Aravi in Skyrim, her video story Options

[Grits]

Ugh, now that is some nasty water! I was reminded of the IC sewer vampire hunt when Aravi resorted to wearing the red boots. Uh oh, spider! Burn it with fire arrows!!

Serana is an interesting assortment of contradictions. Talking about a stroll in the beautiful garden after “evening meals,” when they had just waded through the grisly remains of those meals.

The moondial and garden were a welcome change from the ruins, I’m sure. I like how Aravi looked up at the stars. Then back under they went, but this time at least heading upward.

Oh my goodness, that room full of undead! Aravi’s stand-up-and-Shout approach had the Nord cheering. I love how she jumped up on the table!! Good grief it’s confusing to fight alongside a necromancer! (Serana glitched from here forward in Mikke’s game, so this is new to me.)

What a neat ruin. I love how the slanting light shows that they’re gotten to the part that’s above ground.


Screens: Ooh, Summoning is my favorite. I can’t resist a closeup of Aravi’s sweet face.

Torrent looks awesome!! I have got to get someone to use wards! Maybe Darnand. Hmm.

Chilly: Aaaaaaaaw!

Crumpled: Aaaaaw.

[Acadian]

As Aravi and Serana slogged through the muck with bones floating around and blood on the stairs, I thought the creep meter was pretty pegged. . . until I saw the spider webs!

The moondial puzzle was pretty good. Normally all game puzzles send me instantly to a walkthrough and this would have been no exception. Hate quest puzzles, but at least TES makes them pretty simple – I think that’s a good thing.

Then a big fight with a bunch of boneheads. Wow, that can get confusing when Serana summons a skeleton into these kinds of fights.

*

Summoning – Lots to love: Close up, scar, bloody blade, magic, wonderfully rich ambiance.

Torrent – Golden grasses and flaming dragons.

Chilly – Hee, looks like Serana helped Aravi get dressed!

Crumpled body – Simply gorgeous background, emotional midground and bloody foreground. What a fabulous composition this one was!

[Darkness Eternal]

Ohhh!

Video Review:
So no front door entrance? Ha, Harkon wouldn't be too happy with Serana showing up with the banished Aravi. Let's sneak around! A nice team-up between Serana and Aravi. Frost and Destruction spells+crossbow=azz kickery.

Damn, that Skeever got destroyed! Overkill. And the water cictern comment makes me wonder if vampires squat and produce like normal people do? They breathe and sweat, so . . hmm..

Hehe, so bald vampire chick was banished by Harkon too, eh? Good infiltration by Serana and Aravi!

Screenies:

Cutting a torture session short: Thalmor basturd. About to bite the dust! Good Aravi!

In ambush: Love the sword! And nice helmet on the floor!

Cavalry saber: Nice steed? Check. Nice armor? Check. Good sword and mounted combat? Check. Aldmeri Dominion girl about to taste the blade? Check.

Kyne’s shrine: Aww, the dragon wants to pray to Kyne too!

Wards stop fire…:Hot as hell! Look at that huge blast!

…and ice:Burr!

Second Update.

Video:
Death to the Death Hounds! Good lord, how many bones do they got in there? That's a helluva lot of people that they are. And there's even one hanging on a wall! Now I know where they put the drained bodies of their donors.

The Spiders only made it worse. Haha. But a bolt through the appendages fixed the issue right away! I like Serana's dialogue and how she reacts to different places. The DLC's really add more to NPC's. And her comment about the whole place looking dead made me smile. Well, gee, Serana. You're entire family is undead. Skeletons litter your basements and almost dead people crowd your kitchen tables . . .Aravi better watch here!

Blood! Blood everywhere at the bottom of the moondial thing. These vampires ate everywhere, haven't they? Aravi made quite the mess with those undead . . .and we are left with an ending to Valerica's lab!

Serana is an interesting assortment of contradictions. Talking about a stroll in the beautiful garden after “evening meals,” when they had just waded through the grisly remains of those meals.

"Mother, pass the human heart please!"



Summoning:Wicked looking blade!

Torrent:Fire blast!!!

Chilly: I love her expression here.

Crumpled body:Aww no!


This post has been edited by Darkness Eternal: Feb 9 2013, 06:09 PM

[mALX]

*

I'm torn between Torrent and Chilly as my favorite, love them both! Er...Crumpled body isn't Kharjo, is it?


Lots of jerky camera going on in that disgusting sewer of bones, GAAAAAH! Making me motion sick before two minutes had passed into the vid.

I am loving this dungeon, it is AWESOME! GAAAAAH! It ended on a cliffhanger! Urk! Awesome update, can't wait to see what they found in that room!


*

[SubRosa]

That was weird how when Aravi switched from the crossbow to the Ag Veda, the sword just seemed to hang in mid-air in front of her for a split second.

I hope Aravi is wearing her shoes in all those bones and that icky water! Look like it is the maid's Era off.

Ewww, big spider!

I liked the catacombs in Castle Volkihar. It was delightfully creepy.

After evening meals. I wonder who they were eating?

The moon dial in the courtyard was really neat. Those animated meshes like it, and the stairs down to to Blackreach, are really cool.

Its an undead dinner party! Aravi yooled them! Those hoods look neat on the skellies.

And there is mommies necromantic laboratory. Not many people can say that!

Aravi has a nice determined look in Summoning. I like the warm firelight in that pic.

Torrent is an eye-opener!

Chilly was my favorite. Aravi has a wonderful expression there, and that band of roseate light really brings the pic to life.

Poor fellow khajiit. I am guessing a bandit victim.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Feb 11 2013, 06:11 PM

[King Coin]

@Grits: Unfortunately Aravi didn’t have any little red raiding boots to put on this time!

Aravi was pretty good about not losing her cool in that room full of bones. Panic was starting to set in just before she got away. Aravi was so awesome in that room with the skeletons at the table.

I loved the light in summoning. The blue from the spell on her face and armor looked so neat.

You need to try out those wards! Thanks Grits!

@Acadian: I don’t think that dungeon could get any worse with bones piled up, and SPIDERS!

The puzzle was a welcome change of pace. The pieces weren’t that difficult to find, and then you had to look at the piece you had and find the right phase. It was fun.

There has been many times when Aravi’s killed the ‘help’ Serana raises.

Getting a hood on Aravi was easy when it was that cold!

Aravi always feels a little sad when she finds a fellow Khajiit dead. Thanks Acadian!

@DE: Oh yes, let’s just see Mr. Harkon object to Aravi’s entrance! Wait… he can do that spell that kicks you out… back door it shall be…

Oh wonderful, not only was Aravi walking through what was left of vamp meals but also… bleh!

I didn’t really realize all those last screens involved Aravi taking out High Elves. I guess it was their turn.

Lol the dead comment was funny. Serana’s mother doesn’t look like she feeds any more cleanly than the rest of them up in the great hall. Thanks DE!

@mALX: If Kharjo died, I assure you there would be much more than a single screen to show the event. That’s just one of the many dead Khajiit you find out in the wilderness. Poor guy.

You weren’t the only one feeling sick, Aravi was too! Everywhere she looked, was the dead. I don’t try to do cliffhangers, but I needed more than a minute to properly show that room. Thanks mALX!

@SubRosa: I’ve noticed that sword thing you mentioned a lot when using a crossbow.

Aravi didn’t expect anything like having to walk over water full of bones, so no boots. I loved this dungeon, and I wish I could have shown more of it!

Off to mommy’s lab to learn how to reanimate dinner!

Whenever I see a stream of sunlight like in ‘chilly,’I always look for a screen shot opportunity. That Khajiit was just off of ledge, at the top of which was a den of bears. Looks like he tried to jump away and didn’t land right. Thanks SubRosa!

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Aravi and Serana investigate Valerica’s lab, and discover where she’s gone.

8:44

Valerica’s Journal


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Screens!
Sammy the Skeever!

A wonderful fire

Rifen’s inn

Olivia, looking worn

[Lady Saga]

Wow, so I'm comparing "early" Aravi where she's new to Skyrim and looks poor with "modern" Aravi, where she's now a superstar. Quite a diff!

[Acadian]

Wow, talk about some lousy choices. What would even happen if a cat who's a werewolf became a vampire? I kept waiting for the option to send the soulless undead Sarana into the Soul Cairn while the warm blooded living Aravi stood guard in the lab. Oh well.

Thanks for the journal link.

Luvs the Sammy screen - what a cool and expressive pose Aravi has, and I really like that green on her armor. Riften’s Inn looks like a rift between A&K; perhaps a minor lovers’ spat as she gives him the cold shoulder? Always nice to stand next to a roaring fire. Oh, and good to see Olivia!

[SubRosa]

And Aravi takes the opportunity to expand her library!

"Mistakes with these portals can be... gruesome."
I can imagine!

That is one creep portal. All the while during this quest, I was taking mental notes to use in my possible future Aela fic.

I only did this as a vampire, so it is interesting to see that living people have their life force sucked up by the Soul Cairn. I will bet Aravi is not going to like whatever Serana says next! Wow, those two options really do suck.

You finally got Sammy the Skeever! He is one of the coolest glitches I have come across in a Bethesda game.

That fire looks very inviting. It reminds me of the song: "Oh the weather outside is frightful, But the fire is so delightful"

And we have the Reservoir Dogs Cats pic at the Bee and Barb!

Olivia is your new character right? She looks good. But you are right, she does look tired as well!

[mALX]

I don’t blame Aravi for running like a banshee! Funny how Serana says she can go in there and she has proven herself a worthy fighter, but won’t do it without Aravi’s help, lol. I loved that lab of her mother’s, but what was that beast? I didn’t see it in the last vid, and Aravi never mentioned it in this one that I saw!

Screens: Rifen’s inn is my favorite, Aravi’s expression! Oh, I hope she didn’t kill Sammy the Skeever! Looks like she is reaching down to pet him, but she does have a blade in her hand !!! Urk !!!

Olivia - She looks meaner than Lydia! Lol. Awesome Update!

[Darkness Eternal]

Aravi goes exploring for trinkets and a journal! Hmm, Harkon seems to be that type of husband . . .one of those guys who give their wives and daughters headaches. Necromancers hunger for souls. Hmm. It is no mystery they would be meddling with the realm of the dead where souls are the current currency.

Aravi looked confused when she was given a choice between selling her soul . . .or becoming a vampire. It shouldn't be that hard for Aravi. We all know how she dealt with vampirism before. She's getting nowhere near Serana's fangs.

Sammy The Skeever-Look at the size of that thing! Aravi's not going to eat it, is she? Don't cats like mice . . .ergh . ..rats?

The wonderful fire-She looks great in that armor. Digging the pose!

Riften's Inn-They look so bored . . . why do they look bored!? I think they need some mead, some moonsugar and Elsweyr fondue!

Olivia-Sexy! That skin graphics! I envy you, King!

[Grits]

Ooh, looks like Serana resurrected a gargoyle from somewhere. Fun to see Aravi check out a few items from Valerica’s library. I liked the little scavenger hunt. Valerica’s work areas were neat to see.

Oh yeah, portal!! I love the whole Soul Cairn business. I like the way Aravi gave Serana the eye for a minute before going down the steps. You mean you want me to go first? Hey, aren’t you dead already?

I am not surprised to see Aravi taking some time to mull over her choice. It looked like she didn’t even want to talk about the vampire possibility. There’s also the third option: walk away. I don’t see her giving up, though. Like Serana said, sometimes things just need to be done. This is one of my favorite moments in the game. What a great way to end the video! I’m anxious for the next one!!

Screens: Sammy!! Woohoo! I think that thread was the Beth forum’s finest moment.

That is a wonderful fire indeed. Aravi’s glass armor looks great.

They look like they’re having a “discussion” at the Bee and Barb! I love it!

Ooh, Olivia! She looks like she’s been working hard for whatever loot she’s carrying out of that cave. Quite the contrast to Aravi.

[King Coin]

@Lady Saga: She’s changed quite a bit since she got here, some of it intentional, and some of it happy accidents. Thanks Lady Saga!

@Acadian: The vampirism and Lycanthropy can’t co-exist, so one of them will be snuffed out forever. Aravi was looking for that option to stay behind in the lab, when presented with those choices.

Sammy’s kind of cute! And I wouldn’t say they are fighting in Riften’s inn. Aravi isn’t serious, just look at their faces! Thanks Acadian!

@SubRosa: Never pass up a chance to expand the library!

I really wasn’t expecting the portal to suck Aravi’s life from her. That was really intense, and possibly one of my favorite moments in Dawnguard.

Sammy rocks!

A Khajiit can’t resist a warm fire.

Olivia is the new character. She’s starting out low (hence the dirty look) and I’m hoping to eventually have her move up to almost nobility status. Assuming she cooperates with that plan. Thanks SubRosa!

@mALX: I skipped a lot of the dungeon in the video (it was huge!) and in the previous room there were a bunch of gargoyles. Serana resurrected one somehow with her necromancy!

Serana’s really clingy, Aravi would be perfectly happy to never step into that portal.

She didn’t kill Sammy! Why would she? Her blade is sheathed! What I really wanted to do was show Aravi feeding him, but there aren’t any animations for that. Don’t let Olivia hear you talking about her like that! Thanks mALX!

@DE: Harkon giving headaches - that’s an understatement! He said something about putting his wife’s head on a spike!

You know she isn’t going to become a vampire, but being soul trapped doesn’t rate much higher. This choice will not be an easy one to make and accept.

Aravi doesn’t get any hungrier than you do seeing a rat. Unless you are a Nord. Then she gets considerably less hungry than you do. Ask Jerric. Control+F Roast

They look bored in Riften’s Inn? Kharjo looks pretty festive with that gold on his head!

Olivia – I had to! Her face was all dirty and her body was perfectly clean! Looked so bizarre! Thanks DE!

@Grits: Aravi was waiting for Serana to take the first step to the portal! Notice it too when Serana suggested the castle’s secret entrance? This is your castle, why do I have to go first?

This is a very difficult choice for Aravi to make. Turning into a vampire or letting one take your soul? Bad all around.

A discussion indeed! Don’t worry they aren’t very serious. I wanted Olivia to be different from Aravi. It seems like it is a partial success. The shield was a great idea by the way. Thanks Grits!

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Aravi’s courage nearly fails.

7:28

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Screens:
Sun peeking over the mountain

Goof!

A note

Pleased

This post has been edited by King Coin: Feb 14 2013, 06:48 AM

[Elisabeth Hollow]

Kharjo looks pretty amiable in that picture :]

[Acadian]

Aravi’s understandable fear and hesitation shines through here. Her headshaking and darting back and forth was touching. I see she wanted a look at clear skies – clearly fearing it may be her last chance. From Serana’s words near the end, it seems she is going in with Aravi?

Sun peeking – The contrast between left and right here is stunning. Magnificent capture!

Goof – What a sheepish grin on Kharjo! At least that circlet compliments his eyes.

Note – Aravi looks so pensive! Loving her spots.

Pleased – Simply adorable! Of course, most any close up of her is adorable. Well, except the ones where she’s slicing baddies up into little foe-chunks.

[mALX]

** Oh, in that picture of Sammy the Skeever it is the markings on her greaves - looks like she has a glass dagger in her hand, ROFL !!! Lol on Olivia, she has got some pout/scowl thing going on there, lol.

“Sun peeking over the mountain is Awesome! That little butterfly sitting on the rock just adds the perfect draw to the eye, then you can see the beauty of the fir trees on the snowy mountainside - LOVE this screen!

Tied for favorite is “Pleased” - what a sweet expression Aravi has in this one! That color looks good on her!

“Goof” is a great screen of Kharjo smiling! Also, love that pose in “A note” - really nice pose!

I LOVED this vid - how many times Aravi went up to Serana and she’d say, “Just let me know...” ROFL !!! Boy, that is some tough decision to make !!!!! I remember the PM I got when this quest first came up, you were as torn as Aravi shows she is in the vid! It ends on a cliffhanger...(dun da dun dun DUUUUUUN!).

Spectacular update !!!!!!!

This post has been edited by mALX: Feb 15 2013, 01:47 AM

[SubRosa]

I am with Aravi. No way! I do not blame her for bolting. At least she got one last look at the sky before who knows what? It really is a wonderful view of the northern coast from the balcony

I see Aravi did not take the "I trust you." option...

That is a nice splash of color in the Sun Peeking pic. You timed it just right to get it before the sun came over the ridge!

Kharjo has a great smile in Goof!

[Darkness Eternal]

The mood and the setting with the strange backround choir dark-churchy music only made the video seem a bit more . . .creepy. I sort of chuckled when Aravi backed away slowly as if saying "Hell no!"

Between selling my soul to the Ideal Masters or to Molag Bal? The former would seem more merciful but still very frightening. When it comes to relations with vampires, there is no easy way out is there? Suffering, blood and eternal misery its where it's at.

Slowly but surely Aravi was encouraged to return. Serana was patient though, just standing there thinking. She knows Aravi must help her if they are to defeat that extremist. And then she ran off again, hahaha.

Her stare into the light was very meaningful. As if saying: "This may be my last sunshine . . .or my last good breath of fresh air."

Soul Trap it is! NO! Cliffanger as she descends into the Cairn! Damn. I was so excited.

Pics.

Sun Peeking Over the Mountains:Breathtaking! The sun's rays and the butterly was a fantastic touch.

Goof:Hehe. He is, isn't he? Love that grin.

Note:Love letter from Kharjo?

Pleased: Digging that glass armor! She's such a cool feline! Kickass!

[King Coin]

@Elisabeth: Amiable? He looks hilarious! Thanks!

@Acadian: It was very difficult for her to allow herself to be soul trapped, and by a vampire no less. She really could have died there.

I never thought to see that the circlet matched his eyes. Aravi gave it to him to put in his pack, and he promptly put it on! Thanks Acadian!

@mALX: I didn’t see the butterfly for a while after taking the screen, but when I noticed it, I instantly loved it!

Pleased is a favorite because it shows the color on her face so well.

I was really happy to hear that you liked this video so much. Thanks mALX!

@SubRosa: If that balcony wasn’t so high… I think she would have gone over the edge. She really didn’t want to do this. She didn’t really know what Serana was going to do with her.

The sun picture makes a wonderful desktop background.

I thought Kharjo’s expression with that circlet was hilarious! Thanks SubRosa!

@DE: Aravi really didn’t like either choice, Ideal Masters or Molag Bol. She’s spent a large chunk of her life resisting the effects of the vampire disease she caught in Cyrodiil, she isn’t about to throw that all away. If she could have gotten off of that balcony, she totally would have left. The last bit of sunshine, she needed that.

I do wonder what the Dawnguard would have to say if she returned to them as a vampire.
Cliffhanger! Maybe this next video is a flash back and you won’t see the Soul Cairn until the next one? I tease.

Glass is the best armor she has ever had. It’ll be a long time, if ever, before she gets dragon scale. Thanks DE!

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The Soul Cairn.

7:20

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Screens!
Sunset in the Reach

Frenzy spell

Crossing

[Elisabeth Hollow]

Ooh, I liked her snarl as Aravi shot the frenzy spell!! You get some great screen, KC!