he’s on his way.” Aerva cut in, annoyed. 

 

“Actually… He’s here.” a new voice said. A whisper that somehow carried across rooms. Flynnach himself promptly appeared from somewhere–the man was both exceptional at remaining unseen and unmatched in his flair for showmanship. Combine that with a clean-shaven, boyish face, slick hair, and bright blue eyes, and one would never suspect this man killed dragons and emperors alike. Intricate war-paint surrounded his right eye; it marked him as being of the Reachfolk, and he bore it with pride.

 

He was still, alas, a dramatic son of a bitch. 

 

“Oh hi honey~!” Muiri chirped.

 

“Hi honey.” Flynnach replied, grinning. He took his usual seat at the head of the large onyx table, eagerly smelling the bowl of soup. “Delightful, Aerva. Is everyone here, then?”

 

“Everyone except Cicero.” Aerva said, shrugging. 

 

“Ah, I already filled him in.” Flynnach replied casually. “Well then, I’ll cut to the heart of it. Brothers, we may have a new… Project , in the works.”

 

Project ? Like, ‘killing an Emperor’ project!?” Hrotto exclaimed.

 

“At the risk of sounding hyperbolic… Quite possibly.” Flynnach replied. But behind the usual milking of any semblance of dramatic tension that he usually had, Babette sensed he was actually telling the truth.

 

And while she should have felt excited, or bloodthirsty, or some other emotion worthy of the Dark Brotherhood, Babette could only think of how the last 'project' cost her most of a Family. And suddenly, she was afraid again.

Chapter 2: Misc. Texts 1

Summary:

The equivalent of 'in-universe' stories and publications, which don't necessarily advance the story but provide insight and additional content.

Chapter Text

 

-A Lament for Assassins Assassinated

 

[This was found carved into the cliff walls near the ruined Falkreath Sanctuary of the Dark Brotherhood.]

 

HERE LIES a Family, not of blood but of blade. May their suffering have ceased evermore.

ASTRID, loving Matron and wife, who followed her heart into ruin. She is forgiven for her fallacy, of course.

ARNBJORN BLIND-EYE, who had the soul of a wolf yet the heart of a Brother. You were avenged swiftly, fret not.

FESTUS KREX, who pursued the Clever Craft with ardent fervor. Your insights will help me for the rest of my journeys.

GABRIELLA HLAALU, who embraced Death like none other. Know that you were loved, and are not forgotten.

VEEZARA, last of the Shadowscales, who was unafraid of Change. May your tale float along the river, Brother.

 

-Autopsy Report: Commander Antillan Maro

 

Written by Styrr Crypt-Wheel under the light of ARKAY, performed in the Hall of the Dead in Solitude.

 

Middle-aged Imperial, perished from exsanguination caused by the systematic removal of the arms and legs; reports from another of the Penitus Oculatus state that the man had conversed with him the morning of the day I estimate he was killed, and had an air of ‘melancholy, yet pride at a job well-done’. The body was discovered hanging from the prow of the I.N.S Katariah three moons ago, coinciding with the (as yet unexplained) panics at Castle Dour and the upper nobility of Solitude. The pressure to examine the man’s body, as an aside, is startling.

 

Far be it from a humble servant of Arkay to gossip, but I cannot help but point out that, as tragic and horrible as Commander Maro’s murder was, something else happened on that ship. Something awful.

 

-’Where is The Dragonborn?’

 

[from a 4E202 edition of the Sweetroll Courier news-letters]

 

It was only one year prior, dear reader, that the Dragons returned to plague Skyrim. And on the eve of the first year since the World-Eater Treaty, our intrepid scholars ask a question that everyone from Morthal to Dawnstar is asking: Where is the Hero that journeyed into Sovngarde? Read on for an exclusive interview with Flynnach, the Breton himself, and testimonies from Jarl Balgruff of Whiterun, Legate Rikke of the Imperial Legion, and the housecarl of the Dovahkiin, Lydia Stone-Back. ALSO: ten tips to make your hearth more eye catching, and the search for the best smoked horker in the province!

 

Memospore Transmission: Analysis of Subreal 10996x1/0 of the 5th-Style Spinning, for the Intraplanar Research Agency of the Aurbic Empire

 

From the notes of I.R.A Agent Ivhan Macluresson

 

[Note to self: I’ll chuck this at the Quill-Beyond before submitting to HQ. He’ll probably be able to use it for his ‘audience’.]

 

Subreal is two years ahead of baseline 5th-Style, circa year 203 of the Fourth Era. The resurgence of the Dovahkiin (in the form of the Reachman, Flynnach Endwalker), the defeat/dethroning of Alduin, and the foiling of Sharmat Miraak’s plot have all occurred as standard. The Prophecy of the Sun has not been started in earnest, and the Dawnguard remain in a ‘cold war’ with the Volkihar. The Greybeards, incensed by the murder of Paarthurnax, renounced their service to him and barred access to High Hrothgar once again. The Dragonguard Blades, meanwhile, are on the rise, with the base at Sky Haven Temple quietly amassing strength and observing the political climate, and securing the aid of the independent Orc Strongholds.

 

The Civil War is on-going, though heavily leaning towards Stormcloak victory; the Empire only holds Solitude, and the murder of Titus Mede II severely demoralized the Legion. This, in addition, led Jarl Balgruuf of Whiterun to ally with the Stormcloaks, and Eorlund Gray-Mane agreed to supply them with Skyforge Steel weaponry. The movement’s success, combined with the general inadequacy of replacement Emperor Cassynder Glovid, has notably emboldened most of the kingdoms in neighboring High Rock, which are plotting their own secession with the aid of Hammerfell. All this has begun to place significant pressure on the Aldmeri Dominion, who fear an ‘alliance of free Men’ may result from this. 

 

The Dark Brotherhood is heavily resurgent; after the baseline events involving Astrid and the Emperor, the Dragonborn has begun reforming the organization. Sanctuaries are again active in Imperial and Dominion territories [specific bases are in Kvatch and Mathiisen], and a tenuous alliance is present between the Brotherhood and the An-Xileel of Argonia. The Skyrim branch, under Flynnach’s guidance, have continued to amass high-profile contracts, gold and infamy; other notable kills beyond the baseline include King Vortog of Orsinium-Thrice, the Motierre line of politicians, Aldmeri Battlereeve Paelonnimo, and Thanes Erikur the Sly and Bryling Far-Spear of Solitude.

 

The lot of the Reachfolk has become quite faceted for a Variant. Flynnach, using his status as a Shezzarine Hero and Nord legend, has campaigned for his people to be more formally recognized by the rest of Skyrim. This has, in turn, led to a ‘counter-movement’ to the Forsworn, wherein the various tribes and other descendants to more steadfastly assert their heritage without excess violence; as a result, in Markarth there is now an active Embassy to help explain and defend their beliefs. The Forsworn, however, are still a prominent threat in the Reach, and there are unsubstantiated rumors of back-room collaboration with the Embassy. 

 

The College of Winterhold has been effectively neutralized; during Ancano’s scheme, everyone at the College was somehow discorporated, and Jarl Korir has blocked off and condemned the building. The Thieves Guild is still struggling under the curse of Nocturnal, and have largely been written off as a credible threat even in Riften. The Companions lost Harbinger Kodlak to illness, but the appointment of Skjor has ensured they remain steadfast and consistent with baseline.

 

The Dovahkiin has largely abandoned his adventurer career to lead the nascent Brotherhood, and has withdrawn from the public eye as a result. The commonly-accepted theory amongst the people of Skyrim is that he simply absconded to a quiet life with his wife Muiri, a theory which he reinforces with occasional ‘appearances’ in major cities and/or public events such as festivals or funerals. Despite this, he maintains relatively close ties to his native Reachman tribe, who started the Embassy in Markarth.

Notes:

Here we go, fellas! This is the first of a few 'post-Skyrim' stories I have floating around my head, exploring what happens to various takes on the player after the main storyline(s). This first is Krii-Ahmik, or Death-Service, and follows the Dark Brotherhood. Any and all comments are welcome, and thanks for reading!

Series this work belongs to: