"Baldur! Have you finished stocking the shelves, and what about those potions i told you to buy?" Solaf said as he walked into the backroom of the store, spotting the Nord boy he had hired a few months ago crouching near a crate of iron weapons all bunched together.
Baldur, startled by Solaf's booming voice, pushed aside his fascination with the weapons and stood, facing him. "Everything's done, Solaf," he said with a sigh. It was far too early for his ears to be assaulted by such a stone-shattering sound.
"Zaria mentioned she was short a few ingredients for the health potions," Baldur continued, "but other than that… everything's fine."
It had been a few months since he'd started working here, yet he still hadn't grown accustomed to Solaf's thunderous voice—or to his brother Bolund's racist rants about who Skyrim truly belonged to.
'Wait till he finds out about Ulfric's dealings with the Dominion,' the young man thought to himself, the layout of the Aldmeri Dominion's embassy appearing in his mind.
Thinking about Bolund almost made Baldur want to sigh again but he reigned it in.
"Solaf," he called out to the man who had just nodded and turned around "is it fine if i take a few hours off? I have to go see Runil about a few things."
"Mhm? Oh yeah sure, I don't expect many buyers today anyway." Solaf said as he looked back, seeing Baldur already gathering his personal items.
Exiting the shop, Baldur took a moment to take in Falkreath. its amazing natural beauty was something he couldn't have seen without paying a hefty amount back in his old life.
The whole "I need to go see Runil" was just an excuse for Baldur to leave work for a few hours, even if it was so early.
It was however with reason that he did that, He just had a notification come up on his system panel. That's right, after reincarnating in this world 19 years ago, his system had just awakened!
After appreciating Falkreath for being what it was, Baldur walked to his house that sat further in the city. it wasn't too long of a walk, Falkreath was only as big as a large town that took at most, two to two and a half hours to walk around.
Thankfully it only took a twenty minute walk to get to his house. it was a small building, one he and his foster father: Erik Stoneface shared for the past nineteen years, now it was just him.
Looking at the house brought back many memories for him, some painful and some joyous. It had been just over 4 months ago that his father died in his sleep.
He knew his father well, he knew how he welcomed death as a natural part of life.
That and the fact that his previous twenty-three years of life before reincarnating gave him enough maturity to deal with it better than most would, he had already buried many family members throughout his past life too so this all was natural to him.
Walking up the stairs and into the house, he was greeted with an small but humble living space.
A table with two benches flanking his left with a staircase that led to a small basement area he used for storage.
On his right, held two single beds with a nightstand in the middle and a chair in the far corner, next to his bed with a book laying on top.
"Okay, system," He said, walking forward to the chair next to the fireplace, a cooking stand at the ready for his meals "lets see if you live up to all those shitty Chinese translations." A small but confident grin slowly creeping up on his face.
[Good Morning Host! Please pay attention to the following, you will not see this notification again!
The System is now fully operational, we apologize for the delay, at the end of the notification, you will find a compensation package waiting for you in your inventory.
The System has chosen you as its Host! Do Not question its existence, it is not something you can understand. The System is designed to help the Host, whether it may be for general life or high combat situations.
To keep this notification short, all necessary information will be transferred directly to your brain, please brace!]
Just after he finished reading, his eyebrow raising in confusion and happiness from the mention of the compensation package, an excruciating pain came over his head.
Baldur shot out of the chair, unable to steady himself, he instantly fell down from the nausea of his brain receiving The Systems knowledge about it's functions.
"Fuck..." he groaned out after the pain somewhat subsided, allowing him to get up and sit back down, his head still throbbing from the pain "should've known that would happen...".
A few moments later, when the pain fully left him, he sat straight and summoned the system panel, a new found understanding taking root in his eyes.
'So that's how you work huh? Nice, its simple and its not sentient!' Call him dumb, but he didn't want a system that came with sentience... How would he have his private moments then?
The knowledge that came with the system was short but informative, showcasing its functions as well as the different screens he could summon from his mental commands.
'So, a status screen with my stamina and magicka values, an inventory page and a page for skills and perks... not too shabby if i do say so myself.' He thought, scratching his chin, a small smile dancing on his face.
"Lets check the compensation package," he muttered, living in Skyrim without any form of modern technology made him exited to see something so advanced like this suddenly pop up.
With the addition of the gift he was just about to open, he was overjoyed.
Mentally willing the inventory screen to pop up, the twenty slots separated into two rows filled his vision, the very first box containing the compensation package looking very much like a gift box from his past life.
Opening it took a simple thought, the gift box going through a small animation before bursting open and a new screen popping up.
[Ding!]
[New Perks detected, adding to perks panel]
...
[Addition complete, you may now view them]
Impatient to view the gifts, he willed the skills and perks panel into existence, dismissing the others, and there it laid; the previously empty screen now sat with faintly shimmering words that toned down once his eyes went over them.
[Perks Page]
[Lesser Gamer's Body: Heal 50% faster whilst sleeping.
Pain is still felt at a reduced amount of 30%. (Physical only)
You heal at an increased rate: small bruises heal in days instead of weeks etc. (Synergizes with 'Heal 50% faster whilst sleeping.')
Nordic Heritage: 25% Resistance to frost damage and general cold.
Naturally tall.
Medium increase to base stamina.
Lesser Gamers Mind: Minor Talent increase in all aspects.
Immune to mind reading or memory alteration.
Mind affecting debuffs are less likely to work on you.
System Panel: Shows stats and debuffs as well as an inventory space manager
Lesser inventory: can store 20 items, no individual weight limit but the items have to be inanimate.
Records skills learned alongside a numerical value.]
'Hell yeah.' He said looking over the screen, taking in the whole page before letting out a breath. 'i basically have the healing of a troll whilst sleeping... that's overpowered as shit if your building muscle and the likes.'
Having enough of the perks page, he willed over the skills section and unlike the perks page, this particular screen was somewhat barren, only containing a few skills even though he knew not all his skills were recorded.
[Skills Page]
[Swordsmanship: 16
Axemanship: 4
Archery: 11
Cleaning:13
Athletics: 22
Boxing: 9
Cooking: 8
Acting: 13
Speech: 11]
'according to the system, the mortal limit for skills is level 25, every 5 levels giving a substantial increase to the skill itself, its very different from Skyrim,' Baldur said as he walked about his house, his arse growing sore from the uncomfortable wooden chair 'but its in accordance with the novice to apprentice then adept, expert and finally master system from Skyrim leveling.'
'Raising skills gets significantly harder in the later levels.' Baldur said somewhat disappointed at his swordsmanship only being at the adept level. 'It makes sense though, the difference of an adept sword wielder and an expert sword wielder is quite significant.'
-----
For the past nineteen years, Baldur hasn't exactly done nothing the whole time. Of course he couldn't do much as a child but the moment he hit 13, he began training his body.
the workouts started small, push-ups, crunches, pull-ups and the likes, over time, he had gotten Lod, the local blacksmith to forge him three sets of dumbbells for a small price; one set of two fifteen kg dumbbells, the other being two twenty kg dumbbells and the last being twenty-five kg's each.
his body wasn't exactly bulky but it certainly was lean and much stronger for his age.
That's probably why his stamina sat at a total of 190. He had a sneaking suspicion that it was closer to 200, the systems only flaw was that it recorded his stats in tens rather than in units.
'Training is going to give me a lot more gains now.. the minor increase of talent in all areas is absolutely amazing too.' Finally sitting down Baldur said aloud "What should i do now that i have an advantage?"
(AN: Read the auxiliary chapter to find out the average stats of a Nord)
Over the years, Baldur managed to save quite the sum of money, 36 gold coins or Septims rather and 40 silver, where 1 Septim is the equivalent of 10 Silver.
For a reference: 2 gold was enough to take a carriage ride from Falkreath to Whiterun. Most common goods like ale, bread and firewood cost between 1-3 Silver whilst simple clothing costs slightly more at 3-8.
'All my odd jobs and that one time I stole from Pinewatch paid off. I've got enough to buy decent leather armor and get out of Falkreath...' Baldur said as he glanced at the weapon rack near his bed, the iron sword, longbow and quiver with two dozen iron arrows hanging neatly.
He had wanted to leave for a long time, Falkreath was by no means a safe place, the entire city was basically surrounded by bandit's lairs. Don't even start with the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary that was legit half-a-day's ride from the city gate's
-----
"Your back? that was quick, i hope your business with Runil's sorted out." Solaf said with a bit of confusion from behind the counter, his posture slouching after realizing that it wasn't a customer that had walked in.
"Yeah, I had to rush up the old man... y'know how he gets sometimes." Baldur said, getting back to the menial job of keeping the store clean with an old broom and a wooden dustpan.
'Makes sense why my acting's so high, i think I'm a natural at it..'
Swish! Swish!
'Stupid old broom, making stupid old noises...'
-----
"...and here's your money. Don't go spending it all in once place now!" Solaf said, holding a bag from which he fished out 7 silver coins.
"Whats the extra 2 for?" Baldur said with a raised eyebrow, double counting the coins that sat in his palm. "I hope its not hush money for what happened two nights ago.." A small, teasing smile creeped its way on his face as he looked down on Solaf, mocking him for staring at a woman's bosom at the inn two nights ago.
"You don't know what your talking about Erikson! its just a bonus for the hard work today, okay?!" An unnatural reddish hue crept its way onto Solaf's face, he immediately turned away from Baldur, pretending not to care.
If one had an aerial view of the city, they would see more than a few dozen workers heading to all the inns and taverns situated around the city. Baldur was none the better, he too, over time preferred his mead and lively tavern atmosphere after a long day of work.
Baldur preferred The Dead Mans Drink, it was iconic purely for being the one he visited all the time when role-playing as an ordinary person in Skyrim.
"Shor's bones! A handsome man in Falkreath!" Narri said with a laugh and a small spring in her step as she made her way over to Baldur's table after seeing him walk through.
Hearing the familiar voice line from his friend made the smile he lost from Solaf return as he swung around the bench, spotting Narri, the waitress who wore tavern clothes made in a way that left little to the imagination and who was also one of his friends he made in his years living in Falkreath.
"No Narri, just me." Was he Handsome? Just a little bit.. its not like skyrim had Cerave to put on his face but it was enough to somewhat standout in a wet environment like Falkreath.
Not like that stopped his friend from teasing him every chance she got anyway