User blog:Harold Burned-Mane/The Tale of Baslod - Part I



The Interregnum, a period of much chaos in Tamriel's history. Our story starts there, with a man named Baslord. Baslod was a lowborn adventurer from Whiterun Hold, who had left home as soon as he became a man so that he didn't have to live the farmer's life like his parents. He traveled all over Skyrim, building himself a reputation as a master barbarian. He was tall, taller than the average Nord, and had already had a powerful authoritative voice. It was during his one of adventurers back in Whiterun that he encountered something like no other. A dragon was attacking the land surrounding the city and the guards were having trouble keeping the creature at bay. Baslod didn't get involved initially and merely observed the fighting from a distance.

The Jarl, a man named Torygg God-Hater, was leading his men against the beast. However the old man was past his prime and he was no warrior. He was a bard, a man more suited to playing the lute than wielding a sword. But he was a wrathful man and would not let a dragon terrorize his people. He led his soldiers into battle, but ultimately he died at the hands of the dragon. Without their Jarl, the soldiers became disorganized and began routing. The dragon had won.

Baslod, having witnessed the Jarl's sacrifice, decided to join the fray. He, using his thunderous voice, rallied the soldiers to his side and charged at the dragon with weapon in hand. With Baslod leading them, they were able to kill the dragon. Yet something unexpected happened. Baslod absorbed the soul of the dragon before their very eyes. The barbarian, having gained the dragon's knowledge through its soul, unlocked the ability to use his powerful voice to shout with unrelenting force. Something he demonstrated in front of the soldiers. They bowed before him and proclaimed him the new Jarl for having saved their city. Baslod, however, being an ambitious man, proclaimed himself their king instead. The people of Whiterun cheered, proclaiming him the Dragonborn.

Baslod returned to the city and sat at the Jarl's seat in Dragonsreach. He was now ruler of all of Whiterun Hold and had the admiration of the people. They had seen him kill a dragon and absorb his soul. To them, Baslod had become a legend. Though when news of Torygg's death and Baslod's coronation reached the other nobles they were not happy. Both the Thanes of Skyborn and Greywinter declared themselves independent from Whiterun. The Thane of Skyborn going as far as proclaiming himself a Jarl.

The son of the previous Jarl, a man by the name of Sjorvar God-Hater, was furious. He had been away from Whiterun at the time, off at his sister's lands of Greymarch. When he learned of his father's death and the usurpation of his rightful throne he headed for the city at once. He had been confident that when he got there the soldiers would back him in kicking out Baslod, but they were not. They had little love for Sjorvar, who was a bard like his father as well as very slothful. They refused to back him and Sjorvar went to challenge Baslod. After seeing the tall Dragonborn in person, the Jarl's son changed his mind. Baslod decided to allow Sjorvar to remain in Dragonsreach with his family and took Sjorvar's son Leifur as his ward.

Wanting to legitimize his claim to Whiterun, Baslod sought out the late Jarl's daughter, a woman by the name of Iona God-Hater. She was the Thane of Greymarch and thus would be able to back Baslod should any of the other thanes revolted against him. Having the previous Jarl's daughter as his wife would also ensure that no one could use his lack of lineage with Clan God-Hater as an excuse to rebel.

He sent Thane Iona a marriage request, seeing as both of them were single. Iona was a former priest of the Divines, but left the temple since she had no real talent for it. Unlike her brother and father, she was a brave woman, but also proud and greedy. Baslod wasn't sure what she would do, if she would see his offer as an insult, due to him being of low birth, or whether her greed would make her try to claim the throne by force. He waited anxiously for her reply. All the while he began taking young Leifur under his wing.

_____________________________________

This is the start of the Tale of Baslod. I will write more later, adding to his story. My plan is to tell the whole tale of Baslod until his death.

Leave your thoughts on the story below and if you'd like I can add custom characters created by you guys to the story. If you want to suggest a custom character just leave a message below and I can ask you the necessary information for creating the custom character.