Well, yesterday was random. First I traveled to Windhelm, from which I would strike out to recruit Gunmar for the Dawnguard. As I entered the city, I heard an ominous rush of wings overhead. Before I had time to react, my first Ancient Dragon swooped down to rain fire over the city.
I forced the beast to land using Dragonrend. It set down behind Candlehearth Inn. There, Agrenor Once-Honored stood waiting. A war veteran, he called himself. Now, he lived on the streets. I'd given him a few coins on occasion, never paying him much heed.
Now, Agrenor charged the dragon with a ferocity I'd never seen before. As his knuckles struck dragonscale, he let out a triumphant roar.
The next moment, the dragon snatched him between his jaws and sent his lifeless body flying.
The dragon was dispatched of easily. Afterwards I was approached by a Courier, who apologized for the grim tidings he was bringing: a letter of inheritance. Agrenor, who lived on the streets, had somehow set aside 100 gold coins, which he was now bequeathing onto me. I laughed, then I cried.
Off to Dragon Bridge. I'd somehow managed to beat the main quest of the game without ever setting foot inside Markarth. As I'm exploring the rocky region, I come across a band of Stormcloaks duking it out with Thalmor. As I'm not a fan of either, I take aim and let them all taste my Fire Breath. The game informs me I've incurred a bounty. I mop up the stragglers with Dawnbreaker, but no 'last witnesses killed'-message appears.
Not good.
I approach Kolskeggr Mine, where a group of Forsworn are attacking Markarth City Guards. I try to help them out, but the guards turn hostile immediately. I clear out the Forsworn while dodging their attacks and then sheathe my sword to signal surrender, but they're not having it. Remembering a story Ghaleon posted, I run towards the city gates. Sure enough, there's a passive guard waiting for me there. I talk to him, he informs me there's a 40 gold bounty on my head. I pay it off and get taken to Cidhna Mine.
Once I'm a free man again, I believe my troubles have subsided. The Forsworn Conspiracy plays out like it should, until I come upon the corpse of Eltrys, surrounded by city guards. I tell them they're not takinf me to prison alive. They oblige me by sending dozens of guards after me, until I finally croak and have to reload. I let them take me to Cidhna mine.
Something has apparently gone terribly, terribly wrong, as the Orc prison guard starts wailing on me. Unarmored and unarmed, I didn't stand much of a chance. Reload.
It seemed I still had a bounty on me, so I find another guard outside. He takes me to Cidhna Mine to search. I then go back to the Shrine of Talos, where I'm taken to Cidhna Mine again. I kill Madanach, escape, and go on my merry way.