The icy tundra makes the trip rough and yet that doesn't stop us going forward with our plan. With Zavir help guiding the way, it doesn't take long before we reach Thaumkr. It only takes us 2 days to reach our destination.
-THAUMKR-
And the moment we are in the proximity of the new settlement. The layout of Thaumkr was quickly registered under my map system.
A new settlement does pique my curiosity yet the moment I got there. There wasn't much to see, as it pretty much looked like Rorikstead in the game. Small and without any fences at all to mark the territory. But I guess it was far worse than Rorikstead in a way.
But that should make sense… It's a new settlement for the survivors of the Dawnstar masscare.
"Not much to see right, it was built five years ago as an independence settlement without the support of any holds in Skyrim." Zavir said as we walked into the settlement.
Hearing that, it was surprising as one could say it's like the mod 'LC_Build Your Noble House'. Making your own settlement is surely nice in the real world of Skyrim.
"I see, so it belongs to the Imperial or Stormcloacks faction?" I asked that question as I wanted to know more.
Zavir looks at me seriously as if I utter something wrong. That's when I recalled what he had said. That the Imperial has won the civil war and the Stormcloacks faction has gone, and mentioning anything related to Ulfric in the public might get the guard's attention. Since its new law that was made up after they won the war.
"Ah sorry, It completely slipped out of my mind…" I said that to Zavir.
Zavir shakes his head but accepts my apology, "It's fine, there's no guard nearby so you're safe. But you ask the right question of course, as I will tell you that this settlement doesn't belong to the Imperial entirely. As it is completely run by the people here."
"Wait? I understand the last part but what about the part that doesn't belong to the Imperial entirely?" I asked that question as I thought all of Skyrim belonged to the Imperial as they had won the war.
"To put it in simpler terms, the Imperial couldn't assert full authority here as the settlement here is one's private land."
"That I could understand because they didn't receive any support from any of the holds in Skyrim right?" I said.
"Yes you are completely right. The one who rebuilt the settlement was the people themselves using their own resources and finance… so it belongs to the people. But since any new settlement requires the Imperial approval to be regonized as a settlement, the settlement needs to obey the law of the Imperial to exist." Zavir explained that to me thoroughly.
There are some other questions that I ask as well. Because I thought every land belonged to the Imperial but somehow that changed in recent years. Zavir explains that it is mainly because the Imperial doesn't want to incite any more war.
By giving freedom in this way, the Imperial hope to garner the trust of the nord again. To believe that a nord should have freedom in their own land. The tactic does work as the Imperial began to look more favourably by the nord eyes right now.
And while walking to the inn, I notice the guard armor here looks rather different from any of those regular armor in the game. It looks more like adventurer armor. I was mistaken at first and I said that this settlement has a lot of adventurers around.
But then Zavir corrected me by saying it's actually the guard of Thaumkr.
"Not only is their armor different, the way they run things is different as well. Instead of having a chief, the people here were run by the elective committee of Thaumkr. That way it belongs to the people always without the Imperial taking over the whole settlement." Zavir said.
It sounded far more impressive and modern in a certain way when I heard about it. I guess Skyrim politics seems to improve a lot even though it's just on this level of stuff.
…
It doesn't take long before we finally reach the inn. It was bigger than I expected and completely different from what I had imagined.
I thought it would be that medium house style but certainly it was the same size as the Jorrvaskr. Meaning it's pretty big for a place that was supposed to be just an inn.
"Here it is, the place you are going to stay and resupply!" Zavir said as we both entered the inn.
The moment the both of us stepped into the inn, the innkeeper greeted the both of us warmly.
"Welcome to the New Age Inn! Where we provide supplies and bed-" He paused before he could finish off his sentence as he looked towards us, more precisely towards Zavir. "Ain't that you Zavir? It's unusual for you to come here."
Zavir let out a gentle smile, "Haha! You're right, a lone wanderer like me doesn't really visit the settlement much but I guess today is different." Zavir said that as he shifted his gaze towards me.
"Oh… Your new lover?" The innkeeper said with a playful smile.
Zavir simply laughs as he doesn't say anything to refute that statement. Which makes me uncomfortable as I do not want to think that there's anything between us, especially in that way.
"We're certainly not that! We met each other on the road and since I am new, Zavir is helping me out by guiding me to the new settlement." I said that to resolve and to avoid any misunderstanding.
But upon saying such words, both Zavir and the innkeeper burst into laughter. And both of them mention that it was a joke as both of them were aware of that. And the only one who wasn't was me.