Vampire Regine Journal Entry 1 (Skyrim Anniversary Edition)

Regine Journal Entry 1

I regained consciousness slowly as if swimming up from a depth in dark, murky water. I’m confused, my memories no longer cohesive but a scattering of visions. I saw a man. Attractive and alluring. His eyes (a strange reddish hue?) seemed to have gripped me so powerfully and debilitatingly I couldn’t move nor resist. But did I want to? I felt no fear. Rather…curiosity? Was that it? Was I curios? And if so, why? 

The cavern? cave? dungeon? was dark. A woman mumbled something I didn’t or couldn’t fully comprehend. I heard a sound behind me. A creaky, racketing sound. Fear had gripped me then. 

I looked down and saw I was in new clothing. Gloves with sharp, pointed tips, a red gown, low cut, barely covered breasts, and dark boots. 

Pain rippled through me and I felt a hunger unlike anything I had before. I smelled something I would place within death, maybe the stench of…draugrs? I’d heard stories of the bone-walkers as a child, but waved away the stories of them as tales to keep children away from the tombs and crypts. 

The stone corridor was narrow with only one torch hung on the wall for light. I rounded the corner and saw a man. His skin was pale. He paced. A cage (torture chamber?) nestled against the opposite wall. Next to it appeared to be a dead female bandit. But why wasn’t she in the cage? Moreover, why was she here at all? Did she sneak in to steal? And if so, how did she get by the woman who was mumbling?

I approached the man. He said something that chilled me. I needed to get out. To escape! I took whatever I could and made a break for it. 

Back into the cavern, I saw what appeared to be living skeletons. Not draugr, but actual skeletons standing and wandering around, making a creaking noise. Then woman saw me but didn’t accost me or attempt to keep me from leaving as I approached the exit to the cave. I”m felt certain it was a cave now. 

I wondered if leaving would make me free. Or would I become a slave to something else? And if so, what?

Skyrim Anniversary Edition Thief Challenge

Welcome to the thief challenge for Skyrim. I figured this was as good a platform to explain the concept and rules for the challenge as any place. Plus, it actually forces me to write a bit, something I haven't done consistently (or at all) in a long, long time. 

The idea for the thief challenge was just to spice things up with Skyrim. I've played so many hours in the game, and created so many characters--I feel as though I have played every style of character available--that the game was getting a little dull. And that isn't something I really want. I enjoy it too much to suddenly be so disinterested I didn't even want to boot it up. So, I decided to pull from a challenge I did quite a long time ago, way back when the forums were still on Bethesda's website and not on a Discord server, which I haven't joined. But that's more about my lack of interest in any type of social media more than any other reason. 

This challenge is an adjustment from the one I did several years ago. The rules are stiffer in some instances, maybe not as stiff in others. So here goes:

As with all my Skyrim characters, I use historical or mythological beings to create a likeness of some kind in the fantasy world of one of gaming history's greatest RPGs. I looked up gods or goddesses of illusion and was directed to two people from antiquity. One was the goddess Eris from Greek mythology (funny how it is mythology when it isn't a current religious belief), and the other was the Roman goddess Laverna. Eris was the goddess of chaos and is famously behind the war between Greece and Troy. Basically, she set the entire thing up. Laverna was the goddess of thieves and liars and possessed a silver tongue and could swindle just about anyone out of anything. 

By combining those two goddesses, I created my character (Eris) who would specialize in Illusion magic while committing crimes of a thieving nature. And, in turn, created a challenge for her. The rules are as follows:

Become Guild Master; must complete 1 of each type of radiant quests from Vex and Delvin; 100 skill in Sneak, Lockpicking, Pickpocketing; must have carried 1.5 million in gold; pick 150 locks and pockets; steal 5000 items; must complete all Thieves Guild quests relevant to Guild Master; Any trainers outside of Thieves Guild must also be merchants (so Faendal isn’t an option since he isn’t a merchant); no pickpocketing training money back; no Quick Save pickpocketing; no time spent in jail; no refusing to bribe guards (if cannot bribe you must go to jail and then break out); cannot under any circumstances attack guards; cannot sell to any merchant (unless training) outside of Thieves Guild until Speech 70 unless purchasing spells; cannot loot money bags or gold from any container not locked except inside Thieves Guild (if you pick the lock to a home or store all items are fair game except money bags); cannot earn gold from Companions, Dark Brotherhood, or College of Winterhold quests; Imperials must subtract 10% from all gold looted in locked chests or pickpocketed (Imperial Luck perk); All Creation Club content can be used; Any mods can be used except Rich Merchants; cannot use extra gold mods without subtracting to bonus money (if you use Triple Gold Mods, you must subtract the bonus from your total)

But I have decided to adjust some of the rules: All trainers will be available. But, and this is a huge BUT, you cannot retrieve your money back in any way. This includes and trainer/merchants. You buy training and that money is well spent. 

Nosferatü Diary Day 5

Winterhold. A broken village in the north. Two buildings have been destroyed and still stand with their skeletons exposed. Off in the distance a man and woman are fighting over his drinking. He mentions the college. I can only assume he’s referring to the College of Winterhold. That’s where I must go. 

Sven trails behind me. As a good servant should. A steep ramp leads to the College. During our approach I notice a crumbling walkway overlooking a long drop to the water below. There must be some history here that I’m unaware of. Or just don’t care to remember. 

A woman elf stands watch at the first platform. The Eye of Magnus engraved in the stonework behind her. She stopped me and asked questions. I hardly heard her and gave some lame response. She agreed to let me pass as though I gave the correct answer. I think any answer would’ve been correct. 

She hands me off to a Breton who promptly tells me about the college. She commented about how many new students there are but I see none. Fellow students aren’t why I went to the College of Winterhold anyway. 

After the ra-ra speech from the Breton, I rushed away to meet up with a mage who specializes in Restoration magic. If I understand correctly, there's a special ability Restoration mages have that I could put to good use. 

The Restoration instructor is annoying. She’s constantly complaining about how she's treated although I never once seen her interact with colleagues. Maybe it’s her that’s the problem. 

I paid for several training sessions before leaving with Sven in tow. 

Nosferatü Diary: Day 4

Sven is a clunky dullard. He’s slow and loud, and unresponsive. Yes, he will do just fine. A general store merchant told me of a place called the College of Winterhold. Apparently it’s a place where magic can be taught. I’ll need to get there soon. 

Arrived in Whiterun, a Hold capital. A walled city with a busy marketplace. I think I’ll make it home. For now. 

Upon arrival in Whiterun, a gate guard stops me. He says the city is closed due to dragon activity. Seems odd as I watched people come and go from the city. I convince the dope to let me pass. I eluded to him I know about the dragons and have come to warn the Jarl. This, of course, seems odd since he should already know about the dragon given his guard stopped me for that very reason. Either way, I’m allowed to enter the city. 

Within the city I meet several women. A blacksmith having an argument with a man in Imperial armor. He asks me: Gray-Mane or Battle-Born? I’m assuming he wished to know where my support lies. I recognized the name Battle-Born from a farm outside the walls. I said Battle-Born and he approved. 

Ysolda, Hulda, and Carlotta all seem available, especially Ysolda and Hulda. I’ll approach them first. Hulda was easy to please by selling her firewood. This act grants me a free room for the time being. 

But the city is large with many prying eyes and strained ears. I’ll need to keep a low profile until the High Rock situation wisps away in the wind. I wonder if she’s coming for me?

Sólaire, are you out there somewhere? 

Nosferatü Diary: Day 1

Am I fleeing from some court intrigue? That’s what the Imperial soldier asked me. As if he might know what goes on in the rest of the world. What with the increasing decay of Skyrim due to the growing animosity between the locals and the Empire. Of course that countrywide fracture was nearly knitted back together as the Imperials hand the Bear of Markarth in bindings. Still, that Imperial soldier was much closer to the truth than he knows. Best to avoid him for now. 

Then that black dragon showed up. Of course stories of dragons have always been told, but as everyone else had done, I dismissed them as folktales to frighten children. Now, though, it appears they are real. No matter, its appearance garnered me freedom. I suppose I owe that dragon. 

The blond Nord said something interesting just before cutting me loose. He said something about the harbinger of the end times. That struck me in a familiar way. I can’t quite put my finger on it, though. I’m certain I have heard that before. But where? Or when? 

Riverwood. A small village with a mill and blacksmith. A tiny general store. A bed and bar. 

And Sven. A simpleton bard. He will do nicely. Or the wood elf. Nah. The bard. 

Morthal, Skyrim

Just south-southeast of the Karth Delta is the real miserable little town of Skyrim. Morthal is a gloomy village in the marshes of Hjaalmarch. And there are some strange things going on. A mysterious house fire consumed the lives of a wife and daughter. The waterwheel at the lumber mill runs in reverse to the flow of water. The town wizard takes late night sojourns into the marshlands. A mysterious woman is only ever seen at night. An orc is the local bard. And the jarl has visions. And not far away is a cave that houses a dark menace. What are we to make of all these...coincidences?

When you first approach the jarl’s longhouse there are a mass of people shouting at someone. As you wander closer you find out that locals are upset about the new wizard, and it’s almost immediately evident magic use is categorically mistrusted. After more grumbling from the crowd they are unconvincingly assured the jarl will be informed of all their concerns.

If you strike up a conversation with these folks you’ll find out who they are and what they do. Jorge’s is the mill owner. Thonnir is a lumberjack in the employ of the lumbermill, which is one of the few businesses in Morthal. Either of these men could mention the burned down house, the biggest concern in town. Except maybe the new wizard.

If you walk away from the mob scene without hearing about the mysterious house fire head on over to the inn. The innkeepers all love gossip and you will surely get an earful about the house fire. Once you finally get a few details about the fire head over and talk to the jarl. She’ll send you on a quest to find out what really happened. Completing the “Laid to Rest” quest is a requirement to becoming thane. This quest will take you to the burned down house, playing a game with a ghost, breaking and entering, and a showdown with evil residing in a nearby cave.

Modded Fallout 4 The Solar Canon

First order of business: this character—Kylie—and her weaponry was created using mods available on Xbox 1 for Fallout 4. The character’s look, apparel, and weapons won’t be available on all platforms.

That being said, the Solar Canon is available for all platforms as it comes from the Creation Club. For anyone not familiar with the Creation Club, it’s a downloadable product available from Bethesda that works as a substitute for in-game microtransactions. The DLCs (I use the term loosely) are purchased with real money unless they’re specifically offered for free of a period of time.

As I mentioned in the video, I believe the writing is poorly executed. And I’m not sure the story itself is well articulated. A bit more time—and a proper editing—would have done wonders for this quest.

Overall, I don’t think this purchased content is worth your money, even if you’re a weapons hoarder. Wait for sale or free. There are enough base game weapons that are more than equal (several excelling) to this purchasable content.