Chapter III:
Snowline

The area of Snowline is infested with wolves, goblins, bandits and wormmouths. Lonnasa's combination of Blaze spell and Bled's Ebony Longsword proves powerful enough to battle these adversaries. Ivgrizt told her the location of the Fearfrost Caverns, the goblins home, so she goes directly to find this caverns. In the North west part of the area, she finds the cavern.

Upon entering the caverns, she spots a handful of goblin warriors. So far, they are not hostile. Fearfrost Caverns is impressive. It is a huge hollow inside the mountain; there are hundreds of narrow ways with bottomless chasm on the left and right that connecting some bigger landmasses. The landmasses just like floating islands. One wrong step, and she went directly to Oblivion. The landmasses work like rooms.

A goblin steps forward. It's Ivgrizt, the goblin she helped in Twilight Temple.

Lonnasa looks through the pack. Trailslag's pack has several sealed compartments, which look trapped, but there is a note from General Duvais she can reach. She reads the note.

Hmm... intereting. And she has already delivered the map, to Tanyin Aldwyr. She goes out of the the caverns and decides to visit the village of Snowline.

Upon reaching Snowline, Lonnasa spots a familiar figure, Tanyin Aldwyr. Not far from Tanyin, there is an Argonian. He looks like an important person. Lonnasa talks to the Argonian first.

Lonnasa thinks that she eventually has to eliminate the goblins problem for this city, but that would be wait a little bit. She then meets an Argonian in his house.

Lonnasa peruses his goods, but his price is still outrageous, although he has said that he gives a special discounted price. What a merchant... Giving up with the merchant, she goes out and then meets with a woman named Rilora.

She thinks that she better finishing Rilora's request first before attempting more dangerous business. She then goes searching for herbs. Mountaintail, Snow Blossom and Foxglove are easy to find, but she cannot find Yuin Root and Trefoil Flower. And then she notices a strange platform in the middle of snow. Touching the platform doesn't give any result, then when she tries to step on the platform...

She feels her body becomes light, and then weightless. As she begins to materialize at the new destination, she discovers herself submerged within a large body of water. Without enough time to react, she finds herself being dragged into a dark cavern, beneath the water. After several minutes of floundering through an underground tunnel, the cavern finally spits her out. Dripping wet, Lonnasa looks around and notices a woman nearby. She notices also that the ground where she emerged has some herbs she was looking for. She thinks perhaps the woman can answer some questions. Upon seeing Lonnasa, the woman - an Elf - laughs. The Elf's laughter is not malicious, but probably at Lonnasa's expense as she emerges dripping from the water.

Llewydr laughs. Her laugh is infectious, Lonnasa smiles back. The Elf has taken a liking to Lonnasa, which she counts as a good thing. Thinking of possible trading, Lonnasa asks.

Llewydr produces two scrolls, Feeble Blade scroll and Paralyze scroll. Her price for those two scrolls is high. Lonnasa eventually takes Paralyze spell. She thinks that a paralyzing touch would come in handy. After spending some time, harvesting the herbs, Lonnasa feels that it is time to go back outside.

...and zap! Lonnasa suddenly stands in front of Rilora's house in Snowline. She goes in immediately and finds Rilora is waiting for her.

It is done, Lonnasa goes out. It is time for goblin hunting.

She thinks that she needs to do some exploring in this goblin caverns, and seeks a way to eliminate Tirasch. Then the goblins and their pets, the wolves, go hostile.

In one of the landmasses, she meets with a goblin sergeant. He snarls and shouts at her.

Battle begins. Lonnasa easily disposes this arrogant sergeant. In his body, she finds Sissithik's Will.

She finds a pile of skeletons, human obviously. A glimpse of metal catches her attention; it's a sword. Mahk Longsword, a nice blade. She takes it. She finds some more interesting items in other part of the caverns, such as Silver Picks and Scythe Crystals. She finds also a ring with an insignia which looks like a pair of fangs; Ring of Fans that gives a small bonus to the attack rating.

She stumbles upon an algae pool. It smells like rotting weeds, probably doesn't taste much better. If the goblins are living off this, no wonder they have a nasty disposition. However, Lonnasa somehow has a need to taste the algae. She eats a bit, and suddenly she regains her stamina, and feels a little better all around.

Later on, she finds a room with of giant mushrooms. The air smells differently. It looks like the goblins are growing mushrooms for different properties than those growing naturally in the caverns. She examines a gray mushroom. This gray mushroom is firm to the touch and looks edible. She tries to consume it and she realizes that her speed is increased a point permanently. There are five gray mushrooms total; she takes all of them.

In a giant landmass at the farthest corner of the caverns, Lonnasa meets an impressive giant goblin. She knows immediately that this one is Tirasch. The giant goblin attacks. As usual, her tactic is to use combination of Blaze spell and blade. But this Tirasch is indeed powerful and fast, she has to use Heal Wound spell several time to avoid bleeding to death. Eventually, Tirasch lies lifelessly on the icy floor. In his cold body, Lonnasa finds a Shadowkey.

Then, Lonnasa notices a door, she enters it and the door goes to another big hollow, separated from the rest of Fearfrost Caverns.

There are some chests; inside she finds some interesting items, such as Frenzy Scroll and Sanctuary Scroll. Then she notices a big round crystal in the middle of the room, and there is a figure inside the crystal. Suddenly, her newly acquired Shadowkey glows and the crystal cracks. The figure inside moves amidst the shards. He looks at Lonnasa over carefully, then looks pleased as he announces.

The man looks pleased. He takes a step forward Lonnasa, gesturing with his left hand. His shadow bends to overlap hers. Lonnasa feels a jolt through her heels, her jaw tightens. She sees white spots in front of her eyes. When her vision clears, the man looking surprised.

Exhausted of any conversation, she explores the surrounding caverns. She finds a chest, inside she finds two scythe crystals and a set of silver picks.

Then she leaves the Fearfrost Caverns, and goes back to Snowline village.

After some rest Lonnasa talks to Porliss Caith

Then, Lonnasa tries to talk to Tanyin Aldwyr.

Then Lonnasa goes back to find the other Argonian, Sissithik; when she shows his Will...

She goes to Wendek Freetalker's shop to unload several loots from the goblins caverns. Then she departs to Lakvan's Stronghold. The area outside of the stronghold is guarded by several bandits that easily disposed. One of them had a nice Double-Bow. She enters the stronghold.

The fortress is still, silence adding to Lonnasa's sense of apprehension. Her shadow wavers, even with no change of light, then it speaks.

She steps deeper into the stronghold, and Tanyin was right this stronghold is difficult to overcome. High-leveled guards with some deadly archers wait her in every corner. Her combination of Blaze spell, Mahk Longsword, and Double-Bow is not enough. She has to use her speed in some part, running from the guards, while she then use some Healing Potions.

In some parts of the stronghold, she finds some interesting items, such as Ring of Star, that increases magic resistance; Ring of Thunderblows, that increases the attack rating and Silver Gauntlet of Casting.

In one of the barracks, she meets a woman who apparently is arrested, and being questioned. After disposing the guards, Lonnasa talks to her and the prisoner introduces herself as Clerk Skye. She looks relieved.

Lonnasa goes again exploring, sneaking and slaying those bandits. Eventually she reaches a big hall with several guards in it. They attack her at once. Thanks to the goblin's Gray Mushrooms, her speed indeed faster than those guards. Still, the battle takes sometime with hit-and-run attacks. In one of the bandit's body, Lonnasa finds a brass key with faint writing on it. Smudging soot from a torch on the key reveals ‘Lakvan's Room'.

There are two rooms that have not been opened, one is located in the middle of the area. Lonnasa is pretty sure that this Lakvan is in the room. The other is the room guarded by a Shadow Gate. Obviously, it needs a Shadowkey to open. She goes to the room in the middle. She uses the brass key, the door opens, and indeed Lakvan is inside. Lakvan snaps a glance at her.

Lakvan approaches Lonnasa, wielding the most massive axe she has ever seen. The battle begins. As before, a hit-and-run is the right tactic confronting the massive-axe wielder. After some strikes by Double-bow and Blaze spell, Lakvan goes down. Lonnasa loot his body, and the massive axe is actually a Daedric Battle Axe. She keeps this and promises herself to use it for another battle. The bulking size of the weapon makes the wielder slowed down, but the damage rating is extreme.

Inside Lakvan's room, she finds a chest. Inside the chest she finds a Shadowkey and a Star Tooth. The Star Tooth flares as the shadows from the key twist and dance, as if the two were locked in combat.

She then goes to the Shadow Gate. The gate swings open. Inside she finds some spiders, wormmouths and one lesser daedra, the hunger, not counting several bandit guards. She collects some Spider Heart and Horrid Tongue from the body of spiders and wormmouths. In one of larger room, there is a teleporter platform. She steps on it and immediately she transported to another room with a single person in the middle, Pergan Asuul.

Approching, she notices that Pergan Asuul's face contorts into a hideous hybrid of a smile and rigor mortis.

On the place where Asuul stood, there is a pair of Shadow Gloves. Mockingly, she thanks Pergan Asuul. She retraces her steps and goes back to Clerk Skye.

Clerk Skye brightens when she sees Lonnasa.

Lonnasa opens the red scroll. The scroll is ledger, which shows that considerable sums have been paid to Lakvan by the Empire. Some of the entries, such as "Hammerfell dead, per head" indicate the Empire is leaning toward Skyrim in this war.

Lonnasa opens the brown scroll. She reads...

All her missions have accomplished; she leaves the Lakvan's Stronghold. She goes back to meet Porliass Caith in Snowline.

Porliass Caith departs. Lonnasa thinks that she should go back to Ghast's Pass to deliver back the pack of Olpac Trailslag.

She goes immediately to find Olpac Trailslag, which is still waiting in front of Twilight Temple. The temple now feels safe after Lonnasa defeated Pergan Asuul inside.

He thanks her for all the trouble, politely excuse himself and leaves. Lonnasa now is deep in thought, should she go to Azra’s Crossing to meet Skelos Undriel and Azra Nightwielder? Or continue to Dragonstar? She chooses to talk to Azra Nightwielder first in Azra's Crossing.

Lonnasa goes to Earthtear Caverns to meet Skelos Undriel.

Lonnasa goes out of Earthtear Caverns and she thinks that she would find more information about the Star Teeth in Dragonstar. She prepares herself and then heads to Dragonstar, via Ghats's Pass and Snowline. A long way, indeed.