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This thread is to post stories about your adventures in Skyrim. Please tell us in each post what your character's name and level are. If you make more than one post, just update the level.
My name is Edrondol. I know, strange name for an Argonian. My parents had an odd sense of humor.
The night has fallen and I've managed to make it to level 14 of power. I'm walking (okay, sneaking) from point A to point B. It's a long journey and I'm taking a side quest or two to explore a couple ruins. I cross this bridge and I see at the end that there's a fire and three guys are like dancing around it. Sine I've already had a couple of times when I meet regular folks on the road, I decided not to sneak in and kill them all.

Well, one of them saw me and came over to offer me a drink. "Poison!!" thought I. But no, he gave me a bottle of fine ale and then went back to the party. I stayed with them a few minutes and they started wandering off towards a nearby town. I went back into sneak mode and followed behind them. I looked away for a second to catch a Luna Moth and a couple lightning bugs and when I caught back up they were getting eaten by bears!!!

I put up a good fight in their honor, but I ended up running away. God speed, drunken revelers.
Added at: 10:25
More tales? Gladly shall I give them!

I circled back after the bears lost interest in chasing me. I had made a vow of vengeance against these evil creatures and I intended to make good on it.

Quietly I stalked my way back to the place where the bears were still gnawing on the bones of my erstwhile companions. My arrow took out the first bear in what must have been quite the surprise! The bow is enchanted with cold so the chilly Dwarvish arrow must have made quite an impression on him! The other bear took a few moments to locate me, but that was time enough to put a few feathered shafts into it, which was thankfully enough to let me dispatch the creature close quarters, though it was a very near thing. Not the biggest fan of orcs, but they can make maces!

As I continued on, nearing my destination, I chanced upon some wolves ravaging the body of a goat which they had downed for their meal. Never one to pass up an opportunity, I realized I could use their skins to make leather strips with which to enhance my armor's capabilities. Sneaking to get closer (and gaining level 15 power in the process!), I was just getting ready to loose an arrow when a dragon lands nearly on top of them!!

The fight was short and brutal, with the wolves getting the short end of the stick. Thanking the Gods I hadn't loosed my arrow, I slunk away from the carnage and never looked back. I would have to hunt another time.

Holy fuck to that second story, Dave.

I'm so glad the dragons are non-scripted in a lot of cases. The fact that they're just out there is unnerving.

I'd take screen caps for my stories, but I'm playing on PS3. I've been doing projects for the last 4.5 hours now... I think I'll play some Skyrim soon.

I was heading up to Dragonsreach after completing another epic quest of epicness when I felt a scratch in my throat. I attempted to cough it loose, instead Shouting at the poor woman in front of me who was merrily minding her own business. Knocked clear across the walkway, she yelled for guards who dutifully came to collect the bounty put on my head. Hoping to reach the Jarl and beg for forgiveness I ran towards Dragonsreach and threw open the doors. Without drawing my weapon, I ran towards him, where, thankfully, he called on the guards to lay down their arms and offered me the chance to pay 40 gold to have my bounty erased. I was sent to central processing where a guard that looked suspiciously like Officer_Charon felt me up and released me to my own devices.

I went back to apologize to the poor woman I had thrown and I suspect she may have brain damage of some kind; she didn't remember the incident at all.

They tell me I'm Dragonborn. Not sure what that means, but since I absorbed the powers from the first I seem to be seeing more of the beasts. This time, though, I am the hunter not the hunted.

I leave the relative safety of the city in search of my prey - a dragon which has been terrorizing the countryside. Along the way I discover a cave which is blanketed with webs. Looking closer, one of the victims of whatever lives there is nothing much - just a mammoth! I sneaked by the cave, hoping to not wake whatever creature calls this place home.



No sooner have I left the cave when I hear the distant cries of the dragon. I peer over a rise, hiding in a group of rocks. There he is.



I soon learn that sneaking up on a dragon is a bad idea. I had tried to get a bit closer, but to my chagrin...he spots me!



The next moments are rife with emotion as the battle commences. I start with my bow to try and whittle down his health, dodging his fire breath attacks as I fight for my life.



It's not working. It's going way too slow. Finally he lands. I move in, drinking a few potions along the way: Fire Resist, Damage enhance, extra health & magicka. I lay into him with mace and fire. It is enough.



He burns away and I absorb his powers, feeling myself get stronger. This dragon shall no longer bother the good people of this countryside. But this is one dragon of many. I have much work yet to do.

Now THAT'S how you tell some story! Very nice work Dave!

Nice Dave!

Awesome!

The problem with picture stories is that if I'm telling a story of what really happened (as I did above), taking screen shots is incredibly hard. Things happen fast in this game and you find yourself so immersed that you forget to hit the button.

Hard as it was to make out what was happening, I loved doing the first dragon battle at night, in the rain. All I could see was fire in the distance, either on the ground, or in a stream from the sky, and occasionally I saw moonlight reflecting off dragon wings. Just made the whole thing creepy and tense.

Hilarious AI moment.

So, I'm riding on my horse, my follower is following. Stop by a bridge to pick up some Nirnroot. As I pick it up, random Mudcrab aggroes and attacks me from behind. I take out my new Glass Sword and scream out, "CRAB BATTLE." We trade hits, this is a big mudcrab.... down it goes.

That done, I turn around to look for my horse... only to see it running down the plains for no reason other than to aggro a Giant that was midning his own business 100 feet away. Horse gets a sneak attack on the unsuspecting Giant and the Giant gets mad and promptly one shots my horse and it goes FLYING into the atmosphere. I'm 100 feet away, not even touching my keyboard anymore, and I'm cracking up.

Suddenly, I notice Lydia is doing the SAME THING.... running across the field and pelting the Giant with arrows, Giant runs down to her... and one shots her too, right into the atmosphere.

I'm laughing HARD right now.

When suddenly.

My dead horse lands 5 feet from me and bounces around.

I fall off my chair.

I FELL OFF.

I swear on my mother's head... I fell off my chair laughing out loud.

Fucken Mudcrabs.


----------------------

It was an epic battle.

Suddenly, a trio of thugs attacked me and Lydia out of the bushes. I squared up against the big thug and the others jumped on Lydia. The big thug carried a huge steel axe, while his fellow companions carried two daggers and an imperial bow. I quickly equipped my reliable steel shield and fine elven sword and Lydia held her twin steel swords in her hands.

As the big thug and I traded blows, his huge axe hitting my reinforced steel shield more times than not while I chipped away at his health with low shots to his legs... as the cuts grew his attempts became more desperate with wild swings, his breath heavy and misting the air around him as the snow fell around us. Alas his attempts lacked accuracy which opened him up and he went down begging for his life which.... my elven sword denied that possibility.

Suddenly, the music picks up, as if on queue, I turned around to see Lydia down to one knee, peppered by arrow shots from the archer while she faced a second foe, who expertly held his ground. This foe, his sword in the air was about to perform a deathblow on my new housecarl. As per instinct, I shouted, which struck his harm and he staggered. I bull rushed in with a thunderous running swing that stuns him and puts him down to one knee, a cinematic comes as I stab him violently from the back, my sword piercing him from behind.

I turned around to find the third thug but he's already dead, I ponder how and I see the bloody hoofs of Odius... my jaw dropped as my loyal stead kicked this assailant repeatedly until he expired.

I get to one knee and search their bodies... I find a bloody note on the big thug...

Who is this Mila? And why does she want me dead?

Second dragon was my last act tonight. I had to fight him three times--once he ATE ME. I didn't know that could happen. The second time, these idiot bandits kept me busy and I lost him. The third and final time, he went in the opposite direction and landed in Riverwood, torching up the village and villagers. So now his bones lie in the middle of town, for the rest of the game.

While making my way through a narrow mountain pass by night, flanked by steep cliffs, I came upon a Nord hunter, his pack-horse cantering slowly behind him. As I drew closer he assured me his poaching did no harm, that the Jarl couldn't eat it all, and asked if I'd anything to trade. I said I had and produced several hides that I had obtained during my travels. As he swiftly counted out the septims from his purse his horse began acting restless, trotting to and fro and braying loudly, its breath condensing in the cold. The hunter tried to calm the beast to no avail and suddenly we became aware of what was causing the animal such distress. Hellfire poured over the hunter, his companion and I from above as a massive dragon made a pass, roaring menacingly as it banked round. It made another approach, descended sharply and landed with a powerful thud feet from us, letting out another thunderous cry followed by yet another column of flame. The hunter fled, his horse charged the brute. I let fly a volley of arrows whilst lobbing arcs of electricity when the chances arose. The horse attempted to, in vain, protect its master who sat cowering in a crevice in the rock face, the beast blinded by its sense of loyalty to him. Finally the dragons claws, teeth and flame proved too much for it and the noble animal fell, slumped in a heap. "FOS!" I roared back at the dragon, its gaze now fixed on me. It staggered, unsteady on its feet and I nocked and loosed a final arrow and it embedded itself in the roof of the monsters mouth, the head of the bolt emerging through the face of the dragon. It too collapsed, open maw falling on the slain horse. The hunter emerged from his hiding place as I bent over collecting scales and a few bones from the dragon. Glowing, enchanted flesh, muscle, sinew turned into raw energy and flooded over me, bathing me in a strange primal and arcane strength. I could hear the hunter, muttering prayers, thanking the gods for sparing him. I rose to my feet, continued on my way, and thanked the horse.

Khyron, probably level 10 at this time.

I had agreed to take a special knife to the most ancient tree in all of Tamriel in order to obtain a sample of it's sap to save the Gwendermeeerdeberderder in the middle of Whiterun. In the temple of Kinnareth a man had asked if he could join me in traveling to see this amazing tree. Normally I would have told him to fuck off as I hate companions. They cramp my style. This time, however, I was feeling good so I agreed to let him accompany me.

We traveled a fair distance from Whiterun before we came across the bridge spanning high across the river. As we were passing the east side bridge tower we were confronted by a bandit who demanded we pay a toll. Not wanting to I attempted to talk our way past the guard. I failed and we quickly came to blows. I dispatched the bandit with a hellish icespike blasted from my hands and my companion rushed into the bridge tower to face the unknown horde inside. I followed him as quickly as I could but he was easily overmatched by the bandit chief and her small army of archers shooting from the other side of the cliff. Still, I used healing hands with my left hand to keep him alive while continuing to shower the bandits with ice spikes.

The battle was fierce and my companion came close to death many times. Only my perseverance kept him alive. As my final ice spike ended the bandit chief sending her spiraling far below to the river bank under the bridge. My companion breathed a sigh of relief and said to me, "Whew, that was close." before he walked directly off the side of the bridge to his death. His body was quickly washed upstream.

I could only sigh and move on.

Filthy Imperials.... had they not managed to bind my mouth before I had a chance to rouse from my meditation there would be nothing but newly charred corpses adding to the decorm of my sanctum. I suppose the Dragon that freed me, seconds before the executioner's axe was to drop upon my head did just as good a job. As well as razing the town. None the less I followed the Storm whatever he bloody called himself through the keep and out into the relative safety of these snowy woodlands. Without my spell books and reagents there's little I can do but conjure some apprentice level Flames. How droll.

The biting wind tearing at these rags, I pulled from one of the Imperial mages I slayed, shortly before the Nord took his leave, was beginning to annoy me as was the growling of my stomach.


When luck so shifted my way and I came across a small fort, with a small fire eminating from it's core.


The two guards rushed me as I walked toward the entrance, mere bandits were not going to bother me long. A warrior, with horned helm and mace rusted beyond repair and a shirtless mage. Honestly, it's snowing and this mentaly challenged man is casting flamebolts at me? That will not do.


Just as I was bending down to retrieve a few gold pieces from the charred remains. An arrow went whizzing past me with great speed but terrible accuracy. It seemed there was another corpse that did not know it was dead still moving from within. I made sure he realized he was already dead.


What rank odor and stomach turning bile was cooking in these pots I wondered?


I walked over to the corpse of the warrior woman, what a shame, she would have provided a much better warmth had she not been so quick to meet her end I smirked. Using a small dagger I had taken from the Imperial fort, I relieved her body of her still warm heart and took it inside.


A witch does need to eat to keep up her strength. I'll collect the rest of their internal organs, for reagents and snacks for the trip after I'm done..... A quick rest here and we'll see what we can do about better accommodations....

Screams echoing.... warm blood splashing over my lips... tendons tearing between my teeth... the final twitches of a body giving way to exquisite death.... turning to a mirror and seeing a hideous reptilian face staring back to me....

The dream would not stop. I knew I was dreaming but I could not rouse myself. It was more a half trance than sleep at this point. Reaching over into the coals I finally snapped myself out of it. If only I had my library.... No, that was nearly a world away at this point, I needed to focus on the immediate. It had only been a few hours but I was feeling rested enough to continue, this rank little fort afforded little comfort anyway. I was soon on my way out and up into the mountains... a road? Stairs? Most unusual.

Walking through this small valley of snowy mountain I began to hear the sounds of snow crunching beneath clumsy feet above me but slightly out of sight. Whoever this way, they thought they were the hunter... how delicious. It was mere moments before a howling called my attention, looking up, my stalker made himself visible.


Ahhh, a troll. Slightly different than the ones I was used to, but I'm sure their fear of fire was all the same. Troll flesh is excellent for many applications and it seemed he was intent on giving it to me freely.


Peeling its flesh with the dull dagger, while satisfying, took longer than I had hoped and the darkness was getting deeper. I continued down the stone path, eventually winding downward.... a torch. Imperial?


Had they begun looking already? Hm, from the looks of him he was more of a hunter. He began walking off before I could figure if he was worth the trouble. No matter, I could make out lights in the walkable distance and within minutes I was rewarded with the view of my destination.


Perfect....

(This happened right before my son had to go to work. He was watching me play and this happened. We laughed uproariously for minutes until he had to leave.)

[No pictures for this one.]

I have attained level 22 of power and am on my way to retrieve three stolen books from a Wizard who stole them for whatever purpose Wizards do. I fear that he is using them to raise legions of the dead, but this is idle speculation at this point. But this journey is secondary to the story at hand.

Making my way stealthily through the wilderness, I encountered quite a strange tableau - a group of wolves fighting a floating glowing worm-thing (which I later determined to be a ice wraith). This in itself is not that odd, but it was joined by three humans who waded in with sword and fire. The wolves went down first, with the humans decimating their ranks. The wraith was another tale as it downed one human before it was killed. After the combat, I was just getting ready to stand and make my presence known when three different humans entered the combat, attacking the two survivors. This is when I joined the fray.

I took 2 of the new combatants with well-placed arrows before they even knew I was there. The third finally understood the danger and - having dispatched the last of the original humans - turned my way only to take an arrow in the head for his troubles. Already hurt, this was enough to put him down without a fight. I looted the bodies, discovering that hiding is shadows was a good idea as the first three humans were bandits and the next set were bounty hunters looking for me. Someone sent them and this makes my blood boil.

I entered the hideout of the bandits, figuring that taking out this nest of miscreants would do nothing more than benefit the world...and maybe put some coin in my pocket. Plus I have some soul gems to fill.

For bandits you'd think that they'd have better traps or be a bit more vigilant. I guess they weren't expecting an Argonian sneaking through the entire place, disarming every trap and killing every person I found with a swift dagger-strike to the throat. I made my way to the leader of the bandits, who was reading quietly in his room - which wouldn't last for long. I tried to sneak past him to expose his weakness - my dagger into his back - but he caught me. Leaping to his feet, he lay into me with a wicked two-handed weapon that nearly killed me in two swings! I ran to the other side of the large table where the bandits ate their meals and I downed a few potions I had in my possession. The bandit leader yelled in frustration and ran around the table at me.

What came next was a tale right out of some insane bard's repertoire. The bandit leader was a berserker. All brawn and no brains, he could not quite comprehend that he should simply jump over the table. So what took place was a race. I kept the table between myself and the bandit, peppering him with arrows and fire. He would bellow in rage and frustration, but as long as the table was between me and him he could not even come close to hitting me. Finally the fire took him to his knees and I ran around the table and felled him with a mace to his head.

So, winded but alive, I looted the place and went on my merry way. I plan to send a portion of my takings to whomever made that table.

Arch-Mage's Journal, day two

Today I woke up without a face. This will require further testing.



Arch-Mage's Journal, day three

Still don't have a face. Becoming disconcerting. Tried to get drunk with a rowdy nord. Turned out to be impossible. Couldn't find my mouth. He's far less tolerable sober with his constant rambling about the city guard captain being a rooster or some such shit.

I'm really hungry.

Arch-Mage's Journal, day 4

Not my finest hour. Feeling more than a little on edge over my missing face predicament, I decided to visit the shrine of Talos. I can't remember what it was that the Talos Zealot said to me, but it set me off like a rowdy nord at a captain of the guard rooster complaining convention like an orc at an all you can eat altmer roast.

Side note: work on solution to altmer problem.

I set him on fire.



Then, still not feeling indignant enough, I also set the statue on fire.



Then I set the gwendergleeebengloobengluben tree on fire too, just because.



My assistant told me I had anger management issues. I responded the only way I knew how.

I'm gonna like Frankie's updates a lot, I think.

I'm GasBandit. I'm level 7. I've killed a dragon, and now this chick follows me around. Which I guess is ok, as she's kinda easy on the eyes, but not much for conversation. Also amused that my "shout" which knocks shit over seems to be saying "BOOSH!"

For the most part, stuff is easy. Sword'n'board for the win, I always say. Cleared a couple barrows with no difficulty at all, other than twinkletoes stomping on glaringly obvious trap triggers constantly. She's worth it for the extra pack space alone, and twice she's actually been the difference in a fight... first time against a bear at the bottom of the 7000 steps. Took a few tries, but with the right combination of arrows, shouting and surrounding, we were able to hack it to pieces. And that miller lady wants NINE more of these things? Does she think I have a machine gun?

Second time was a frost troll, headed up same 7000 steps. Also took several tries. Shot it in the face with an arrow, just made it mad. But, figured out the same "shout and surround" trick from the bear works here too.. most of the time. Worth surprisingly few XP. Get the feeling maybe I'm not leveling up like I should, from some of the other stories here. Maybe not doing enough side quests. But also wondering how much easier that would make the other stuff. Already single-shotting common wolves and bandits.

Now irritated my shout, after "training," no longer says "boosh."

Wife extremely irritated this is not multiplayer. I think she's jealous of Lydia.

I am Mathias, level 7 hailing from the warped and strange land of Hammerfell. Yes, as you may have guessed, I am a Redguard. A Redguard warrior to be certain and without doubt. My line has a strong ancestry within the city of Sentinel (the mighty merchant city to the south of Lliac Bay. My father and his father before him served the mighty military force of the Order of the Candle. Prior to its reformation to the Order, my great grandfathers and their kin served under the rule of the Knights of the Moon. As my ancestors before me, I too have made a sworn blood-oath to uphold the law and peace within the Kingdom of Sentinel as a knight of the Order. My loyalty exists only to my true captains, Lord Vhosek of the Moon and Lord K'avar, and my king - King Lhotun.

It is they who personally sent me as an emissary to the realm of Skyrim to gain audience with both loyalist Imperial leaders and Stormcloak rebels amidst their war to better understand the position most beneficial to the Order and Sentinel. Unfortunately for the Empire, my capture and sentence to death while mediating with Ulfric Stormcloak as a diplomat has solidified my firm stance as a supporter of the Stormcloak cause. But I digress... there are now more important matters and news to deliver to my king. A dragon! A dragon is what saved my hide upon the executioners block! By Arkay, dragons were thought to be things of legend passed down from Nord traders to the far reaches of Tamriel!

So begins my journey through the realm of Skyrim, as I investigate the appearance of these mythical creatures, and aid the cause of the Stormcloak rebellion!



My escape from the gallows led me to a village by the name of Whiterun. Perhaps I shall rest and collect gossip here for a few days...



My first stride into the local meadhall was met with sharp glares and stares. These Nords, it seems, haven't seen a dark-skinned Redguard in an age or two. I was beginning to wonder if I was in fact more rare than the dragon I had seen earlier this day.

My name is Garret. I find myself a Breton in a Nord's land, my desire for knowledge having lead me to the arctic world of Skyrim. I've made quite a name for myself, discovering many arcane secrets, being known as quite the adventurer from those I come across.

I was leaving an ancient ruin, my bag stuffed with ancient treasures and tomes, taking notice of the pristine white of the snow, when I saw them coming. Five of them, heavily armed, and their body language showed no good intentions as they approached.

"You're a hunted man," their leader said, a large ruffian of much brawn but very little brain. I had to give them credit, their planning had been meticulous. They made sure to catch me miles from any known settlement, just on the cusp of nightfall, so that the ever falling darkness would hide their deeds. They even had a mage with them, no doubt having heard of my aptitude for magic, here to try to sap my power before I could bring it upon them.

Arcane energy courses through my body, able to disintegrate a man in an instant. An elfin blade rests at my hip, able to sever a man's head in a single swing. Both would be fast. Clean. Painless. Had their planning not been so careful, they may have enjoyed such niceties.

There would be nothing painless about what was to come.

My research has led me to places I never thought I would tread. I've uncovered what beasts can hide in the shadow of a man's soul. Night falls just as my attackers step forward, inky black tendrils claiming the land as moonlight begins to glisten over us, bathing our bodies in a silver glow.

I grin, my teeth already growing sharper, vision enhancing until it's as clear as day for me. My sense of smell grows by leaps and bounds, noticing more than I ever did before. The metallic scent of rusty blades, the bitterness of unwashed bodies, the unnatural tinge of preserved spell components in the pockets of the mage. And as my body grows, twists, I smell something else entirely. Fear.

A howl rings from my lips, shaking the earth, loud enough to leave even my ears ringing. My attackers are stunned as my inner beast is released, pouncing first upon the mage. He screams in horror, the wards he prepared expecting a spellcaster, leaving him defenseless as I savage him. In an instant, my claws slash at him. The meat of his head, for such a thing can no longer be called a face, hangs limp from a blank and bleeding expression, his last moments one of blind horror and agony until my jaws rip into his shoulder, filling my mouth with his flesh and blood. The sweet scent of carnage fills the air now, perfuming their fear, and the fresh kill empowers me even more. One, and then another, my attackers cannot match my speed and strength as I tear them apart, their bodies lain splayed across the scarlet snow, steaming into the cold night air, as if you could see their very souls escaping.

The leader I save for last, stopping once all his men are dead, savoring his hesitation. I wrinkle my nose in disgust, the bastard had soiled himself, but still he tries to attack. He swings his axe at me, but I disarm him in the most literal sense. As he screams, my jaws find his throat, tearing away his voice as he falls to the ground. He gurgles for several moments before finally he's still.

I feel my senses dull, the rush of the kill leaving me as I revert to my natural form. I take a cloth from my pack, wiping the blood from my hands and face, wondering when such fools are going to stop interrupting my research. I search the corpse of the leader, his blood freezing around him, looking like tiny red crystals in the moonlight. The contract he carries is from some noble I had wronged, or so they thought, as truth be told I can't be bothered to remember them. If they got in my way, then they have only themselves to blame.

I jot a quick note on the contract, ensuring that whoever reads it will know that more is to come if they continue. Pointing at the corpse of the most recent thug, I speak words of ancient power, instilling my will into his body to resurrect him as a mindless zombie. The corpse stands, eyes glowing a sickly blue, his head hanging at an unnatural tilt, the bite to his throat having broken his neck. I pin the note to his chest, ordering him to return to the master, so that he may know what suffering lies ahead before finally setting off again. There's more to learn out there, and I'll not stop until I've found it.

Arch-Mage's Journal, day something or other

While leaving the city of Windhelm, I was besieged by another dragon. Before our fight could even begin in earnest it took offense to a goat nearby and swooped down and sent it careening into the sky. Wrong place, wrong time billy. This drew the attention of an orc nearby and he joined the fray. Together we dispatched the dragon without too much effort (or potions).

After the fight, we had a chat. He told me he was waiting to die a good death. I asked what he meant and he told me he meant to die in battle as a true orc should, not feeble and old like nords and imperials do. Ha ha, growing old. High five my fellow altmer, high five. After trying fruitlessly to convince him that he didn't need to die needlessly like this I agreed to grant him his good death. He didn't believe I could, but I doubt he knew he was dealing with ARCH-MAGE KHYRON OF THE COLLEGE OF MAGES!

He valiantly charged me and I valiantly put a 5 foot spear of ice into his forehead dropping him like a sack of bricks. I see now why he wanted to get himself killed. Dude was poor as hell.

I doubted orc burial tradition involved being left in a ditch with a 5 foot icicle stuck in your brain and seeing as I wasn't about to dig the idiot a grave, I cremated him with a gout of fire and tossed the ashes off a bridge. Close enough to a decent burial I thought.

Very short and sweet, and not very snazzy.



Oh, piece of candy, ooo, piece of candy, ooo piece of cand... hey, wait a second.

I think I'll get the talent that negates pressure plates on my next level up.

Also, presenting Jaquit.

I am Hygiliac, I am a Barbarian from the race of Nords.

I wanted to help a young lady start her business in Whiterun. She needed a Mammoth Tusk to prove that she is worthy of investment from a group of traveling business cats.

I travel out to the tundra to see if I can lure a Mammoth away from its Giant Herdmaster. We take a few steps from my horse when a Dragon Drops down between us and the Mammoths and Giant. I switch to my trusty Great Sword. I take a swing, cutting the dragon across the nose. I call upon my Dragon Voice to stun the dragon, but he leaps into the air just as my shout is delivered.

Then some 300 yards off in the distance... I see a Giant fall on his can.

So now I have a dragon that is burning the crap out of my horse, and two Mammoths and said giant charging my location...

I wake up in Whiterun, not sure of my final fate.

I'm level 26 and a master of the potion and poison. I am a member in high standing with the Thieves Guild and I'm working my way quickly up the ranks. I dislike dirtying my hands with such sundry things as combat, but when pressed I can and will cave in your skull with my mace.

I had just finished with a job for the Guild - you don't need to know the details - when I was caught in the middle of a combat between some guardsmen and a blood dragon who appeared out of nowhere. I stayed out of the fray as the guardsmen peppered the massive beast with arrows, but it was not enough. One guardsman went down, then another...then the last. The beast looked in my direction.

Looking frantically around I noticed a figure in the distance. Perfect. I started sprinting as the dragon sprayed my hiding place with his breath weapon. I neared the distant figure and loosed an arrow, which flew true. Perfect. Now I had an angry dragon behind me and a wounded giant in front, both intent on ending my life. As teh giant ran towards me the dragon landed. Perfect.

I quaffed a potion of invisibility and sneak/ran out of the combat, then grabbed a quick snack as the two behemoths beat on one another. The giant was victorious. Until I attacked the wounded beast from behind, dispatching him easily.

I then had to walk to town as I was so loaded down with treasure...

Not my tale, but David64yt better known as X (from X's Adventures in Minecraft) is playing Skyrim
X348 - Road, Sword, and Bow - The Call of the Tea Bandit - 001 - Who Once Was I
Video is chock full of early game spoilers. It starts right at the beginning of the game and covers X's first hour of play. I don't care about spoilers myself, so I'm really enjoying it.

Excerpts from the journal of Mertvaya the Arrow: Day 252 in Skyrim (Level 45)

Today was very strange. After a long and dangerous journey through the ancient Dwemer stronghold of Mzuleft, I have discerned the location of the Staff of Magnus. However, as I returned with the news to my master, the Arch-mage of Winterhold, I found that a strange barrier was up in the Hall of Elements. Both my master and his assistance Mirabelle were attempting to break it down and investigate the problem. They asked in my aid to this end.

So I do what I always do: I fired arrows at it. It solves most of my problems, so why not this one? Unfortunately this barrier was immune to my powers of superior archery, so I reduced myself to using a flame spell scroll to do the job. The barrier broke and we entered, but moments later an explosion rocked the building and I was rendered unconcious. When I came to, Mirabelle was lying injured on the floor. I quickly went to locate my master, but I was not prepared for the sight which awaited me.

Outside the chamber, I found what was left of my master, being devoured by a Dragon.

Boiling with rage, I shouted at the beast to come to the ground and fight me like a man. It humbly obliged. The fight lasted only moments... for I am Mertvaya the Arrow, and I am one with my arrows. Four of my feathered comrades was all it took to defeat the beast: One for each eye, one for it's nose, and one down it's gluttonous throat. It was not even able to bring it's fiery breath to bear. It's skeleton now resides in the Great Library, my arrows still embeded in it's skull... an eternal reminder

I will avenge my master. He would not have fallen, where it not for the actions of that damned Thalmor. He will taste my arrows.

This one isn't in character, but something that just happened to me. So, I needed a mammoth tusk for a quest for that one broad in Whiterun. I figured, hey, there's that giant camp just outside of the city. They have mammoths. I'm playing a sneaky archer now so I manage to kill one of the giants while remaining hidden. His friend sees his body and saunters over in a distressed manner. Then he lets loose with this really, really sad sounding grunt or growl and I felt shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitty. I just murdered this peace loving and relatively harmless creature because I wanted to murder his livestock so I could harvest it's tusk for some chick who wants only to sell it to cat people. These big guys don't hurt anyone and hell, they even come in handy during a dragon fight more often than not.

This is the first time any action like this has affected me in this game this way. Good on you Bethesda. That moan was the perfect punctuation point on what a fucking asshole my PC is.

I'll do you one better on the emotional scale. Mind you, it's end game spoilers...

figmentPez said:

Not my tale, but David64yt better known as X (from X's Adventures in Minecraft) is playing Skyrim
X348 - Road, Sword, and Bow - The Call of the Tea Bandit - 001 - Who Once Was I
Video is chock full of early game spoilers. It starts right at the beginning of the game and covers X's first hour of play. I don't care about spoilers myself, so I'm really enjoying it.

Click to expand...

Damn. I just got some software and was going to start doing this as a video diary type thing.

We'd still watch it. And honestly, X stops doings these things all the time. His mind loves to wander.

Level 31. I am tired of walking alone. I've heard that a warhorse could be a good companion for an adventurer such as myself. So I went to the stables and was extorted 1000 gold for a beast that they tell me is okay. I don't know horseflesh so I have to take their word for it. They're lucky I don't just kill them and take it.

I ride out of town on my new purchase, feeling on top of the world like I was a king!

Less than a mile out of town I see a man getting attacked by three others. The man is hitting them with fire and ice yet he seems to be getting harmed by the sheer number of steel-wielding assailants. I dismount and start shooting arrows, downing one of the men almost immediately. He's a bandit. I hate bandits. I mean, I'm a thief by trade, but I prefer getting in and out undetected. These guys are thugs, not artists.

The other two men do not seem to notice me yet, but the mage does. He thanks me by turning and shooting a shard of ice through my spleen. I see now why the bandits attacked this guy - he's quite the unlikable ruffian.

It is about this time that my horse decides he's had enough of people trying to kill me and he goes berserk, attacking the two remaining bandits. Meanwhile, I am playing cat and mouse with he mage, who is smart enough to keep distance between us while he peppers me with magic that drains not only my health, but makes me slow and tired. I am forced to duck behind an outcropping of rock to heal myself. I look around and see my horse keeping his own side of the fight on his own. He's already felled one of the bandits and is chasing another who is trying to fill him with arrows. Go get him, Horse! I think to myself, saying a quick prayer to Talos. I then round the rocks to finish my business with the ungrateful mage.

Round two of our fight was much easier as he had moved up to attack me. When I rounded the rocks he was right there, the surprise on his face the last thing I saw before covering it with his life's blood. Scratch one thankless mage.

I turn to help my horse only to find him gone. All three bandits are dead but no horse can be seen. I climb the rocks for a better vantage point only to see him in the distance fighting a bear and a saber cat. I scream as the horse goes down. Probably shouldn't have done that as the creatures turn towards me. But I dispatched them with ease with bow and lightning. They never got close.

I got my gear off my downed horse, glad I didn't have time to give the poor beast a name. With a deep sigh I shouldered my gear and started to walk.

You didn't name him? That was your mistake - you should have named him Borris.

AshburnerX said:

We'd still watch it. And honestly, X stops doings these things all the time. His mind loves to wander.

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This. X fans will be lucky if he manages to get 10 videos made of any given game before he moves on to his next subject. I'm fine with that since I watch to hear X being X, but I can also understand why it really pisses some people off (I am a little disappointed he might not finish Starcraft.)

There are going to be a lot of Let's Plays of Skyrim, I think even Interactive Todd is planning one, and he mostly plays Call of Duty multiplayer type stuff.

I say go for it Dave.

Yep, it's also why I switched to watching Jesse from OMFGaming instead of X. I got so tired of getting "excited" when he'd start a new series, just to have him dump it a few videos later.

"Jesse Plays" finishs entire games. Finished watching his "Get Drunk With The Duke" Jesse plays of Duke Nukem Forever, where Jesse was drinking throughout the entire process. (Finished it one sitting). Other greats were his playthroughs of Fear3 with a female CoOp partner and currently watching him play Amnesia (with the 3 girls commenting/assisting) and Crysis 2.

SO what's the best recording software out there? Bearing in mind that I can't afford to "buy" FRAPS.

Dave said:

SO what's the best recording software out there? Bearing in mind that I can't afford to "buy" FRAPS.

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Pirated fraps.

In all seriousness though, I'd like to know if there is an alternative too - because I found lately that trying to fraps minecraft with sound kills my framerate DEAD.

Does ANYONE buy FRAPS that hasn't already turned their recording hobby into a profitable business? 90% of the people who have it are using pirated copies.

I got it, but holy hell do the files take up space! I recorded a couple really short ones to test and they were 2+ GB each!

Yeah, that's going to happen. You need a MONSTER size drive to have big videos.

IIR, there's a way that you can convert the files to lower bit compression, no?

Scaling the side of the cliff, instead of taking the main road into town would help me to avoid being discovered just yet. I needed to find a secluded home off to edges of town to situate myself into so that I could gather a lay of the village. It didn't take long.


It was perfect. Just near enough to town that I could go back and forth with little effort and yet across the river where the sound of the rushing water near the Mill would drown out any sounds or smells. I made my way round the back of the home when I was greeted by a babbling idiot.

Normally I find most folk repugnant and barely pay enough attention to their mouths flapping to care what they were saying, but this local yokel was spouting babble as if it were an audition for some Cyordillic play.


Going on and on about some relative of his that had gone missing, was the most I could make of it before I started walking toward the front of the home.... quickly barring my way I realized that he was going to be a problem... this was soon to be his ex-shanty...


I was right about the sounds of the water, a quick glance over the corner of the small shack was enough to see that what passed for a "guard" in this town was no less aware of my activities as someone 100 miles away would have been.


Unpacking my reagents and the remains of the babbling fool into some half completed shelving and chests, I made myself comfortable for the evening. Tomorrow will be interesting...

Today in Skyrim: A servant in the castle annoyed me so I shot her in the head with an arrow then dragged her corpse in front of the king and then stood on top of it while we discussed my slaying of a dragon. I was then rightly made a thane of the village. LIKE. A. BOSS.

My character, the mighty wizard Fnord Bearson.

Dear Diary: Today I found a rabbit. Running underwater. It got stuck inside a sunken ship. Will I ever find love?

Warmth... covering my entire body. A liquid pouring and drenching me, every inch of my skin covered. I lay there, covered and washed in blood. Every fiber of my being was enthralled, feeling what can only be described as ecstasy. Nothing could break the near womb like state I was feeling till..... IT landed with a world crashing thud in front of me. Every scale glistened, it's eyes older than any creature on this world, glaring balefully at me I could do nothing but stand there, all feelings of wonder now gone. Paralyzed whole I could not raise a hand to destroy the creature as it looked me over. It opened it's mouth and I readied for the breath that would end my life woefully early.... "POWER" the verbal uttering of the beast sent my entire surroundings flying into the atmosphere, yet I stood, unmoved, unharmed by it.....

My eyes shot open from the bear skins I slept on. Dragons.... I had seen one before and now they invaded my sleeping thoughts... perhaps there's more to my being here than I first believed. Raising myself up and preparing a few spells, I exited the cabin and was greeted by nearly blinding sunlight....


Pulling my hood closer over my eyes I looked toward the mill and the town before me. I needed information above all else...


Immediately the folk of the town took notice of me, whispering amongst each other. "A breton? Here?" "She's so sickly.... such pale skin!"... Even the guards would tap their swords as they passed me by, giving me a glare, tempting me to do the slightest error so that they could end my disturbance... The Stormcloak I had escaped with had told me to find the blonde woman whom ran the Mill, so making my way there I queried her as to why I would have been sent here.


Speaking on so many political issues, it was clear this land was troubled by civil war and inner fighting. Fools, they'd all be wiped out by the dragons within months... I moved on to the Inn, surely there would be information I'd find MUCH more interesting and helpful there.

Opening the heavy wooden door to the INN I was instantly reminded why I had chosen seclusion to city life so many years ago. The stench was foul, the sounds worse.... Ales and food, body odors that couldn't be identified by the best alchemists, a horrid screeching noise emenating from the corner where a man attempted to play what he thought was music... I wouldn't tolerate this long. Seating myself at the table nearest to the bar, it wasn't long till I overheard exactly what I was looking for. A priceless magical item had been stolen from the local Goods Store. A "Golden Dragon's Claw". Perhaps this had some ties to the dreams I was having an the re-emergence of the Dragons. Throwing a gold to the tavern keep, I made my way back to the shanty I had relieved from the previous owner. Taking the reagents I would need for the trip I headed up into the mountains in the direction I was told the bandits had gone

It's kind of hard to miss a structure that large, even in this snowfall....


Quickly dispatching the guard's outside the main entrance I made a quick mental note: They're clearly insane, in this weather, they wear next to nothing? A few animal skins and nearly nothingelse. It's less satisfying maiming the mentally challenged but enjoyable none the less.


The large gates in front of me reassured me that this was definitely the structure I was looking for.... two large dragons, meeting in the middle. If I was going to find out what was causing my beautiful dreams to be interrupted, this was the going to be the first place I needed to scour.

No pics since I'm on PS3, so I'll keep words brief.

I was sneaking down toward a tower where I heard a bounty was being offered to kill a dragon there. I figured, since I'm about killing them anyway, I may as well get paid for it. That's the Redguard stereotype and I'll play it if it gets me what I want from the Skyrim people.

Before reaching the tower though, there was a big wall, and being impulsive, I decided to see what was in this wall--stormcloaks? Imperials? Bandits? No, they were unnecessarily aggressive mages! Their fingers shot lightning every which way, and since I hadn't yet learned how to move quickly while aiming an arrow at their heads, I decided it was a good time to run.

Only, it was the middle of the night and I couldn't see very well. I scuttled down a slope, sparks still crackling at my heels, when I ran past a cave. Out comes a big, angry cave bear. Does he chase the guy who's light is upsetting his beauty sleep? Nope, he chases innocent little me. So, I keep running, dashing on and off to keep from running out of breath. I start dodging through trees in hope of losing my pursuers, only to gain more when I run across a large frostbite spider. I head west then, with mage, bear, and spider all coming after me. I see a campfire, hoping to find help--now it's bandits! Would've been nice to fight you guys earlier.

I turn south again, find myself running down another slope of trees. Green light flashes in front of me and a hagraven rushes into my face. I'm pretty sure I'm done for here, but I keep running, now along a stream, and it's at this point that my many pursuers finally realize they don't like each other much more than they like me. They begin fighting, and only the bandits are still on me. I find myself at the tower, not in great shape--that's when the dragon I'd heard of comes barreling out of the sky, turning the bandits to ashes.

Never thought I'd be so happy to see a dragon ... but I didn't feel sorry that I had to kill him once I got my shit together.

GasBandit said:

In all seriousness though, I'd like to know if there is an alternative too - because I found lately that trying to fraps minecraft with sound kills my framerate DEAD.

Click to expand...

I've used a couple free video recording programs. The last one, which I rather liked, is called simply "Free Screen To Video." Sounds kinda shady, but it gets good quality without putting a huge strain on system resources. Also liked BB Flashback, although I think that's a 30-day trial. I tried Hypercam, but the quality I got was pretty shitty compared to the other programs.

Bowielee said:

IIR, there's a way that you can convert the files to lower bit compression, no?

Click to expand...

I use Super. Works pretty well, although if you're uploading to YouTube it can be a pain depending on the file type you choose. Saving it as an mp4 with h.264, AAC worked for me.

Cracking the door just enough to get inside without alerting anyone within to my presence I made my way in. It was easy enough to see that these bandits were doing nothing to hide their presence as the light from the fire was obvious from the first few steps. Luckily there were pillars blocking their view of me and pressing myself up against it I could hear them conversing:

"Arvel took the Claw down there almost three hours ago, either he's dead or he's run off with the treasure"
"Bah, he's neither smart enough to find the treasure or stupid enough to try and backstab us, he's probably lost"

So they're expendable... excellent. Setting my hands aflame I roll around the pillar and completely incinerate the first bandit. The second one charged me with his blade, quickly throwing up my ward it shatters his pathetic iron weapon against my defence. Quickly lifting up a sliver of the weapon I plunged it into his lung, through the rib cage as he's stunned. Gasping for air I drag him to the nearest stone table and quickly interrogate him. He puts up little resistance and within seconds I confirm where the Claw has gone. He was of little use after that....


I move over to the fire and scour their resources. A few potions and herbs here and there. Warming myself by the fire for just a moment.


Walking silently through the hallway ahead, I come upon a large room and another one of the bandits, who obviously was oblivious to what had happened a few rooms prior. Quietly I watched as he approached the lever in the middle of the room.


Within seconds the room's trap trigger and he was filled full of arrows within the blink of an eye.


The fact that the room was booby trapped was enough proof alone that this trip was going to be even more lucrative than I had previously imagined....

While coming to the end of the Bleak Falls Barrow I spent 6 attempts trying to destroy the Guardian of the Dragonstone. On the 7th attempt my character is being thwolloped and one hit away from death. On a whim I decide to use the Fireball scroll I found in the tomb. KwadOOOM! Apparently I blew the guy all the way across the hall and over into the waterfall, cause I never did find the corpse. On a reload I killed him with 4 arrows. Go figure.

I can't even remember the guardian. There's been so much game since then.

My wife just found some place north of Whiterun that had three words on it. Then some flying lich ghost thing came out of the stone itself and started summoning ice elementals all over the place. My only thought was "what the hell is that?" Maybe I fought one before? No idea. I remember mammoths and dragons.

Ahh... that would be Krosis. His mask is very nice.

Krosis never summoned anything for me, only raining bullseye fireballs of nearly instant death.

JESUS FUCK he was hard to kill with mage, my archer, he never even saw before he was a pin cushion.

So, I'm wandering back to Whiterun after another sucessful round of running bandits out of their hovels and I see four rough looking individuals headed my way. Before I get a chance to hail them to politely ask after their purpose, they lay into me and my companion - the nerve! Why would there be hired thgs after me? I have no active bounties on my head (if only because I have yet to be caught.) A minor scirmish ensues and we dispatch the goons and their ring leader with relative ease. In rumaging about their corpses I find a contract - with my name on it! It appears that that damnable stuck-up mage in Whiterun believes that I have creatively acquired some of his belongings. How dare he! I have the Jarl's blessing in that town, and he has no proof that it was me that cleared out his entire living quarters of valuables. Never mind that his assumption is correct. After I am finished with this town, me thinks that mage will need to be taught a lesson.

Madness!

I go off to slay a giant for the Jarl of Windhelm's bounty, and as I'm leaving the mill across the river from the giant's camp, a dragon swoops overhead. I shoot an arrow into it and then run through the giant's camp. Lucky me, the giants and the dragon start fighting. I figure this will be an easy fight. Then the dragon flies off to the east. I decide to chase after it and drop a couple more arrows in to lure it back for the giants to finish off. Little did I know, the giants were chasing me.

But I knew something else even less. I see the dragon swoop behind a hill, run after it. When I reach the hill, he's waaaaay in the distance, and coming back my way. I think "Wow, he sure flew far." Then this dragon spits fire at me. I realize he was spitting ice a moment earlier--that's when BOTH DRAGONS glide into view, roar past me, and start tearing the shit out of the giants. Then they start flying off toward a hunter's camp, and I find myself chasing two dragons over rocks and water. Every now and then, they come breathing down on me, and then once the hunters are dead, I have two dragons coming after me at once.

I got one grounded, but the fire-breather was still doing circles around us while the ice one chased me on land. Both then landed and chased me and I managed to kill the ice one. The fire one flew up a cliff, and then barreled back down on me. I managed to get another arrow in his throat... and unfortunately, we both died at once.

I didn't even realize you could encounter two dragons at once.

Quotemander Prime said:

Madness!

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The same almost occured to me.

I had taken up a bounty to kill a dragon for the people of Markath. Travelling to his hideout, I was sneaking up on him, pulling out my bow. As my first arrow screamed at his scaly hide, I heard another roar and a second dragon came swooping overhead. I dive and duck as the first dragon comes for revenge, and with a few well placed 2h strikes and a potion or two, I took him down. I look up as the roaring continues, and see the second dragon still flying overhead. He looks down at me, and then suddenly moved on over the mountain rocks. He never returned, the sight of my Nord feasting on his friends soul put fear in his black heart.

This story is not of me playing, but of hearing my wife playing across the apartment. There's a slowly building tune in Skyrim, with chanting and string, that greatly resembles the early part of the track "Gift of Fury", and I guessed there was trouble.

Me: "I hear that!"
Wife: "Rrrmmm, eeg."
Me: "What is it?"
Wife: "Too Many Bandits At ONCE!"

Not my tale, but an amusing one none the less.

Dirona said:

Not my tale, but an amusing one none the less.

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LOL! I could have written that! If I actually could accept any of the times Lydia died and hadn't loaded my last save game.

But if he truly, truly wanted Lydia back, he could have had her. Through magic too awful and dark to contemplate. Forget all this corpse reanimation and souls trapped in gems and whatnot... There is a dark, dangerous magic that actually has the potential to destroy Skyrim if you are careless - it's called "the Console." If you hit tilde (~), the console appears before you. Click on Lydia, and her true name will be revealed to you in an arcane tongue incomprehensible to the minds of mere mortals (000A2C94, incidentally). Upon seeing this, you need only speak the word "resurrect" and suddenly Lydia will not only be alive, but have no memory of ever having been dead at all... THAT is powerful and frightening magic, right there. The kind wise adventurers limit harshly, lest there be other worldly ramifications.

Incidentally, it's this same magic that, if you are clever enough, also allows you around the bug that makes Lydia unmarriageable.

So I accept the embassy quest from Delphine and travel to the city to give up my weapons to retrieve when I get to the party. Everything else goes to Delphine, of course. In my lack of wisdom, I gave both my bows and all my arrows to the contact before hand. Just as I'm ready to get on the cart and head to the party, Delphine shouts "Look out!" and I see a shadow and hear a screech. Sure enough, I have no weapons and a fracking dragon shows up. Thus, I hide in a hut until the dragon decides to fly up to the city from the stables and proceed to toast the townsfolk.

My story begins with one word... 'Lass'.
I don't know what it was about his voice that captured my interest but, pretty soon I found myself sneaking through most of Skyrim on various assignments on his command. Perhaps, in my naivety, I believed that if I only worked hard enough and proved to him that my skills reached far beyond mere pick-pocketing, he'd notice me. And so, I worked harder than I'd ever worked in my life, "fishing", "sweeping" and stripping nobles bare of their precious goods, even as they walked down the street in broad day-light. All for him, just to hear him praise me..

I should have listened to Vex from the start!
She did warn me after all..
All they really care about in the thieves guild, is the amount of coin you manage to bring home to the guild coffers.

All he ever tells me now is how frightfully busy he is...
We haven't had a decent conversation in days, or even discussed the future of the guild.
It's like we never even risked our lives together in order to bring that scumbag M..
(the rest of the paragraph is scratched out)

You are indeed a thief Brynjolf...
However much I hate to admit it, you managed to steal my heart.
Just make sure you keep it safer than I did, or I will seek our the Brotherhood in order to retrieve it.

~ O.N.

I was cooking at a dead necromancer's camp, just peacefully roasting a goat's leg and ladling some apple cabbage stew. Then the ground shakes and I see in the blurry background a lot of scales and spines. My cooking was interrupted by a frost dragon's icy breath. What a douche.

Also, this is me, level 30.

Those townsfolk apparently had no trouble killing that dragon. It was awful nice to reap the rewards of a dragon soul without having to spend 30+ arrows shooting at it.

I think my wife just has more amusing Skyrim adventures than me, at least in my eyes.

She's walking along to go complete a quest, and Lydia behind her who never says a word without being spoken to, all of a sudden says "Hey, there's a cave. Wonder what's inside." If it were me, I'd tell Lydia to go on wondering, but my wife decides to indulge her companion and heads on in.

Shortly after, they're attacked by vampires. This wouldn't be too terrible. Right now, my wife is trying to sneak around, blast the bastards, and pilfer their wine. Just one problem. The cave is silent. She's going along slowly, creep, creep, sneak.

Then all of a sudden: "Ahem." Lydia clears her throat and it echoes through the cave. My wife yells at her to stop and then proceeds. Creep, creep, sneak.
"HrrmRRRRm. Cough."
"Lydia, shut the fuck up! We're trying to be sneaky!"
"Ahrrrmk."
"Do you have asthma?"
"Kekhah!"
"Are you fucking dying or something?"

Lydia and I were going after this or that artifact. We had to go into a Dwarven Stronghold. We get all the way there and I am just ready to open the front door when Lydia says, "Hey look! There's a Dwarven Stronghold!"

Not the brightest crayon in the box, this Lydia. But she makes a good damage sponge in her Dragon Armor that I made for her.

Lydia has been invaluable for me. Tonight we were traversing through the plains and saw those same giants which gave me the wholliping previously. Now, I've done some training and figured this might be my chance to see if I could take one of the big suckers down.

Firing arrows from a distance, she and I were able to knock over half his health away before he reached us. She valiantly put away her bow and drew her sword. Before she could even swing, she was launched so far into the air she could earn her pilot's license. This bought me enough time to pin cushion the rest of the giant's health away. After he died, I witnessed her fall to the fields. A minute later, brushing herself off, she ran up to me like nothing had happened.

Lydia's been left to guard my house ever since I picked up Illia. She's this caster woman (who has the same voice actress, and most of the same voice ASSETS as Lydia, right down to the yawning and such) who I helped, never mind how. Afterwards she seemed kind of bummed so I suggested she go with me. I'm still not entirely clear on why this necessitates Lydia going home, and it puts a major kink in my plans to have a Khadafi-esque all-female bodyguard squad... but whatever. She's handy to have around. She likes to chuck those big pointy ice doohickeys that seem to sting other people an awful lot.

Problem is, damn girl can't keep her clothes on.

Because I like to keep my henchlings geared up, I blew a few thousand gold on a master robe of whateverthehell, it had the biggest numbers on it I could find, and I also enchanted up a majicka hat for her. For some reason, more than half the time, she decides to wear the hat and NOTHING ELSE. I'll turn around and bam, underwear and hat. Woman, I bought you that damn robe, it's snowing and the wind is 40mph easy, WHY aren't you WEARING it? To try and call her attention to this fact, I used to try taking away her hat and giving it back, to make her re-evaluate her entire wardrobe at once, but it doesn't work... I take away the hat, she puts her old clothes back on (the ones she was wearing when I met her)... and the badass robe goes unworn. I give her the hat again, and shazam, homespun bikini. Whatever. Then a few minutes later I'll turn around and see her wearing the good robe with the hat.

And then 10 minutes later she'll be nekkid again.

Dave said:

Lydia and I were going after this or that artifact. We had to go into a Dwarven Stronghold. We get all the way there and I am just ready to open the front door when Lydia says, "Hey look! There's a Dwarven Stronghold!"

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*After spending the last five consecutive days traveling through huge Nordic Tombs, Dwarven Ruins, Mystic Caves, and the Afterlife itself. Enter some larger room in a random generic fort*

Aela: Wow look... you don't see that everyday.

I like it when Lydia says, "Hey look! A CAVE!" when we're coming OUT of it.

I find it funny those rare times I enter my house in Whiterun and Lydia, in this really harsh tone, says "You better not cause any trouble." or "You shouldn't be here". It's my house bitch, you are supposed to be my Housecarl!

It was with a heavy heart that I had left Cyrodil, the land where I'd been born and raised. Circumstances beyond my control had led to a form of self-imposed exile, lest I meet the headsman. The Empire, once it takes you into it's breast, does not release you from her service without a fight.

How ironic, then, that I meet with the tail end of an ambush as I entered Skyrim, just as they finished capturing what appeared to be a member of their resident rebel faction. The Gods, it appears, have a strong sense of irony.

After being loosed from my bonds by these very same rebels during a suspiciously fortuitous, yet freak occurrence of a dragon attacking the hamlet where I had been deposited, I found myself given shelter, succor, and direction. Following these directions, I encountered a trio of Imperial soldiers, escorting yet another rebel to some unknown fate.

My path was clear. If I could not serve the Empire in my homeland, if I could not support the sham that they have become, then I would serve my new land. This frozen realm of Skyrim.

Without hesitation, I leapt in, axe swinging. After a few furious seconds of combat, three corpses fell at my feet, and a Stormcloak ran free.

My name is Ashen Aylkarron, and I fight for the liberty of Skyrim.

Sorry no story at this point.

I was attacked by 2 Dragons about an hour apart last night. They both killed my horse. Two Thousand Gold like that!

Truth be told, I am having a hard time finding my place in this land - small wonder, as the Nords seem to feel that anyone not native to this land are somehow... less. And yet, I have come across several expatriates from Cyrodil, a dark e- that is to say, a Dunmer, and several Redguard who consider these lands to be as much their home as their native shores.

What is it about these frost-rimed mountains that binds these hardy folk together? Is it the shared dangers to be found here? I have already fought off attacks by several trolls, slavering and roaring as they pursued me. Were it not for the actions of my newly-appointed housecarl, Lydia, I may have found myself in the embrace of the Divines already.

Some creatures are more sly than others.... I found myself ambushed by a truly massive feline, snarling jaws armed with saber-like teeth easily as long as my forearm. After fighting it off of me, and back-pedalling down a hill, I struck it a mortal blow... only to see the creature roll under a rock and vanish from my sight! Truly a creature most cunning.

(OOC Yes, a Saber Cat hit a clipping glitch after I killed it. I was most Put Out.)

I know, right? You never got the chance to harvest and eat one of its eyes.

Started a new character that I plan to play off and on. Wonder if I should start one of these.

Dear Journal,

Today I set out to retrieve Nettlebane for the benefit of the clergy in Whiterun. Along the way I encountered strange sorcerys with the added benefit that I have forever solved any hunger problems in Skyrim. Great and wondrous are the gods!

-Eltus Mashine, Paladin

My Khajit thief's levels keep flying skyward, and I get to reenact the Aladdin bread chase as I make many problems for myself in towns. I went to the Dwemer museum in Markand (sp?) and at first it was a cool stealthing bit as I opened up display cases, took some valuables, kept away from the guards. When they eventually caught me, I thought to run deeper into the museum, and ended up getting chopped up by a Dwemer rotating fan. Nice job, assholes, keeping a live trap in a FUCKING MUSEUM.

When I next went in, I stealth-killed one guard and sliced up the other two, so now the whole city hates me. That was a fun escape... as in not. But I still grabbed many cabbages on my way out.

I think that is a glitch,where whole Markath turns aggro on you.I reloaded before they turned aggro and everything was fine after that.

LordRendar said:

I think that is a glitch,where whole Markath turns aggro on you.I reloaded before they turned aggro and everything was fine after that.

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It must be, because I killed all witnesses and yet the bounty remained. Too late for me to reload now; I'll have to settle for stealing from other cities until they calm down.

Yeah, bounty is issued the moment your spotted/heard doing something. But if you can leave the jurisdiction of the town guards, they'll stop following you and stop being aggressive. Then they'll start doing the "Wait, I know you..." thing whenever you go back into town, which lets you pay off your bounty before they start going crazy again.

I'm not paying that, no way. I just run whenever they do the "Wait, I know you..." bit, before they can catch up and initiate the dialogue.

My greatest guard escape happened today.

I did the Fury thing to a couple of vendors in Whiterun for laughs, but after the guards started chasing me and filling me with arrows, I decided not to hang around too long. I left the city and ran into the western fields. The guards went on chasing a bit longer than usual, long enough for me to reach a tower full of more guards.

There's a giant camp in the hills north of there. I figured, "what the hell--they deserve it."

So I let the guards follow me up to where the giants were. The predictable happened, where one of the giants began beating the crap out of the soldiers while they were shooting me. Then the giant began to chase me while I still had guards on me (I'd done nothing to him). I ran, for obvious reasons. I knew he wasn't playing favorites though, because I saw the guard sail through the clouds past me, and drop into the field far, far away. I dashed to his body and took what was good (not much.)

The giant was still following though, far from the hill where I'd found him. I started running again, figuring I'd lose him soon. Ran into a Dark Brotherhood assassin. At first I tried to fight him, hoping to beat him before the giant got close. Then I had an idea--"well, he deserves it too." So I ran back toward the giant, then away, and kited the assassin into the giant's path.

He went flying too.

This began a great kite chase. The giant killed sabercats, wolves, an elk I'd cast Fury on, going farther and farther from his home camp to get me. I figured I was fine, until he picked up a mammoth from another herd. I led them to a fortress full of thieves, hoping they'd kill the two monsters while I ran. NOPE. I got stuck between a wall and the mammoth, and while the bandits killed the mammoth, I watched many more of them go flying from the giant's club. He was even up on the walls, running around, treating bandits like golf balls. I figured that was my chance to run.

Nope. Giant was still following me. I decided that was enough and ran back to Whiterun despite the bounty on me. He chased me through the gates, and I nearly ran out of stamina more than once.

But the worst was when I got into the area leading up to the city. The guards decided to fucking talk to me. "You're wanted for your crimes blah de blah", and I was so freaked out that standing there would get me killed that I chose to fight, then I chose to pay. Finally then, they acknowledged the greater threat of the giant, and he died, though not before a couple more guards learned how to fly.

And nobody was mad at me. Best 20 minutes I'd had of this game. I fucking love my Khajit thief.

Giants fighting the Dragon. And a mammoth. They killed the dragon pretty quickly and I ran. Why?



That's right. THERE WERE FOUR OF THEM!!! And a mammoth.

But the story doesn't end there, oh no! I hop back on Hattda & ride like the mother-fucking wind, every once in a while slowing to let the poor horse catch it's breath. Each time I was greeted with the familiar sound of a giant's thudding steps close behind me. I even peeked once and was amazed at how close they all were. I needed a distraction and I needed one fast. And there it was! A torch in the distance! I rode toward it for all I was worth, giants in tow howling their displeasure at having such an illusive quarry.

I rounded the corner and saw...the lady and the old man walking. How they got ahead of me I'll never know, but as I rode past screaming ((I really was, too!)) I saw them turn and go into attack mode. As they each launched into the night sky I said a quick prayer to Talos and used the distraction to make good my escape. Once I felt it was safe to circle back (the music in my head had finally ceased) I found the lady and the old man walking serenely towards me like they hadn't a care in the world. Had it all been a dream? Or was I nothing more than a piece in some madman's game...?

Yesterday, I killed a guard in the whiterun guard barracks (not the one by the gate, the other one), and trying to cover my tracks quickly, I stuffed the body in the nearby display case. The guard was too big for the display case, so feet stick out of the end... but the lid still closed and nobody seems to notice...

I have yet to kill a guard from any town with any character. Even the evil one.

Dave said:

I have yet to kill a guard from any town with any character. Even the evil one.

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I restored an earlier save after I did it, but I killed every guard in riften simultaneously once on my first char. It was a case of "oops, I pissed off a guard somehow. Well, time to restore. Wait... let's see how far I can take this." With a high shield rating and a caster follower, damn near anything is possible it seems. It did get annoying after a while to have to keep knocking Maven Black-Briar on her ass though.

Dave said:

I have yet to kill a guard from any town with any character. Even the evil one.

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Same. I even avoided killing them during one of the Brotherhood missions...

Bumping this up so I can show off my newest character and story.

Meet the outcast, Sera Ashel.



As a child she had been told she was destined for greatness, a rumored decedent of the Nerevarine and daughter of a wealthy family. She was watched closely for her talents in magic and stealth, and before her final coming of age, she was approached by the Morag Tong to become an apprentice assassin and upholder of ancient Dunmeri laws. She spent years developing her skills until the day Red Mountain erupted. With only the cloths on her back, she fled, leaving behind her family and friends to be buried in the burning ash. Before it had even fully matured, her life had been thrown into ruin, and the guild she had become a member faded into history.



She traveled for a time around Tamriel, but her people were known for dark deeds and slavery. She was forced out of every province she attempted to settle. She turned to petty crime and thievery, using what magic knowledge she retained just to survive, and slowly even her ethical codes began to erode. Worst of all, the growing Aldmeri Dominion looked poorly on the Dunmer of the east, and with increased power among the provinces of the Empire, came even greater troubles from her western "cousins".



It was not long before she found herself without money or home. As she walked the roads broken and disenfranchised, in rags and hungry for a meal, she felt a strange sensation overcome her, followed by an echo like thunder reverberating in the mountains to the north of her, in the wild lands of Skyrim. She had heard of the xenophobia of the Nords, and had avoided the province, but the calling grew stronger, a sound, like a voice, traveling on the cold winds. A whisper of power, a whisper of a new life that was waiting to be made.

Looking into her empty hands, she realized she had nothing else to lose. With a heavy breath, she began walking into the mountains, unsure of her future but unwilling to give up.

Anyone go to the Sightless Caverns? The place doesn't have much in the way of loot, but it's a twisty little place that you can't escape until you get to its end. The Dwemer ruins within have collapsed in a way that you're actually vertically descending hallways.

The place gave me a seriously bad Moria feel. I was telling my wife about the scene from LOTR: FOTR where Gandalf reads from the book and then Pippin knocks stuff down the hole.

Well, all was silent as Lydia and my new character walked through a cavern into the Dwemer section of this place. Then I heard a click, and a metal screech as a pike rammed between my character and her companion. I turned to look at Lydia, partly stunned by the sudden noise, partly to make sure she didn't fall into the same trap.

I turned back around, and there was a Falmer grimacing in my face. Scared the crap out of me.

Just started playing this game last week. Early in my adventures, Lydia was mauled to death by a troll on my climb up to the Greybeards and she was carrying a ton of loot that I couldn't afford to carry. Well, I had aligned to that necromancing stone thingy. I raised Lydia (and the dead troll) and they followed me the rest of the way to the Greybeards. I got to keep/sell everything. I only wish I could have taken my zombie pack mule with me everywhere!

MindDetective said:

Just started playing this game last week. Early in my adventures, Lydia was mauled to death by a troll on my climb up to the Greybeards and she was carrying a ton of loot that I couldn't afford to carry. Well, I had aligned to that necromancing stone thingy. I raised Lydia (and the dead troll) and they followed me the rest of the way to the Greybeards. I got to keep/sell everything. I only wish I could have taken my zombie pack mule with me everywhere!

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... the troll can't kill Lydia. You have just inadvertently confessed to murder.

GasBandit said:

... the troll can't kill Lydia. You have just inadvertently confessed to murder.

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It's possibly she stepped in the way of my arrow but I'm sticking to my implausible story. Consequently, I went back to the Greybeards and the Troll, which I left dead the in Halls there, sprang to life and attacked them all. Suriprise, Greybeards!

MindDetective said:

It's possibly she stepped in the way of my arrow but...

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More like painfully dragged her blood-streaked way across the snow on all fours in front of your arrow.

You monster.

GasBandit said:

More like painfully dragged her blood-streaked way across the snow on all fours in front of your arrow.

You monster.

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She had it coming.

MindDetective said:

She had it coming.

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I see, so before you stabbed her, you told her to get the f*ck out of the doorway.

sixpackshaker said:

I see, so before you stabbed her, you told her to get the f*ck out of the doorway.

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I chalk it up to natural consequences.

MindDetective said:

She had it coming.

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Great. Now I'm gonna have that song from Chicago in my head the rest of the day.

Pop! Six! Squish! Uh-uh! Cicero! Lipschitz!

I told Lydia to go home, then ran to where Krosis is, got the dragon words, and ran away. Lydia disregarded my orders and came barreling up the hill. I got the hell out of there. No idea what became of her.

She ran into your dagger. She ran into your dagger ten times.