Skyrim - Discovering the Dwemer

The dwemer ruins in front of me are a series of steps working their way up the hillside. A number of open gates line the tops of each, and I ascend them swiftly. This must lead to a larger ruin, one filled with treasures! I push forward, Stenvar barely able to keep up with my breakneck speed.

I find a tower at the top, with a huge bronze double-door filling much of one side. Surely this must hide treasures galore? I rush over to it, my guard down against any possible attack - they would have spotted me by now anyway with my complete lack of stealth.

The door opens easily after a swift bit of lock-picking, and we enter the tower. It seems to be some sort of storeroom, for there is nothing inside but piles of dwarven metal. This is fine by me, for the metal of the dwemer is well renowned for its strength and durability - selling it on will return a handsome bonus. The only trouble I have is the sheer weight of the stuff. I have to pile much of it onto Stenvar, as there is no way even I could carry this lot.

We exit the storeroom and I survey the rest of the hillside. From around the bend of the stairways, I can hear a strange sound, almost like a strangle dragon. I venture forth, and to my amazement find an even greater ruin than the one I just left - the ruins of the ancient dwemer city of Mzulft.

Intricately cut stonework houses large metal tubes, all of which are broken open and venting vast quantities of steam, obviously the sound I had heard emanating forth. From where I stand, a tower is the closest point so I walk over to it in awe at the site of this construction. The door however does not yield, some form of key is required to access this place.

Disappointed, I head back down the hill. We may not get into Mzulft today, but mark my words we'll be back another. I we'll get in.

I head west across the badlands, sulphurous geysers bubbling away as they have done for millions of years. Nothing much bothers us as we walk over the vast expanse, even though we have to skirt close to Steamcrag Camp - the giants and mammoths either don't notice us, or don't care about us. That will be their undoing one of these days.

We reach Convangr Cave. This place had been marked on my map by Oengul War-Anvil as somewhere to look for the sword of Queen Freydis. If I can return it to him, I hope that he may see to a nice discount on his metal-work...