Today In Skyrim (Spoilerific), Like the other one, but with added spoilers!!! Options

[Darkness Eternal]

So you remade your character, then?

[Grits]

Yep. The first time he suffered death by sabre cat while being burned by a dragon, so I deleted his saves. That’s when I was playing Dead is Dead. I soon realized that I was spending more time in character creation than actually playing, so now in Skyrim Dead is Reload. The second J’Shanji just got too powerful and rich, so I deleted his saves and started a new game as soon as 1.05 loaded, creating him from scratch. He was pretty pissed off to wake up in that wagon again, I can tell you!

I’m looking forward to having him level up more slowly with Smithing being fixed and him not getting points (or whatever) for unarmed fighting. I disliked leveling up so much from just making some leather stuff to sell from the wolves that attacked him.

[Darkness Eternal]

Huh? I use night eye all the time!

I am disappointed that short swords aren't in the game.

Huh? I use night eye all the time!

That is because you are playing a Khajiit, and get it as a racial power. So far as I know, that is the only way to get the spell.

Wow, that is crazy. I never tried Dead is Dead. It must be a hassle to constantly delete your characters. I can't imagine! And he died by a Sabre Cat, when there always are those pesky arrows flying about.

[Grits]

And the sabre cat was on fire when it killed him. D'oh!!

[McBadgere]

I’m looking forward to having him level up more slowly with Smithing being fixed and him not getting points (or whatever) for unarmed fighting. I disliked leveling up so much from just making some leather stuff to sell from the wolves that attacked him.

Surely you jest milady, this is great use for the damned fool puppies is it not? says J'Zirlo...

You mean buying all the leather stuff the blacksmith has and then making umpteen leather bracers is no longer on?... ...Damn... ...


EDIT...Just read the full list of fixes...Doesn't mention the Roerek not selling the house thing...Grr... ...

Still think it's stupid the amount they're having to do just to get the game to work properly...Hopefully they'll learn for when they do the next Fallout...

I think that having to delete the Game Data is just ridiculous...Not going to check it out right now, but I will have to leave a note for the kids to not do the update before I finish work... ...

This post has been edited by McBadgere: Apr 6 2012, 04:32 AM

[McBadgere]

J'Zirlo has been ramping up his Smithing like there's no tomorrow, (as are the kids) prior to downloading this new patch...Yes, it's a cheat...Now ask me if I care... ...

Aaamywho...it's now Legendary at 93 so we may stop there...

Also tried to carry on with the quest I was doing for Farkas, clearing out some dragurs in somewhereorother...Sadly, for the second time, we died...Fell down a trapdoor...Grrr...Was bored then...

Will try again tomorrow...*Sigh*...

This post has been edited by McBadgere: Apr 7 2012, 07:07 AM

[McBadgere]

Finished that quest with J'Zirlo...The trapdoor was the right way to go, I'd just missed the shelves you're supposed to drop onto on the way down to prevent said death!!... ...But now all is well...

Went back to the college to finish the J'Zargo scroll thing you need to do before he will become a follower...

Now, all I need to do is make some monies to get all the stuff to make a couple of decent sets of armour and J'Zargo is on his way...Booyah!!...Bounty Huntings-are-us!!...

Also, Caerellin delivered his missives of Luurve around Riften (*snort*) and managed to find the missing priest in the Bee and Barb...Funny that, the priest was in the pub...Who'd have thought?... ...Aaaamywho, having found the missing minister, Caerellin married the mill-owner Aeri from Anga's Mill (halfway-ish between Dawnstar and Riften)...'Cause she's sweet...And she has a house...No, it's not a cynical ploy...No it isn't, it's a valid story decision...It is!!...

The scenery around there is beautiful though...Soooo nice...

This post has been edited by McBadgere: Apr 7 2012, 07:08 AM

[McBadgere]

This latest go saw me ambling about, learning about Shaade...She's a mega archer, she's very destructo and she seems to have a mad-on for wolves...I like her!!... ...

We cleared out the appropriately named Embershard (cause that's how Shaade is pronounced...Shard...) Mine, and then we travelled the winding road towards Whiterun...She felled the Giant and was complimented by Aela...

We walked some more and killed somewhere in the region of 12(!!) wolves...

Oh, and then she went and cleared Fort Greymoor... ...

Shaade rocks!!... ...

[Colonel Mustard]

Nice one McBadgere; Shaade sounds quite lethal already, it seems!

In other news, started a new game as Aranios Sayl, a thief, rogue and gentleman of fortune (handsome devil, ain't he?). I'll be relating his (mis?)adventures in journal style, as is the popular manner, and I'll admit I'm already having a lot of fun with him.


Extract from the Journal of Aranios Sayl; Gentleman of fortune, and somehow hero of Skyrim for reasons that still escape me to this day

Day 1

Either I am a very lucky man or there is someone up there making fun of me right now. Possibly both.

My first day in Skyrim started with me on a cart bound for Skyrim's border town of Helgen for the rather unfortunate ultimate destination of the headsman's block. I, once again victim to the harsh, reactionary and biased 'justice' of the Empire or the Thalmor or whoever runs this place nowadays, was on my way to be killed for reasons that were entirely unreasonable; I swear to you now that the Count of Bruma's daughter made no mention of her heritage and if she had I wouldn't have even gone near. If you ask me, it's she that's the one deserving execution, not I. But I digress.

I was thoroughly miserable as we departed, and I was all for legging it like that horse thief with us before he took more arrows in him than was good for a person. The Stormcloak with us, some lump who was all for honour and glory and that rot suggested that we should face our deaths like men, an idea that did not sit comfortably with me; I've never faced anything like a man before and facign death like one is certainly not a good place for an amateur to start, seeing as it's generally a good idea to walk before you run and all that.

I was on the block when a third party intervened in my execution and saved my hide. Normally I'd be rejoicing about such a thing, but this was a mixed blessing. The reason for that was simlpe; the third party was, of all things, an eight-damned dragon. And I'll admit that, when it came into view, I may have done somethign that my mother had taught me not to do when I was two.

In the confusion, I managed to leg it and ended up running through the castle with an Imperial named Hadvar, a member of the Legion, of all things. Now I know it sounds strange for me to go with someone who was collaborating in chopping my head off, but frankly when there's a dragon flying around outside and someone's holding a door open into a big, secure castle made of solid stone you're not really in a position to be choosy. I mean, the man could have been a deranged, murderous leper and I'd have found him preferble to a dragon.

We made our way through several caves, and managed to finally get out despite the intervention of several spiders, some Stormcloaks and having to slip past a bear (got their venom from their fangs, which should come in handy). Eventually we made our way to daylight, and after that we reached Riverwood, a fairly backwards and unexciting place but, fortunately, it had an inn and a store where I was able to sell some of the weapons I'd taken off the dead in return for some arrows and healing potions. Hadvar said that it would be best if I made my way to Whiterun to warn Jarl Balgruff of our slight dragon problem, and I decided to get that done tomorrow; I'd had quite enough for today.

Hadvar suggested I join the Legion, and while I'm not normally inclined towards siding with people who try to kill me or all that interested in general soldiering, I need some Septims and I suppose there are worse ways to chat up wenches than saying you're a soldier. I'll give it a thought, if they'll take someone like me.


Day 3

I didn't warn the Jarl, in the end.

I'm in Riften at the moment, and the reasons for this are fairly simple. I got as far as the gate (narrowly avoided being savaged by a pack of wolves on the way) and bumped into some Khajiit camped outside. One of them mentioned the Thieves Guild were operating outside of Riften, and so I figured that the best thing to do would be to check that out if I wanted some coin. So I got a nearby cart, not wanting a repeat incident of my run-in with those wolves, and arrived in the city.

Ran into a fellow named Brynjolf there who offered me some work, namely planting a ring on a Wood Elf. That sort of thing was right up my street, and I managed to rob some Argonian dry in the meantime, and after the deed was done he said to meet him down in the 'Ratway'. Not quite sure what it was, but apparently it was dangerous so I left the city to build my funds hunting and getting some better equipment. Managed to clear out a cave full of wolves and accidentally picked a fight with a horse which I nearly didn't walk away from; the damn thing just wouldn't die.

In any case, I managed to survive, knocked together some bracers to sell and managed to scrape together some cash. I'm sticking aroudn Riften at the moment, buying and selling at the moment, and seeing what will hit me next.

Life for Aranios Sayl has become rather interesting, it seems...

[Grits]

Congratulations to Caerellin on the nuptials!

Aranios sounds fun, Colonel.

Here's the latest from Jensa:

Stenvar and I are camped at the top of a ruined tower. We’re high up in the Jerrals looking out over the Rift. I’m pretty sure that Bruma is just a short distance over to the south. And a decent drop, of course. The snow stopped and the wind quit, so there’s nothing but a pile of furs between us and the stars. Dragons always pick the best spots to lair.

We’re safe up here because we killed the dragon. I found another Word of Power, just like the letter said. I’m not sure what we’ll do next. I’ll never say it, but Stenvar needs some time to recover. While we were fighting the dragon he was damn near killed by a bear.

I want to go back to High Hrothgar. Arngeir might have another Word for me to find. I hate to ask Stenvar to make that climb again so soon. I wish I could fly, I’d be there right now and back in time to hold this man when the sun comes up over Morrowind. He’s not one for love talk even when we’re loving, but tonight he said some sweet things to me. He must have been thinking about dying.

Maybe there’s a Shout that will let me fly. The dragons manage it somehow, they’re not built like birds. I wonder if everyone has flying dreams like I do, or if that’s just my dragon blood making promises it can’t deliver. I’m having too many thoughts. Those Greybeards must be rubbing off on me.

Anyway I need to decide what to do next. Calder says we should fix the roof, and that means coin. Lucky I have a Housecarl to inform me of such matters. I don’t know a thing about keeping a house like Hjerim, and neither does Stenvar. I guess we could go through to Riverwood and pick up a bounty. That would take us back to Whiterun, and Jorrvaskr. I could stand to drink some mead with Torvar and break Njada’s nose again. Maybe Aela will get it through her thick head that there are no sabre cats at Greenspring Hollow, and she should get over it and just give me a different job. And maybe trolls will fly and skeevers will take up embroidery. Still, it’s worth a try.

[McBadgere]

I may have done somethign that my mother had taught me not to do when I was two.

Surely I'm too polite to laugh that much!!... ...Oh, loved it Colonel!!...The bit about the daughter's heritage!!...Nice one... ...

The Jensa bit was cool Grits...Nice for you to go back to her... ...


Personally, yesterday, I had a go with all of the charcters I've got in the Skyim Knights lot...It gave me a headache actually... ...

But yeah, from Caerellin and J'Zirlo, I then did a bit with Shaade, started on the Wood-Elf, Dinasafon (guess who ), did some with J'Drell, and finally the failure with Olfsson...

Too much in one go...Therefore, I am having a slight break for a time, this should help the story more... ...

Urgh...Mine eyes!!... ...

[Arcry]

Pages from the journal of ex-Smuggler, Hides-His-Hands. Pages found in the caves of Southfringe Sanctum, partially burnt, scattered in the main chamber by the body of an Orc.

Tirdas, 17 of Last Seed, 4E201

In a single day my entire life has been ruined.

This mornings trip into Skyrim was ruined on account of one Ulfic Stromcloak, leader of the Skyrim Rebellions. What he was doing outside the land's boarders is beyond me, but the Imperials set an ambush for him an captured him, and counted me, an Argonian, as one of Ulfric's band. One would be skeptical of such a thing with Ulfic's reputation for his human centric ideals, however, when said Argonian's wagon is filled with war contarband, one tends to believe the simple answer.

So, they rounded Ulfric's merry band up, tosses them, myself, and an unfortunate theif, into wagons and sent us rocking towards the Imperial fort of Helgen, first real settlement in Skyrim's borders. The ride into Skyrim was as expected, the Thief tried to talk his way free while the Stormcloaks spouted Nordic honor in the face of death. I do not want die here, so far from the songs of the Marsh, from fellow Saxhleel.

We arrived in Helgen where the Imperials strode us before a headsman's block. I thought of fleeing, but the Thief moved before I could, and then he didn't. The Imperials shot him down before he could even see the gates. The called us one by one to the block, I tired to reason with the Legate in charge, explain why I was not on the list of known Stormcloak's and their allies, but she smiled cruelly and set me in line with the traitors.

I do not know why am I still alive, but I am. Many did not escape Helgen when It attacked. A monster as black as night, with eyes of fire. It was a dragon, and it looked at me. I felt it's eyes on me, felt its rage. It hated me, and it destroyed the entire fort trying to kill me. I do not know if this is fear that writes my words, but I feel it's in my bones, It is looking for me, hunting me.

An Imperial helped me escape, he was the caller of the list. He seemed genuinely regretful that he had sent me to my death not but moments ago and led me through the fort's interior. I killed people. Nords defending their homeland, their beliefs, and I cut them down. This rebellion never seemed to be important, but actually being here. It's difficult.

We parted ways, he is headed to what family he has in the riverside settlement of Riverwood, I broke west. Stumbled on a Hunter's camp, he was generous enough to let me share his fire and point me in the direction of Falkreath, think I will head there in the morning.

Turdas, 20 of Last Seed, 4E201

Taken on the guise of Hunter in Falkreath. It is a small settlement, but holds one of the land's rulers, Nords call them Jarls. The people here are not very trusting, but have been willing to house and shelter an outsider. The owner of the Dead Man's Drink has set me up with a room for as long as I want it, if I can continue to pay her for it. The blacksmith, Lod has asked me to fetch a few pelts for the Jarl's new armor. The Priest of Arkay, a High Elf at that, asked me to get him his journal from Southfinge Sanctum. Said he lost it while exploring it's depths.

I think I will deliver Lod's pelts, then go talk to the Jarl, see if I can help him with any trouble in the hold, least I can do for these people. Then I will fetch the priest Runil his journal. Will need to pack for the trip tgough, it is going to take at least a day to get that far to the east.

This post has been edited by Arcry: Apr 9 2012, 03:55 PM

[Lady Saga]

J'Zirlo has been ramping up his Smithing like there's no tomorrow, (as are the kids) prior to downloading this new patch...Yes, it's a cheat...Now ask me if I care... ...

What is a cheat?

[SubRosa]

I think he means spamming iron daggers and hide bracers. Before version 1.4, your skill went up the same no matter what you created, a cheap iron dagger, or a suit of ebony armor. In 1.5 your skill improvement is based on the value of what you are creating. So iron daggers give you a very small skill increase, and things like ebony armor a big one.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Apr 9 2012, 11:03 PM

[Lady Saga]

I think he means spamming iron daggers and hide bracers. Before version 1.4, your skill went up the same no matter what you created, a cheap iron dagger, or a suit of ebony armor. In 1.5 your skill improvement is based on the value of what you are creating. So iron daggers give you very a very little skill increase, and things like ebony armor a big one.

Oh, ha ha..I didn't know that! makes sense, though, I'm glad 1.5 changed that. It should take more skill to make a giant glass greatsword than an iron dagger, and it makes that we'd make more of an increase for this extra skill.

[McBadgere]

I do indeed mean spamming... ...Although it was all leather bracers... ...

We've still not done the update...The kids made new characters and wish to make further use of the loophole... ...

We're not using it 'cause we're desperate to push the character's level up as such, just increase the smithing...

In Oblivion, the repair skill got easier the further towards 100 you went up, so why is it going to take more to level up the higher you go in Skyrim?...

Hey-ho...Progress is for they young... ...


Aaaamywho...

Caerellin is currently engaged in the College of Winterhold shenannigans...

I believe he wants to take a run at the MQ soon...Will have to get the ever popular J'Zargo though...Caerellin is more of a close quarters figher than a long range...Though his archery's going up like the clappers...Bound Bow rules!!!...

...

This post has been edited by McBadgere: Apr 10 2012, 05:56 AM

[Lady Saga]

I think when I make my Nord Stormcloak dude, he's gonna probably do lots of smithing. My previous Nord did too, but he never got to the "mass-production" part. He just made iron and leather stuff, too...never progressed to better stuff (he hated elven, dwarven, and other types of armor). but just before he got killed, he started to realize he'd better start making at least some armors for himself made of steel.

[SubRosa]

I think when I make my Nord Stormcloak dude, he's gonna probably do lots of smithing. My previous Nord did too, but he never got to the "mass-production" part. He just made iron and leather stuff, too...never progressed to better stuff (he hated elven, dwarven, and other types of armor). but just before he got killed, he started to realize he'd better start making at least some armors for himself made of steel.

This is how Ulfdis is. She wears steel armor of her own making. She always carries a pick, and mines whatever ore she comes across in her travels. Then at the next city she smiths up some iron or steel swords. You can get a lot of smithing done this way. Especially if you clear out some mines, like Embershard. Ulfidis doesn't want to use any of those elven metals either, so won't even bother with making or buying elven, dwarven, or orcish. She has yet to find any ebony, so I don't know what she thinks about it. She might be in steel for her entire game.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Apr 10 2012, 09:22 PM

[SubRosa]

A letter from Ulfdis

Dear Aunt Hervor and Uncle Jomar,

I know I promised to write sooner, but so much has happened since I left Bruma, I have scarcely had the time to sit and think, much less try to put it all in words. It all seems a jumble when I look back on the last few weeks. It is like an entire lifetime has passed by. For some, it has.

I was ambushed by Imperials after going through Pale Pass. Yes, that is right, ambushed. They claimed I was a Stormcloak rebel, and demanded my surrender. I did not want to kill legionaries just doing their job, so I did. Besides, I was certain that once I had the chance to speak with whoever was in command, things would be set to rights. They threw me in a wagon train of others they had also taken prisoner. Two of the men in my wagon really were Stormcloaks. One was the very Jarl of Windhelm himself! The leader of the rebellion against the Empire!

We stopped at an Imperial castle, Helgen is what one of the Stormcloaks said it was. His name is Ralof, he said he once knew a girl there. Before I had a chance to talk, one of the others, a man no more a rebel than I, made a break for it. The battle-serpents flew from the Imperial archer's bows, and he died in the dust.

My turn was next. I tried to explain that I was innocent, but the centurion would hear none of it. My head was destined to become a trophy for their General Tullius, as were those of all of us. He would have had it too, if not for the dragon.

It came out of nowhere. With but a word, the sky turned black as soot, and fire rained from the clouds. It spoke other words, and men died in flame. I cannot describe the words. But I heard them just the same. They rang through me like the beat of a giant drum, making my whole body shake.

Ralof and I escaped in the confusion. So did other Stormcloaks. We made our way to a nearby village, where his kin lived. We split up there, he heading to Windhelm, and me to Whiterun, to warn the local Jarl. Balgruuf is his name, and more slippery than ice on stone is that one. He took me to his wizard, and the next thing I knew I was being sent on a mission to an ancient barrow to retrieve some mucking dragonstone for the damned pompous fools. Well I did as Uncle Jomar always says when dealing with nobles. I nodded and said "yes". Then I got out of there as soon as I could.

Skyrim is not the place I had expected. I thought that returning to the land of my blood would be grander, would speak some hidden truths into my ear. But the only things speaking in this land are the swans of battle. I have had better greetings from the wolves than many of the two-legged folk I have met. Thankfully the wolves are just as good to me as those in Cyrodiil. It is as that Witch Aela told you when you found me as a child. They have marked me, and not just in the scars on my face…

-Ulfdis, somewhere in Skyrim

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Apr 11 2012, 03:05 AM

[SubRosa]

A Letter From Ulfdis

Dear Aunt Hervor and Uncle Jomar,

Sometimes I wonder why I am still here. I met a family in Whiterun called the Grey Manes. One of their sons had disappeared, been taken by the Imperials. The other son was in hiding, else he be next. I found their missing son. He was a man bigger than Uncle Jomar! But the Thalmor had him, and had been working him over for some time. It was the Imperials that gave him to the Thalmor, them and a family of Nordic collaborators known as the Battle-Borns.

It is just as so many say. The Empire licks the boots of the high elves. I see the damned goldenrods here in Skyrim, dragging men off in chains for worshipping Talos. Some people still do it openly here, not in secret like we did back in Bruma. Jarl Ulfric and his Stormcloaks do. They fight for Talos, and for a free Skyrim.

So do I. It started with the damned Thalmor. First when I set Thorald Grey Mane free, then when I saw Thalmor patrols on the road, dragging people off in chains. The Empire does the same thing. After Helgen, I have no doubt what dark fate awaits those prisoners… It has to stop. The Jarls like Balgruuf will not do anything though. He even said to me that it was no concern of his who the Imperials executed. Only the Stormcloaks seem willing to fight for what is right.

I have seen more of Balgruuf too. I met a young man named Erik in place called Rorikstead. We went into Bleak Falls Barrow and pulled out that stupid dragonstone for the idiot court mage. I felt like choking the peacock with it when I got back to Whiterun. The dragon did not give me the chance though.

Yes, another dragon, different from the first one. It was attacking one of Whiterun's outer towers. The next thing I knew I was out there with a band of Whiterun soldiers, and it was flying overhead. Many were called to Sovngarde, and the blood-swans ate till they were fat afterward. I fought as the rest, and in the end the beast was felled. With its last breath it called me Dovahkiin. Whatever it means, it must be a curse.

Some fools started calling me Dragonborn after that. All I did was be the last to thrust the wolf of wounds into its gullet. That hardly makes me dragon in human form. I may not know what my Ma and Pa's names were, but I know they were not scaly beasts!

I was glad to be quit of Whiterun. The city is big, and wealthy, but I have seen where that wealth comes from. Imperial bribes, traitors like the Battle-Borns selling faithful Nords to the Thalmor. A hard rain will fall upon Whiterun and its conniving Jarl. I feel sorry for those good folk still living there, like the Grey-Manes. They will suffer for the machinations of their leader.

Windhelm is a much different city. It is just as big as Whiterun. Larger perhaps. Certainly much older. It is the ancient capital of the Kings of Skyrim. The city is all dark and brooding stone, whose dour mood is barely lifted by the white blanket of snow that covers everything. A shrine to Talos rises from a hill across the river from it, as if the Old Man was looking out over his city. There is even a temple dedicated to him inside the walls, next to the palace!

For these Nords fight, rather than take the Empire's bribes. I have joined them. I may not have been born in Skyrim, and I may not have a home here, but I can see this is my fight. Even as I write this, I am on my way to an ancient tomb. Ulfric's right hand - Galmar Stone-Fist - thinks we can find the Jagged Crown there. It is the ancient crown of the High Kings itself. If the gods grant that we bring that back to Windhelm and place it on Ulfric's head, it will show that they favor us over the damned faithless Imperials and their puppets.

-Ulfdis, Windhelm.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Apr 12 2012, 10:41 PM