Dear Lydia:
This is to let you know that I made it safely to Solstheim. There is something odd going on here, and I haven’t decided what it is, yet. Nobody seems to know who Miraak is. Or rather, they all know the name, but they aren’t sure why. The captain who brought me here from Windhelm couldn’t remember, either. You can send messages to me at the Retching Netch (don’t ask) in Raven Rock. I hope Roggi is doing better. Love to Lucia. – Dardeh
Dear Roggi:
There is something really wrong here. There are these stone altars that draw people in at night and nobody remembers working on them. I’ve watched them doing it. Nobody knows who Miraak is either, but the Second Councilor thought it had something to do with a temple. I helped clear out the old ebony mine in Raven Rock thinking it might be the temple but it’s not.
I did find an odd book, though. It took me to a place where I saw Hermaeus Mora. You know all the old stories, I’m sure you know who Hermaeus Mora is. He thinks he’s going to make me his servant, that’s what he told me the last time I saw him. But the place, Roggi. It’s all full of books, and tentacles, and it’s…green.
When I came out it was into a barrow with some Reaver bandits and… I killed them all. I don’t even remember doing it. Looking at the bodies… I don’t mind telling you that I’m kind of nervous, and I wish you were here with me, because I don’t know what’s happening to me. I’d give anything to see you right now and I… I can’t send this to you now that I’ve put that on the paper. I’ll keep it and maybe sometime I’ll show it to you.
Dear Dardeh:
I’m relieved to hear that the passage was safe and things are going well in Raven Rock, mystery notwithstanding. Lucia misses you. Well, so do I. Roggi mostly slept for the first week or so after you left, on and off. Then he got up and started moving around, and he seemed much better. He was restless, though, so a few days after he got up, I put him on the carriage to Windhelm. I hope he went to Kynesgrove and didn’t follow you, because that’s what he kept saying he wanted to do. Lucia got stern with him. Keep yourself safe, Dardeh. Talos watch over you. – Lydia
Dear Lydia:
Thank you for the news. Roggi didn’t show up in Raven Rock, so he must have gone home to Kynesgrove, and that’s good. Things here are progressing. I found an old temple, huge and very deep, where the Miraak cultists seem to be centered. I went through it with Frea, daughter of the shaman of a village of Skaal – Nords like us but of a different line, much older. Their people are being enslaved, Lydia, and I have to help them. I think it has something to do with Miraak. I don’t know how long this is going to take but I can’t leave until they are safe. Would you do something for me? Send word to Roggi that I am fine. I keep trying to write to him but there’s just no time. Thank you. Love to Lucia too. – Dardeh
Dear Roggi –
I went.. into a book and I saw him. I saw Miraak. He was with these creatures that I can’t even begin to describe, huge, hairy, floating things with strong magic. Seekers. He stood there and mocked me for being weak. Then he Shouted – Dragon Aspect, I recognized the words. It makes you powerful. He was surrounded by these auras. I wanted to kill him, Roggi. I wanted to rip his heart out for hurting you and I couldn’t get to him. But what he doesn’t know is that I have learned one of the words of that Shout for myself. We’ll see who is powerful in the end.
The Skaal shaman sent me up into the mountains to find another Shout that allowed me to remove the curse on the stone in Raven Rock and the one near the Skaal village. I had to kill a dragon, but Miraak stole its soul. Then when I tried to clear the stones these horrid, huge monsters came out of the water near them and attacked. They killed so many people. Or maybe I did, by Shouting at the stones. I don’t even know anymore. Yes, I do know, it was these creatures that did it, the Lurkers. I killed the Lurkers, for certain.
Roggi, when I talked to the Skaal shaman he asked me whether I was Dragonborn and I told him yes. He said that maybe I would free them, or maybe I would bring about their destruction. Would I do that, Roggi? Am I making a mistake? And then he said “Beware, you are now walking the same road as Miraak.” Is that what is happening to me? Do I have any choice? I can’t just leave these people to him, can I?
Old Herma Mora told me the same thing. He told me that only one other person has found the forbidden knowledge I seek and that’s Miraak. He said “I know what you want – your power as Dragonborn, to bend the will of mortals to your bidding.” I think he meant the rest of the Bend Will Shout, but Roggi, what if that’s not what he meant? Do I really want power over people? I’m really scared right now and I wish I could talk to you. All I really want is to come home and make sure you’re all right because I… I can’t send this to you either because you would hate me if I told you that I love you, wouldn’t you. Maybe someday.
Dear Dardeh:
I wish you would write more often. It’s been so long now and we’re really worried. We’re hearing more and more about the war going on. I keep thinking they’re going to force Balgruuf into letting the Imperial soldiers into Whiterun, and I just don’t think I can take that. Or maybe he’ll send us into battle, and if that happens you know he will call me up, and I’m worried about what will happen to Lucia. So far it’s still quiet, but it’s worrisome. There are more dragons, too. I’ve heard rumors. They can be killed, if enough people work together, but the bodies just sit there; they don’t burn up the way they do if you’re there. I don’t know whether they will come back to life or not.
I tried to send word to Roggi after your last letter but the courier came back with it and said that Roggi had gone to Riften, and he couldn’t locate him down there. I’ll keep trying. I like Roggi and I’m worried about him. Please, please be safe and come home to us soon. Talos guide you. – Lydia
Dear Lydia:
I’m sorry to hear that things are getting restless again back home. I don’t know when I can leave. I’m closing in on Miraak but it seems as though it’s taking longer than I thought. I met an old – and I do mean old – Telvanni wizard who dragged me through an old Dwemer ruin to find a book I probably need to fight Miraak. I don’t even know how to describe it any more except that it’s very complicated. I’m not even sure how long it’s been. Things are very strange here. I’ll see you as soon as I can. – Dardeh
Dear Roggi:
I’m pretty sure that I’m losing my mind. When I go into one of the Black Books I end up in the green place. Herma Mora called it Apocrypha. I think it’s a plane of Oblivion, and I really can’t believe I’m saying this. It’s really dangerous in there and I’ve come close to dying more times than I can remember. At the end of one of them I learned a thing. A… thing. When I use Unrelenting Force now it’s so much stronger. Remember the snow bear, on the way up to High Hrothgar? I think my Shout would tear him into pieces, now. I’m so much stronger now, Roggi, but I keep hearing my father’s voice telling me to kill them all and … I think I want to do that. Not only that, but now I know two of the words of Dragon Aspect. It helped me make it through one of the places in a Black Book. I’m so strong now.
I don’t even know how to describe it to you in a way that won’t make you hate me, because you’re a good man and I don’t think I am, any more. When I came out of the book in the Dwemer ruin, I told Neloth that I had to find the secret knowledge of the Skaal in order to get the last word of Bend Will from Herma Mora. Neloth said it sounded like a bargain, their knowledge and I get to be the second most powerful Dragonborn that ever lived. Second? Only second? I was so angry. I wanted to burn everything down. Second? And… then I remembered you, and why I am here, and how much I want to come home to you.
And I will never be able to tell you any of this, will I. Lydia says you’ve gone to Riften. Did you find Dagnell? Have you run off with her? Because I know you love her.
Gods I am miserable, Roggi.
But I can’t give up now. I’m so close to finding Miraak. And I’m going to kill him because he dared to hurt you.
