The entranceway to Cronvangr Cave is surrounded by cobwebs and the empty egg husks of frostspiders. This suggests to my trained eye that there may be spiders within the cave. Neither I nor Stenvar have any fear of the eight-legged variety, so venture forth into the opening of the rockface.
Sure enough the first cavern I reach is filled with the things, which I slay with ease. They spit poison as I approach, but I merely wipe this away and drive my sword into their chitinous carapaces. I see the entrance to an ante-chamber across the cavern, which seems empty at first until I spot a rock doorway. I locate the button to activate it and it slides down into the floor.
Beyond lies a tighter series of corridors, supported by wooden structures, and then a house built in the middle of a large cavern. It is obvious to me that some form of inhabitant other than spiders dwell here, so it comes as no surprise to find vampires. The first of them sits at a desk, reading. I dip an arrow in some of the frostspider venom I gathered and fire it across the room into her head.
This is not the last of the gore I'll see, for further on I find large amounts of blood and viscera - these vampires are not tidy with their eating. I also find a lot of corpses, and it is while investigating these pile of bodies that another vampire appears. This one is a bit tougher to take down, casting magic at me while I try to slay it with my sword.
Carrying on with my exploration, I emerge into a more open cavern with several walkways leading down to a pool of water at the bottom. More spiders live here, and Stenvar assists me in arrowing them from afar. The cold from the pool below drifts up, and he comments to me that he could do with some warm ale.
One of the pathways leads us to a door to Broodlair, a further section of the cave which I would assume is filled with vampire scum. But instead, all I find are spiders both small and large. Webs lie everywhere, requiring me to cut through to gain access to areas. I stumble upon a large chest which is filled with gold, soul gems, and above all, the sword of Queen Freydis. Oengul best be please with this.
We turn around and leave the cave behind, heading west. Crossing the river just outside the cave, we stumble upon the ruined fort of Gallows Rock. Though I approach it with stealth, the Silver Hands atop the walls are ever vigilant, loosing volleys of arrows down at us as we pass. I'll deal with them later, mark my words.
In the meantime, I've got a sword to give to a blacksmith in Windhelm, so head north towards the walls city.
Monday 23 January 2012
Sunday 22 January 2012
Skyrim - Discovering the Dwemer
The dwemer ruins in front of me are a series of steps working their way up the hillside. A number of open gates line the tops of each, and I ascend them swiftly. This must lead to a larger ruin, one filled with treasures! I push forward, Stenvar barely able to keep up with my breakneck speed.
I find a tower at the top, with a huge bronze double-door filling much of one side. Surely this must hide treasures galore? I rush over to it, my guard down against any possible attack - they would have spotted me by now anyway with my complete lack of stealth.
The door opens easily after a swift bit of lock-picking, and we enter the tower. It seems to be some sort of storeroom, for there is nothing inside but piles of dwarven metal. This is fine by me, for the metal of the dwemer is well renowned for its strength and durability - selling it on will return a handsome bonus. The only trouble I have is the sheer weight of the stuff. I have to pile much of it onto Stenvar, as there is no way even I could carry this lot.
We exit the storeroom and I survey the rest of the hillside. From around the bend of the stairways, I can hear a strange sound, almost like a strangle dragon. I venture forth, and to my amazement find an even greater ruin than the one I just left - the ruins of the ancient dwemer city of Mzulft.
Intricately cut stonework houses large metal tubes, all of which are broken open and venting vast quantities of steam, obviously the sound I had heard emanating forth. From where I stand, a tower is the closest point so I walk over to it in awe at the site of this construction. The door however does not yield, some form of key is required to access this place.
Disappointed, I head back down the hill. We may not get into Mzulft today, but mark my words we'll be back another. I we'll get in.
I head west across the badlands, sulphurous geysers bubbling away as they have done for millions of years. Nothing much bothers us as we walk over the vast expanse, even though we have to skirt close to Steamcrag Camp - the giants and mammoths either don't notice us, or don't care about us. That will be their undoing one of these days.
We reach Convangr Cave. This place had been marked on my map by Oengul War-Anvil as somewhere to look for the sword of Queen Freydis. If I can return it to him, I hope that he may see to a nice discount on his metal-work...
I find a tower at the top, with a huge bronze double-door filling much of one side. Surely this must hide treasures galore? I rush over to it, my guard down against any possible attack - they would have spotted me by now anyway with my complete lack of stealth.
The door opens easily after a swift bit of lock-picking, and we enter the tower. It seems to be some sort of storeroom, for there is nothing inside but piles of dwarven metal. This is fine by me, for the metal of the dwemer is well renowned for its strength and durability - selling it on will return a handsome bonus. The only trouble I have is the sheer weight of the stuff. I have to pile much of it onto Stenvar, as there is no way even I could carry this lot.
We exit the storeroom and I survey the rest of the hillside. From around the bend of the stairways, I can hear a strange sound, almost like a strangle dragon. I venture forth, and to my amazement find an even greater ruin than the one I just left - the ruins of the ancient dwemer city of Mzulft.
Intricately cut stonework houses large metal tubes, all of which are broken open and venting vast quantities of steam, obviously the sound I had heard emanating forth. From where I stand, a tower is the closest point so I walk over to it in awe at the site of this construction. The door however does not yield, some form of key is required to access this place.
Disappointed, I head back down the hill. We may not get into Mzulft today, but mark my words we'll be back another. I we'll get in.
I head west across the badlands, sulphurous geysers bubbling away as they have done for millions of years. Nothing much bothers us as we walk over the vast expanse, even though we have to skirt close to Steamcrag Camp - the giants and mammoths either don't notice us, or don't care about us. That will be their undoing one of these days.
We reach Convangr Cave. This place had been marked on my map by Oengul War-Anvil as somewhere to look for the sword of Queen Freydis. If I can return it to him, I hope that he may see to a nice discount on his metal-work...
Monday 16 January 2012
Skyrim - Smooth Jazbay
Picking myself up from the recent dragon attack, I head north east with Stenvar towards some hot springs. One of the tasks on my list is to collect some small grapes called jazbars for a farmer, and they are known to grow in this area in the west of Skyrim known as Eastmarch.
I thought the sulphurous fumes of the springs were bad enough, but no sooner do we enter the domain than yet another blood dragon looms large, venting fiery death. This time, I do not have the preventative barrier of bandits to draw its fire - I must go toe-to-toe with the creature, relying on my skills and fortitude to bring it down.
Whether down to our recent encounter with the creature at Nilheim or some other blessing from the gods, but Stenvar and I work like a well-oiled machine at killing the flying reptile, and soon it collapses to the ground. Yet unlike other dragon deaths, this one does not yield a soul, nor does it burn up into ash. This troubles me, yet I still reach down to the body and remove things of worth from it.
One benefit of the fight is my inadvertent stumbling into an area of springs containing a plethora of the jazbar berries. I like to think that subconsciously this was an informed decision - Stenvar's helmet prevents me from seeing how he views this hypothisis.
I turn my back on the dragon corpse, and we make our way back south east, soon leaving the bad lands of the springs. The landscape turns lush and verdant, trees and grass abound. I enter the small hamlet of Sarethi Farm, and locate the Avrusa Sarethi, a dark elf farmer.
Her farm exudes a strange noise, verging on a vibration. Peering over the small wooden fence, I see that she is growing uncountable nirnroot. At night, the field most glow with the light of the nirn.
Avrusa is happy to see me, and happier still to be given the jazbays she'd asked me to get. According to her, they are exactly what is needed to help the nirnroot grow. I'd have thought she'd want a ready source of water, and maybe a lot of mud - I've seen them growing well at the sides of rivers and lakes. But what do I know, I'm an adventurer not a botanist. She rewards me with some potions, and we leave.
Something had piqued my interest while we were scouring for jazbays earlier, so I retread old ground to investigate some ruins I'd seen and trudge back to Eastmarch. On the way, we pass an imperial patrol escorting a prisoner somewhere. They seem keen to emphasise that it is none of my business, so I carry on without interfering.
The hills soon begin to rise in front of me, and it is here that I discover the ancient dwemer ruins. They scatter the hillside like discarded firewood. Eager to investigate, I push forward.
I thought the sulphurous fumes of the springs were bad enough, but no sooner do we enter the domain than yet another blood dragon looms large, venting fiery death. This time, I do not have the preventative barrier of bandits to draw its fire - I must go toe-to-toe with the creature, relying on my skills and fortitude to bring it down.
Whether down to our recent encounter with the creature at Nilheim or some other blessing from the gods, but Stenvar and I work like a well-oiled machine at killing the flying reptile, and soon it collapses to the ground. Yet unlike other dragon deaths, this one does not yield a soul, nor does it burn up into ash. This troubles me, yet I still reach down to the body and remove things of worth from it.
One benefit of the fight is my inadvertent stumbling into an area of springs containing a plethora of the jazbar berries. I like to think that subconsciously this was an informed decision - Stenvar's helmet prevents me from seeing how he views this hypothisis.
I turn my back on the dragon corpse, and we make our way back south east, soon leaving the bad lands of the springs. The landscape turns lush and verdant, trees and grass abound. I enter the small hamlet of Sarethi Farm, and locate the Avrusa Sarethi, a dark elf farmer.
Her farm exudes a strange noise, verging on a vibration. Peering over the small wooden fence, I see that she is growing uncountable nirnroot. At night, the field most glow with the light of the nirn.
Avrusa is happy to see me, and happier still to be given the jazbays she'd asked me to get. According to her, they are exactly what is needed to help the nirnroot grow. I'd have thought she'd want a ready source of water, and maybe a lot of mud - I've seen them growing well at the sides of rivers and lakes. But what do I know, I'm an adventurer not a botanist. She rewards me with some potions, and we leave.
Something had piqued my interest while we were scouring for jazbays earlier, so I retread old ground to investigate some ruins I'd seen and trudge back to Eastmarch. On the way, we pass an imperial patrol escorting a prisoner somewhere. They seem keen to emphasise that it is none of my business, so I carry on without interfering.
The hills soon begin to rise in front of me, and it is here that I discover the ancient dwemer ruins. They scatter the hillside like discarded firewood. Eager to investigate, I push forward.
Tuesday 10 January 2012
Skyrim - Nilheim
I head south-east towards a nearby lake. In the middle is a small island which we stroll through the water to - the water isn't very deep. I discover another tomb, Geirmund's Hall. Frankly, I had enough of wandering through ancient draugr-infested ruins earlier. So no, this one can wait for another time.
I can see an ominous dark tower further across the lake built atop a large mass of rock, and decide to investigate. This necessitates getting my feet wet again, but it is the only way we'll reach it. I just hope there aren't any slaughterfish in the shallows to chew at my shin bones.
Climbing up the bank, a man approaches me, claiming to be a merchant who was assaulted by the bandits in the tower who promptly stole all his gumpf. Naturally I can't let this sort of unjust incident go unpunished, otherwise I would not be the redoubtable adventurer Hedron the Collider!
Unsheathing my sword, I run up the pathway weaving through the rocks up to the tower. Bandits cockily announce themselves to me, but I run them through before they have a chance to finish their sentences. Stenvar follows closely, clearing up those who, in my bloodlust, I miss. The bandits are numerous, though all this does is form them into the anvil for our figurative hammer to smash.
We pause half way up the rocky path, mainly for me to check the dead for gold. The merchant catches up to me, and it is here that he reveals that it was all a trap to get me and Stenvar at this precise point! The only thing is, I've killed pretty much every living thing on this blasted hill. So when he pulls a simple iron dagger on me, it almost seems unfair for me to strike him down. This must be done though, for I fear we are not the first to have fallen for this.
I leave him to slump onto a nearby boulder, and we carry on up the path. A handlful of bandits and marauders try to stop us reaching the tower, but to no avail. They literally walk in the valley of death.
The tower, I find, is called Nilheim, and comprises a single black spike of stonework balanced on the edge of the lake. No one else has hung around for me to exact vengeance on, so I do a quick sweep of the place for things to loot, and make my way to the exit.
Things take a turn for the dramatic as reptile wings beat dust around us - a blood dragon blocks our path. But it doesn't attack us, choosing to breathe fire down upon some bandits which seem to have escaped the purge. This plays nicely into my hands, allowing me to fire orcish arrows ceaselessly towards the airbourne doom-monger.
Before it collapses to the dusty ground dead, it manages to kill the remaining bandits. I salute it for that at least.
I can see an ominous dark tower further across the lake built atop a large mass of rock, and decide to investigate. This necessitates getting my feet wet again, but it is the only way we'll reach it. I just hope there aren't any slaughterfish in the shallows to chew at my shin bones.
Climbing up the bank, a man approaches me, claiming to be a merchant who was assaulted by the bandits in the tower who promptly stole all his gumpf. Naturally I can't let this sort of unjust incident go unpunished, otherwise I would not be the redoubtable adventurer Hedron the Collider!
Unsheathing my sword, I run up the pathway weaving through the rocks up to the tower. Bandits cockily announce themselves to me, but I run them through before they have a chance to finish their sentences. Stenvar follows closely, clearing up those who, in my bloodlust, I miss. The bandits are numerous, though all this does is form them into the anvil for our figurative hammer to smash.
We pause half way up the rocky path, mainly for me to check the dead for gold. The merchant catches up to me, and it is here that he reveals that it was all a trap to get me and Stenvar at this precise point! The only thing is, I've killed pretty much every living thing on this blasted hill. So when he pulls a simple iron dagger on me, it almost seems unfair for me to strike him down. This must be done though, for I fear we are not the first to have fallen for this.
I leave him to slump onto a nearby boulder, and we carry on up the path. A handlful of bandits and marauders try to stop us reaching the tower, but to no avail. They literally walk in the valley of death.
The tower, I find, is called Nilheim, and comprises a single black spike of stonework balanced on the edge of the lake. No one else has hung around for me to exact vengeance on, so I do a quick sweep of the place for things to loot, and make my way to the exit.
Things take a turn for the dramatic as reptile wings beat dust around us - a blood dragon blocks our path. But it doesn't attack us, choosing to breathe fire down upon some bandits which seem to have escaped the purge. This plays nicely into my hands, allowing me to fire orcish arrows ceaselessly towards the airbourne doom-monger.
Before it collapses to the dusty ground dead, it manages to kill the remaining bandits. I salute it for that at least.
Saturday 7 January 2012
Skyrim - Shroud Hearth Barrow
I've been into Shroud Hearth already, so run through the tomb with not much to worry about. I once more find the solid stone door which previously hindered my progress, and insert the sapphire claw into the specially designed nooks. At first, nothing happens with the door - it remains resolutely steadfast. A quick rotation of the outer discs to match up with the creatures shown on the pad of the claw sees the door sink into the floor upon reinsertion. This seems like a fundamental design floor for a form of security, but I don't complain to Stenvar - after all, I just got into the place.
Draugr and skeletons form the guard beyond the door, but with a wry smile I demolish them with my follower. We continue in this fashion, making swift progress through the barrow.
I enter a chamber with a large waterfall cascading down, and a drawbridge pulled up. Despite the adrenaline pumping through my veins, I am forced to calm myself to correctly solve the puzzle required to lower it. This is truly the mark of a great adventurer - excelling in battle, but with the cognitive capacity to infiltrate tombs and dungeons successfully.
Things get a bit hectic as soon as I enter the barrow depths. Whereas the entrance only contained your bog-standard draugr, this door had hidden the horrors of draugr scourgers. These, though undead in a similar fashion to normal draugr, do not go down quite as easily. They prove to be of most trouble when there are more than one, and we are regularly assailed from all sides by the sickening creatures. To make matters worse, they throw magic at us too.
Stenvar wades into them without a moment's hesitation, which regularly proves his undoing. He lies there at the mercy of the scourgers while I make a tactical withdrawal. This is by no means cowardly - by moving away from him, I draw the draugr away from my comrade, and I am able to lay damage upon them without fear of striking down Stenvar.
Where there aren't scourgers, there are layers of traps. Swinging axes lunge out of corridor walls to slash at me as I walk through. Pits of fire ambush me as I walk through chambers. Spiked doors operate from hidden switches to throw me across rooms. But the numerous treasures I acquire as I move through the tomb spur me on.
We finally enter a chamber populated by not only the dreaded scourgers, but something much worse - a Draugr Overlord. They slash at us with ancient yet powerful blades, and shock magic damages my ability to cast spells myself. I drink potions to aid in the regeneration of my magicka, and conjure up a fire atronach to give them something else to target. It does exactly what I need it to, throwing fireballs at the undead creatures while Stenvar and I use our blades to hack them down.
Eventually we are left on our own, and I begin to study the chamber. A few chests lie about, filled with yet more booty. But the familiar circular wall at the end of the room bestows the greatest treasure - another dragon word.
With the tomb clear, I exit to daylight from a nearby door. Today has been tough, probably the toughest yet with my erstwhile ally Stenvar. Yet we remain alive, for now.
Draugr and skeletons form the guard beyond the door, but with a wry smile I demolish them with my follower. We continue in this fashion, making swift progress through the barrow.
I enter a chamber with a large waterfall cascading down, and a drawbridge pulled up. Despite the adrenaline pumping through my veins, I am forced to calm myself to correctly solve the puzzle required to lower it. This is truly the mark of a great adventurer - excelling in battle, but with the cognitive capacity to infiltrate tombs and dungeons successfully.
Things get a bit hectic as soon as I enter the barrow depths. Whereas the entrance only contained your bog-standard draugr, this door had hidden the horrors of draugr scourgers. These, though undead in a similar fashion to normal draugr, do not go down quite as easily. They prove to be of most trouble when there are more than one, and we are regularly assailed from all sides by the sickening creatures. To make matters worse, they throw magic at us too.
Stenvar wades into them without a moment's hesitation, which regularly proves his undoing. He lies there at the mercy of the scourgers while I make a tactical withdrawal. This is by no means cowardly - by moving away from him, I draw the draugr away from my comrade, and I am able to lay damage upon them without fear of striking down Stenvar.
Where there aren't scourgers, there are layers of traps. Swinging axes lunge out of corridor walls to slash at me as I walk through. Pits of fire ambush me as I walk through chambers. Spiked doors operate from hidden switches to throw me across rooms. But the numerous treasures I acquire as I move through the tomb spur me on.
We finally enter a chamber populated by not only the dreaded scourgers, but something much worse - a Draugr Overlord. They slash at us with ancient yet powerful blades, and shock magic damages my ability to cast spells myself. I drink potions to aid in the regeneration of my magicka, and conjure up a fire atronach to give them something else to target. It does exactly what I need it to, throwing fireballs at the undead creatures while Stenvar and I use our blades to hack them down.
Eventually we are left on our own, and I begin to study the chamber. A few chests lie about, filled with yet more booty. But the familiar circular wall at the end of the room bestows the greatest treasure - another dragon word.
With the tomb clear, I exit to daylight from a nearby door. Today has been tough, probably the toughest yet with my erstwhile ally Stenvar. Yet we remain alive, for now.
Monday 2 January 2012
Skyrim - Wylandriah's Spoon
Ivarstead is the next location on my list of places to visit. It has been a while since I returned there, and it will be good to see some of the people who I met on my visit so long ago. I take quite a roundabout route to get there, discovering Snapleg Cave on the way.
My arrival in the town is as dramatic as the journey was dull. As I crest a bridge looking down at Ivarstead, I see my good friend Klimmek engaged in mortal combat with a bear. He looks to be doing quite well until the bear stands upon its hind legs and smashes its weight on top of him. He falls dead, and I cry in dismay.
I run into the town and kill the bear. Everyone else goes about their business, despite the corpse of the much-loved Klimmek lying across the middle of the main street through the town. And to think, last time I was here he'd just confessed his love to Fastred. So much to live for, yet now nothing more than worm fodder.
I enter Fellstar Farm, and retrieve Wylandriah's spoon - she's the eccentric and very forgetful mage who works for the Jarl of Riften. She'd asked me to pick up various bits and pieces they'd she'd left scattered around various places in Skyrim, and this was the first I'd come to.
Again, no one in Ivarstead says a word - I've literally just broken into a house to get this spoon back. Maybe they're in shock from the death of Klimmek? Maybe they are over-awed that the Dragonborn is back in town? Who knows.
I walk into the Vilemyr Inn and speak with the barkeep. I give him a journal I found on my last visit to Shroud Heath Barrow, and he rewards me with one of the jeweled chicken feet that is used to access so many of these tombs. This one is a sapphire claw.
I head to the Barrow, just up the road from the inn. I have to pass Klimmek on the way, and to give him some dignity, drag him to the gutter - at least he won't be run over by passing carts. Turning my back on Ivarstead, I re-enter Shroud Hearth Barrow one more time.
My arrival in the town is as dramatic as the journey was dull. As I crest a bridge looking down at Ivarstead, I see my good friend Klimmek engaged in mortal combat with a bear. He looks to be doing quite well until the bear stands upon its hind legs and smashes its weight on top of him. He falls dead, and I cry in dismay.
I run into the town and kill the bear. Everyone else goes about their business, despite the corpse of the much-loved Klimmek lying across the middle of the main street through the town. And to think, last time I was here he'd just confessed his love to Fastred. So much to live for, yet now nothing more than worm fodder.
I enter Fellstar Farm, and retrieve Wylandriah's spoon - she's the eccentric and very forgetful mage who works for the Jarl of Riften. She'd asked me to pick up various bits and pieces they'd she'd left scattered around various places in Skyrim, and this was the first I'd come to.
Again, no one in Ivarstead says a word - I've literally just broken into a house to get this spoon back. Maybe they're in shock from the death of Klimmek? Maybe they are over-awed that the Dragonborn is back in town? Who knows.
I walk into the Vilemyr Inn and speak with the barkeep. I give him a journal I found on my last visit to Shroud Heath Barrow, and he rewards me with one of the jeweled chicken feet that is used to access so many of these tombs. This one is a sapphire claw.
I head to the Barrow, just up the road from the inn. I have to pass Klimmek on the way, and to give him some dignity, drag him to the gutter - at least he won't be run over by passing carts. Turning my back on Ivarstead, I re-enter Shroud Hearth Barrow one more time.
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