Date played: December 15th and 16th
Platform: Switch
I'm falling deep into Skyrim now. Equipped with my Flame Atronach, Bound Sword and some fire destruction magic, I headed to Bleak Falls Barrow for the game's first big dungeon. It was hidden deep in a mountain near Whiterun, so even getting there was a challenge. After a few encounters with some cougars and bandits, I entered the dungeon to find a golden claw and to uncover the secrets that lie beneath.
Bleak Falls Barrow is mostly inhabited by Draugr, which are basically skeletons brought back to life. They are pretty weak, but I still have to be careful around them because I don't have much armor, thanks to my magic robes. During my adventure into the depths of the dungeon, I encountered my first traps and my first puzzles.
The traps are a bitch because they can be really hard to see. They are typically activated by walking onto a hidden stone or something, which triggers some dangerous traps like spikes, arrows and other deadly mechanisms. I found the claw and used it to solve the puzzle. I was then able to enter the final chamber where I learned by first word in the dragon language!
I returned to Whiterun, to speak with the Jarl and his wizard, but reports of a dragon just outside the city interrupted my voyage. It was time to fight my first dragon! I had help from the Whiterun guards who attacked the giant beast with their bows and swords, but I had to help. My Flame Atronach spit fire at the dragon while I stabbed it with my Bound Sword at every opportunity, avoiding it's deadly fire-breathing attacks. When I finally killed it, I absorbed my first dragon soul, which let me speak the word I learned in the dungeon. I had my first dragon shout, Unrelenting Force.
I now had to go meet the Greybeards, a small group of monks that live high atop a giant mountain. They will know more about the dragon language, and why I can learn it so easily when normally only highly educated scholars can speak it.
I made some upgrades to my arsenal and I'm really digging deep into the Conjuration skill tree, dabbling in one handed combat, enchanting, alchemy and Destruction. Most of my battles are a combination of my Flame Atronach shooting fireballs, Bound Sword attacks and Flames or Firebolt. It works pretty well but I have to be really careful with my health. I can't take on soldiers head on, I have to keep some distance.
I headed for the Greybeard mountain and after speaking to a few villagers at the base, I started the long climb to the monastery. The path was pretty simple, but I was attacked by wolves and even a fucking troll along the way. The wolves are super easy, but the troll required that I use all my skills to survive. I'm also using potions a lot to boost my power or weaken enemies.
When I reached the peak of the mountain, I met with 4 of the 5 Greybeards. They explained that I am the Dragonborn, also known as Dovahkin. I can easily learn the dragon language and I can "shout". My first shout, Unrelenting Force, which pushes enemies away. The Greybeards taught me the second word of the shout, making it more powerful. The old monks also taught me the first word of my second shout, a long distance dash.
At this point, I've picked up a ton of quests from random people, just from talking to them. The world is wide open for me, and I can just pick something to do. I am now the Thane of Whiterun, thanks to my exploits as the Dragonborn, which means I am now a VIP there. I have a housecarl, Lydia, who follows me around and helps me fight. She's pretty weak, but she attracts enemies, leaving me room to cast deadly spells without getting an ax to the face. I am also allowed to purchase a home in Whiterun, though I don't want to do that, since this town was always my home the last time I played.
I also took a carriage to a couple of the bigger holds, just to unlock the fast travel point for them. I visited Falkreath, a small town to the south, Windhelm, a cold fortress to the north, and Winterhold, the sole haven for wizards in the cold lands of Skyrim.
My daughter has been watching me play occasionally and she is a huge fan of alchemy. Mixing ingredients together to make potions seems to really interest her. In fact, while we were doing some of it together, we ended up having a long conversation about alchemy in the real world, which was lots of fun. She also enjoys telling me to pick up some stuff that she finds interesting, like a ring, a circlet and apple pie.
I am not sure where I'll go next. I am thinking Falkreath might be a good choice since it's pretty close and the Jarl wants to see me, but I haven't really decided yet.
Platform: Switch
I'm falling deep into Skyrim now. Equipped with my Flame Atronach, Bound Sword and some fire destruction magic, I headed to Bleak Falls Barrow for the game's first big dungeon. It was hidden deep in a mountain near Whiterun, so even getting there was a challenge. After a few encounters with some cougars and bandits, I entered the dungeon to find a golden claw and to uncover the secrets that lie beneath.
Bleak Falls Barrow is mostly inhabited by Draugr, which are basically skeletons brought back to life. They are pretty weak, but I still have to be careful around them because I don't have much armor, thanks to my magic robes. During my adventure into the depths of the dungeon, I encountered my first traps and my first puzzles.
The traps are a bitch because they can be really hard to see. They are typically activated by walking onto a hidden stone or something, which triggers some dangerous traps like spikes, arrows and other deadly mechanisms. I found the claw and used it to solve the puzzle. I was then able to enter the final chamber where I learned by first word in the dragon language!
I returned to Whiterun, to speak with the Jarl and his wizard, but reports of a dragon just outside the city interrupted my voyage. It was time to fight my first dragon! I had help from the Whiterun guards who attacked the giant beast with their bows and swords, but I had to help. My Flame Atronach spit fire at the dragon while I stabbed it with my Bound Sword at every opportunity, avoiding it's deadly fire-breathing attacks. When I finally killed it, I absorbed my first dragon soul, which let me speak the word I learned in the dungeon. I had my first dragon shout, Unrelenting Force.
 |
| I killed my first dragon! |
I now had to go meet the Greybeards, a small group of monks that live high atop a giant mountain. They will know more about the dragon language, and why I can learn it so easily when normally only highly educated scholars can speak it.
I made some upgrades to my arsenal and I'm really digging deep into the Conjuration skill tree, dabbling in one handed combat, enchanting, alchemy and Destruction. Most of my battles are a combination of my Flame Atronach shooting fireballs, Bound Sword attacks and Flames or Firebolt. It works pretty well but I have to be really careful with my health. I can't take on soldiers head on, I have to keep some distance.
I headed for the Greybeard mountain and after speaking to a few villagers at the base, I started the long climb to the monastery. The path was pretty simple, but I was attacked by wolves and even a fucking troll along the way. The wolves are super easy, but the troll required that I use all my skills to survive. I'm also using potions a lot to boost my power or weaken enemies.
When I reached the peak of the mountain, I met with 4 of the 5 Greybeards. They explained that I am the Dragonborn, also known as Dovahkin. I can easily learn the dragon language and I can "shout". My first shout, Unrelenting Force, which pushes enemies away. The Greybeards taught me the second word of the shout, making it more powerful. The old monks also taught me the first word of my second shout, a long distance dash.
At this point, I've picked up a ton of quests from random people, just from talking to them. The world is wide open for me, and I can just pick something to do. I am now the Thane of Whiterun, thanks to my exploits as the Dragonborn, which means I am now a VIP there. I have a housecarl, Lydia, who follows me around and helps me fight. She's pretty weak, but she attracts enemies, leaving me room to cast deadly spells without getting an ax to the face. I am also allowed to purchase a home in Whiterun, though I don't want to do that, since this town was always my home the last time I played.
I also took a carriage to a couple of the bigger holds, just to unlock the fast travel point for them. I visited Falkreath, a small town to the south, Windhelm, a cold fortress to the north, and Winterhold, the sole haven for wizards in the cold lands of Skyrim.
My daughter has been watching me play occasionally and she is a huge fan of alchemy. Mixing ingredients together to make potions seems to really interest her. In fact, while we were doing some of it together, we ended up having a long conversation about alchemy in the real world, which was lots of fun. She also enjoys telling me to pick up some stuff that she finds interesting, like a ring, a circlet and apple pie.
I am not sure where I'll go next. I am thinking Falkreath might be a good choice since it's pretty close and the Jarl wants to see me, but I haven't really decided yet.
