The Ebony Blade

The Elder Scrolls: Arena

Part Two

The Ebony Blade

(The first part of this series can be found here)

    I spent the next few days after my desperate escape from the Imperial dungeons getting some much needed rest in a small village in Skyrim called Oakwood. I had been doing odd jobs around town to earn some coin, from delivering items and letters to escorting villagers to and from the local shops. It seemed even in a quiet town like this, danger lurked around every darkened corner. But after a few days of errand running, I knew that in order to stop the foul Battlemage Jagar Tharn, I would need more than a few coins and the earned respect of the locals. I decided to head out into the wilds to hone my skills.

    After a bit of exploration I came across a small farm. I looked around for the owner of the farm to see if I could assist with any trouble with raiders or goblins or the like; anything I could do to help. But instead of giving me more chores, he ended up sharing the exact information I needed. He spoke of a man he met at the Lucky Dragon Inn in Oakwood who boasted that he knew how to find the fabled Ebony Blade. I thanked him for the tip and headed straight there. This was just the sort of weapon I would need against Tharn and his twisted followers.

The Lucky Dragon was a raucous and smoky tavern, but I found the man without difficulty. Above the din of the pub he loudly bragged, “Oh I don’t know where the Ebony Blade itself is, but I know where to find the map to it! But it’ll cost ya!” The man wanted 750 gold pieces for this information, but seeing how drunk he was I “convinced” him to tell me for 500. He reached for my map and scribbled down an X and a name: The Hole of Tragondon. The dungeon's name itself made me uneasy, but it was where he put it down on the map that worried me most. I was headed to Morrowind.

Join me next time in my travels to Morrowind and beyond where I will search ancient dungeons and crypts, and fight deadly foes. All part of my quest to complete all of the Elder Scrolls games. Follow me @SKYE2117 for more of my time in Arena. Or play it for yourself for free by downloading it at http://www.elderscrolls.com/arena.

Good luck adventurers,

- Skye

The Elder Scrolls: Arena Day One

    I awoke in a sparse and dimly-lit prison cell, left for dead by an imposter to the Imperial throne. In a dream the ghostly visage of a woman explained to me my situation; the Imperial Battlemage has betrayed the Emperor, imprisoned him in an unknown dimension, and usurped his throne. The woman goes on to tell me that she was murdered before she could reveal the Battlemage's evil plot. It is up to me to find a way to unmask his scheme and save Tamriel before it is too late. This is The Elder Scrolls: Arena.

Day One

    I explore my cell and stumble upon a key that opens the door. Outside my cell I find a pile of used equipment and grab a sword and shield, for through the darkness of this prison I can hear the footsteps and scratchings of unknown creatures. Soon enough I encounter a group of goblins, armed to the teeth, forcing me to fight for my life as I try desperately to find and escape from this hell. After hours of sneaking around darkened corridors and crawling through filthy sewer drains, I finally spot a glimmer of the magical phase gate created by my ethereal guide that will hopefully take me far away from these Imperial prisons and back to my home country.

    I emerge in a small city of Skyrim. I run up to the first person I see and ask about the nearest inn where I can get some much needed rest. While there maybe I can find some work and ask around for information that might help me in my seemingly impossible adventure. Soon I will be off exploring dungeons, wilds, cities and farms in a quest to find an ancient relic to defeat the Emperor's imposter and restore peace to Tamriel.

    This is my New Year’s Quest: to play through all of The Elder Scrolls games in order. Stay tuned for more adventures of my Nord Barbarian (pictured above) by following me on Twitter @SKYE2117 and here at Dear Backlog for more articles. Or better yet join me in my quest! You can get The Elder Scrolls: Arena as part of The Elder Scrolls Anthology or you can download it for free at http://www.elderscrolls.com/arena.

Good luck adventurers,

- Skye