Nirn

{A/N: If you've played Skyrim, good on you. If not, you don't need to have already. I will throw out pieces of Lore from time to time, but if something is necessary to the story it will be explained so you don't need to be an expert. If you find a part that you believe I should have explained, let me know and I'll edit the chapter and reply with an explanation, probably. Skyrim arc starts this chapter and ends on Chapter 103, so fair warning}

"Those uniforms and shields, I can't be mistaken. I'm in Nirn! Or Winterhold in Skyrim to be precise"

The guards looked at the man who was loudly naming his own geography like it was a revelation, and tried to ignore the ponderings of what they now deemed a man who had hit the skooma too hard. Unfortunately, he quickly approached them and tried to pass by.

"Halt, in the name of the law!" The nameless guards exclaimed in practiced unison.

Yuri looked at them strangely. He didn't ever remember needing documentation or payment to cross into a hold. This wasn't in the script!

"How may I help you, sirs?" Yuri started off the right foot.

"State your business before entering...and pay the tax!" That last part was said unnaturally, almost like an afterthought. Yuri noticed, and quickly came up with a backstory.

"I- I'm just a traveling bard who had been robbed of all his belongings and barely escaped the wolves. I seek food and shelter, though you are the first guards who have ever asked me for payment upon entry. Shall I enquire of the jarl of when this hold became the greediest?

Slightly panicked, yet quickly regaining his poise, the other guard jumped in. "Twas just a test, bard. We need no more penniless fools taking up space in the public. Now move along"

After that interaction, Yuri quickly moved along. But what he saw after crossing the stone arch wasn't what he expected of Winterhold at all. He found himself before a set of descending stone stairs, and not a village, but a stone city sprawled below had been carved in the mountainside. The city looked 10 times bigger, and seemed to have a number of closed off farms in the back with a beautiful view of the ocean past it. A look to the left, and a castle that climbed into the heavens could be reached by another set of stone stairs that led upward. The castle, which he now identified as Winterhold College, also looked completely unfamiliar. Just from a side look, he could see that it took up 6 times more horizontal space than the game depicted, and didn't look like it should be structurally sound at all. It hung off the cliff it rested on in an even more exaggerated manner, like a loaded barbeque plate that was somehow hanging 75% off the table without falling. It took up even more vertical space. Yuri could see 3 towers even bigger than the Arch Mages just from the angle he stood at.

(A/N: I know that was a lot. If you played Skyrim, just imagine its all the same except everything is as big as a hold should be. The college is contributing a lot more to the holds ability to be self sufficient with crops and exportable magic goods, and thus is much bigger and will have a lot more students. I'm modding the whole world to make more sense, this won't be like the game.)

"Wait, how did I not see that castle from the entry?"

Yuri took a few steps back, and found that once he crossed the arch again, the college and the town couldn't be seen. Yuri most likely only saw it as he was descending because they had no reason to cover the sky with this spell.

"Incredible. I guess even if Old Todd Howard gained the idea, the technology and vision he had for it couldn't match the original. Now, time to blend in. Or should I call it Role Play? Wait! I have no septims!" Yuri noticed he was a near naked rube without purchasing power.

'Exchange! How many septims can I by per RP?'

[*Briiiing* Exchange rate is 1 RP per 5 local currency. Would you like to proceed?]

'I have 95 RP, but RP is much more valuable to be than Septims. Exchange 5 RP to Septims!'

[*Briiing* 25 Septims deposited into inventory. 90 RP left]

"Alright, time to head into town." Yuri strutted down the stairs and tried to avoid the ice patches in his path. After about 150 steps he finally reached the bottom and started trying to find an inn. It seems this place has been divided by mercantile at the front and residential near the back sharing space with the farm land. He walked past all the shops, some of them he had never seen in Skyrim before. Alchemy shops were multiple, and enchanted equipment shops were plentiful. Blacksmiths and Armor shops seemed to share borders with these enchanting shops in what could be a mutual relationship. There were about 4 restaurants he saw, it looked like they were for Man, Elf, Khajiit, and common clientele. This place looked so advanced he was wondering if this was the 5th era after the events of Alduin's terror. He'll have to ascertain the date later.

After crossing the mercantile district, he found that the residential area was bordered by inns. Whoever built this place knew how to plan a city and not make weary travelers walk too far. He made his way into the first one he saw, A three story homely place with a red door and red windows. Thankfully, it was still named 'The Frozen Hearth'. After crossing the doorway, the quiet and white dusted town took a whole different color. Patrons filled the longhouse shaped interior in every corner, and the noise of singing, arguing, and ordering for food and ale permeated the place. None took attention to him, this wasn't a wild west film. He made his way past the central cooking fireplace lined with steel clad men and a 'real' bard, and reached the counter where he sat next to a man who similarly wasn't taking to the atmosphere. After a minute or two, the barmaid finally reached him.

"What can I get you?" The blonde and lithe little thing asked in a sultry voice. Yuri was confused on why she did it, but if he looked in a mirror he would have his answer.

"I've lost track of the date, can you give it to me? And also, a Seared Slaughterfish with a Argonian Ale"

"Its the 17th of Last Seed, honey"

'17th of Last Seed, that's the day Alduin returns!'

Yuri cradled the back of his next embarrassedly, "What about the year?"

The barmaid looked a bit baffled, but still complied while she made up a story for what the cute poor patron must've been through to lose the year.

"4E200, sweety. I'll get that order now, that'll be 9 Septims."

Yuri pretended to reach into his pants pocket, and used his inventory for the first time to pull out the money. The count he wanted just appeared instantly, it was very intuitive.

'Not only am I not in the future of Skyrim's events, I'm one year in the past. I guess I should prepare. Wait, am I the Dragonborn? I don't see how I could end up on the block in Helgen by then. This time next year, I'll make my way down to observe Alduin's appearance. For now, I find out just how good at magic I can be. Since I'm here, damned be the plot.'

His food arrived a short while later, and he began trying his first otherworld cuisine. It was fish, but since it was a predatorial carnivore, it was much thicker and gamier. it was seasoned liberally with herbs, and the salty and rich oils made themselves known with every bite. Fucking delicious, is what he had to say for it. The Argonian ale came off a little bitter, but it was cold and refreshing as a chaser and didn't clash with his meal. If he had more septims he would've gotten the Elsweyr variety.

After a short meal, Yuri decided that it was too late to try to approach the College. He'll try tomorrow, better get lodging here tonight.

"Excuse me" Yuri called the sweeping barmaid.

"You can call me Andrea, hon'" Andrea said as she walked over.

"Andrea, how much for a room for the night?"

"7 Septims"

"Then I'll take it" He affirmed, before pulling out seven more from his pocket.

"Room 6 is all yours, honey." Andrea returned to her duty.

"It isn't quite dark yet, I can kill some time." Yuri said, and started approaching the central hearth to hear rumors and tales from the friendly looking band of warriors and bards he passed earlier.

After taking an empty seat, the one to his right, who seemed very adept and being inclusive, asked: "Where you from, stranger?". In truth, he had never seen eyes like Yuri's and grew curious.

Yuri decided to adopt his earlier backstory, "I'm just a traveling bard, no need to speak of my first home, for I've had many."

The bard who was across the hearth perked up at that revelation: "A bard?! Know any songs that I don't?" The bard shouted to overcome the ambient noise. He had no look or malice or challenge, but hoped this wayward colleague could expand his repertoire.

Yuri had forgotten all the songs of Skyrim's bards, and doubted they would be anything knew. The Dragonborn songs coming out of his mouth this early would sound like a prophecy and would draw too much attention. So he had a different idea.

"How's about a sailor song?"

"Sure! Sing the first verse and chorus, then I'll try to add my lute!"

'This one is going to spread like wildfire'

And so he began a song that would spread too fast for him to dream of realistically take any credit.

"There once was a ship that put to sea

And the name of the ship was the Billy o' Tea

The winds blew up, her bow dipped down

Oh blow, my bully boys, blow (huh)"

His voice didn't change much, but he found that it contained a lot more power when he was projecting, and he seemed to have gained better vocal range and a rich and enviable tamber.

"Soon may the Wellerman come

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

One day, when the tonguing is done

We'll take our leave and go"

At this point, the bard had stars in his eyes! He immediately tried to match the chords to his pattern and joined in the next verse. Luckily, the song had a predictable pattern, so the next verse had a lute alongside it. Yuri stole an empty mug and started beating it on the table to the rhythm.

"She'd not been two weeks from shore

When down on her a right whale bore

The captain called all hands and swore

He'd take that whale in tow (huh)"

And to his surprise, not only did the bard join the chorus, but so did all the warriors around the hearth!

"Soon may the Wellerman come

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

One day, when the tonguing is done

We'll take our leave and go!"

For the next six verses, it was Yuri alone remembering one of his favorite sea shantys and singing his heart out to the partons around him. For him it was freeing, but for everyone else in that inn, it was gorgeous and charismatic. For every time the chorus hit, more and more people would join until the end, when all 50 plus patrons had shouted the end.

When the music stopped, the patrons didn't, and everyone laughed raucously with each other! The atmosphere took forever to settle down, and many times did a patron lifted there mug and toasted to the stranger who started it all! At the end of the night, it was like 'Cheers' because everybody knew his name.

A couple hours of drinking with his newfound friends around that hearth, and spending 5 more septims on ale only to find that his tolerance had raised incredibly, he retired to his room when everyone had either left or done the same as him. He went to bed in high spirits, and hoped for all of this to not have been a dream.

An hour later, he confirmed it in a surprising and unintended way, by being pleasantly awoken.

A head was bobbing beneath his sheets, and he knew without a doubt why he was feeling so good down there. He lifted his sheets, and found a head of blonde hair and a familiar pair of brown eyes looking up at him for approval. With a *pop*, she released his little brother from her lips and said, "It looked so big and painful, I hope you don't mind if I help ease it down"

'Another thing I'm glad I kept. My extra large lady piercer. It seems to have a bit more muscle, though?'

"Haha, don't stop on my account" He said, and watched her resume her struggling with a rod that now stood taller than her face and barely fit in her mouth.

•❅───✧❅✦❅✧───❅•

When he woke up, he noticed that Andrea was still there, lying on top of him and giving him a warm and pleasant skin-on-skin that he missed for a long time. 'Poor girl must be tired, I really wore her out. Perks of being Arch Human, I guess. I never got tired.'

He gently nudged her awake, and she looked at him with her groggy yet adorable doe-eyed look. He smiled back, then she realized that she woke up late.

"Shit!" She exclaimed, and jolted out of bed to put her clothes on and attend the still empty bar.

She rushed out of the room, and Yuri gave himself a few chuckles before doing so himself at a much calmer pace.

When he got out, there were already 7 people in the hall. All of them were patrons that had spent the night, and were waiting for breakfast. The poor chef was taking orders and getting them out one by one, but nobody rose any complaints to the barmaid. Instead, they looked at Yuri with a newfound trepidation.

'Oh yeah, she was screaming pretty loudly. I'm glad no one gave us a visit...'

He only had 4 septims left and wasn't very hungry, so he decided to escape the awkward looks and visit the College today. He was excited! Magic and the College's influence seems to be much bigger than Howard's vision at a simple glance, who knows what he will be able to do once he is accepted!

With that, he left the door and started walking to the stone stairs on the other side of town.