Traveling through The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim

The crow hags in the game all look the same: hands and feet deformed into bird claws, a hunched back, black bird feathers covering their bodies, and a face covered in wrinkles. Their huge hooked noses and protruding chins resemble bird beaks, their hair is sparse and messy, and their earlobes have degenerated, leaving only ear canals.

In short, it resembles a creature that is a hybrid of an old woman and a bird.

But in this other world, different raven hags can be distinguished by sight. For example, the woman before me, Esmeralda, looks several years younger than Moira. Her long brown hair is tied back in a ponytail, and because her hairline hasn't yet reached the top of her head, her face appears somewhat rounded. Her eyes are large and bright, flashing with shrewdness and anger.

Because Irina and I had gone out to do our own things in the morning, the fireplace wasn't lit, and it was still a bit chilly inside in mid-spring. Esmeralda, wrapped in a thick wool cloak, stuck out a right paw and impatiently tapped the poor wooden table.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Esmeralda. I’ve heard Chief Moira mention you before.”

"Ha. She'll probably call me a charlatan, a fraud."

“She wasn’t being so polite with her words, so I won’t repeat them to avoid upsetting you. But in any case, she acknowledges that you and she are the most famous magic mentors in the Southern Sky.”

"She's truly shameless, judging by the few good-for-nothings she's trained..."

Esmeralda looked up into my eyes and gave a cold laugh.

"I'd heard Locke was a smooth-talking man, and he certainly lived up to his reputation. I almost let you lead me by the nose. Do you know that your shameful lies killed two innocent girls!"

"All I know is that two people were executed on the day I visited. As for why they died, that's none of my concern. However, I'd also like to ask Ms. Esmeralda, do you know how many people died in the attack on Granite Village a month ago?"

"What does what's happening in this village have to do with those two little girls who live in the castle?"

"What does the fact that the people in the castle were killed have to do with me, a villager?"

"you……"

The Crow Witch trembled with rage, her enormous claws pointing directly at my face as she panted heavily.

"If you hadn't spread rumors and said that I was colluding with the Flying Bear Tribe, why would Moira have killed someone?"

“Your name wasn’t mentioned in that confession, and even if there were collusion among them, that’s Chief Moira’s business, and I can’t interfere with her investigation. If you, like me, have no desire for the chief’s position, why bother with some rumors?”

"A sharp-tongued fellow!"

"I don't deserve such praise; I was merely arguing based on reason."

Esmerald didn't speak again. I turned my back to her, picked up the firewood piled in the corner, threw it into the fireplace, and lit it with a fire spell. Then I slowly found the kettle and brewed pine needle tea.

"Aren't you afraid I'll ambush you?"

"That would be unbecoming of your position and would not help solve the problem. Of course, if your purpose in coming here is indeed to resolve a certain issue."

Just kidding, how could I not be afraid? But with my extraordinary talent, my left hand is making a hand seal to summon fire elements, while my right hand is making tea and starting a fire. The whole set of movements is still smooth and effortless, and you can't find any clues unless you look closely.

Esmeralda only let out a slow sigh when the pine needle tea on the fire began to bubble.

“I’ve heard that although you are a man, you are quite intelligent. I believe you can easily see that Moira is not capable of leading the Snake Cliff Ridge tribe, and I am the one more suitable to be the chieftain.”

I didn't answer, but silently poured two cups of tea.

This old witch wasn't there to seek justice for the two girls at all; her previous accusations were merely an attempt to seize the moral high ground. Having been immersed in the internet for many years, I'm already adept at using tricks like shifting the topic, changing the subject, generalizing from limited information, and moral blackmail. Why would I be at a disadvantage in a verbal battle?

But this first round was just a warm-up; winning or losing didn't matter. It seemed that Esmeralda wanted my support to seize power. Since she was asking for a favor, she should have shown sincerity and laid out what she could offer. But instead, she avoided the main issues, offering only lukewarm compliments before launching into a long-winded accusation against Moira for dereliction of duty, and finally boasting about herself.

“Lady Esmoridae, you may have heard that the alliance with Chief Moira was not decided by me alone, but was a resolution discussed and decided by the Lord Council of Falkriss. We Nords value integrity above all else, and we cannot break our oath because of a few words from you. If I make a promise to you, I will also keep my word. Even if there were a thousand pieces of gold, how could it sway my heart?”

The old witch cackled.

“Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease. The Annis sisters promised me that as long as I came to support Moira, you would help me build my tribe. I’m not a stubborn person. You don’t have to start from scratch. Just help me take over the Snake Cliff Ridge tribe, and that will be fulfilling your promise.”

I knew I couldn't avoid it; that unlucky woman Annis really screwed me over. I gently blew on the amber-colored tea, trying my best to appear calm and composed.

“I did suggest that Ms. Annis go to you. I consider Helge my own sister, and I heard that she studied magic with you, so I assumed there must be some teacher-student relationship between you. This girl has been captured; you can't just stand by and do nothing…”

"If you want to back out, just say so. There's no need for this rambling."

“I just don’t want to be forced to fulfill a promise I never made. Perhaps Ms. Annis was distracted by the Helge matter and said something that caused you to misunderstand. What I told her was no more than five thousand Septin in cash, and that condition still stands. You can get the money today. If you are not satisfied, we can talk again, but you have to give me time to raise the funds.”

"I don't need money."

"So that's the position of court mage? I can help you with that, but you can understand that I can't make decisions for my lord."

"enough!"

Esmeralda's large brown eyes blazed with furious fire, and every single black feather on her body stood on end. With a swing of her massive claws, a burst of magical energy enveloped her body, like a miniature whirlwind. The witch's magic overturned tables and chairs, and pine needle tea spilled all over me.

"I've condescended to summon you to give you an opportunity to prove yourself! Do you think I absolutely need someone's help? If you can't make decisions about the Snake Cliff Ridge tribe, then why not give me the village under your jurisdiction?"

This woman is somewhat terrifying. She can cast such complex spells without even chanting incantations, and her control over magic is incredibly refined. Aside from splashing water on me, she didn't damage a single piece of furniture, humiliating me without having to pay for it.

"The goatskin coats produced by Guanhu Farm have pretty good waterproof properties. You should buy one; it can be worn in both spring and autumn."

I wiped the tea off my clothes and looked directly into Esmeralda's eyes.

“Granite Village is a fief granted to me by the lord, and I have no right to transfer it. If you are interested, you can swear allegiance to my lord, and he will surely not neglect someone like you. I can also arrange this, but all of this will take time.”

"You don't really think I wouldn't dare kill you, do you?"

“I’ve already said, there’s no point in killing me. The territory of Falkriss will not end its alliance with Chief Moira just because I die. For you personally, it would be more beneficial for me to live.”

Esmoridas chuckled and withdrew his power. I felt a gust of wind hit my face, knocking over the pots and pans behind me.

"Tell me, you cunning man, what use are you to me?"

As I tidied the house, I racked my brains, trying to think of what I could offer the other person. After dawdling for fifteen minutes, the tables and chairs were all neatly arranged, the utensils were all back in their places, and even a new pot of pine needle tea had been brewed. However, the old witch didn't seem to be in a hurry. She continued to tap the poor table with her claws, watching me busy myself with a blank expression.

"You don't like tea? I've noticed that many people at Ruichi don't like pine needle tea, which is quite strange."

I suppressed my agitation and slowly filled two teacups. According to Moira, I had assumed Esmoridae was a relatively open-minded person, easy to communicate with, but it turned out he was a stubborn old man. That old fox Dangel is much more decisive; if this guy were the chieftain, he'd be much harder to deal with.

"Alright, let's cut to the chase. You see, although Ms. Annis made a mistake in relaying the message, I still owe you a favor. Actually, I have a way that might allow you to obtain a higher position than the clan leader. I wonder if Ms. Esmorida has the courage?"

Stop playing your boring manipulative tricks and get to the point!

"As far as I know, the Ricci people do not have a church. If we establish such an organization, with you as the high priest, imagine the power and glory that all the followers of the Raven God would have to follow your lead?"

Esmeralda's hooked nose twitched like a giant, convulsing moth.

"You have no understanding of the revelation of the Raven God."

"But I understand the religion of the Nords. The Nords have believed in animal spirits and worshipped dragons, and the Ninth Holy Spirit, Talos, whom countless people are willing to sacrifice for today, was just a mortal on earth hundreds of years ago. My teacher once taught that religion itself has no content; even if it does, its content is on earth, not in heaven."

“We Ruichi people are different. I will not let you lay a finger on our ancient and sacred beliefs!”

This old witch was completely unyielding, utterly stubborn. I was a little discouraged, unsure whether I should continue. Just then, Irina pushed open the door and walked in.

"Sir, it's almost dinner time. Would your guest...would you like to stay for dinner?"

This usually composed and dignified woman lost her composure because my guest was staring intently at her face.

“Ms. Esmoridae, let me introduce you. This is my wife, Irina, daughter of Baron Sengard of Falkreath. She has no prior dealings with the Blackwing Witch, please forgive her rudeness.”

I put my arm around Irina's slightly trembling shoulders and patted her gently.

“Irina, this is Lady Esmoridae, a very powerful mage. I think we have some things to discuss further. You go and find Miss Lydia and stay with her. I'll cook dinner myself.”

The old witch stood up, looked Irina up and down, and then lifted her hood to cover her face.

“No need. I can’t get used to your food, just as I can’t get used to your tea. But, Baron Locke, your last suggestion is very interesting, and I’m willing to give you a chance to try it. However, I have one condition.”

Huh? That's not what you said just now. So you've been playing me for the past half day? Fine, forget about those bullshit conditions, let's get this guy out of here first.

"Please speak."

"I will send a disciple to your side, and you will be responsible for his food and lodging."

"no problem."

"Don't agree too soon. Let me finish. You men are too impetuous. I will write her a letter, but you must deliver it to her personally. She doesn't live in Orphan Rock, but in the Blacklight Tower in Riften."

Now I understand.

In the game, the Blacklight Tower is a stronghold occupied by a witch clan. If the player enters, they will encounter a sorceress named Iya. Her mother is preparing a ritual to transform into a raven hag, and Iya is tasked with finding a sacrifice. The dutiful young woman, in order to stop her mother from becoming a monster, teams up with the player to kill her.

So, I was the chosen sacrifice. That old witch is ruthless; even if a deal falls through, goodwill should remain. How can she kill someone to silence them if the cooperation falls apart? But she seems unaware that her disciple's daughter will betray her.

“I can do this, but I don’t know the way and I need a guide.”

Seeing how readily I agreed, Esmeralda chuckled twice, walked past me and Irina, and went to the door.

"The day after tomorrow, I will send my disciple Maggie with the letter, and she will guide you. Baron Locke, you are indeed as the rumors say, a wise man. Believe me, you will find a surprise in the Blacklight Tower."

"Of course, Ms. Esmeralda, I think I will enjoy this surprise."

That's Iya, one of the strongest mage followers in the game. With her and Lyca, one a mage and the other a warrior, my lineup, while not top-tier, is at least above average in Skyrim.

As night fell, Irina curled up in my arms like a cat. After Esmeralda left, she explained that Lund had kept watch outside, so everyone quickly found out about my argument with the old witch. Lydia had intended to break down the door, but Irina stopped her.

"The room was noisy for a while, then quieted down again. Nobody knows what happened. I was worried that Miss Lydia was too impulsive and might provoke that crow hag into hurting someone. I'm the master's wife, so it shouldn't be a problem for me to use the opportunity of questioning to confirm his safety. But... she just stared at me like that, like an eagle staring at its prey. It was terrifying..."

This woman rarely lost her composure, yet she had already cried once today and still seemed shaken. I stroked her back, enjoying the smooth, warm touch like jade, while inwardly replaying the old witch's final change of heart. Her attitude had completely reversed after seeing Irina.

"Irina, did you know Esmorida before?"

"I don't know her. The Crow Witch has never entered Markars City."

"She used to be a native of the Ruichi Territory. Is it possible that you met her before she became a monster? Can you imagine what she looked like when she was still a woman?"

Irina sobbed twice and suddenly hugged my waist tightly.

"I can't bear to look at her face..."

Esmoridae was a renowned sorceress, and it was said that some of her disciples had successfully transformed into raven hags, and Iya's mother was certainly bewitched by her as well. This suggests she may have arrived in Falkriss long ago. However, Irina had also lived in Markarth for fifteen years and had seen countless people.

It's hard to say how long it will take, more than ten years.