After completing Arissa's backstory quest (it was shorter than I expected and had far too many creepy spiders along the way
) I ended up in the north west of Skyrim again far from my usual hang-outs so I thought I'd roam around over there for a bit. I decided against going to Solitude (even though I could see it in the distance) because I don't really want to get caught up with General Tullius and the looming war, the same reason I steer clear of Windhelm. I don't want to be taking sides yet.
So I went the other way to Markarth to look into that murder/conspiracy. I made sure I wasn't followed and sneaked into that temple for a shadowy meeting with the guy who had slipped me the secret note. "Good, you weren't followed," he whispered and I chuckled to myself for actually checking that beforehand.
I suspect all is not as it seems but I now have to do some more snooping and questioning, in a secretive subtle way of course.
I then had a look around in the keep and found that there's a Dwemer museum in there! I wasn't allowed to look without talking to some other guy, but I don't want to meet with him yet. I recognised his name, he sent me a letter a while back indicating that he wants to buy my Dwarven Bow (how does he know I own one? He must have spies everywhere!) and I certainly don't want to sell. So, without wishing to antagonize someone else, I left the keep behind and then got involved with some Stendarr guy looking into a creepy abandoned house that may be haunted!
And after all those antics it was sunrise again and the light was so lovely I just went for a peaceful walk outside the gates. Well it was supposed to be peaceful, but a Khajiit thief lunged at me from behind a tree. Killed him quickly and got the decapitation killcam. The body slumped to the ground but because we were on a fairly steep slope the head flew off and started bouncing down the hill! So I did what any normal human would do... I chased after it!
(I remembered that bear corpse previously sliding down a hillside and didn't want to miss out on the fun again.)
So Arissa and my good self sprinted off down the slope trying to catch up with the bouncing head! It was like one of those weird cheese-rolling races that idiots take part in every year, but with this kind of race whoever gets ahead gets a head.
Didn't catch it, although I did get close before it rebounded off a rock and splashed in a river. I waded in but couldn't find it, I think the fishes ate it.
Just another eventful night in Skyrim.