So what are doing to the graphics at a distance? Do they swap to lower quality textures as an object gets farther away, like Rome Total War does? Or is the engine basically thinking, its 50 feet away, so add a blur effect to the object?

I figured the transparent head was that AA issue that KC mentioned on another thread. Funky.

Oh, I meant to say before, Jarl is where the English term Earl came from. In Scandinavia, what it meant varied by era. At one point it was the equivalent of a count or duke, at another it meant the heir to the throne (and so only one person could claim the title). Its usage varied a great deal by time and place.

@mALX: That crossing didn’t look as deep as it actually was, she would have used the bridge otherwise. Aravi lost Camilla right outside, she assumed she went back into the shop. I think Mistwatch is a different dungeon farther away. I’d have to check Aravi’s map though.

I’m glad you enjoyed the dual swords. Aravi’s a quick fighter so I think it’s fitting for her to take up two. Thanks!

@Grits: She didn’t offer the other times I’ve done that quest. Thanks for complimenting Aravi!
She was SO tempted to get that sword in Riverwood. She really didn’t have enough money though to buy the sword and to buy the steel to improve it. She didn’t want to just take the man’s stuff even though he offered it.

you made me laugh with that last line. Thanks Grits!

@Acadian: The chicken??? I had to look, never noticed it before.

Aravi is still Aravi! Quick and deadly with bow or swords. She needs more practice with the bow though, she lost some of her skill with it after her mistake and quit using them for a while. Thanks!

@SubRosa: I love the tails! I had the same thoughts when Aravi was sitting at an inn and her tail was sticking way out into the center of the room.

That’s a quest that always appears in the Riverwood Traders. I think it’s more of a push to go in there and start the main quest.

It actually takes 4 one pound ingots to make a 20 pound suit of armor.

That isn’t you, that’s the AA issue. You’ll see it more in a few more videos.

I do not know what is happening with the blur. Could be weather, could be something else. Thanks!

@TK: Never tried two swords? Power attacks are devastating. It fits Aravi’s character so I’m pleased with it. Thanks!

##########################

Aravi enters the Barrow, not sure what to expect inside...

TIME: 9:31

I smiled at Aravi checking out the horker loaf. Still no steel swords on the bandits. It was neat to see her use fire and a sword, that way she didn’t run out of stamina or magicka.

Figuring out the trapped lever was another fun sequence, but not so much for Aravi. Oh my gosh, that head shake when she saw all of the webs!! A little extra flare just to make sure at the end, too. Great battle against the spider!

I really love the effect of the wind blowing the dust around the floor, combined with the sound of the wind, it really creates a powerful atmosphere.

Those guys did not look blurry at a distance. So I think what I saw the last time must have been something the engine does in snowstorms?

A Horker Loaf? That just sounds nasty.

I see the lockpicking is exactly the same as FO3. That works for me. I can do it this way. I never could deal with Oblivion's lockpicking minigame.

So can you block with a shield in one hand and use magic with the other?

I did not like the look of that big spiderweb. Euch. The rest are even worse. Eww, spider. I agree with that guy. Get it away! I could not play this game without a mod to remove them. The ones in the tutorial were bad enough.

You healed yourself up after the battle? I did not think you had to do that? I thought you automatically healed up after every fight in Skyrim?

A dungeon crawl! Aravi’s still good with blade(s) & bow. The fire magic looks nice in her hand and neat as it takes effect on foes. She solved the puzzle; loved how she did a ‘hit and run’ on that lever the second time – smart kitty. I see she still remembers how to give us the Aravi head shake when so warranted. I enjoyed the background noises and effects, such as those SubRosa mentioned.

Did that fellow she rescued seem quite. . . ungrateful?

I loved going through this barrow! If I hadn't been so worried about possibly releasing the dragons the whole time, I think it would have been my fave of all. Awesome Vid, it is so great to see Aravi shaking her head again !!

@Grits: Aravi didn’t have the benefit of seeing the bandit yank the lever, she killed him first. She hates those spiders! She would have done that fight differently if there wasn’t someone else shouting in the room. “Get it away!”

Thanks Grits!

@SubRosa: The dungeons in this game are quite a bit more atmospheric than they were in Oblivion, at least in my opinion. Some of them are quite pretty.

You could have a shield and a spell.

I hate spiders, but I can play the game with them in. Poor Aravi has to fight them though!

There is a slow health regeneration, but those wounds hurt! She didn’t want to wait.

I think I’m going to look for a mod that slows all health regeneration.

Thanks SubRosa!

@Acadian: Aravi isn’t very good with destruction magic, but she used it on that bandit. Those darts were painful and she didn’t want to be hit again.

That guy did seem very ungrateful. He doesn’t get far though… Thanks!

@mALX: I love that dungeon too, it’s so much fun to go through. Glad you are enjoying it! Thanks!

#################################

Aravi cautiously follows the man she cut out of the web…

TIME: 12:05

Those Draugrs give me the creeps, lol. I love the way Aravi crept to the wall and got her shout word before the one guarding it woke up and burst out of his crypt !! Awesome Vid !!

3 draugr at once? Yikes. That looks more dangerous then a room full of rocking chairs!

That Health is low box that pops up is really annoying. The blood on the screen is bad enough. OTOH, the healing spell looks really neat.

I see the swinging pendulum trap is back. A lot faster this time too! It looks impossible to run through. I can't believe Aravi did it!

That Draugr in the room past the swinging blades made me think of Conan (the original, with Ahnold). I wonder if he has an Atlantean sword in there?

The shadows going across the wall of that Draugr that Aravi did the sneak shot on were just amazing!

The bats flying past were really neat after the claw door.

That Draugr Overlord really had bad breath!

Scroll of Mayhem? I like the sound of that!

You don't need a mod to slow the health regen, KC. Just use this console command:

Player.forceAV HealRateMult XX (Default is 100)

Ancient Nord sword, woo hoo! It’s fun to see what perks Aravi chooses. That whole system is new to me, and I love it! I was also impressed with her nimble dash through the blade trap. Even J'Shanji left some of his blood on that floor.

I think you did a great job showing us the Barrow without taking us through every step. That last chamber is majestic, it was nice to see Aravi take in the sights after the Overlord battle. She does very well with her Healing spell during fights, once again I'm learning from her. I'd still like to see her do some spell shopping with Farengar though, if only for the sake of my nerves!

I enjoyed this video so much, it made me want to go barrow diving.

Some intense fights, especially the last one. I’m so glad that Aravi is getting pretty good at running and healing when necessary.

Woot! Underground waterfalls!!!

These are great fun to watch!

@mALX: They don’t bother Aravi. She’d rather fight the Draugr than Cyrodiil’s zombies. These ones are dry and don’t smell nearly as bad. They also don’t get blood everywhere.

I had to redo that segment with the wall because the first time I did it, even though I was expecting the one in the casket, I still jumped when he burst out. The camera would probably have made you sick.

Thanks mALX!

@SubRosa: I don’t know, rocking chairs are quite painful if you aren’t careful.

The health is low box only appears once. I suppose it appeared then because Aravi’s health never got low before.

The shadows are really cool in this game.

Thanks SubRosa!

@TK: Nice. Will I have to set that each time I fire up the game or will it remember that setting? I suppose I’ll find out. I’ll half it and see how quickly it auto heals. Thanks!

@Grits: I figured there would be people wanting to know what perks Aravi gets so I include the level ups.

I am surprised Aravi got through the trap unscathed as well. That was a first. Fire Walker was a lot slower because of his heavy armor and he got nailed.

What did you learn from Aravi? That running away is ok?

Thanks Grits!

@Acadian: Aravi has definitely learned to turn tail and run when need be. Just backing off isn’t normally enough. Almost every cave has running water in it I’ve found. Thanks!

################################

A special note on this episode

The second video includes a lot of dialog after the fight. It's mostly about what the Dragonborn is and what it means for Aravi. You may end it any time after the fight. I kept the dialog for those who don’t own the game, or just would like to see it. I would have split it into two videos but I didn’t have time to upload the new videos.

################################

Aravi returns the items in Riverwood and Whiterun. Then a guard appears with news about the Western Watchtower.

TIME: 6:05

Aravi investigates the Western Watchtower. After a frantic fight, she learns something of herself.

TIME: 4:00, 13:11 or anything in between.

I liked Aravi's little jump going into the shop, lol.  What is with Irileth's voice? She sounds like she's been drinking testosterone in her mead, lol.

GAAAAH !!! I thought of McB right away when I saw this at the top of the screen: "Kiw the Dwagon!" ROFL !!!

GAAAAH !!! Aravi almost ran away before absorbing the dragon soul !!! (Can that be done?)

This was AWESOME !!! I freaked out when the ground started shaking and that shout came from the mountains!!! That speech the Jarl gave brought chill bumps on my arm!! AWESOME VID !!! My total fave so far !!!

I almost laughed when Lucan said "Oh a bit of this, and a bit of that." While at the same time Camilla's breasts seem to be growing from the right side of the screen.

For a moment I thought that dog in the street outside was a lion!

"You didn't die it seems."
Was it me, or did he sound almost disappointed?

Looks like the watchtower took a beating. When the dragon showed up, and Aravi started shooting her bow, it reminded me of Bard the Bowman shooting Smaug.

Its neat how the dragons burn up after they die. The effect reminds me of the Silent Hill movie, when the town would change.

I could summon the th'um after eating a bag of doritos too...

That was a fun exchange with the kids and Stump in the street, ending with “Stupid dog!” A little taste of Riverwood life. I’m sure a huge dog dressed up as a spider isn’t Aravi’s idea of a good prank either.

I like Aravi’s reaction to Farengar’s remark! He wants to see a dragon up close? Just like a mage. Darnand might have asked her to measure its jaws or something.

The dragon fight was great, you showed it so well! Aravi was awesome throughout. I have been amazed at how hard it is to hit something as big as a dragon with an arrow, but Aravi does not have that problem! Also, what a great idea to take cover when the dragon tries to burn you. No wonder my Bosmer quit on me and went back to Cyrodiil.

This was a great video! I watched the dialog, too. I really like the story.

Yay! A Skyrim Wolfhound!

“I envy you the chance to see this dragon up close.” Whoa! That deservedly earned a patented Aravi head shake!

A very exciting fight! And now it looks like it’s off to see the Graybeards!

This is great fun to watch!

@mALX: I like the little hop too. Seemed like it was a pretty big step. Irileth always has a deeper voice. I think it fits her character.

Now you know where McB’s children get it from!

I think if you get away from it fast enough the soul isn’t absorbed. When you get close to the dragon corpse again though, the soul is absorbed.

The shout from the mountains is awesome, I love that they did that. The Jarl’s speech was good too, but the shout was the best.

Thanks mALX!

@SubRosa: He’s got some other things on his mind eh?

I hope he wasn’t disappointed; I think he was supposed to be kind of surprised that you made it.

It’s been a long time since I’ve read The Hobbit but I can see that now.

I don’t want to be around you when you’ve had doritos then. Thanks SubRosa!

@Grits: At a distance, a frostbite-Stump might get shot by Aravi!

Darnand can come with if he wants to measure the jaws. Crazy wizards.

Who doesn’t take cover when the dragons breathe their fire?
I’m really happy with how that dragon fight turned out. Aravi was excellent. You may have noticed that she only shot at it when it was still. When it moves, it’s too hard for her to hit.

Thanks Grits!

@Acadian: Those wizards are nuts. You should see what that guy does later when he does see a dragon up close.

Aravi is hesitant to go to the Greybeards. It’ll be a while before she decides to climb the mountain.

Thanks Acadian!


###########################

Rather than going to High Hrothgar to talk to the Greybeards, Aravi goes hunting.
She isn’t very good at it.

TIME: 12:45

Wooking for dat wascly wabbit?

The heather shifting in the wind looks really neat.

Bleakwind Basin? Sounds very aptly named. And it is our old friend Nirnroot! With its characteristic sound. Plus a Mammoth! Is Aravi going to try hunting that I wonder?

I wonder who that other archer might be? No one friendly I see! That was one long sprint to cover behind that rock!

Oh, and its a dreaded mudcrab! Aravi smacked it good! That one looked super-sized, and almost seemed like it was wearing a helmet.

I forgot to mention to Aravi, Don't go out on the moors at night! When I heard the wolves howling, I remembered. Of course by then it was too late... But she pummeled them like Ali.

The bandits were not much trouble, and Aravi got a good ring out of them.

Maxical never intends to go out hunting, it just happens animals with pelts attack her as she is out in her travels. Watching how hard it is to actually hunt in this vid - WHEW !! Glad she didn't, lol. Oh hey, Aravi found the Luner Forge !! Great Vid !!!!

Wow! Just epic! This is what I’ve been waiting for you to show me. Life on the tundra. Harsh and beautiful. Even the music and mood that it set was wonderful. And Mammoths! I’m so glad Aravi didn’t hunt them. She’s much better sticking with elk and crab (and bandits).

I note that the animation for running in sneak mode looks great! And boxing with mud crabs. Lol.

Ah, fur armor! Very nice. The tundra outside Whiterun is still my favorite area, especially on a misty, rainy day. Aravi’s first hunt is very easy to relate to. Did I hit it? Where did it go? Why does this heather have to be so tall? That elk stole my arrow!!

Wow, she got so close to the mammoth! That was neat. Khajiit claws are a great weapon! She punched two wolves!

Nice to see Aravi make friends with Amren. I like him.

This video was so fun to watch. Aravi just exploring her world. Now she can choose between magical allies with her new spell tomes, if she wants. The Ring of the Minor Squire is still Jensa’s best ring. I’m pleased that Aravi is getting a boost to her protection.

@SubRosa: No mammoths! I’m fairly certain that attacking a mammoth would be a quick way to end up dead at this point.

Mubcrabs? In an Elder Scrolls game? Never! I think the larger ones are supposed to be male and the smaller ones female. It could be the other way around, or it could be their age too.

After you asked about H2H I had to use it every now and then. It’s got some neat animations when you kill a human with it. Thanks SubRosa!

@mALX: lol, Aravi’s getting a bit better at hunting. She’s been getting bow practice. Aravi gets attacked fairly often as she travels but she wanted to create some armor and cook some food for a journey. Thanks mALX!

@Acadian: I thought you would like that video. Aravi’s going to stick to hunting things her own size. If you can do that in a world of dragons… lol.

I really like the sneaking animations in Skyrim. Thanks Acadian!

@Grits: Yep, fur armor. She wanted something comfortable.
She finally got a deer! Oh and the plants and grass in my game are larger than normal. I have a mod going that makes them larger.

I don’t know about other races, but H2H is quite fun with a Khajiit! She takes down some bandits with her claws later on.

Aravi is quite a bit farther ahead in her game, and she’s still wearing that ring. Thanks Grits!

#######################

Aravi considered what she wanted to do next. She decided that she wanted to learn more about magic, so she set out for Winterhold. She got side tracked on her way however and ended up closer to Dawnstar as the day faded to dusk.

TIME: 5:13

#######################
To introduce the next quest Aravi gets involved in, I decided to try writing out her experience:

Aravi woke when she heard the stomping boots of a town guard in the main room of the inn followed by the slam of the front door. Without any doors to separate the bedrooms from the main room, cold air blew unhindered to where she was trying to sleep. She pulled the blankets tighter around herself as she felt the cool air drift over her exposed face.

When she could fight wakefulness no longer, she sat up and put her padded feet on the cold wood floor. After a stretch, a yawn, and a quick brushing with her fingers to straighten her sleep mussed fur, she walked into the main room of the inn rubbing her eyes. She was still groggy from her late arrival last night. Whatever time it was, she felt like she needed a couple more hours in bed.

The inn had only three other people in it. The innkeeper stood in his usual spot behind the counter. The noisy guard that woke her sat at the counter on a barstool. An empty bowl sat in front of him while he drank from a flagon. She glared at him and then turned her attention to the last person. It was the Dunmer priest she saw the night before. He was sitting alone near the fire looking into the flames.

She went to the counter and bought some food for the journey to Winterhold. As she paid, she noticed large bags under the innkeeper’s eyes. At the sight, Aravi remembered the exchange between the miners and the priest the night before. She grimaced. She’s had plenty of experience with nightmares herself. These weren’t related to vampires, were they? Her curiosity was now wide awake and demanding to be satisfied. She walked over to the priest and sat next to him.

He kept his dark red eyes on the flames and asked absently, “And what might you need?”

“What’s wrong with everyone around here?”

The priest pulled his gaze from the fire and met her eyes. “The entire town is being plagued by horrible nightmares. They’re in serious danger. And I’m afraid there is little I can do about it.”

Aravi frowned. This sounded much different from the story he told the miners last night. With her own nightmares in mind she asked, “How are these nightmares endangering the town?”

“Those dreams are not just visions. They are a footprint left by the daedric lord Vaermina as she drains these people of their memories.”

Aravi instantly tensed at the mention of a daedric lord. She looked at the priest’s face. With a feeling of dread, she knew what he was about to ask her.

“I need to return to the source of the problem, to Nightcaller temple. Perhaps you would be willing to assist me in that regard.”

“What do you mean ‘return?’”

“I’ve already said too much. If anyone overhears what we are saying, it could start a panic. I would simply ask that you trust me, and help me end Dawnstar’s nightmares.”

Aravi looked away from him and closed her eyes. Conflict raged inside of her. She could not trust him on his word, she knew nothing about him and he was a Dunmer! Especially because he was a Dunmer! She knew it was unfair, but she could never trust them. Whenever she saw one, her mind’s eye presented her with an image of the cruel face of her slave master in Morrowind. Even though that was many years ago, she had never liked or trusted a Dunmer in her life.

Just as she was unwilling to trust the Dunmer, she was also unwilling to abandon the town to Vaermina. If she walked away from these people, who would help them? She had decided long ago that her conscience was out to get her killed. The thought brought a small short lived smile to her face. She couldn’t leave Dawnstar without knowing she at least tried.

She was going to have to trust him… to an extent. She will go with him, but she will watch him.

She opened her eyes and looked at him. Fighting the image of the slaver, she took a deep breath. “I- I’ll trust you.”

~~~

Erandur regarded the Khajiit beside him. He saw how she struggled to answer him. She turned away from him, tail drooped, ears lowered. The hope that he had felt moments before dimmed. This Khajiit had shown an interest in the town when most people fled. He needed help if he was going to stop Vaermina’s influence from destroying everyone in Dawnstar. He tried to not let his disappointment show as he waited for her answer.

“I- I’ll trust you.”
He could have jumped when she finally answered. He kept his emotions in check however and said, “Wonderful! Our Lady Mara will be quite pleased.”

He didn’t want to give the Khajiit opportunity to reconsider however. He offered his hand, “I’m Erandur, priest to Lady Mara.”

The Khajiit took his hand only after the briefest hesitation. “Aravi.”

“The Nightcaller Temple is only a short walk from Dawnstar. Come, we must hurry. I promise to answer all of your questions. Follow me.”

That scene of Aravi walking down the icy road with the group of Khajiit was awesome !!

HOLY CRAP !!! Is that the HHH Cup Bar and Grill or something?

I was afraid that busty woman in the tavern would be tumbled down by the gravity when she tried to walk! Talk about some awkward movements !!

Really not sure what Bethesda was thinking with the arms not moving on the NPC's, it kind of looks like a Seinfeld episode I saw once with Raquel Welsh.


***
This story is Awesome !!! To be able to read Aravi's thoughts that she couldn't express in the vids - pure gold!! Cyrodiil Khajiit may not have the memories of being slaves in Dunmer Strongholds, that was an insight into Aravi's past we may never have gotten otherwise - Excellent, Awesome Write, and great lead-in to where she is headed next !!!

I love the story that you wrote to go with this video! Like mALX said, it’s so great to hear her thoughts and learn some of her background. Aravi knows about nightmares. I’m not surprised that her conscience wouldn’t let her walk away from the people of Dawnstar.

In the video, I also love that she got to travel a bit with the Khajiit. It was a little sad when she watched them walk away. What a beautiful night sky as she walked into Dawnstar. It was so bright, the moons were casting shadows.

Whoa, Karita. Now we know that Sigrid of Kvatch had children, and they moved to Skyrim.

Aha! When the Dunmer priest Erandur asked Aravi what troubled her, now we know what she was thinking about! I'm so glad you wrote this for her!!

When that guy said "take a look" and grabbed his rear, I thought he was going to drop his pants!

Then that woman in the tavern. What on earth did they do to people's breasts in this game? Hers stuck out farther than she was tall. I see the audience that Bethesda is trying to appeal to...

So people are having nightmares? I smell a quest!

Let's see, return with you to Vaermina's what, temple? The emphasis being on return. Maybe instead of trusting him, she should just kill him, then kill everyone at that temple? Let Alduin sort them out.

So this fella is a priest of Mara? A Dunmer? An odd calling for a race best known for worshiping Daedra. But maybe after they found out the Tribunal was lying to them for all those centuries, and that they had stolen their wannabe god powers from the worst enemy the elves have ever had, that gave the surviving Dunmer a different view on cosmology.

And some tantalizing hints about Aravi's past. She was a slave? I thought in the time of Skyrim, slavery was a done deal? After all, Morrowind had long since been destroyed and the crater left behind conquered by the Argonians.



nits:
She had decided long ago that her continence
I am sure you meant conscience.

The vid was wonderful! I really enjoyed the open feel you impart to the tundra and the blowing snow. As Grits said, it was neat and bittersweet to travel with the other Khajiit for a time. It was also nice hearing the voices that Bethesda gave to Khajiit this time.

Your narrative was fabulous! You lavished plenty of rich detail, yet kept things moving nicely. Writing in third person definitely suits storytelling for Aravi. How neat (not for her) that you drew out her history with vampires from Cyrodiil.

Well done!

Well, I found evidence from when Aravi was slave. Here she is. My latest Morrowind character - Prytania - found her in Aharunartus and set her free.

@mALX: I left out most of the travel but I had to include that last bit of her walking down the road.

Aravi gave that bard a second glance even, she wasn’t sure if she was totally covered at first. Lol.

One of the reasons I decided to write out the segment was so that I could work in her thoughts. Thank you!

@Grits: She was tempted to follow the other Khajiit. She has her own destination in mind though. They headed west and she needs to go east.

Sigrid!

I’m glad you enjoyed the story. It was nerve wracking posting it. Videos are so much easier to make than writing is. Thank you Grits!

@SubRosa: I think someone screwed up when they made that white mining shirt for female characters. None of the other clothing sets or armor has breasts that large.

Outright kill the priest? Aravi wouldn’t do that unless he does something that warrants a sword in the chest.

Aravi’s timeline doesn’t follow Bethesda’s. All the events in between TES 4 and 5 have passed, but Aravi is not 200 years old, nor was she trapped for 200 years in magic or something. Aravi was in Morrowind before I met her (in TES 3). I do not know if she was born there, or if she was taken there. She was a slave there however and had an opportunity to escape which she took.

Thanks for pointing out that issue. I edited many times and I obviously didn’t catch that. Thank you SubRosa!

~~~
Edit:

You found her! Prytania gets credit for setting Aravi free and starting her journey to Cyrodiil. Thanks for the screen, I never knew what she looked like in Morrowind. I just found her name in the wiki.

@Acadian: The northern area of Skyrim is like that tundra. I have a video (that I haven’t decided if I’m going to upload or not) that shows more of the northern tundra. It’s a traveling video though so I don’t know if it’s going to make it on this thread or not.

Oh I’m glad you finally got to hear the Khajiit voices. I really like the voice they chose for the male Khajiit.

Thank you Acadian! Glad you liked the story I put up.

#####################

Aravi goes into Nightcaller Temple with Erandur.

TIME: 11:23

#####################


Just so nobody misses SubRosa's post above:

I love seeing how Aravi looked in Morrowind!! Now I'm tempted to pull out my Morrowind game and run to the Bitter Coast to save Shivani !!!

Erandur gives me the creeps, priest or not. Maybe it is the out of place Cockney accent, really not sure. But he seems to fight well, always a good thing when escorting an NPC, lol.

Great Vid !!!

Oh, how neat to see Aravi in Morrowind! Good job, Prytania!

Argh, spiders! I like Aravi’s Khajiit shortcut down the stairs. I also like Aravi’s armor upgrade. J’Shanji is still using leather. I think it’s a good look for Khajiit.

“Once we get inside, all will become clear,” says the Dunmer. That wasn’t very reassuring. It’s a good thing Erandur had that shrine to Mara set up near the entry. He definitely has “dark past” written all over him. This is one of my favorite quests, for its weirdness and uncertainty. Erandur has all of the information, and Aravi has to put herself completely in his power or abandon the people of Dawnstar. “I’ll watch over you,” he says. How courageous of Aravi to even consider doing this!

I look at the title, and keep thinking Nightcrawler Temple. That is what I get for reading all those X-Men comics. Not to mention Lucien Lacroix from Forever Knight.

Spiders, why did it have to be spiders... What did they shoot Aravi with at the start? Do they have a spider-shout?

That priest of mara is pretty darn good in a fight!

Just before they went inside, and Aravi pulled out both swords, it felt like a John Woo movie. Chow Yun Aravi!

So it is a temple of Mara then? Or at least it was. Now that makes it more interesting. It is a very neat story behind the entire quest too. Plus the Skull of Corruption! Funny, I don't remember it doing any of that in Oblivion... The temple itself looks very creepy inside.

So Erandur fesses up. I knew there was something shady about him. Still, it looks like he means to make things right. Is it just me, or does it seem like his voice keeps changing. One moment he seems to have a normal accent, then the next he sounds like a Cockney.

What is a River Betty? Is that fish? Or a fishing lure?

I guess now it is bottom's up!

I loved this! It was like an exciting movie from start to finish. The snowy hike, then a very very creepy dungeon. Some neat fights and magic effects. *sigh* Wouldn’t you know it that ol’ Erandur would be ‘ineligible’ somehow so he couldn’t drink the torpor and the task would fall to you know who.

Wow, this was good! Brilliant filmwork, KC!

@mALX: I really liked seeing Aravi in Morrowind. I’m glad SubRosa posted it.

He’s kind of odd but he seems to be alright… The shrine he set up works after all. So he couldn’t be too bad… right?

Thanks mALX!

@Grits: Yep, I figured a Khajiit would just jump that small drop. Aravi switches from armor types based on what she expects to be doing. She wears fur just for traveling because it is comfortable. Before going into a dungeon or something like that, she usually changes into something that has more protection.

This is definitely one of my favorite quests. It was tough for Aravi to do it, but in the end she put herself in his power. Just imagine the guts it takes to drink that torpor? She has no idea what’s in it! Thanks Grits!

@SubRosa: Those spider can actually spit their venom, which thankfully doesn’t do nearly the damage it does if they manage to bite you.

Shereadied her weapons because she didn’t know what to expect just inside. I do feel it was a touch dramatic though. It reminded me of this scene in Halo: Reach.

His voice does change for some reason. River Betty is a fish. It’s used as an alchemy ingredient. Thanks SubRosa!

@Acadian: Of course Aravi would have to drink the unknown and assumed to be not a poison liquid! Glad you enjoyed it. One thing in Erandur’s favor is that he did set up a shrine to Mara and it is blessed. Thanks Acadian!

######################

Aravi drinks the torpor.

TIME: 9:32

The torpor was neat.

I love the orc. "I'll show you what a real orc can do!" And Aravi shows him how a real hamburger is cooked!

The confrontation with the priests of Vaermina was excellent. So Erandur is Casimir? I am not surprised. It explains how he was able to escape, and how he knows so much about everything.

Those shocks spells remind me of Star Wars, and the Emperor. Very neat!

I loved Vaermina talking to Aravi, and telling her to kill Erandur and take the skull. "Strike him down, and take your father's place at my side!" Ooops, Star Wars again. Like Luke though, we always knew that Aravi would never do that.

Erandur would make a good companion. He is handy in a fight! But I could never take that voice of his going all over the place.

How could mere men bring down such a beast? Because they didn't silly. A woman did it of course!

Woo hoo, dual flurry next?

You captured the weirdness and confusion of the Dreamstride very well. Even in first-person it was definitely Aravi letting nothing stop her, unlike some people who unnecessarily get drawn into the fight between orc invaders and daedra worshippers.

Vaermina did not know who she was dealing with! I like how Aravi showed concern for Erandur. He seemed quite lonely walking away like that. Then out into the Dawnstar night. Hopefully everyone is getting some sleep, thanks to Aravi!

Neat! Plenty of action here!

I knew Aravi wouldn’t fall for Vaermina’s trickery.

The little flame in her hand when she had her fire spell readied was kewl!

How could mere men bring down such a beast? Like SubRosa, I was struck by the inaccuracy here, but based on race, not sex. A man did not bring it down. Nor did a mer. A Khajiit did.

This vid left me speechless! I just kept thinking, "Holy Cow!" through the battles, that was Awesome !! WHEW !! Really glad Aravi didn't believe Vaermina. Her voice was so sweet at first - then all of a sudden she's saying to take it for yourself and commanding you - uh, yuh. Ok, that was a big clue to me that she was lying. Of course the first was that she is a Daedric Lord, lol.

I have to agree with SubRosa, that Cockney accent is very out of place in Skyrim (I would think). And since he lied to the people of Dawnstar and more or less lied to the player - I doubt I could trust him to watch my back, lol.

Great Vid, this one had me completely shocked by the magnitude of the fighting !! Kind of makes me want to do the quest except for having to hear Erandur all over again, lol.

@SubRosa: That orc was a real challenge. I edited out most of the fight in the interest of keeping things moving along, but Aravi had to use some health potions (which is something I’ve been trying to avoid. They feel too much like cheating).

The very first time I played that quest, Erandur very nearly was killed. I thought it was Mara at first warning Aravi of Erandur’s intentions.

Both you and Acadian make excellent points about the last comment by the guard, I had similar thoughts. I’m not sure why that last bit made it into the video, but I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thank you!

@Grits: Dual Flurry next!

Who would get drawn into the fights with the orcs anyways?

Aravi does feel bad for him. He’s going to be very lonely with his shrine in that old ruin. He and Aravi just killed his best friends, so that Dawnstar would live. Still, he’s a Dunmer and Aravi wouldn’t be comfortable traveling with him everywhere. Thanks Grits!

@Acadian: Yep, Aravi would have had a hard time killing him before he actually did anything. When she realized it was Vaermina, it was then that she put away her swords.

I really enjoyed both your and SubRosa’s insights with the guard’s line. I had a similar though. It wasn’t a man, it was Aravi! Thank you!

@mALX: At first Aravi thought it was a warning from Mara! Then it became clear that it was a trick. That’s one of my favorite quests just because that part completely blew me away the first time I heard it.

I can understand his lie to Dawnstar, and his less than honest interactions with Aravi. Still, nobody likes to be treated like that. Thanks mALX!

#############################

Aravi arrives in Winterhold and quickly finds the College.

TIME: 9:01

Oh crap!! All that way only to be turned aside. Poor Aravi! Oh, and then the guards were not exactly encouraging with their remarks. I felt so bad for her walking down that empty, snowy road. That must be the loneliest walk in Skyrim.

The ice mage chose the wrong day to pick on her. Not so long ago she would have had Vilja yelling Stay away from my friend and then chatting about how the snow was colder in Solstheim or something. Here’s a hug for lonely, dejected Aravi!

Nice bow upgrade at Fort Kastav. She is awesome with her blades and bow. That college mage knows nothing about her!! Grrr.

Great video, KC! I'm ready to rally Aravi's friends and storm Winterhold for her.

What is it you expect to find within?
Beer? Pizza? Orgies? It's a college after all.

Do'h, Aravi does not have enough magicka to cast the spell she just bought! *Grrr*

The arrow in the knee line! That is the first time I have heard it. That guy sounds like Ahnold Schwarzenegger.

Wow, no one ever showed me to my room in Oblivion. Granted, it was only ten feet away.

I loved the triqueta on the sign of the inn. Apparently these Nords are Celtic...

Wow, Aravi gutted that ice mage like a river betty. And he had a spell tome with the same spell she bought from the chick at the bridge! She could have just killed this guy first, and saved her money! I wonder if that is why they put him there?

I could not even see that skeleton that Aravi shot at the end. Excellent shooting!

I didn't know Khajiit in Skyrim didn't have the power "Eye of Fear" anymore till after watching this vid - I looked it up, lol. URK !! Glad I didn't rely on having it in some dungeon, lol.

Have to agree with Grits, Aravi one-hit-killed that frost mage !! I don't know how Aravi managed to see that was a skeleton up there, I couldn't tell and freaked out when she was aiming - remembering the hunters in that sewer in Cyrodiil, lol.

Awesome vid !!!

Really like Aravi’s snow leopard coloring! Those little white ears capped with black are cute as can be.

What a shame she couldn’t yet cast that fear spell. I would love to have seen her have the chance to study and buff up her magicks before she did more adventuring.

I thought that dude fighting the animals was is trouble and Aravi was getting ready to help. Then he runs up to her and attacks. So I guess ice mages are not your friends. Gheesh!

And now she knows where Azura’s Skyrim shrine is.

Nice shot taking out that skeleton!

@Grits: She was so embarrassed and hurt that she traveled all that way and then couldn’t cast a simple spell to get in.

The memory of Vilja brought a smile. Aravi misses her. I’ll pass the hug onto her.

She checked the bow the skeleton dropped and it had the same pull her other bow did, just weighed more. So she left it on the platform. Thank you Grits!

@SubRosa: Having someone show you to your room sure beats trying every door or bed to find which is yours.

That ice mages was an idiot charging her like that. Maybe he’s used to people fleeing from him. He was a random enemy, he wasn’t specifically placed there. My other characters didn’t encounter him. Thanks SubRosa!

@mALX: She could tell it was a skeleton and not a person, so she was comfortable taking that shot.

I’m glad that mage sells whatever spell they ask of you. 30 septims is a very good price for any of those too! Thanks mALX!

@Acadian: The ears are adorable aren’t they?

It would have been nice if she could have worked on her magicka more. She was very upset that she couldn’t enter. I’m glad she didn’t dwell on it and moved on though.

Aravi wasn’t sure what was going to happen with that mage. He didn’t sound very friendly so she stayed on the road. I’m glad she didn’t try to help, that would have been painful. Thank you Acadian!

#################################

Just some screen shots today. I recently installed a Khajiit facial retexture mod, so I wanted to show her face.
And there are some other screens that I liked.

Face shot

Bathed in light

Bathed in light II

Sliver of silver

These are all so cute!! The face shot - I love Aravi's makeover! Bathed in light II with that grin on her face - I just absolutely love that one !! But the sliver of moonlight is Awesome !! I can't pick a fave !!! Awesome screens, KC !!!

Neat pics. It looks like it made Aravi's fur lighter, and her skull more feminine in shape. Did her eyes change color too?

The bathed in light pics make me wonder if she was nude in those shots, and that was how she was covering up!

The final pic of Diana's Bow was wonderful. That is what the first sliver of the waxing moon is called. Though probably not in Tamriel.

They shouldn't have. They're supposed to be green. I have issues with the color green. Let me know if they aren't.

And yes she is nude.

Her eyes do look green here. But I looked back at the first pics you took of Aravi at the beginning of the threat to compare, and her eyes look amber or orange there

Oops, I thought she picked the bow up for future upgrading.

I just love these pictures! I keep changing my favorite. I love her face and markings, she looks strong and feminine. Also I just noticed her Amulet of Talos, yay dragon fighters. The one with the moon is really lovely. I’m glad you posted these!

I love these, KC! You have done such a great job with Aravi's snow leopard transition. Her markings are stunning and I now love the little scar you put on her right cheek!

Both I and SubRosa can tell you how hard it can be to mask private bits when doing a nude photoshoot of your character. We have used water, pillars and magic to help. What you did with Aravi's concealing spell here is wonderfully artsy and good. True testimony to your talent and skilled eye.