Dragon Bridge

Dragon Bridge is a lumber town located along the Karth River in the region of Haafingar, within the province of Skyrim. It is found down the road from Solitude, Skyrim's capital city. Dragon Bridge acquires its name from the eponymous Dragon Bridge, an ancient and ornate bridge decorated with dragon figureheads. The bridge, which predates the settlement by untold years, spans the Karth River, connecting the town to the main road through Hjaalmarch. Some scholars believe the dragon skulls on the bridge are actually petrified skulls of dragons due to the difference in stonework detail between the bridge's stone and the skulls, while other scholars deride this as "poetic nonsense". Dragon Bridge is symbolic for the Nords but it also acts as a crossroads for the northern region, with it being the first line of defense for Solitude and the neighboring holds. It sits beneath the ruins of Kilkreath Temple, an old nordic ruin. The temple was once a place of worship for the Daedric Prince of Infinite Energies, Meridia, and in its hayday, it attracted many pilgrims from all corners of the world and its activity was openly known. Travelers that pass by the temple are greeted with warm hospitality and even resources like bedding. At some point, the temple became inactive and were later known as the Kilkreath Ruins. The temple is marked by the Statue of Meridia, which looms over Dragon Bridge and the surrounding area. South of the town lies Dragon Bridge Overlook, a camp which due to its strategic nature has has many occupiers, including the Forsworn; Reachmen rebels who used it to mark the border of their claimed territory. While a series of caves beneath Dragon Bridge Overlook are often used for a variety of clandestine activities, such as local smugglers hiding and moving black-market goods outside the notice of the Dragon Bridge garrison. In the mountain range above Dragon Bridge lays Clearpine Pond, a small picturesque lake with a willow tree at its center, favoured by achemists for its abundance of ingredients. Though is treated wearily by the locals. As it is also said to be guarded by fearsome nature spirits. On the range also is Pinemoon Cave, which like most of the caves of Skyrim is frought with dangers, often inhabited by wolves and rumoured to house even more fearsome creatures.

Quests

Stop the Attack. Goblins are attacking the town with a giant in tow! Defeat the goblins and slay the giant to save the town. Mount a Rescue. Goblins have taken over the camp at Dragon Bridge Overlook, they have taken several townfolk prisoner and are holding them hostage. Sneak inside and rescue them. Slay the Goblin King. The goblins at Dragon Bridge Overlook are menace, stopping travel between Dragon Bridge and the rest of Skyrim. Take out their leader to scatter them. Uninvited Guests. The townsfolk of Dragon Bridge do not appreciate the Khajiit Caravan that's made camp next to their town. They have barred them entry and imprisoned one of the carvaneers. The carvaneers want them freed. Over the Edge. The previous captain of the guard in Dragon Bridge met an unfortunate fate. Throwing himself to his death from bridge for no apparent reason. Investigate this mysterious death. The Break of Dawn. A mysterious beacon summons the party to Mount Kilkreath, where a foul darkness has seeped into the temple of Meridia. Kill the Vampire. A member of the Dawnguard is in town hunting Garan Marethi; a Dunmer vampire who was a member of the Volkihar Clan. Worse than its Bite. Hroltar; the towns Reachman alchemist. Seeks a cutting willow bark only found at Clearpine Pond and is offering reward. Lost Luck. Clinton Lylvieve's aged pet goat, Lucky, has gone missing during the goblin attack. Retrieve the stubborn old goat as a favour. The Last Laugh. The circus is in town and something is very much amiss about its jester, Cicero. Commander Maro wants to see the cunning trickster brought to him alive, while Cicero wants the man dead.

History

In 2E 582 the settlement was attacked by the group of Reachmen marauders led by Vund the Stone-Shaper. He intended to destroy the bridge with the usage of explosive alchemical reagents. His plans were foiled by the local garrison aided by an adventurer who killed him and his followers in the caves beneath the village. During the Imperial Simulacrum in the late Third Era, the town of Dragon Bridge was an active settlement. It was ruled by Princess Dorina and had a rivalry with Stonehills. It was neighbored by several settlements, including Markarth Side to the south, and Solitude to the northeast. During the Interregnum, Kilkreath Temple was caught in the first of many harrowstorms that plagued Western Skyrim's heartland. Many pilgrims and cultists were inflicted by the foul magic dispersed by the storm, as vampires and harrowfiends soon stalked the region. While High Priestess Varkour retreated to the inner sanctum to protect the artifact, Priestess Bavian assembled any survivors and took refuge in the nearby caves. An agent of House Ravenwatch investigated the ruins around them in order to learn more about the perpretrators, the Icereach Coven and their dealings with a group of vampires. With the help of two agents from East Skyrim, Lyris Titanborn and her companion, they were able to prevent another harrowstorm from further wiping out Kilkreath. All the while, Priestess Bavian sought from help from the same group of travelers. One of them delved into Kilkreath Temple, where they fought their way through harrowfiend versions of the former cultists. Along the way, they gathered Meridian Medallions and eventually encountered the twisted High Priestess Varkour in the inner sanctum. In the end, they were able to recover Meridia's Brilliance. The disaster left many of Meridia's followers disenfranchised of their lady's benevolence. Priestess Bavian, while no longer believing in the Daedric Prince, still sought to purge the corruption from the ruins for the faithful. Once it was completed, Kilkreath Temple was sealed away ever since. During the Skyrim Civil War, the town of Dragon Bridge was very active, as many soldiers from the Imperial Legion passed through the town on their way to the battlefield. The soldiers' activity had left the people with a negative view on the war and those involved, with some locals viewing the soldiers as taking advantage of local resources for free under the guise of keeping locals safe. The villagers also feared that the historic bridge might be destroyed over the course of the war, as it was one of few crossings across the Karth River, but this ultimately would not come to pass. Both Stormcloaks and Legion soldiers scouted the area often as it was a critical point before Solitude, with the Stormcloaks even making camp on the banks of the Karth river just below the town at one point. In 4E 201, residents of Dragon Bridge were in fear of a nearby cave called Wolfskull Cave due to the strange noises and lights emanating from it. This fear led Jarl Elisif the Fair to send the Last Dragonborn to investigate the cave, where it was revealed that a large group of necromancers were attempting to resurrect and bind Potema Septim. The necromancers and draugr were cleared out, quelling the fears of the townsfolk. During this time, the Emperor of Cyrodiil, Titus Mede II planned to visit Skyrim on a diplomatic mission and the Penitus Oculatus were sent to make preparations, establishing their foothold in Dragon Bridge. They were led by Commander Maro, who spearheaded an investigation into the last remaining holdout of the Dark Brotherhood in Skyrim. The resulting conflict between the Penitus Oculatus and the Dark Brotherhood led to the murder of Commander Maro's son, Gaius Maro. As well as several other murders including the murder of Vittoria Vici, the emperor's cousin in Solitude as part of a plot to assassinate Emperor Titus Mede II himself. Which would ultimately succeed despite Cammander Maro's efforts, which included foiling an attempt at a dinner in Castle Dour and a successful raid on the Dark Brotherhood's Falkreath sanctuary.

Geography

Dragon Bridge sits atop a gorge that the Karth river flows through, meeting the Hjaal river which flows past Dragon Bridge Overlook. Dragon Bridge town is on a plateau at the base of Mount Kilkreath and the range of mountains seperating Haafingar from the Reach. The Karth river also seperates Haafingar from Hjaalmarch, with Dragon Bridge Overlook sitting on the intersection between Haafingar, Hjaalmarch and The Reach. To Dragon Bridge's North is Mount Kilkreath, on which the Kilkreath Ruins and the famed statue of Meridia sit with the North Road leading underneath to Solitude, Skyrim's capital city. At the base of this mountain is the West Road which leads up the mountains to Fort Hraagstead and Wolfskull cave, this road also leads to the Thalmor Embassy and out of Skyrim into High Rock. Across the Dragon Bridge itself passing below Dragon Brige Overlook is the South Road, leading through Hjaalmarch into Whiterun Hold while the East Road leads to Morthal, the Hold capital of Hjaalmarch.