With the Kraken defeated and its lifeless body sinking further into the waters, the Oath Keepers rest and take it east for the remainder of the day. Nirius offers to help fix the damage caused by the attack while Ra’Giin studies his book on light magic. Ephyra also studies her book, The Perpidexicon of Knaarge. Though all of the pages are illegible or symbols and languages she doesn’t speak, she does come to a few pages that now make sense to her. The word “drip” is written in a hurried and frantic manner all over the two pages.
The next day, Nirius seeks out Ra’Giin to inquire about why Ra’Giin is pressing the issue of going to Rifen. They both agree that stopping Drathis is the priority and of utmost importance. Ra’Giin tells him that there is nothing in Riften that could directly aide them in their mission, but there is something he carries with him that is of great importance, yet very dangerous and that he must return it.
That night Ephyra dreams of being in a strange, dark stone hallway. She is lost and attempting to find her way out with much anxiety. The shadows shift and move before suddenly reaching out for her. As one touches her arm, she is startled awake by a crewman knocking on her door to tell her they have docked at Windhelm.
Directed to the Blue Palace by the dockmaster and guards who are under order from the Jarl, the group meets with Kelan Stormcloack in the early hours of the morning. Jarl Kelan explains that the rest of the Sky’s Oath have all scattered throughout Skyrim in an attempt to find Drathis. Vredik, however, has requested to accompany the Oath Keepers on their journey to the Spire. Ra’Giin again brings up Riften and even considers going there alone. They discuss their options for their upcoming journey, the risk of time and safety weighing heavily on which route they will take, over the Velothi Mountains or through the Sea of Ghosts again. Ra’Giin explains that the reason he did not stand up more aggressively to Sheogorath is because of what he carries with him. Jarl Kelan presses him for more information, but Ra’Giin is hesitant to divulge. He explains that he cannot trust anyone with this information because even for him, the temptation to keep this item is very great. Exasperated, Ra’Giin steps out into the hallway for a moment to himself and runs into Vredik. He wonders if they are ready to begin, to which Ra’Giin tells him they are in the middle of agreeing upon a dilemma that they are faced with. Ra’Giin asks Vredik to wait in the hallway. Back in the meeting, Ra’Giin finally gives the truth to his companions and Kelan Stormcloak and tells them about the Skeleton Key. He explains that is far more than a lockpick, that it will open any lock without breaking. Jarl Kelan agrees that it needs to go back where it came from. Nirius, not trusting anyone after the Stormcloak guard was infiltrated by Drathis’ men, insight checks him, discovering that Kelan has no temptation to take or keep the key. Vredik is let into the room as the group decides the key needs to be taken to its rightful place. They decide they will go to the Mage’s college in Winterhold, use a teleportation circle to get to Riften and back, only adding two days to their already lengthy journey. Prior to leaving, Ra’Giin stops by the blacksmith’s to inquire about gilding a skull. After offering the gold in which to guild it in and a payment in more gold and a song of his accomplishments written by Ephyra, he excitedly agrees and closes his business to begin his work.
Ephrya and Nirius polymorph into giant eagles and carry Ra’Giin and Vredik, after he enchants Nirius aviation armor to last up to 10 hours. The wind is in their favor and helps propel them towards their destination.
Immediately upon arriving in Winterhold they request to use the teleportation circle to Riften. Being the Doomslayer (there may have been much confusion over Ra’Giin’s title) the Mage’s immediately send them to Misveil Keep.
Ra’Giin takes the group through The Ratway to The Ragged Flagon, where he joyfully greets Silas and Julida. Ra’Giin takes SIlas, Ephyra and Niris into the Cistern for a conversation about the key. Silas is told that he must be the one to return the key, as Ra’Giin is out of time and trusts no one else. Silas accepts the key and offers Nocturnal’s blessings upon the group's endeavours. Ephyra expresses that she had actually been tasked with finding great artifacts throughout the land, and that the key was one of them. Though she feels a little bit of guilt letting the key go, she knows this is the right thing to do. Back in The Ragged Flagon, Ra’Giin inquires about the guild and Julida’s efforts. She tells them their numbers are going up and Ra’Giin is pleased with what he has heard about her work. Ra’Giin gives her a task to put diamonds (1000 gold worth) and a coffin (2000 gold worth) in his quarters whenever she can get to it. He also leaves some treasures including a silver frame, 4 crystals and a dragon brooch in the Guild’s treasury. He inquires about potions and a good contact for the Guild and she directs him to The Bouncing Plum.
Upon arrival they are met with an odd trinket shop with mostly worthless junk on the shelves. After a small run around with the owner, a small gnome woman who is particularly cheerful, Ra’Giin makes it clear to her who he is. She drops her cheerful demeanor and leads them through a trapdoor behind her counter. They are led into a second shop below the trinket shop. Shelves and isles filled with various bottles and colored potions and poisons.
They each choose one potion, Ra’Giin taking a paralytic poison, Nirius taking a potion that when thrown, creates a wall of fire, and Ephyra takes a potion that turns her hair to fire, causing fear in nearby enemies.
With their important detour out of the way, they decide to go back to Winterhold to sleep for the night. Back at the Mage’s college, they are given an entire floor in the dormitories. Sneakily, Ra’Giin jams Vrediks lock in an attempt to spend more one on one time with the Dunmer. He and Vredik spend hours studying the light magic book and discover that the gamma rays utilized in this type of magic are absorbed by a creature and concentrated causing radiation damage and potentially malformations and disfigurations. Once studying is complete, the two spend a romantic night together.
Before sleeping, Ephyra messages her mother who tells her that her father is sick. They still have yet to find Eprya’s brother Izmar but her father continues to ask for him.
The next day’s flight back to Windhelm is against the wind, putting Nirius and Ephyra at exhaustion. The Oathkeepers, supplies for the journey packed and horses mounted, set off for Dunmeth Pass, a trade route guarded by the Stormcloak Garrison that leads from Skyrim to Morrowind.
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