The Temple of Miraak

While exploring Solstheim, Amalthea couldn’t help but notice (and laugh at) the enthralled people tirelessly puttering around a bunch of rocks. Apparently the human ants were bewitched Skaal, and apparently the person who did the bewitching just might be the same person who’s been sending Cultists to kill Amalthea.

Amalthea does not like it when people try to kill her.

Although it amuses her to see humans turned into mindless slaves, she is above all a clever, worldly woman, one who understands that sometimes sacrifices must be made in order to obtain one’s ultimate goal. Amalthea is currently after not only revenge against the douchebag who’s behind the assassination attempts but also the ability to ride a fucking dragon. If she has to free some people from psychic slavery to accomplish her objectives — well then, she’ll free them, even if it breaks her shriveled black heart to do so.

First, though, the Dragonborn wanted to lay eyes (and sword) on the asshole behind the Cultists. She ventured off towards the Temple of Miraak, taking a moment to quietly enjoy the sunrise over Red Mountain. It’s beautiful, when it’s not trying to kill you.

Outside the temple, she met Frea, the daughter of the Skaal shaman. Like the Dragonborn, Frea had a vested interest in kicking the shit out of Miraak. United in their desire for bloody vengeance, they entered the temple and beheld the inner workings of Miraak’s mind. And they’re a lot like Amalthea’s, apparently.

Oh, bro, I feel you. I have so been in meetings like that before.

Frea is apparently a decent person, and she fretted aloud about the horrific tortures that Miraak had obviously inflicted upon scores of people. Amalthea just got wet.
“Yes, Mr. Holmes, brilliant observation.”

At one point, Amalthea thought she’d found the long-lost Solstheim Museum of Natural History, but it turned out to just be more of Miraak’s arrogant interior decorating.
It certainly makes a bold statement.

Amalthea eventually found her way to a large Black Book on a pedestal. This excited her, because she loves to read. Ignoring Frea’s doomsday babbling, she began to brew a pot of tea and got ready to curl up with the imposing tome.
“I don’t think this is going to be a relaxing source of escapism, after all.”

Our befuddled Dragonborn found herself in a green-tinged world of Lovecraftian horror, confronted by a Dragon Priest.

When she realized that the masked figure was Miraak, the source of much of her woe, she tried desperately to attack. To her consternation, she couldn’t move at all, so she had to settle for glaring angrily at him. *glare*

And then, like a depressed drunk waking up after a bender, Amalthea was sucked back into sobering reality.
Yes, Amalthea is a fairly transparent person.

Feeling as though she’d accomplished basically nothing, Amalthea moseyed on back to Skaal Village with Frea. There, she chatted with Frea’s daddy about Miraak being the First Dragonborn. The Skaal shaman misunderstood Amalthea’s questioning, thinking — as everyone in Skyrim does — that the Last Dragonborn was nothing more than an eager errand girl just jumping at the chance to do everyone else’s work for them. No wonder Miraak enjoys torturing and enslaving people. Amalthea can sympathize. Being the Dragonborn means being surrounded by perpetual incompetence.