Bandit's Journals

[TheBxushis]

Hi this is my first attempt at working with fanfiction and also a wip to create a mod for skyrim (also SE). The goal of this ideia is to add Unique Journals, Notices, Letters and so on across Skyrim with ordinary purposes so to leave the player with assumptions and ideias on their own. thus, my attempt to providie something different to the modding community.

When i play the game, one thing that makes going at camps to not be boring (to avoid the impression of fighting cloned zombies), is having a place with unique traits, most with past events where a bandit, or a victim talks about a subject. so to know if their goal was someone, some unique artifact, a trade deal etc, and so on.

I plan to make 7 unique journals. and i don't have yet a ideia of how much small notices i would do. but it's meant to be generic and fun to read.

To Understand, bandits are the triple of commom npc, have no background or purpose to benefit the lore and the player immersion unless is heavly tied to a quest. due to this, any bounty quest will end with a generic formula, and by doing it repeatly, you will inevitably felling like they are some sort of "Bandit cabbage" growning everywhere with no reason and utility outside of being a humanoid challenge for the player.

For instance a mod like Immersive Creatures and Revenge of the Enemies provide natural and irrational treats that the player must overcome or avoid to not be killed, while a mod like Skytest overhaul animals so they blend propely in the environment, have a natural cycle and can preserve themselves if they see a stronger enemy than them. on the other hand rational foes such as bandits are not limited to this and are not explored outside of better IA mods and additional types of enemies like OBIS.

My aim to tackle this is by.:

-Making them to be more relatable to the game/history (The War/The Past and the return of the Dragons)

-To fit better in the world (Why they are are at Camps/Small Camps/Forts/Mines/Towers/Caves/Castles/Near Rivers, Farms and Cities, Etc)

-To have a purporse and be relatable to the player. (Future goal? Make every vanilla bandit have a lore friendly title and function)

sorry for my bad english. it may look stupid, but any help, recommendations and sugesttions are welcome.

Gedde's Journal - Done

Guidel Report -Done

Ignor Diary - In progress

Letter of Nord Bard - In progress

"Rance Ignor = Ignorance > the old folk who make very bad misjudgments, but it's the one who drives the group."

"Erol = Lore > The girl who is always f***ed by something but has indefinable value to them."

"Hist and Oria = History > The strange and misterious guy who search for something that it's impossible to reach."

Dedicated to Erol whom i consider a friend and a daughter if i had one.

to be honest, i'm not a good writer as i work more with coin than fancy words. but is the way i do for my wrong doings.

Ah, i remenber pretty well that time... Noises, dirty, disgusthing moviment in this... i'was in a sort of jail? have been locked so much time, that i don't even know what i did to be in that place.

Oh... light, shinning oohhhh, that cursed sun, and, ah... this land... have been once here, Norse land, skyrim, pigs who kill themselves over a bottle of mead...

it was kind of... desert, maybe i'm near rokirstead or whiterun, cant see while moving, three aldmire was in the the back mouthing about something, hated to walk eh??

there is a big guy and a girl pressed against my body. and i can't walk propely in this condition, but someone is pushing us while a carriage is fading away on the road.

Morndas maybe...

They bought us to an old abandoned fort, looks like we are going to stay here for awhile, forget, looks like there was a lot of activity here. it's well fortified at the inside, so no chance to escape.

One of the fist thing i have noticed in this guy was his back, that girl just won't stop staring at it. probaly why they let her here, or is it for him to not cause problems? they don't seem related thought.

Two have come, got him, can't walk down, probaly to break some of his bones. well, time will tell and time to sleep. Oh, she know how to talk, want to know where i am, why i am, for what? ah no, she is just looking for something and now is looking non stop at the roof, pointing its finger like a child.

It's barely the morning, that prick have not sleep and is making every annoying noises in the cell, i would call the Aldi guards, but they don't seem to care, or they wouldn't come as even the skeevers have being agitated with it. don't know, but it was a bad trade to whanever put their job in them, unless they are doing it on purporse, who knows.

Now looking at her, she has a face, torso and legs of a decent daughter, yet scrappeds ant arms, and seems to be for some use. want to know if it's to the limit of the fort, and not in the middle? keep trying to pierce the wall with her fingers and look at the wall.

It's seems that they are looking for something, for not coming here and take us instead of him.

Turdas probaly

"Ignore that I kind of, anyway, we need someone who makes coin. want to stay there lil cat?" she didn't look like someone who was mocking, nor my visual as i was almost a senil man, or a reference to the Fussy people? comparing me to one she knew?, well... i will never know.

the big one told something that it's stick in my head while we where escaping the strange fort:

"They’re outsiders just like you, disliked by the people, living outside of the walls, just wandering. The people who you question about their homeland. Have already a connection to them, and may love or hate till the end of their lifes."

Unlike with most of the group, I did not bother to give him his weapon back, so when it came time for him to betray me… he didn’t exactly stab me? Oh, he went threw the motions, of course, but motions do only so much damage when the sword is not only invisible, but also non-existent.

Of course, enough damage was done that I passed out, and it must have been the cold that endangered me. Whatever! When it came down to the right time, i will have his head and get back my work! It was not much of a challenge, but, then again? What could I expect when he didn’t even notice he was missing his lil tome.

" An treined Imperial serving the regime should have a concept of what he would be dealing in this Skyrim."

Guidel Report #

-To the Captain

I Hope that with this, it will help you to track down and prepare yourselves against the problems that pertain in this land.

It's a common consensus between scholars and it's native citizens of the factions, enemies and bandits that infest Skyrim.

Split in 5 sections using the Nordic words you have.:

"Baria"

Or Barbaric, used to describe enemies of dominant nature and nordic tradition, who fight to keep Towers, Castles and Forts.

Usually with low quality equipament but accustomed to battles. self pronounced warriors, carry little to ordinary purposes and are a crudge between holds.

Responsible for great part of the control and influx of people and it's influence.

"Milai"

By other words, criminals, organized bandits and mercenaries of all kind, usally ocuppies mines, farms, rivers and any well profitable business.

Are the most well equipied factions, but doesn't invest their lifes in combat as others groups, or by my experience, don't have as the primary focus.

The problematic kind who control great part of the fewer resources in skyrim.

"Acadia"

Usually refered by elders as worshippers, researches and the foes who have not given up working with filthy pratices. hidden or in places you wouldn't expect.

Carry artifacts and cursed objects, with low to high knowedge to destroy anything in it's patch. while each group usually work individually with ordinary goals.

The underworld foes who are a treat to all and the uncontroled power that destabilize and split it's people.

"Loiwa"

The ones who decide to revolt against their own good, the lowest and disposable, and a higher consequence of Ulfric and the betrayers. either living at the shadow of it's people or serving for the other factions.

Usually don't have equipament, nor have good training at combat. often are not a treat and doesn't offer resistence, that personally, make me feel bad for some of them.

Basically Fools without salvation and hope, who are destined to perish either by it's actions against it's own people or by it's tragic fate.

"Oldrai"

And for the last, Ocultist from all it's elder tribes that could never adapt to the new order. Deadly, they can live anywhere, but are hard to find.

There are few data of them, as most don't return alive to report it. usually don't relies on natural resources to resist or to attacks it's victims as they are a treat by itself.

Lost to time, these ones are already a part of this land, something that doesn't seems possible to erase.

Just for curiosity, some folks like to refer to us as "Paria", or patrols, including for some reason other organizations and even the rebels, from the Aldmeri Dominion, Warrios of Hammerfell, Vigilants of Stendarr and many others varying from estabilished guilds to outsider institutions. which doesn't make sense because after all... we are their protectors.

"The work of a misterious scholar who tries to restore something."

Geddes's Journal #1

“The Nords of Skyrim are not followers of false kings, but to Ysmir (Talos) and the true forgotten Gods.”

The Habitants of Skyrim carry within themselves many histories that was lost to the river of time, but still, have many unique traits, values and habits with signs of their past culture.

As a scholar, i do believe it can be split in four Generations. the first on, within i like to refer as “Before the Empire”, are the most fascinating and rare to find.

their way of life and resilience are very interesting to me. It’s commom for them to coexist with ruins, tombs and cursed places while preserving, instead of looting or demolishing it in search for anything with value. It did surprise me to learn that they are actually the responsible for protecting it, setting and adding traps, polishing old mechanism and a lot more to avoid any outsider from reaching it. personally, i thought it was due to hunters from the south, but well, that is for another research.

They often live in small communities with a strange agriculture based apparently by the sky language, not having a property to cultive or live for. or what some would call, “a home”. where it’s meaning is something i cannot comprehend.

The Eldery are responsible for the group, and the one who carry the line to the next offspring. sometimes, this work is delayed upon the strongest mother, or at least, it was my impression to it. there are tests to the young to survive the land and unlike the Orcs, there is no predatory fight or leader.

It might look strange, but they are not tribals, they produce their own order, laws and guidelines orally .the old don’t talk often but has a presence of knowledge, and feels like he can understand his people by his big, calloused hands over people sorrows.

Their dress codes looks similar to commom nords, but have peculiar traits between Draug armor, and a well done fur clothing. often with an artesanal good level of work and a unique smithing job, using also clothes not so far from the commom folks ruled by the jarl.

Unlike most nords, they are proud of the use of magic, and mostly, are something highly linked with their religious faith. one thing that i didn’t understand yet, and a reason for further research is that the elderly best upon their blessing on the mother after she gives light to a healthy child, passing arcaic knowedge to her, and in rare ocassions, to the father, if the child dies under some strange circunstances, being something more passed to the woman with split responsabilities.

I do believe that there is two or a max of three families that travel at each, humn... three moon cicles? alway at night it seems, under some strange conditions with smaller camps for the youth. Often formed, or perceived with pure blood nords, but it’s not impossible to find other races mixed in it.

To me, it makes sense that histories, rumors and even legends with great heores of the past and warriors of this time share and descend from them.

In general, the fist generation are not taken as a direct treat to the province, but a small annoyonance to the refusal of any submission to the jarls and the local government.

With the ones that saved my life from criminals, they are pacific unless treatened with anything that try to subdue them out of their beliefs.

Geddes's Journal #2

"there is a reason The Aldmeri travel with a scout of their own kind on this land."

To the ones who started all this mess, the second generation, which i call "The Empire Apex", are the most diverse and an inflicted race in this land.

Those bandits in skyrim are in general the primitive people expelled due to the imperialization. probably the result of impositions of systems, laws and beliefs that conflicted with their own.

Great groups absorbed part of the Imperial traditions with the gradual bastarization and degradation of the nordic culture, some seems to share traits with commom folks who replaced them and became organized factions over the Holds.

Most of them are ignorant of their own sad fate, and part seem to be proud to share bogus values believing to be worth while destroying what it's left of their own good, like urchins posing as as warriors.

Unlike the Nords of the old Era, most segments is not unified and are split in different factions with ordinary purposes. some share noticiable and similar beliefs of the The Bear of Eastmarch. having a crudge against elves while making Torygg work to keep Skyrim united impossible, either by destroying and taking control of Vigillance forts, or by blocking the flow of resources from the capital.

Some elders even proclaimed vainly at the main Districts how this has tainted this land for generations, and fear for a inevitable war, that even i can't contest as wrong anymore, but if, not the main reason.

These ones who likes proclaim themselves to be "The real Nords" often share bad language as a sign of strengh and carry many rank names as a tool of identity.

MeatArm, BoneBraker, MeadCryier, SkullEater, BeastHearth, ButcherPig, MammothHead, PaleFang, ElkyFlyer, WolfRider, Stormcrown you name it, from High Tier ranks to the bottom well of criminals. in order, so in case you see rumors of one, to know their progidy, and not only shared among windhelm soldiers.

But unlike them, these savages could never truly integrate with the new owners.

On the other side, many outsider groups took the oportunity to use their influence freely, often posing as allies to "help" by taking care and control over the few productive places in this land, as a result of the Empire being now a mere shadow of it's former self and its inability to control its own borders.

Bandits, Thiefs, Looters, Riders, Mercenaries, Brigands, Pirates, Dealers, Hunters, Traders, Assassins, Barons, Lords and so on... are likely the only opposing force to the Outcasters, althourgth they don't conflict with native criminals as one group of scholars believed it would happen.

It still indescribable how segregaded bands have Adapted so fast that either absorbed part of the Old Nords, or merged with them.

They use in general the same armors used by Commom Nords warriors or use what the Empire tries to use against them, sometimes adapting to the cold land and harsh conditions, depending on their rank and utiliy to the group. Most don't produce, or either have goals that are not allowed.

I did lost count of how many times rudic pieces of journal was ignored and burned like pile of woods by guards that should in theory, explain these radical changes over the time... some unknow factions have been here destroying evidence? a Dremora Cult trying to expand it's influence or a Faith War between the Alessian Order and the Totemic pantheon?

Don’t matter, It was all lost to the clycle of time, not that it do... rotten race...

Geddes's Journal #3

"Dismiss the Land, to lose it to the LandLords, so to eat from your Gods and the rotten corpses of yours own honor vows"

No man's or Knye looks to be the true owner of this land, so that the people don't know where they go anymore, The pupit of the Bear killed the High king and is now starting a war to my inevitable nigthmare.

And those, who cannot choose and obey to move foward like them are becoming what can be described as the third generation or "The Lost People". people who are in the middle of the New chosen ones's affairs, have lost their homes, their reason to live and are submited to peasants children that makes any sane living rebels gainst them, become slaves of others for more dignity or become enemy of anyone who still respects the jarls.

Bereavers, Addicts, Decadents, Slaves, Burlglars, Refugees, Travellers, Maniacs, servants, Workers, Haversters, Eyersees, Rogues, Insanes, Deserters, Traitors, anyone who is expelled from the capital to keep the city united and clean.

What the High clycle did will never correct anyone who has misguided themselves, and any fool like Ulfric and his allies are not going to help it, just make it even worse and fail. the number of Bandits are on the rise, and there is nothing to do, but to lie and pretend that everything is on control.

It's disgust me to see many coming just to be used to keep resources flowing, put to die and dig old graves to get to some food, working like wolves to protect what doesn't deserve any respect nor support, serve the old abandoned forts and patrol towers to have somewhere to sleep. to control their hopes for a better tomorrow, when there is none, but the desire for an end, for death. they come from all races, some even more than others to my own shame.

I'm starting to believe the old folks who dreams about the end of the world, fire and wings crossing the sky, and seeing bad keeps burning with the war, won't help to make it any less believable.

The denial of it's people felling without a home and the constrats between the Houses and villages, with people who are defending it as some sort of necessary and natural order while the rest are condemning when it's to late to avoid it.

They walk with what it's low, they dress with what is left of them, they carry no skill, but the ability to work hard on this land. serve to no one, but to nothingness. offer no fear, as they are fear, and work side to side with death. The irony and tragedy, that they are the ones who ties this land togheter, and all the other factions and generations as one. from all beliefs and purposes, are what make Skyrim, the lost land of the Nords.

Geddes's Lost Journal #

"You can’t get excommunicated for your beliefs if you leave the Council of Reclamations"

It's not something particular from skyrim for those who still suspect the workshipers, cultist and scholars that are not tied to the Empire, as they work in a land that don't recognize the infinite value of knowledge.

The fruits of the oblivion crisis should reconsider to persuade the college and even, could be a key point to solve the Urchins's conflict with their works. although most of you treat me as a senil for even thinking about that.

(Lost Page)

I don't want to be misjudeged due to their own strange beliefs and sinful actions as there is nothing wrong with them neither their workship as it's the core itself that has gotten to much corrupted when they see the bare notion of limits and ethics as some sort of violence, transgression and blasphemy.

Their profanity will cause irreparable damage to all causes across this land...

(Lost Page)

...they are getting into matters they cannot control, luring Studendts, Researchers, Advisers, Workshippers, Cultists, Followers, Patrons and so on for...

(Lost Page)

...I'm dying, it's a shame that i couldn't help them... please, if you read this, forgive them.

Tell me what you think, what you like, and elaborate to me if i could improve or anything. thanks. ^^

" An treined Imperial serving the regime should have a concept of what he would be dealing in this Skyrim."

Edited April 8, 2017 by TheBxushis