INUH's Skyrim journal

ClockworkUniverse

Ma'Darra's journal. Loredas, 29 Last Seed, around 9 PM.

Made the hike up to High Hrothgar without incident. Once I was there, I gave the Greybeards the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller, and they did a ceremony confirming me as dovahkiin. It involved teaching me the third and final word of unrelenting force ("dah," meaning "push"), making "fus ro dah" the first complete shout I've learned. Then they shouted at me for a bit; I didn't understand much of it, but "dovahkiin" was in there somewhere. It was pretty interesting.

And then I hiked back down to Ivarstead. I'll stay here for the night, then head back to Whiterun before deciding what to do next.

ClockworkUniverse

Ma'Darra's journal. Sundas, 30 Last Seed, around noon.

I returned to Whiterun, stored away what I needed to store, sold what I needed to sell and gave the plans to Aela. After that, I got some training from Farkas and Eorland. 

I heard that Kodlak wanted to see me, so I visited him. What he explained to me was...disturbing. Apparently, the werewolf blood was given to the Companions by witches in the service of Hircine, and the price is that those who take it are claimed by Hircine in the afterlife. Some may choose this, but I wasn't warned of it. It's not what I want. So I'm going to help Kodlak find a cure. The first step is to bring him one of the witches' heads. Sadly, their coven is probably the single point on my map of Skyrim farthest from any major city, so I might not get out there for awhile. I think I'll see what Delphine's up to in Riverwood.

ClockworkUniverse

Ma'Darra's journal. Morndas, 31 Last Seed, around 5 AM.

Delphine sent me to Solitude to meet a contact in the embassy. Apparently, I'll be infiltrating the party as a guest. I caught a carriage from Whiterun and slept during the ride.

First thing I saw when I arrived in Solitude was a man being executed for helping the Stormcloaks. Lovely. I hope to see the city freed one day. I don't like the Stormcloaks all that much, but I really can't stand the Imperials, so I'd like to see a free Skyrim one day.

Anyway, I gave the contact my gauntlets and some potions. I'm not good at this sneaky stuff, so I want to be ready if I'm caught.

Delphine gave me an outfit to wear and an invitation, and she'll hold onto my things while I'm at the party. I'm headed off as soon as possible.

ClockworkUniverse

Ma'Darra's journal. Morndas, 31 Last Seed, around 12:30 PM.

Well, with my contact's help, I sneaked away from the party and found the Thalmor's info about the dragons. As expected, they know nothing. Delphine's just paranoid. They think the Blades' loremaster on dragons, whom they suspect to be in hiding in Riften, might know something. They were interrogating a prisoner about him when I arrived in their dungeon. I freed the prisoner and escaped through a trapdoor they use for corpse disposal (okay, evidently, Delphine's at least right about the Thalmor not being good people), but both he and my contact at the embassy were killed by a frost troll down there.

It feels...empty. I have a lead, but I wish they hadn't died.

I'm on a carriage back to Whiterun, and from there, I'll meet Delphine in Riverwood. I'd better not have to go to Riften. Bad memories.

ClockworkUniverse

Just for the hell of it, I'm going to post a picture:

Ma'Darra overlooking Whiterun.

MadassAlex

I wish I could read this, but, goddamn, spoilers. :<

Once I've finished the main quest, though...

ClockworkUniverse

How far into the main quest are you?

MadassAlex

Pretty early. I've done more Stormcloak, Companion and miscellaneous missions. In terms of the main quest, I'm right after you [witness the revival of a dragon with Delphine].

ClockworkUniverse

Hmmm...Ma'Darra isn't very far after that. You could just read up to that point.

MadassAlex

Then I made my way back to Riverwood. On the way, I caught and ate some salmon in the river. I hate being stereotypical, but I love fish!

---

I laughed out loud at this. Good characterisation.

ClockworkUniverse

Thanks

I actually haven't been eating three meals a day like I initially planned, though I've been doing a good job of getting in eight hours of sleep almost every night.

ClockworkUniverse

Ma'Darra's journal. Tirdas, 1 Heartfire, around 11:30 PM

I guess it was a given that the next entry here would be from Riften. Sure enough, Delphine sent me back to my least favorite city in Skyrim, so I headed back to Whiterun and hopped on a carriage.

I came by Riften a few days ago in the course of searching for the Wuthrad fragments, but I didn't go in, so that was all fine. Actually staying in the city again, though, makes me want to punch something. Riften was half the reason I tried to leave Skyrim in the first place.

When the carriage arrived, I attempted to enter the city gate, only for the guard to explain that I had to pay a large "tax" to enter the city. As I was in the process of explaining that I don't fall for that sort of thing, I was interrupted by that same dragon I saw last time I was in the area, flying overhead before returning to its nest (I think it's at the top of the mountains to the northeast?). I took advantage of the confusion to slip into the city. I think before I leave town again, I'll pay the dragon a little visit.

Sure enough, the first thing I heard in town was two people talking about how much the Thieves Guild was screwing the town over. Seems nothing's changed there.

I headed into the local inn and asked around about if anyone had seen an old man trying to keep to himself. A red-haired Nord offered to tell me if I'd do something questionably legal for him. I'm certainly not doing that after all my encounters with the Thieves Guild.

Fortunately, the inkeeper was able to tell me that Esbern had been seen in...the Ratways. Lovely. I never went down there, but like anyone who stayed in Riften for any amount of time, I've heard the stories. I suppose I'll have to go there in the morning...I hate this city. Well, maybe there's an alchemist here who doesn't hate me. Those glowing plants still have me curious.

ClockworkUniverse

Ma'Darra's journal. Middas, 2 Heartfire, around 6:40 PM

To procrastinate on going to the ratways, I first stopped by the local alchemist. He was selling a few recipes, and I bought one for an invisibility potion. Chaurus eggs and luna moth wings are the ingredients. He was only selling the former, but I think I should be able to find the latter at some point. Still no idea what to do with the glowing plant...oh, well.

Then I descended into the Ratway. It wasn't as bad as I'd heard; it was worse. Half the people I met just charged at me with weapons. Eventually, I wound up in a seedy bar, where I asked about Esbern. The bartender was exceedingly rude, but a punch to the face sorted that right out, and he gave me directions to Esbern's hideout, where I found the sturdiest-looking door I've ever seen. I explained through a little peephole that Delphine and I needed his help to stop the dragons. After disengaging maybe fifteen to twenty locks, he let me in.

He explained that that huge spiky dragon is called Alduin, and that it's an immortal creature destined to devour the world. Cheerful fellow. He then explained that it was impossible to stop him, as there wasn't a dragonborn. I was happy to provide some good news on that account. Learning that there was hope, he agreed to come with me back to Riverwood.

On the way out, we encountered some Thalmor agents, but they were no match for my claws and Esbern's magic.

After we reached the surface, I kind of wanted to get out of Riften as soon as possible, but I took a moment to sell some things and practice my smithing.

Then we headed North to see if we could spot that dragon's nest, but it was really foggy and it was hard to tell if there was anything like that up there. Maybe another time.

For now, Esbern and I are taking the carriage to Whiterun.

ClockworkUniverse

Ma'Darra's journal. Fredas, 4 Heartfire, around 2:30 AM.

Returned to Riverwood with Esbern. He explained to us that Alduin can't be defeated under normal circumstances, but that there was a wall containing a prophecy about how to defeat him, "Alduin's Wall." I didn't really follow why, but they suspect that the lost temple it's in, Skyhaven Temple, is at a place called Karthspire. So I hopped onto a carriage to Markarth, the nearest city. to Karthspire.

I arrived very late, so I went into the city to stop at the inn, only to see someone kill a woman while screaming about how the Forsworn were the true rulers of Markarth, only for the guards to put him down.

Is this one of those occasions when being from Skyrim would help me figure out what in Oblivion is going on?

A man passing by asked me if I was okay, then slipped me a note telling me to meet him in the now-disused temple of Talos. He was suspicious about the incident, I think. I'll stop by in the morning...it's really, really late.

ClockworkUniverse

Ma'Darra's journal. Fredas, 4 Heartfire, around 1:30 PM.

I apologize to Riften. Markarth is the worst city in Skyrim.

So I went to meet with the guy. That thing that happened yesterday? Perfectly normal. The guards never do anything about it; they just clean up the bodies. He asked me to look into both the killer and the victim.

Well, on my way to do that, I ran into a Vigilant of Stendarr. He was investigating an abandoned house, which was apparently being used for Daedra worship. Now, I'm not all that much of a religious scholar, so generally, when I think of Daedra, I think of those little imps wizards summon sometimes. Nothing major. So sure, I offer to help him take care of an infestation of pests. No big deal, right?

Wrong. Soon enough, we were sealed in with stuff levitating off the floor and a voice telling us both to kill each other. I've never been one to listen to random disembodied Daedra voices. But as I was figuring out how to knock out the door or a wall or something like a sane person would, he pulled a knife on me, so I had to kill him. Way to go.

After that, the voice made me go downstairs to claim my reward. Since the door wasn't opening, I really pretty much had to go along with it, so I went downstairs and found a lovely spiky black altar with a pool of blood in it and a rusty mace with a screaming face carved into it floating above it. Lovely. I stood on the altar, as instructed, and a massive spiky black cage appeared around me.

The voice then identified itself as the Daedra lord Molag Bal (again, not a religous scholar, but even I know that that's not someone you want to lock you in a cage). Molag Bal explained that before I could claim my reward, I had to go find...really, I'm not sure, I wasn't really paying attention so much as I was going "yes, sure, I'll do it, just let me out." And once he was done explaining, he promised me great rewards for fulfilling my task, then I ran out of the house as fast as my legs could carry me and I'm never going back in there again.

Then I went back to the inn and chugged three ales.

And I still have to go investigate that conspiracy stuff.

Fuck Markarth.

ClockworkUniverse

Ma'Darra's journal. Fredas, 4 Heartfire, around 8:30 PM.

I...just...how did this day get worse?!

So I looked into all that. Long story short, there's a conspiracy whereby the Foresworn king, who was captured when the Nords took Markarth over, is kept in an inescapable jail but allowed to send messages to his followers.

Of course, in the process of finding this out, I was intimidated by assorted people, and when that failed, a few people tried to kill me. Nevertheless, I pressed on, wanting to get to the bottom of all of this. Once I did, I headed back to the temple to find Eltrys dead with three Markarth city guards standing over him. They told me that I shouldn't have looked into it and that I was going to be thrown into the aforementioned inescapable jail.

I'm sure that at this point, I could have infiltrated the jail, assassinated the Foresworn king for the justice of Skyrim and staged an uprising among the unjustly imprisoned or something, but fuck that. I ran. Had to fight my way past every guard in Markarth. I think I killed at least two of them.

Once I got out of the city, I jumped in the river (which, as it happens, is filled with slaughterfish) and swam downstream toward the island that Karthspire's on.

It seems the way up involves passing through a Foresworn raider camp.

As I arrived, I saw them take out a dragon with flaming arrows.

At least I was able to reach the corpse and absorb the soul so I could learn that "kaan" means "kyne." I can shout it to pacify animals.

And now I get to go through the camp. This...this isn't going to be fun.

ClockworkUniverse

Ma'Darra's journal. Loredas, 5 Heartfire, around 12:50 AM.

My luck finally turned around. As I was headed to the raider camp, I happened across Esbern and Delphine, who had already taken out half the camp before I'd reached it. I guess you don't become the last two surviving Blades in Skyrim by sitting around being lazy.

We soon arrived in the temple, where we found Alduin's Wall. It was gorgeous. It was essentially a brief summary of the existence of dragons, encompassing everything from the past to the future.

But the most immediately relevant point is that the ancient Nord heroes defeated Alduin using a shout. So my next course of action will be to ask the Graybeards.

Incidentally, Delphine doesn't seem to like the Graybeards because they're pacifists. I've noticed that she really doesn't seem to like anyone but Blades and Dragonborn.

Hmmm...now to plan my course of action. I'll sleep here in the temple; there are beds. Glenmoril Coven is actually pretty near here...I should stop by there. After that, I guess I could walk back to Whiterun...Markarth is more or less off-limits now, so I can't catch a carriage there...Falkreath, perhaps?

I'll figure it out later.

ClockworkUniverse

Ma'Darra's journal. Loredas, 5 Heartfire, around 7 PM.

And today started out so good, too...

I took out another of those Dark Brotherhood assassins (apparently, they aren't as good at their job as in the stories) on the way to the Glenmoril Coven. Just inside, I found one of the witches, who attacked me. I killed her, took her head for Kodlak and left. They don't really seem to have done anything worth revenge-killing; the afterlife werewolves go to would actually be a good fit for most of the Companions.

I made my way East from there, to Riverwood. Freed a Stormcloak soldier from some Imperials along the way, just because. I sold some loot and did some smithing in Riverwood (I finally figured out the methods for Orcish armor, and made myself a nice new helmet), before going back to Whiterun.

Well, it turns out the Silver Hand actually had the gall to attack Jorrvaskr and steal the Wuthrad fragments. And they killed Kodlak. I'm headed to Dawnstar with Vilkas, and from there to wipe out their main headquarters. After that...I don't know what I'm going to do.

ClockworkUniverse

Ma'Darra's journal. Sundas, 6 Heartfire, around 8 PM.

Vilkas and I arrived in Dawnstar very early in the morning, and took advantage of the hour to attack the hideout just before dawn. It went down without incident, and we recovered the fragments of Wuthrad.

I'd like to note that there was a werewolf in a cage in the camp, and when I let it out, it attacked us. See, if the Silver Hand just killed the feral ones, they'd be heroes, while as it is, they're psychotic murderers.

Then we returned to Whiterun, just in time for Kodlak's funeral. It was a good ceremony, a cremation atop the Skyforge. Afterwards, Eorland asked me to retrieve the final piece of Wuthrad from Kodlak's room so it could be reforged. While in there, I noticed his journal. I normally wouldn't have read it, but I saw my name.

Apparently, he was really relying on me to cure him...depressed about that, I brought the shard to Eorland, who told me to meet Farkas, Vilkas and Aela in the Underforge.

I did so, and they finally gave me some good news: that by taking Wuthrad to the tomb of Ysgramor, we could cleanse Kodlak's soul even after his death. Eorland gave me the reforged Wuthrad to carry there (I don't use weapons, but keeping it with me is more symbolic than anything).

And now I'm on a carriage to Winterhold. Let's do this.

ClockworkUniverse

Ma'Darra's journal. Morndas, 7 Heartfire, around 11:50 PM.

When I arrived in Winterhold, the local shopkeeper was arguing with her brother about a deal she'd gotten burned on. I asked about it and she said that there was a coral dragon claw (which I recognized as resembling the gold and sapphire ones I'd found earlier) she'd bought, which was supposedly connected to a nearby barrow. I don't know where that barrow is, but I bought it for fifty gold. I'll have to check that out sometime.

Then I descended into the tomb of Ysgramor. There I offered the head of the Glenmoril witch to a flame and killed the beast that lived within Kodlak, allowing him to proceed to Sovngard.

But I'm still a werewolf. Apparently, I needed another head if I wanted to cure myself. Oops. I'll, um, I'll do that later, I guess?

Before he left, Kodlak made me take his position within the Companions. So I'm not really a leader, but people will probably look to me for advice, I guess? I think I can handle that, probably.

While looking through Kodlak's things, before bed after returning to Jorrvaskr, I noticed an odd pink gem. Not like any I've ever seen. I should see if I can get it identified sometime.

Next, I suppose I should head for High Hrothgar again...more walking. Fun.

ClockworkUniverse

Ma'Darra's journal. Tirdas, 8 Heartfire, around 10:40 PM.

The walk to High Hrothgar was uneventful. According to the Graybeards, the shout I need is called Dragonrend. They refuse to learn it, since it was born of hatred. Fair enough, but matters at the moment are sufficiently pressing that I'm going to learn it anyway.

They sent me to consult with their leader, Paarthunax, who lives at the summit of the Throat. To reach it, I had to pass through bitterly cold mists; the Graybeards taught me the "clear skies" shout ("lok vah koor," meaning "sky, spring, summer).

At the summit, I met Paarthunax. He was taller than I expected. Also, scalier. I suppose it makes sense that the leader of the Graybeards was the dragon who first taught mortals how to shout. Before he discussed Dragonrend with me, he taught me the second word of the fire breath shout, "toor," meaning "inferno."

Afterwards, he asked why I wanted to kill Alduin. He accepted the obvious answer "I don't want the world to end." Then he explained that not only does he not know Dragonrend, he can't. Apparently, the shout is a collections of concepts that apply to mortals but not to Dragons.

So I asked him where I could learn it, and that's where it got complicated.

Alduin's original defeat was actually only a delay that cast him forward to this time. This was done using something Paarthunax called a "kel," in mortal tongue known as an "Elder Scroll." They're apparently invaluable artifacts from outside time. The defeat occurred at the summit of the Throat of the World and created a wound in time there. Thus, if I can find a kel and bring it to the summit, I can cast myself back in time and ask the original creators of Dragonrend to teach it to me.

I went back down to High Hrothgar and asked the Graybeards about it. Apparently, the Mage's College in Winterhold could tell me where to find one. I guess in the morning I'll head that way. It's too late to hike down the mountain, so I'm staying with the Graybeards for the night.

ClockworkUniverse

Ma'Darra's journal. Middas, 9 Heartfire, around 6:40 PM.

I walked to Windhelm. Not sure I like this city much either...really Whiterun's the only city in Skyrim so far that I can actually say I like. Some I'm neutral on, but Whiterun? Whiterun's home.

Anyway, Windhelm. First impression was some Nords ranting at a Dunmer for daring to not be a Nord. Lovely.

Apparently, there was a mass migration here from Morrowind a long time ago, and since then, Dunmer have been second-class citizens. I made a point of stopping by their general store first when the time came to sell some of my loot and buy supplies. I'm sure the owner appreciated it.

I considered stopping by the castle to join the Stormcloaks, but I can't really afford that long-term of a commitment to a job right now. Maybe once Alduin's all taken care of, I can sign up. I bet the Imperials would be pretty scared to hear that.

I heard some talk of that person here who's been trying to contact the Dark Brotherhood (apparently he's still at it), but with a detail the bartender in Riverwood didn't mention: he's a little kid. I broke into the house to find him...I don't even want to think about the ritual he was doing...oddly enough, though, he seemed like a nice kid.

He assumed that I was in the Dark Brotherhood, and asked me to kill the owner of the orphanage he'd been sent to in Riften, because she was cruel to children. Hmmm...it's Riften, and he seemed fairly nice other than having been driven to try to summon the Dark Brotherhood. I'm willing to believe that she might actually just be that cruel. I'm going to do it. I can't let some kid get involved with the real Dark Brotherhood.

After that, I did some smithing. Can't let myself get rusty. My armor's now all Orcish and I feel like I've improved a good deal.

The next stop was the alchemist. He didn't have Luna Moth wings, nor did he have a recipe I'd be interested in, but he did have a quick job for me. He'd tracked down a legendary alchemical device to a cave west of Windhelm, but was too sick to go get it. I'd be happy to retrieve it for him, as it's not too far. But it's too late to do that and come back now, so I'm going to take a nap and set off to do that very early in the morning.

ClockworkUniverse

Turdas, 10 Heartfire, around 12:30 PM. 

Early this morning, I set out to retrieve the White Phial. Can't delay on life-or-death matters. 

Along the way, I saw Alduin himself fly out of the sky. Remaining hidden, I approached to find him resurrecting another dragon. Once Alduin left, I left my hiding place and attacked the dragon, ripping it apart with my claws. Got its soul, bones and scales. Didn't have any dragon words I hadn't already deciphered, though.

In the process of descending into the tomb beneath the cave, I found a dragon wall, which taught me the word “krii.” The soul I'd just absorbed informed me that it meant “kill.” Its Thu'um weakens an enemy, making it easier to kill. 

At the bottom of the tomb, I found an alchemist's lab. It contained the phial, and lots of alchemist's supplies as well. There weren't any Luna Moth wings, but I found several Torchbug's thoraxes. On the wild guess that glowing bugs that come out at night might have similar properties, I combined some of these with Chaurus eggs. It didn't make an invisibility potion, but rather a sort of energy drink. Not what I was hoping for, but it's a potion that I made, and I'm quite satisfied with that. 

I'm far less satisfied with the phial. I returned it to the alchemist, only for him to explain that it's useless in its current state. He paid me five Septims for my trouble. I was almost offended, until his assistant led me downstairs, handed me a bag of five-hundred Septims, and explained that after all, the man had just learned that there was nothing he could do about his disease. A good point. I wish I could do more to help him. 

But for now, I guess I just have to head to Winterhold to look into the Kel.

ClockworkUniverse

Fredas, 11 Heartfire, around 1 AM.

Came to Winterhold. Inquiring at the college...did not go as expected. At all. I showed up at the bottom of the ramp...bridge...thing from Winterhold there, and there was someone blocking it. Apparently, not just anyone can enter. First, she asked why I wanted in. I said it was for information about a kel. That got me a blank look, until I said "elder scroll."

Then she asked what kind of magic I specialized in. Um...none? Thankfully, they accepted "being dovahkiin" as an answer, after the demonstration of a thu'um. So they let me in, and after a short tour...took me to my first class.

Perhaps I should have been more specific about my reason for coming. I didn't mean "I'd like to spend years studying arcane lore, with the goal of understanding the elder scrolls." I meant "I need to get my hands on a scroll right now or a dragon will eat the world."

That said, the first class wasn't too long, and it was pretty interesting. We covered the use of wards. I already had a ward spell, but I hadn't really tried it out. I quite liked it. I'm to meet up with my class in the morning to learn about a local archaeological dig.

The school has a well-stocked alchemist's lab. No luna moth wings (why are those things so rare?) but they did have some Ice Wraith teeth, and my theory that the transparent Ice Wraiths would make a suitable component in an invisibility potion proved true. Excellent!

Afterwards, I headed to the library. I managed to convince the librarian to show me his two best (that is, least inaccurate; he said not to take them for absolute truth) texts on the kel. One was on the effects of reading them...the short version: bad idea. Fortunately, I just have to open one at the time-wound place.

The other book was completely incomprehensible. The librarian explained that the author was both the foremost expert on the kel and completely nuts. Lovely. Apparently, he was last seen exploring to the north of the school...I hope he's okay.

And now, I'm going to go to bed. My quarters are very nice. In the morning, I need to stop by that dig site for my second lesson. After that, I'll head North.

ClockworkUniverse

Fredas, 11 Heartfire, around 11:20 PM.

Well, I set off toward the dig site. Along the way, I noticed a massive statue atop a mountain. Now, that's not the sort of thing I can just see and not check out. I'm not sure if it was a good idea or not, though. It turned out to be a shrine to a Daedra lord called Azura, who asked me to retrieve some magic item for her. It's called "Azura's star," so she said to look for a wizard in Winterhold who studied stars.

On the one hand, Daedra, on the other hand, this one at least asks nicely. I decided to look into it. When I arrived at the dig site, I asked Tolfdir about the wizard. He told me to look for a wizard named Nelacar, formerly with the college, in the inn.

After that, Tolfdir told me about the history of the dig site, which is the oldest and largest Nord ruin in Skyrim, and known for magical wards. Then he directed me to search for magical artifacts in the ruin. Eventually, I found an amulet on a wall. I pulled it off, and...a gate closed, shutting me in. Lovely. Why can't anything ever be simple?

Tolfdir quickly arrived at the barred gate. He suggested I put the amulet on, since there weren't really many other options. When I did so, a sort of distortion appeared in the air between me and the wall. Tolfdir suggested I cast a spell at the spot I removed it from. I tried that sparks spell (second time I've ever used it in the weeks since I learned it) and the entire wall collapsed, revealing a secret passage. At the same time, the gate opened.

Tolfdir led me into the secret passage. About halfway through, things got weird. He stopped speaking mid-sentence, froze in place and the colors in the room all went off. Then a guy in a weird robe appeared, said he was from something called the Psijic Order and that only I could prevent a calamity that had been set in motion.

Seriously? Another one? I think the Nine are just messing with me now.

Well, I told Tolfdir about it when he finally unfroze. Apparently, the Psijic order haven't been heard from in decades and only contact people if it's really important.

We searched the rest of the passage, and found a glowing blue sphere larger than some houses. Tolfdir's excellent magical education told him that it might have been important somehow. He wanted to stay there to monitor it, so he had me head back to the college to inform the archmage.

On the way back to Winterhold, I ran into a few ice wraiths, so I have more of those invisibility potions now.

I stopped by the inn and talked to the wizard. It seems Azura's Star is something called a "soul gem," which, not surprisingly, contains human souls. Apparently, they're used in enchanting. Now, Azura's Star is special in that it doesn't vanish from use. So this wizard's teacher decided to modify it to accept a human soul, then trap himself in it to become immortal.

I'm starting to see why the college has a bit of an image problem.

Anyway, he told me not to give the star to Azura, because (he claims) she drove his teacher insane. And apparently she did this after he decided to dedicate his life to sealing himself in a rock for all eternity?

I decided not to look into the matter until I heard from a third, neutral source.

Then I headed up to the archmage's quarters to tell him about the...ball...thing. He seems like a good person, qualified for the job, but not full of himself. He asked me to look into the artifact in the library. Unfortunately, it seems the appropriate books were stolen by some students who left the school. Guess who gets to fetch them. The place they fled to is near Riverwood...maybe later.

At the library, I read a book on Daedra. Azura was one of the few whose descriptions weren't basically "flee for your life."

On my way out, I ran into a rather rude elf who asked me a bunch of stuff about the orb. I don't trust him.

For now, I'll get a good night's sleep then head North, to go after the kel scholar.

ClockworkUniverse

Loredas, 12 Heartfire, around Noon.

Heading North without knowing where I was going, surprisingly, worked. I ran across a canoe near a door set into the ice. Inside, I found a crazy old human, the author of the book. He said that the kels (or is it just kel, or something else? Note to self: ask Paarthunax about that) were mostly confiscated by the Empire, but he knew of one they missed, sealed tight in a Dwemer ruin. It's not too far Southwest of here. He gave me a sphere that (apparently) will let me get in and a box he wanted me to...I'm really not sure what the box is for, actually. Getting a straight answer from a madman is difficult.

I'll go check it out.