Seb’s Skyrim Journal Part 6 – A slow but sure return to form

 

I originally started my diary of my adventures in Skyrim waaay back near the start of January this year with the intention of resuming it over Easter and Summer breaks. I don’t quite know how but during both of those periods I spent only a little time on this, one of the best games ever made. I did spend some time on it, but only in dribs and drabs, not quite enough for a diary entry. I am however pleased to say that since my return to University this year (where I now have access to an Xbox in my flat) I have properly started to get back into Skyrim with the intention of doing ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING that the game has to offer. These articles will be of some of the best or most amusing experiences I have in the game and I will hopefully be coming out with them fairly regularly. If you are interested you can see where I left off last time here.

My adventures through the land of Skyrim have become quite convoluted and difficult to follow. To bring you up to speed, as I write this Sabor the Orc Battlemage is now level 20 and have slain, if my memory serves me well, seven dragons. I am still a long way to becoming the true Dovahkiin of legend, but I am on the right path and I have been enjoying every second of it immensely.

My standing and renown is slowly growing around the land, I am now finally a true member of the Companions, I have finally joined the College of Winterhold and become an apprentice there and have been officially recognised as the Dovahkiin. The full shout Unrelenting Force: “Fus Ro Dah” is now available to me and is actually surprisingly strong. Despite doing very little damage itself, the ability to knock swathes of your foes off their feet for several seconds during a fight is an immeasurable benefit, it keeps you alive and gives you time to strike.

To become the full Dovahkiin I had to travel into the depths of the dungeon Ustengrav to retrieve the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller. Somehow, despite still being full of enemies, all the traps still functioning and the puzzle doors being unopened a woman named Delphine had already stolen the horn. Thankfully she turned out to be an ally and I believe she is in fact one of the Blades, the order of soldiers which used to protect the Imperial Emperor up until the death of Martin Septim.

Becoming a Companion was a little more problematic, to fully join their ranks I was required to undergo a ritual which has turned me into a werewolf. While in werewolf form I am aware of my actions and I am very strong, plus there appear to be no real downsides to the curse. However, I do personally believe that it is indeed a curse and I am considering speaking to the leader of the Companions, Kodlak Whitemane, to try and find a cure for the disease. Whether there is one to be found or not remains to be seen. For all it’s strengths and for all that it has been useful, I just do not see it fitting with my personality as a true and noble Orc Battlemage. Aside from this I have left the Companion story line after clearing a fort of their enemies: the Silver Hand. While I think that Lycanthropy is both a curse and a disease I also believe that not all werewolves are evil, after all I am not evil, so any organisation dedicated to eradicating them without prejudice must be fought. After clearing the fort I have been told I am to start searching for the shards of Wuuthrad, the great axe of the Companions, on which I have called dibs.

Joining the Mage’s College of Winterhold proved one of my most difficult challenges. Not because of it’s difficulty but because I kept getting side-tracked. On three separate occasions I set out from the most Northerly point I had explored and set out further North with the intention of learning better spells and becoming Arch Mage. Each time though I would come across an interesting dungeon, a new town, a quest of some sort and then I would set off to do that. After a few hours I would realise my bags were full and I would head all the way back to Whiterun to sell everything I didn’t want or need and store everything I felt I did. On my way to Winterhold I even managed to become Thane of the town of Morthal in Hjaalmarch which involved mostly busy work but also involved exploring the nearby cave of Movarth’s Lair to slay a coven of vampires.

Eventually I had enough, I knew that this was taking too long and that while I was enjoying my adventures I knew that if I didn’t actually make any progress in particular I would just lose interest. So recently I simply went to cart driver in Whiterun and paid him the 5o gold to get straight to Winterhold. There I ignored the calling of nearby caves, the mystery of the great collapse and a quest to retrieve the Helm of Winterhold in favour of finally joining the Mage’s College. I also then proceeded straight away to do the first quest involving exploring and clearing the ruins of Saarthal.

And then after that I was immediately distracted again and set off to retrieve the Helm of Winterhold and am on my way to becoming it’s Thane. I am also now searching for the Star of Azura, my first Deadric artefact because the location for the quest happily seems to coincide with the location for the next quest for the Mages.

A few other little bit’s and pieces, I have felt no urges as of yet to join the Stormcloaks in their rebellion against the Empire. While I do know that I will be joining them and not the Imperium I also have been keeping my distance from the conflict. Orcs are a proud and noble race, strong and warlike perhaps but I currently see no reason to involve myself in the messy political affairs of men. Hopefully though I will eventually join the Rebellion, free Skyrim and then use ally Skyrim with the Empire against the encroaching elves. I also find myself hoarding, like a boss as well I might add. If an item is part of an item set which I have not completed yet I will keep it and store, I keep all items used for blacksmithing and I keep most of the enchanted items I find. Some because they are unique and I don’t want to get rid of them but some because I want to disenchant them eventually.

I am still working on heavy armour, one handed and destruction as my main perks, but I am also putting the occasional point into restoration, blacksmithing and enchanting as I believe these will come in useful eventually. The only thing I am still unsure about is whether or not I should start putting points into the other magical perks. We will have to wait and see.

 

That’s all for this entry folks! What will our noble Battlemage get up to next? Watch this space to find out!