[Narrative AAR] The saga of Wulfgarr Snobjorn

[Jo'Zakar]

Hi y'all.
I've recently started a new playthrough and I'm writting an In character journal between my play session. It's a lot of fun. And I figured I'd might share this creative endeavour with the community. It's a roleplay heavy playtrhough in which I try to immerse myself the best I can in the wonderful world of Daggerfall. Also, I'm not the agent but just a random nord adventurer trying to make a name for himself.

I have a few houserules for this playthrough, mainly to enhance my immersion:
-No savescumming. (I'm not playing in Ironman, so no permadeath but I don't reload for anything short of my character's death. )
-No vanilla Fast Travel. (only "tedious travel" as it was once called from Travel Options)
- No rest every few minutes/in silly places. (Basically using the rest rules from DnD 5e: only 1 "long rest" per day and I allow myself 3 short rest of 1 hour per day)

Also here's my modlist for those interested:
-Roleplay and Realism https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/16
-Roleplay and Realism - Items https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/61
-Travel Options https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/122
-Basic Roads https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/134
-Climates and Calories https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/49
-Fixed Dungeon Exteriors https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/225
-Basic Wilderness Encounters https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/585
-Realistic Wagon https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/92
-Random Starting Dungeon (set to spawn in an orc stronghold in a mountains biome) https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/118
-Dynamically Progressing Main Quest (Canon Timeline) https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/289
-Environmental Ambience https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/395
-Paper Map for Daggerfall Unity https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/575
-Convenient Clock https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/25
-Order Service https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/529
-Dynamic Skies https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/376
-Better Ambience https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/139
-Wilderness Overhaul https://www.nexusmods.com/daggerfallunity/mods/390

My character is a nord called Wulfgarr Snobjorn. Wulfgarr is a wildling, a custom class that is roleplay focused but nonetheless fairly optimized. Here's the details of the class and WUlfgarr's backstory:
Bas Attributes: Strength 75 - Intelligence 20 - Willpower 50 - Agility 50 - Endurance 75 - Personality 40 - Luck 40
Primary skills: Axe, Critical Strike, Dodging
Major Skills: Archery, Running, Climbing
Minor Skills: Jumping, Swimming, Mercantile, Medical, Streetwise, Stealth
Advantages: Expertise in axe - Acute Hearing - Athleticism - Regenerate Health General
Disadvantages: Forbidden Armor Types Chain and Plate - Inability to Regen Spell Points - Unable to Use Magic in Darkness - Unable to Use Magic in Daylight
Max Hit Points Per Level: 30

Wulfgarr grew up in a tiny hamlet lost in the mountains of the Reach, a forgettable frontier outpost surrounded by hostile wilderness
His parents were hunters, they lived off the land and sold pets to make ends meet. They taught Wulfgarr at a very early age how to survive in the wild. Wulfgarr hence grew up to become a very strong and vigorous young man. On the other hand, his education was pretty lackluster in terms of formal knowledge. He's far from being the sharpest tool in the shed.
Nonetheless, Wulfgarr has always dreamed of adventures and glory. He wants to travel and to have song sung about him in taverns.
So, the day of his twentieth anniversary, he kissed his parents and siblings goodbye and hit the road. But just a few days after having crossed the western border of skyrim he encoutered an orcish warband and was taken prisoner...

[Jo'Zakar]

Unknown Date, 3E405
I don't know how many days have passed since those pig faced monsters have threw me in this damp cell. And only Shor knows why they haven't slew me already. Do these beasts expect a ransom or something?
They're hardly harsh jailers, though. They just threw me in this room and locked the door. They don't seem to pay a particular attention to me. They haven't even seen I had my journal on me.
But I have seen where they putmy bags and my weapons. I could break the door, grab my stuff and leave. Maybe. There's a lot of these orcish scum down there.

Unknown Date, 3E405
Today's the day! Most of the warband is leaving it seems. To raid and pillage, I guess. Dirty beasts. They're leaving but a small garrison. This will be my best shot at freedom.

29 Second Seed, 3E405
I've made it! Those stupid orcs had left but a mere few guards in their fort. And my cell wasn't far away from the entrance. I escaped easily. But I'll be back. By the gods, I swear it, I'll come back and have my just revenge.
I'm currently in a small village called Fhorgar's Palace or something. Nearly as tiny as me old place... But I've learned a couple of things: I'm in the Dragontail Mountains and the locals know about the orcs and their fort. The fort's called Velodred. I've marked its location on my map. And in my mind.

01 Midyear, 3E405
The Dragontail Mountains remind me of The Reach. They're pretty scarcely populated, and most "towns" are petty hamlet. A lot of them don't even have a tavern! There's apparently a proper city several days to the north called Mesajer. Here I could buy equipments and supply. Maybe find some mercenary work. My first steps toward vengeance.

05 Midyear, 3E405
I don't know if there's a king, a count, or a baron who's supposed to protect this land. But if that's the case they aren't up to the task. Orcs are litteraly everywhere in the mountains. Roaming freely and attacking anyone who crosses their path.
Well, now there's a bit less of them. And I've put my hands on some weapons to sell. I've also stumbled upon a bunch of bears and saber-tooth tigers. But nothing my axe couldn't handle.
Anyway, I've reached Mesajer. It's quite a grand city! Not that I have a lot of experience in the matter. It's, at least, the biggest I've ever set a foot in. There's plenty of shops and a local figters guild.
I've got a lot to do.

[Jo'Zakar]

06 Midyear, 3E405
I've joined the Fighters Guild. The local guildmaster is a redguard called Rhevrn. Seems like a good fellow. He's very straightforward. I like that.
I had to do a job for him to join the guild. Simple stuff. An outlaw was dumb enough to hide inside the city. Everyone knows the Fighters Guild does bounty hunting. Finding him was easy. He said that he'd rather die than to go to jail. Well, I wanted to accomplish my mission.
Rhevrn warmly congratuled me and I'm now an official member of the Fighters Guild.

10 Midyear, 3E405
It's unbelievable how many people aren't able to lock their damn doors!
I've been killing giant rats, giant bats, bears and saber-tooth tigers for the last 4 days. All while they were rumaging through someone's cellar (and, in one case, through someone's closet. Only Shor knows what was in this closet.) One would think people living in a place such as the Dragontail Mountains would be wary of such things... Well, it's a steady source of income for the guild.
Anyway. I have to go to the bank today. I have an appointment and all. Rhevrn took care of it for me. Such a nice dude. I'm going to take a loan to buy a horse and a cart: the guild discovered the location of an ancient dungeon (supposedly filled with riches) called Darkeham Hall and gave its map to me. Problem is I won't be able to thoroughly plunder this dungeon without a cart. Hence the appointment.

16 Midyear, 3E405
So, now I owe 5500 gold coins to the bank. But I'm the proud owner of a trusty steed, a beautiful stalion named Red Hoof. I've also bought a cart, it's squeaks and creaks are pretty damn annoying. But Rhevrn said I won't mind when it will be filled with riches. Seems reasonable.
Anyway. I took a few days to rest and have my equipment repaired and I've hit the road.I'm now camping near Darkeham Hall. This old castle is now mostly ruins. I can hear the wind whistle through the cracks in the walls. At dawn, I'll begin my dive in this dungeon.

[Jo'Zakar]

19 Midyear, 3E405
Rhevrn was right. I didn't mind the noise of the wagon on the way back. I didn't even mind when I had to stop to repair one of the wheel. It had broke because my cart was too loaded. It's a first class citizen problem if you ask me.
Darkeham Hall was truly filled with riches. Albeit not the kind I expected: I thought these ruins were going to be full of antiquities and monsters, but instead it served as a base of operations for a grop of bandits and rogue wizards. These thugs were so disorganized I was easily able to sneak my way in and kill them one by one.
By Shor! They must have been to used to assault defensless peasants. None of them was a tough fight.
Nonetheless, it was a profitable plunder: weapons, coins, old books and scrolls. I've nearly enough to repay my loan already. This cart is going to pay for itself really quickly. In fact, Rhevrn offered me a job and I think it'll be enough for me to earn the few hundred gold I still owe to the bank.
Furthermore, this job is sure to be far more interesting than to hunt some pests in someone's cellar: Rhevrn asked me to kill a "lycanthrope"! How cool is that? I'm eager to fight a real opponent. The beast is supposedly hiding in a place called The Quarry of Tarur, a couple of days to the north.
I have no time to spare: I have a werebeast to slay.

24 Midyear, 3E405
Stupid peasants! Ignorant cowards!
The "werebeast" was but a mere grizzly bear! I've traveled for 3 days to The Quarry of Tarur to slay a mundane animal. And 3 more days to go back to Mesajer. 6 days of my life. To slay a bear. Shor damn it!
At least this whole ordeal wasn't a total waste of my time: I encountered a few orcish raiders on the road. Their weapons earned me a few coins. Also, The Quarry of Tarur wass full of wild animals. I've collected their meat, their teeth and whatnot. It was a rather profitable endeavor. So much so that I can now say that I am debt free. I even have a few hundred golds in the bank.
Nonetheless... A bear. A stupid bear. Rhevrn had a good laugh when I returned to the guild. It's not the first time peasants mistake a beast for a werebeast, apparently. " The guild has been paid already, anyway" he said. Good for them.
I need a beer.

[Jo'Zakar]

25 Midyear, 3E405
I had an eventfull evening at the inn yesterday.
I was at The Dwarf And Huntsman - like I often do since last month - when I met a fellow adventurer passing by Mesajer. He was pretty low on cash and offered me to sell me a map to a local dungeon called Chirtir Hall. I gladly paid the mere 50 gold he asked for.
A few moments (and a few more beers) later as I was speaking with Derdar the innkeeper, he offered me a job. Two nights, an idiot named Lhughtt ran away without paying. He nearly owes 200 gold to Derdar and he hide in a place called Castle Flarcke. Derdar asked me to bring him Lhughtt alive.
Easy money. I kind of like Derdar anyway, might as well help him. His inn might be a dive bar. And I'm pretty sure he deals in shady business. But he's a funny guy. And his beer is strong, cheap, and even nearly good. An overall good guy in my book.

01 Sun's Height, 3E405
Lhughtt won't run away without paying from anywhere ever again. I even think he won't ever run, period, ever again. Derdar had a reputation to maintain, it costs Lhughtt his knees.
The little coward was hiding in the old Castle Flarcke with thug friends of his. It wasn't difficult to catch him. I just had to slaughter a bunch of weakly rogues. Lhughtt quickly surrendered. The blood and guts of his buddies spilled everywhere helped him make up his mind, I guess.

10 Sun's Height, 3E405
After a few days of rest, I hit the road again. My goal was to explore Chirtir Hall. It was a rather profitable endeavor. And quite exciting too.
This decrepit place was full of undeads and giant spiders. I honestly thought I was going to reach Sovngarde before being able to have my revenge on those damn orcs. But I prevailed. I smashed every skeletons with my axe. I pierced every spiders with my arrows.
The reward was worth the effort: I found so much treasures down there that I was able to buy a mithril axe from the best smith in Mesajer.

[Jo'Zakar]

13 Sun's Height, 3E405
These Dragontail Mountains really needs a better ruler. The countryside is overrun by orcs. And brigands, thieves, and assassins run amok in the cities.
3 days ago, Rhevrn gave me a job. It was supposed to be an easy job. One guy called Nhujin had paid the guild for its protection. "A boring bodyguard duty" Rhevrn said. He couldn't be more wrong.
When I arrived at Nhujin's, I was welcomed by a strong smell of iron. Blood. Then the door slammed shut behind my back and 4 assassins jumped me. They were tough opponents. It was a great fight.
Nhujin was dead. Slaughtered in his bed. Poor guy haven't even face death properly. I found a note on his corpse. He had somehow angered the Dark Brotherhood. But now those cutthroats had angered me and the Fighters Guild.
I had a lead or, rather, a name. Stoctsa. The one who had written the note. It took me 3 days but I've found her in a place called the Rusty Sword Tavern. Her henchmen weren't able to protect her from my wrath nor to save their own life.

22 Sun's Height, 3E405
I'm back in Mesajer after having spent the last two weeks on the road. Had a simple delivery job: a shipment of weapons to one of the easternmost villages of the Dragontail Mountains. Everyone in this region needs a lot of weapons, I guess. Makes sense given how wild it is.
It was a quite relaxing journey. I would have said peacefull if not for the daily attacks by orcs, giants, and wild beasts. The Dragontail Mountains are beautifull. But so must be a lot of other places too. I'm eager to resume my travels. But not before I'd have slain those pig-faced monsters in Velodred.
I'll be ready soon. But, for now, I'm ordering a new armor: an elven brigandine. Shor pardon me. Then I'll go to the nearest temple of Kyne to celebrate Fiery Night. It's in a town called Kalahanu a couple of days south-east of Mesajer.