Hour 35: Starbearer

I track one of the vampire hunters down to the fields outside Skingrad, and burn him to a crisp. Before he dies, he tells me I should take up my grievance with their leader, Eridur. Under the veil of darkness I travel to the inn where Eridor slumbers, and break into his room. However, rather than killing him straight away, I engage him in conversation, and by mentioning the fact that I've already killed the vampires at Bloodcrust Cavern (I show him the vampire dust I've collected as proof), he agrees to leave and take his band of merry men with him (minus the unfortunate fool whom I have incinerated, but Eridur doesn't know that, and if you don't tell him neither will I). What a nice little extra, having the option to persuade them to leave, rather than being forced to fight them.

I report back to the Count who agrees to reveal his information now that I've helped him. A powerful Necromancer called 'Mannimarco' (not a very dread-inducing name...) has returned, and is trying to take over Cyrodiil. I rush back to Traven and inform him. He must consult with the Council (bloody red tape...) so in the meantime I must occupy myself.

I feel it's high time that I acquire Azura's Star, as it will allow me to gather limitless souls to recharge my staves, which otherwise would cost me a lot of gold. I travel to Azura's shrine:

She requires me to clear out a cave of... vampires... before she will gift me with the star. Vampires seem to be coming up an awful lot, and I'm getting rather sick of them, not least because they're usually quite powerful. As it happens, there are only five vampires in the cave, but for the first time in a long time, I die (twice!) to them, having to reload from the start of the cave both times. Eventually I just start saving the game every time I kill one. I use fire against them, as I know they're weak to it, and it doesn't take that many fireballs to bring them down, but they're fast, and one of them, for example, Silences me (meaning I can't cast any magic) and then rushes at me and chops me down in about three hits. 

Eventually through careful use of my Flame Atronach, and focusing down the vampires ones at a time, I get the better of them. They drop some good loot (some expensive armour, and a glass war-hammer worth 1600 gold (although I won't get that much for it). Altogether there's too much for me to carry, though. Looks like I need to create a Feather spell for situations such as this. What's more, due to all the battling I've done over the last couple of hours, I've advanced to level 12, and am also an Expert in Destruction magic. Time to improve my arsenal of spells, it seems...