Hour 35: Darkening the Dawn

I don't think I've ever completed the Dawnguard quest before. Unfortunately, as I accidentally killed the Dawnguard Orc in Dawnstar back in hour 10, I'll have to seek them out on my own. I haven't travelled to the Rift hold before, so I have to journey down past Riften from the Atronach Stone. 

A view across the the perennially-autumnal Rift from the low mountains in its north, which separate it from Eastmarch

The journey across the Rift is fairly eventful as I come across several 'upgraded' variants of enemies I've previously fought - quite a few Mammoth Bears (instead of Cave Bears), a 'Spriggan Earth-Mother', and a big wolf called something like a Giant Red Wolf.

In my attempt to find the cavern which leads to Fort Dawnguard, I stumble upon Black-Briar Lodge high in the mountains. It's guarded, and the guard seems edgy. As I approach, he turns hostile, so I sic my Daedric army on him, enter the Lodge, and proceed to massacre all the inhabitants with deadly impunity. I have no idea whether this is needed for a quest at some point, but I've visited ruination upon the secluded Black Briar Lodge.

Eventually I find the unmarked Dayspring Canyon which leads to the Fort. I pass through, but quickly find that the Dawnguard are immediately and murderously hostile to me! I can't join them, so I check online and apparently this is because I have a bounty in the Rift. Curses! I head to Riften and allow myself to be arrested by a passing guard - it takes every fibre of my being not to immolate him - and pay a fine of just over 1000 gold to clear my name. Although Tharon-Zul's pride is left wounded, this unfortunately seemed necessary in order to ingratiate myself with the priggish Dawnguard. I return to the Fort and this time I can speak to them and agree to join their cause.

Night falls over the awsome-looking Fort Dawnguard

My first task is to head to a cavern near the Hall of the Vigilant and investigate what the vampires want. I head there, but before entering I spy what looks like an enormous humanoid statue in the misty distance. I head over to it and it turns out to be the Shrine of Mehrunes Dagon:

I can't enter is as the door is quest-locked, but I imagine it'll come up during the Mythic Dawn Museum quest.