» Tue Jun 05, 2012 1:32 am -Minor spoiler about the marriage system-
I was playing some Skyrim yesterday, and everything was going well. I had just killed my ninth dragon, and I'd just smithed my first set of Ebony armour. I was in the town of Whiterun, with my newly acquired amulet of Dibella. So I went into the tavern and spotted Ysolda at the table in the corner, after some friendly banter we decided to get married. She instructed me to go arrange the marriage in Riften.
After two long days of travelling, I was distracted by a dungeon not my bad sense of direction. I arrived and arranged my wedding with the jolly fellah Maramol. He told me the ceremony and festivities will occur from dawn till dusk the following day. It was already 9pm so I decided to visit the local tavern for a long night of sleep for the big day. At the bar was a bloke in a robe. I hadn't seen him before in Riften and out of curiosity I talked to him. This man was named 'Sam', and offered a drinking competition to win a staff he owned. With the lack of a stag night option in Skyrim's marriage system I thought this would be a good alternative. Sam was a nice guy, and we both downed two jugs of ale each! However Sam the lightweight had had enough, and dared me to try a third to win. Being the hardy and prideful nord, I accepted his challenge. That's when I blacked out.
I woke up at a temple in Markarth, after getting my bearings and apologizing to the priestess for wrecking the place I remembered something important. I had a wedding to attend!!! "Dammit" I shouted to myself. I leapt through the temple's door and discovered it was already morning. I was on the other side of the province, with only half a day to get back to Riften for my own wedding! If it weren't for that Sam character my life would be fine!
I stopped to think for a moment. If I took a carriage I would likely arrive the next afternoon, as it takes a long time. I couldn't walk as that would also take too long. A horse was my only option, unfortunately I didn't own one. Furthermore I only had a few hundred gold on me, because of a recent shopping trip. My only option was to steal a horse from the stables just outside the city gate. It pained me greatly, as honour and justice were things a Nord held above all else. But it had to be done. For several hours I rode eastward as fast as possible. I glimpsed a pair of farmers being savagely attacked by a pack of wolves, but I had no time to help them for it would waste valuable time. It's likely they perished shortly after my passing.
Eventually I made it to Riften. The time had just ticked past midnight, and I hoped they would all wait slightly longer. But what I saw was my closest friends exiting the city gate, looking disgruntled and a bit mad. Then I saw Ysolda. I hastily dismounted from my steed and sprinted over to her. Understandably she was extremely mad, and I couldn't explain why I was unable to show up. My incredibly bad fortunes were about to take a turn for the worse, during my conversation a Dragon appeared. Instead of apologizing further I had to protect the city and my friends from the Elder Dragon.
The battle was tough and long, the Dragon tore my friends and the guards to shreds. I attempted to pull the attention of the beast, but it continued to slaughter my weaker comrades. Eventually the winged terror lay slain, and I absorbed it's soul. I scanned my surroundings, Sven lay dead at my feet and scattered around the immediate area were many other of my former friends. My eyes widen in shock as I saw the mangled body of my spouse laying against a dead tree.
After these horrendous series of events a party of guards approached me, weapons drawn. They accused me of murder, and told me that I'd be marched of to jail for a long time. Murder? I thought. I had done no such thing. Unless a stray dragon shout in the form of fire breath that I cast had accidently caught a guardsmen, or one of my fallen allies. I refused surrender, as the whole affair had been an accident. The guards quickly began to assail me, but no avail. I quickly cut them all down...
I breathed in heavily. Then exhaled. What had I done??? I was now wanted in two different holds, my wife and friends lay slain and I had disregarded my principles and my honour. Then I remembered Sam... If it wasn't for that bastard none of this would have happened. I marched through the city gates, to see if that wretched snake was inside the tavern so I could slit his throat. Unfortunately the whole town seemed to want my head on a pike, after my recent crimes. The hoard of townsfolk and guardsmen seemed unrelenting, and it was nearly certain that I would fall to their blades. I had to make a run for it, I was knocked into the river by a spell that was flung at me by some dammed spell caster so my only vessel of escape was into the rat works. The home of the thieves guild... Unfortunately the guards followed me down into the dingy place.
My health was low, my potions had been drunk, my weapons enchantment was depleted, and it would be another minute before I could use another Dragon shout. Against all the odds I struck the remaining guards down in a valiant offensive. I looked briefly over my shoulder, two thugs in rags stumbled towards me. Weapons at the ready. I was exhausted, my stamina was all but empty. The first one I cut down in two strikes, his rags being no match for my Ebony longsword, but the second thief got a lucky strike and I died by his blade.
I would not be joining my ancestors in the honoured halls of the dead, for I had dishonoured my name, and shamed my family.
There are several morals to this story.
One: Don't talk to strangers.
Two: Don't drink alcohol.
Three: Don't take what it not yours.
Four: Don't get married.
Five: This game is awesome.
For me it just happened as I was just lollygaggin around Winterhold, so I didn't "miss" anything. Quite the story you had there, congrats , I guess 
, I'm starting again with an Altmer Mage. I like the risk to be high when I play games, it gets me more immersed personally. Thank you for the cookie Faolan, It helps with my recent loss.
