I love this quest, mainly because I love to use the Oghma Infinium glitch to get to level 60 in 5 minutes!

The fight with the soldiers was intense! Truly a fight for survival, and did I just see the Orc trip over at the 2:16 mark? Haha, I think someone bashed him and he fell over face into the snow. This made me laugh for some reason. I think after the battle, the stray pooch felt intimidated by Aravi's healing powers. You could see it in the poor dog's eyes, but I'm sure he was grateful

Anyways, J'Darr is just one of those crazy Khajiit's that makes me laugh. Especially the "You always try to keep it for yourself. There's got to be more Skooma! No! Shat up! Shat up!"


In the end, he was no much for the Khajiit duo and the spirit canine! I loved the team up!

Screenies:Kharjo didn't look too happy at Aravi's departure. He looks at her with sad kittie eyes . Good picture, sometimes Aravi needs a breather and some of her tasks are too dangerous!

So, that troll got arrows all over his body except in that vital spot where arrows always seem to strike! Aravi is one for change! Good shot!

Eh, Stormcloaks! Meh! For the Empire! For a safe and secure . . .society! I hope she taught those rebel scum a lesson in manners!

Beautiful battle stance in the last picture, duel wielding at the finest! Great update!

The beginning of this video really captures the feeling of Skyrim foot travel. WTHeck moments abound, and anything can happen. Those “soldiers” were very tough! The part where Kharjo and the lightning mage were charging each other and Aravi gave her a fire breath was awesome! Then their orc leader took a digger. Was that from stamina loss, I wonder? I love how Kharjo’s ears flipped up when Aravi healed him.

Aravi’s interactions with the dog cracked me up. Dog barks for no reason. Aravi turns and stares at dog. Dog lies down and looks away with “It wasn’t me” in universal dog language. Aravi slowly goes back to what she was doing.

She told him to stay! That didn’t take long.

Alftand is one of my favorites. I love the story that unfolds, and it takes a good long time to get through. Aravi is far more clever than Mikke and Erik. It took those Nords ages just to find the door.

The destroyed campsite and dropped torches are not good signs. Well, and there’s all of that blood. A sad end for the Khajiit brothers.


Yay, pictures!! Glad you got some time to play.

Aww, Karj has sad eyes in the first one. He looks so sweet and completely deadly in that armor. War face is my favorite!! Aravi looks awesome, and I love the ebony sword and pouch of crossbow bolts. What an expression! Love it!!

Kitty found a stray dog! I usually try to avoid adopting them, since they just tend to get killed.

Oh my, that was quite a furball with those pretend Imperials! Even Kharjo's familiar joined in! That was neat how Aravi Yooled that mage in the head! That dog certainly earned his keep in the fight. But its constant barking gets annoying. There are mods to make them quiet, if you want to keep him around.

Wreckage, skeletons, and bloodstains everywhere, Alftand does not look like a very welcoming place.

Whoa, that first spider worker came out of nowhere!

That is creepy how the dead Khajiit's tails wave around like that!

I am with Grits on the pics. War Face was by far the best!

HA! I saw, I know !!!! ROFL !!!

*

I am so glad you got some time to play! (LUCKY!!!!) I couldn't pick a favorite screen till I saw "War Face" - that is my fave, but it was a close race!

This vid was Awesome! I've been there, there are about five Dwemer ruins there - one of them has that crash glitch I was telling you about months back. I didn't run into the soldiers, probably because I didn't have the quest running, lol. I LOVE this Dwemer cave, this was great !!! Awesome update !!


*

Brrr! This vid was freezing! I was reaching for my furs and had to break in the middle for a cup of hot coffee! That spider was a surprise – probably a good thing as it didn’t give Aravi time to think about how she feels about them. . . .

A beautifully sad shot of Aravi saying ‘bye to Kharjo for now. The war face one was so cool! You can almost hear Aravi hissing and her eyes are all narrowed in anger. I love her earrings too.

@DE: I can’t glitch my character like that, it takes the fun out of the game for me. Little things like the permanent bound armor in Oblivion is perfectly acceptable though!

The impostures were strangely difficult. Kharjo’s got a special shield bash in my game, each time he hits; he has a chance to completely knock someone over!

You’ll see where Aravi was going in the screens here and why she couldn’t take Kharjo with. Aravi’s steered clear of the Cloaks so far, but if any of them are foolish enough to attack her, they will die. Thanks DE!

@Grits: Kharjo slammed that orc with his shield! Aravi loves being able to use the Thuum, it’s a weapon nobody expects. Aravi’s no dog person you can see. Alftand is very large and I tried to show what I could and keep things going at the same time. No way around it though, it’s a monster.

Poor Kharjo, and he might not be happy when he hears where she went! Thanks Grits!

@SubRosa: I’m pretending the dog just started following Aravi.

The fake imperials were a lot stronger than I thought they would be, I was really worried about that mage killing Aravi for a second there. The spider workers can appear out of little holes in the wall and it was dark enough that Aravi couldn’t see it.

War face is everyone’s favorite then. I couldn’t help but hear R. Lee yelling as I titled it. Thanks SubRosa!

@mALX: Another vote for war face! There are a lot of ruins that connect down there, Aravi might have been through it already. Thanks mALX!

@Acadian: I’m surprised you have any of that in your desert dwelling. This was a mechanical spider, so it’s ok. Only the gross ones freak her out. I can count on you and Buffy to point out Aravi’s earrings. Thanks Acadian!

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

Going deeper into Alftand, Aravi and Kharjo find more machines, and another enemy that so often lives in the dark.

6:54

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

Screens

A portal to the Soul Cairn

It hurts!

The other side

One of the many damned

Wastelands

Ooh, her archery is at 71!

This is one tough dungeon! Does Aravi's shouts hurt Kharjo? Is he essential? I thought that centurian had him for sure! Urk! One great vid, I don't know if Maxical could make it through this one without a whole lot of sneak and some whopping chain shock spell! Awesome Vid!

Ooh, the Soul Cairn is like being outside when you are inside? That is awesome! And scary/eerie looking! Do the damned approach? Talk? Fight you? Urk !!!! Awesome update!

Yay, Quick Shot is such a great perk! Aravi’s trees look nicely filled up. It was fun to see which perks she’s chosen.

Ugh, Falmer. Aravi is a surgeon with that fire Shout! That was a fun, focused fight against the Centurion. Great shooting by Aravi with her new fast draw!

My favorite screenshot is “Hurts,” with poor Aravi’s surprised expression. The Soul Cairn is so neat. Not a Kharjo-approved experience.

Another enemy who lives in the dark. I can guess what that might be...

That was very neat picking up that scrap metal and dropping it on the trap trigger. I was not sure if it would work or not!

Level 38! I have never played a character that long. It just gets too easy once I hit the thirties.

That was a long jump down. And Kharjo jumped too! After so many years of playing Oblivion, I am still not used to seeing followers do that.

Eww, a spider. I modded them out of the game. I cannot say I miss them.

I did not realize you could dual cast muffle. Does that give you a 100% sound reduction then?

Yikes, a Centurion! Oh she Yolled him!

The Soul Cairn looks very purple. I have to agree that "hurts!" is the best pic. I love that expression on Aravi's face. Is that Serana with her?

Star Wars Dwemer Robo-balls rolling out the attack!

When the spider appeared, I was glad to see Kharjo’s spirit wolf go after it in front of Aravi; good thing too since it did a job on the wolf!

Those Soul Cairn screens look pretty foreboding!

@mALX: Aravi’s shouts do hurt Kharjo, so it is important that she doesn’t hit him. Kharjo is a step down from essential. He is what Skyrim calls protected. Any character that is protected (all followers except a few that are invincible) ‘goes down’ or is forced to their knees when they run out of health. Then they start regenerating health. Enemies tend to ignore followers when they go down, but they can still be killed when they are down. Area of effect spells, traps, poisons, and errant attacks can kill them.

The Soul Cairn is a realm of Oblivion. The souls that are damned there do a whole lot of nothing. Well, some of them offer quests, but otherwise going there is very bleak. Thanks mALX!

@Grits: I know I haven’t shown every perk she’s taken, but hopefully that little peek gives everyone an idea of where she’s been working. She’s getting very good at aiming that fire around Kharjo! That moment, going into the Soul Cairn was huge! I loved that part. Thanks Grits!

@SubRosa: You can set off triggers like that in Oblivion and Fallout too.

Part of what keeps Aravi interesting is that she has some significant weaknesses built into her character. Her armor rating by Skyrim standards is always very low. I’ve spread her level ups between magic, stamina, and health even though she doesn’t benefit from more magic very much. She doesn’t use health potions either, magic only. That’s purely a gameplay choice on my part, not a roleplay thing.

I believe dual casting muffle just extends the duration of the spell. Yep, Aravi had to take Serana with her into the Cairn. Thanks SubRosa!

@Acadian: Ugh, you can always expect spiders, or some other gross bug with the falmer. The Soul Cairn is an awful place. Being stuck there for eternity would be awful. So don’t let Buffy use black soul gems, that’s where the souls go. Thanks Acadian!

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

At the bottom of Alftand, Aravi finds an interesting device and a couple of quarreling adventurers.

7:28


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

Screens!

Fight darkness with light

A new friend

On a whim, Aravi bought a horse

Fighting from horseback

Visiting Kharjo’s caravan

Aravi with the Dawnguard? Nooo! She's a baddie! "From my point of view, the Dawnguard are evil!"

Yes, the Soul Cairn is a horrible place to be for the living . . .if only Aravi were [un]dead! Haha, kidding. mALX, as King Coin said, the Soul Cairn is the Underworld for some of the dead. Ever wonder what happens to the soul of a person who is captured by a Black Soul Gem and then no longer used? They end up there . . .stretching on eternity forever.

The realm was visited in Battlespire, and the only hostiles there are the Ideal Master's lackeys.

Anyways! The updates!

Update 1:

We had some dungeon crawling action against the Dwemer! Nasty spiders, indeed! SubRosa, are you arachnophobic? If you don't mind me asking . . .

One of the Damned.
I haven't played Dawnguard at all, but I've watched countless videos. The souls are the creepy aspect of the Soul Cairn, adding to the Barney-colored morbid atmosphere. Great shot!

Update II:[b]

Ah, Sulla and Umana . . .those two arguing dorks, huh. Haha. Always fun to see them around. Aravi was smart to just sit by and watch them duke it out against each other until they were weak . . .then she opened up a can of fire breath and torched their bums to Oblivion!

Targe of the Blooded . . oh my, now that's a damn shield right there! Bashing will come in handy, but Aravi isn't much of a shield girl!

Blackreach is a fine place to be. Glowing with all sorts of . . .stuff? Very beautiful, but equally treacherous. I enjoyed her exploring of it here.

Fight Darkness with Light.
This one was great! It has a "get back, ye foul demon!" vibe to it. Nice seeing Aravi in some Dawnguard armor.

A new friend.

Ah, our undead dragon gets a nice breath of Tamrielic air in the land of the living. Welcome back to Nirn, Durneviir!

This has to be in the top favorite of updates so far! I couldn't choose among these screens for a favorite, each one I saw I thought would be a favorite till I saw the next - and you didn't include the horse jumping which would have def vied for favorite place!

This vid was tremendous! Aravi aims thinking she is about to be attacked by two, then suddenly they are fighting each other - hysterical! Great loot, too! Then that magic mushroom world with crimson nirnroot - I've never been in there, that place is Awesome!

LOVED this whole update!


EDIT: I meant to mention - not just the crossbow but the fighting on horseback - LOVED seeing that, I love that screen! In "Kharjo's Caravan" - is Aravi idling with her hand on her hip? GAAAAH!

Visiting Kharjo’s Caravan: “B*tch, he is MINE!” OK, I know Aravi would never say that, but…

I love these screenshots! There is no way I can pick a favorite. Darkness with Light sums up time spent in the Soul Cairn perfectly. I love the sky on New Friend, Durnehviir looks happy, and Aravi looks fierce and beautiful. The horse! Love the horse. These are great!!

The video: It’s a shame that Umana is hostile, since all she wants to do is leave. But that makes her gear available for the taking! Targe of the Blooded is one awesome shield. Mikke is my only character who carries it. Did Aravi give it to Kharjo?

I love Aravi’s reaction to Blackreach. Then of COURSE she has to pull the lever!! Curious kit. I was giggling when she went into sneak and got out her bow. Yeah, someone might have heard that!

Nice to get a breath of fresh air during a Blackreach adventure, even if it means a moment of panic thinking that you’re trapped in a nefarious Dwemer device. Whoops, dragon. Wait, are they going back to the other Alftand entrance along the surface? Or is this just a comfort break and then back to Blackreach? I guess I’ll find out soon!

I really enjoyed this video!

It was funny how Kharjo snuck around the fighting pair to join up with Aravi.

I really like those glowy mushroom/jellyfish trees in the Blackreach and all the little floaty lights. Crimson nirnroot!

Those Dwemer were some clever and mechanically inclined folks!

And back out into Skyrim. Love the craggy mountains and blowing snow. Uh oh, a dragon. . . .

Fabulous action screenshots! So nice to see Aravi with a horse!

They should have named those two Marius and Sulla...

It was funny watching Kharjo sneaking through the two of them while they were fighting.

Wow, Sulla did not live long to savor the victory!

I wish there was some way to get down into Blackreach, without having to do that quest with the elder scroll. It is one of the most interesting areas in the game, and so far only one of my characters has ever gone down there because of that.

I see Aravi found one of the lifts out. That will make it a lot easier to sell off loot, and get back in without going through all of Alftand.

Fight Darkness with Light looked neat. Was that a black skeleton?

Aravi is now a Mongol Cat Archer! Woot! If I ever get back to Skyrim, I will have to make a mounted archer character.

I bet the other caravaneers are not too happy to see Aravi. After all, she stole Kharjo away from them!

@DE: Of course Aravi’s with the Dawnguard! Just seeing what those vamps have stashed below their castle, it looks like the right choice too.

I don’t even think the dead like it in the Soul Cairn. Serana was not a fan. There are many trapped souls whiling away eternity there. What a bleak existence.

The two fighting took a loooong time. Blackreach is a very interesting place. So much down there.

Glad you liked those two screen shots at the end. I can’t wait for Aravi to drop Durneviir on some camp of baddies. Thanks DE!

@mALX: Magic mushroom world! Sounds like some drug induced dream world! Glad you liked the screens. I’m using a pose mod to access those idles, but yes, Aravi’s got her hand on her hip. There are a few others in there too. Thanks mALX!

@Grits: Aravi didn’t say that! I love it when you can’t pick a favorite of the screens I post. Durnehviir was killing trolls.

I wish that they had gotten down there sooner; Targe of the Blooded was significantly weaker than Kharjo’s shield, even after smithing.

You picked up on that panic. She couldn’t find the lever to open the gate! Thanks Grits!

@Acadian: I don’t get why the game had Kharjo go around that way. I actually reloaded that part a couple of times, and he did it every time.

Blackreach is one of the coolest areas in Skyrim. It’s actually a city! Yep, after all that time below ground, Aravi felt the need for some rest and fresh air. Not a dragon though! Thanks Acadian!

@SubRosa: Aravi wasn’t going to give Sulla the opportunity to heal up.

I’m pretty sure there are a couple of different ways into the Blackreach. Oh I see, you need that thing from the campaign to get in.

You are definitely right about the lift; Aravi’s pack was getting heavy.

In the screen shot, that was a black skeleton. It’s quite a bit sturdier than the standard variety, and is added by Dawnguard.

If you make a mounted archer, I request a Khajiit!

Lol! Aravi’s back to recruit more guards away from the caravan! Thanks SubRosa!

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

Aravi and Kharjo returned to Whiterun to drop off some treasures they intend to keep, sell things that they don’t need, resupply, and so Aravi could change into some new armor. Before returning to Whiterun however, they went looking for the dog that started following them. They found no sign of the loud but cheery mutt. Hopefully it found someone that could provide a good home.

6:30

Sinderion's Field Journal

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

Screen shots

Home!

Chilly kitty! (‘Get Snowy’ mod)

Bloody blades in the night

Elven armor. This is a retexture, and while I love the detail (zoom in on the chest piece), I’m not sure if I like the color. The originals have a very pretty gold color with a subtle shine. What do you all think?

I'm just looking at the screens now, since it is 2:30 am - can't hear the vid if I watch it now, lol. "Chilly Kitty" is my absolute fave of all! I love all these, though - Aravi happy to be home - and I can see that armor better in the close-up! All great shots! Will be back when I see the vid, can't wait since I see Sinderon is in it! (or at least his journal, lol).

GAAAAH! I thought Kharjo bought the farm there, URK !!!! I heard a man's voice when Aravi first came in, but can't read the enemies names - the print is too small and pale. Sinderon is dead! Urk! LOVED his lab! Nice little hideaway with plenty of loot! Loved this vid, what a place! Great update!

If anyone is having trouble seeing the videos at the YouTube default size and quality, there are options in the lower right corner of the video to both increase the size and quality of the video. I upload almost every video in HD so you can go all the way up to 1080p and see it the way I do in game.

Doing that however dramatically increases the amount of information YouTube has to send to your computer. If you have a slow internet connection (I do) it is better to either load the video and immediately pause it and just let the video load for a while so playback isn't interrupted, or just watch a low quality in a small window.

Oooh, thanks for the tips! I'll try it, my internet is supposed to be fast (LAN).

Back into the land of glowy mushroom trees and blue snowflakes that ignore gravity! And more ice elves too! I like it how when Aravi stows her weapons that, even though you can’t always see him, you can hear Kharjo stow his as well.

Yowwwwolll! Sinderion is dead!

Lol, my eyes are playing tricks on me. I thought those boots said ‘Leather Boots of Humping’. Oh. . . ‘Hauling,’ I see.

I like how the enchanting altar works. I won’t tease Aravi about the elusive spellmaking altar. . . .

Thanks for the link to Sinderion’s Journal and wonderful screens! Aravi looks so beautiful in the snow, and so businesslike with her blades out.

I see Aravi has some new duds. I agree with what you mean about the detail. That is some really nice scrollwork all over it, and especially the part in the center of the chestpiece. But the color seems a but dull compared to regular elven. I like the brighter color the vanilla armor has.

Back to Blackreach. That was some long-range shooting against that Gloomlurker. The whole time I heard someone slugging it out nearby "That's all you go!" It does not sound like something Kharjo would say though. I hear the chittering of a Chaurus too. That is not good. Now that Aravi has her two swords out, things will not last very long!

Poor Sinderion! Seeing him again is bittersweet. It was nice to see a friendly old face from Oblivion. But not like this.

I see you are using some weapon mods, since you have an ebony shortsword. Retribution is a good name for an Absorb Health sword. Time to get some for our old friend from Skingrad.

Chilly Kitty was my favorite of all the pics. Such a wonderful closeup. I could almost count the hairs on her muzzle.

I love the detail in Chilly Kitty! You can see the little snowflakes stuck on Aravi’s fur! Those snowy grey tones are my favorite Skyrim palette. I like the new armor, even though it’s less shiny and yellow than the original (which I also like very much). Actually, that’s probably why I like it more. Plus the detail is lovely!

The video: Ah, I see, they took a break for provisions. That was an excellent idea! Just looking into Blackreach, you know there is still a long way to go.

Great shooting against the Gloomlurker! Aravi must have been feeling the pressure to get into the Falmer and chaurus vs. Kharjo fight. That looked so neat when he backlit the Falmer with his healing spell/potion! And alarming when she couldn't quite see his still alive status in the dark.

Finding Sinderion is one of my favorite Skyrim moments (though I would have loved to find him alive, of course). Aravi seemed very respectful and not inclined to loot his laboratory. Does she know him from Skingrad? With her timeline, she could easily have met him or even be the adventurer he wrote about in the journal. I don’t remember from her Oblivion videos. Maybe she can give the Falmer some Retribution for what they did to Sinderion. I love her ebony sword!

“Leather Boots of Humping” right beside the bed, LOL Acadian! What we never knew about Sinderion!

I use the higher settings to watch as much as I can, thank you for uploading them that way. Pausing like you suggest helps with my slow connection.

@mALX: I love that screen of Aravi with the snow in her fur, that mod is brilliant! Aravi was actually going to Windhelm, but she took a very indirect route and went to Riften first. She was missing her place down there.

The fight against the Falmer was so difficult because Aravi couldn’t see a thing and didn’t want to risk hitting Kharjo. Aravi will not have any difficulty killing Falmer after finding Sinderon. Thanks mALX!

@Acadian: I think it’s all very pretty. Now if only there weren’t any dangerous Falmer down there. Yes, Sinderion is dead. That was an unpleasant surprise. He died doing what he loved I suppose. It’s just too bad the Falmer didn’t leave him alone. He seemed to have some vigor, though wearing boots to bed would be a little unusual.

Aravi could only do a weak enchantment; her skill wasn’t very high at that point. It’s a little better now.

She might not like the snow, but it looks nice in her fur! Thanks Acadian!

@SubRosa: I still haven’t decided on whether to keep the retexture or not, but I’m leaning towards removing it.

Kharjo took care of the chaurus on his own which was nice. At lower levels, they can be real killers. It was very sad to see Sinderion like that, but like you said it was nice to remember him from the cellar of that old inn. Retribution didn’t last as long as I had hoped it would have, the modder classified it as a dagger instead of a sword, so Aravi wasn’t very effective with it. Now that Khajiit texture mod is something I’m not going to give up. It’s stunningly good. Thanks SubRosa!

Grits: I love that screen too, the snow is a wonderful effect.

I could not believe how dark it was in there. Aravi runs into that problem again. You know it’s dark when a cat can’t see. I liked finding Sinderion too and Aravi recognized him. Aravi is particular about what she loots. She feels like it is disrespectful and with enemies, she doesn’t give a damn. With other people though, she’s less inclined to take things. The adventurer was someone else. She liked him, but was busy with other things in Cyrodiil to be collecting plants for him.

Was Jerric’s lucky boots anything like Sinderion’s? Maybe that’s why he wanted them back so badly! Thanks Grits!

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

Aravi and Kharjo make their way through the Blackreach and destroy any Falmer they find.

6:44

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

Screenshots

Another imposture

You picked the wrong fight

At SubRosa’s suggestion, Triss armor

*

Screens: You picked the wrong fight - STUNNING! What a scene !!!!!! It begins with the expression on the Orc's face, Kharjo standing ready and waiting if he gets up. Then suddenly there is Aravi in the background shooting from her horse - This is one of my fave screens of all time, it is perfect!

Vid: That fatigue mod is AWESOME for realism and immersion! After battles hearing Aravi panting - so believable after these strenuous fights where she is getting beaten up so badly! The Falmer have people as servants? ARGH! A cliffhanger vid!

Awesome update!


*

*Runs to thread, almost out of breath*

Aravi's new clothes, I simply adore! She's going to kick some tush in style now!


Home.
I wonder what she's thinking of. What a day it was? Nekkid Kharjo?

Chilly Kitty.
The detail here is amazing! Poor Aravi . . .if only there were the sands of Elseweyr to make sand angels on. Skyrim weather=burr.

The two others I love also. It is amazing what you can do with mods, huh. Simply beautiful. The Elvena armor color does look a bit . . .off.

Ah, Sinderion. Even after he made us do endless chores in Oblivion, he still wants us to go hunting for noisy red weeds after his death. I half expected his ghost to be giving us quests to find more plants . . .

Okay, the "You picked a wrong fight," was truly a badass image! Aravi on her horse, Kharjo with his shield and sword . . there is no escape for the Orsimer! The two cats took down the brute!

We continue on Blackreach, eh! I agree with mALX. The fatigue and the graphics only enhance the realism, making it a tremendous experience in PC gaming . . .which I don't have the privilge of experiencing!

It was kind and brave of Aravi to declare herself to that first servant, hoping to avoid bloodshed. Too bad it didn’t work out.

Great screens of A&K in deadly action! What a great team they make.

Whoa, that Falmer Shadowmaster lived up to his name. He came out of nowhere! Aravi even accidentally hit Kharjo's Familiar. That was a close one!

At least Aravi got to return the favor with a sneak attack on the next Falmer!

Uh oh, there is a Wisp Mother down there.

Aravi did indeed take the high road by trying to talk to the Falmer Servants. I remember my first (and only) time in Blackreach, I thought they were prisoners whom I could rescue. I was probably as surprised as Aravi when they attacked!

Nice dodging the power attack by the guy with the mace.

Picked the wrong fight is bloody indeed! It looks like Aravi took the Bloody Mess perk from the Fallout Games!

She looks great in the Triss outfit! That is one that no character can seem to go wrong with. I hope you keep it in her clothing rotation for a while.

Blackreach is one of the places where I really miss Detect Life enchantments. Aravi’s fatigue mod added to the tension in this video. It’s so strange to find people living down there! And even stranger when they attack. I’m sure some of the wonder of the place faded when Aravi had to kill that Khajiit. She is great at sneaking! It’s so hard to sneak up on those Falmer.


I like the Triss armor a lot. It looks sort of cosmopolitan compared to her barbarian gear, and it reminds me of her Cyrodiil past for some reason. Also it complements Kharjo’s Dawnguard look nicely with the buckles and materials. It really looks like it came from the same world.

Aravi looks furious at that orc looter! Her pose is awesome!

But Wrong Fight goes with my favorites. It’s just perfect.

@mALX: I thought you’d have liked the first screen better because it shows Aravi’s face better. I guess I can’t call them all. I’ve been using that mod for a while now; I’m surprised you are mentioning it now. I am glad that you like it however. It certainly makes the fights seem like they are more strenuous. Thanks mALX!

@DE: I don’t know what she’s thinking of and I won’t argue against any of your speculation.

Thank you on the Wrong Fight. I liked the blood in the snow and the look on the orc’s face. I had a pretty mediocre computer for a long time and it feels good to finally have a badass machine. It was expensive but with my job I was able to upgrade it over a year and a half. Thanks DE!

@Acadian: You know Aravi has a heart that gets her in trouble at times. It’s good that she can take it when things don’t go the way she’d like. I know Buffy doesn’t always have the luxury of finding the intents of everyone she meets. Thanks Acadian!

@SubRosa: That familiar is always getting in the way. I wonder now if that Shadowmaster has an invisibility spell and if it uses it? That would be something.

Aravi kind of thought the same thing as you did after she spotted them for the first time. She left the other ones alone after that and kept herself hidden.

I like the Triss outfit too. The only thing I am iffy on is the pants look a little odd when Aravi is barefoot. I think the boots that go with it must be knee high with the way it’s styled. Thanks SubRosa, and keep your eyes open for more clothes!

@Grits: Yes it is time to get out of the Blackreach now. There are many wonders down there, but Aravi’s experience soured after she killed those people.

Aravi’s pretty good at sneaking up on people and giving them her blade, but remaining undetected for much longer than that is difficult for her. Her style is usually to remove the threat… not to leave it behind her.

I see exactly where you are coming from with the Triss armor. Thanks Grits!

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A note: This one contains a lot of cinematic scenes. I didn’t want to cut them, but neither was I thrilled with keeping them.

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Aravi and Kharjo finally find what they are looking for.

11:03

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Screens!

Frozen flowers

For a few minutes, life was almost normal One & Two

Leap!

These sands are cold, but Khajiit feels warmness from your presence

What a relief to get out of there without anything dropping down from the ceiling or swooping out of the sky to attack them!

I think you chose what to show in the video very well. The cinematic scenes are important for understanding why she's doing these quests. I never thought of it before, but that dragon landing and honoring Hakon’s courage rather than just attacking from above sheds a lot of light on the current dragons’ behavior. They’re complicated beings.

Warmness from Your Presence… awww! I just adore that one! I love the light in these. That must have been a beautiful day in Whiterun, and the basket full of flowers tells the tale of collecting along the road. I love this set of screens!

OMG, I can't pick between "One," "Leap," or "These Sands" as my fave - these have to go into my top faves list! I love them all equally for too many reasons to list! AWESOME SHOTS!

The vid was one powerful cut scene! First off, I love the Dwemer light refracting thingy, I've used one of those in game, took me almost an hour to get it right, ROFL !!!

The dragon greeting Aravi on the snowy road was my favorite part of that vid, Loved that he talked to her and she didn't attack him.

I wanted to smack the bragging woman in the cut scene, but other than that absolutely LOVED the way the Elder Scroll showed the past that way!

I'm pretty sure the Dragon language will take off like Klingon did, and it will be heard spoken in the hallways of schools between classes!

Awesome update!

A powerful vid! I’m with mALX in liking how that cut scene shows the way Alduin was sent ahead in time. They had little choice back then it seems other than to defer things forward for Aravi to handle.

Fabulous screens, each in their own right. I love the first one of Aravi with the basket of flowers. And her athletic leap. Oh, and the last one is absolutely one of her prettiest close ups!

It was cool watching that huge dwemer gadget working. I thought it was one of the neatest things in the game.

And back to the light of day once more. Blackreach can start to feel claustrophobic after a while.

I love the glowing runes you see on the elder scroll when you open it.

So that is what Dragonrend looks like. Kind of a strange name for something that does not actually rend anything. It was neat seeing the flashback of how Alduin was defeated in the past though.

Aravi with the flower basket was very cool!

You are right, the Triss outfit does look a bit odd without the boots. They do indeed go up to mid-thigh.

Aravi's smile in the last one was just great. That was my favorite of all the pics.

Ah, the Elder Scroll. At last, they came across what they've been hunting for. I loved the flashback we get to see from an age long past, and also the

Aravi the flower girl! . Nothing better than going to Whiterun to pick flowers and vegetables! A simple life amidst battle and blood

So, does she plan to decorate her home with the freshly picked flowers? I must wonder. Nay, it is for the wedding!

I love the one where Aravi smiles. She's as fierce as she is adorable.

@Grits: I knew I couldn’t skip those scenes, but I didn’t particularly want to show all of them. They were kind of long. That dragon that was killed at the beginning struck me as well.

I just knew that last screen was going to be the favorite! Who could resist Aravi with such a goofy smile on her face? Anyone that can make her smile like that is a keeper! Thanks Grits!

@mALX: I’ll choose a favorite for you then- the last one!

That Dwemer is so simple that you always make it more difficult than it is when you first use it. Without fail. I actually asked my cousin how to do it. The Dragon was Paarthurnax! Aravi would never attack him! I guess it has been a while since we’ve seen him. Thanks mALX!

@Acadian: That scene was well done. I had hoped that Aravi would be able to walk around and talk with them after, but not so. It was still neat. Glad you liked the screen shots, and I have to agree with you on the last one! Thanks Acadian!

@SubRosa: As neat as Blackreach is, Aravi was ready to leave. Maybe later she will return. I’m glad the scroll didn’t claim Aravi’s vision.

Triss still looks nice, but I would prefer it if the pants didn’t end so strangely. Oh well, can’t have everything. Aravi’s kind of odd anyways not wearing shoes. She looks so sweet in the last pic, glad you like it. Thanks SubRosa!

@DE: The flashback was pretty cool, just a tad long for a video like this. I couldn’t cut it down either.

Aravi’s life was almost normal there. She had a bunch of flowers for potions so it wasn’t all just for fun. And nobody can resist that shot! The Khajiit are just too adorable in Skyrim. Thanks DE!

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Alduin comes.

5:59

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Screeeeeens!

Dawn on the Seven Thousand Stairs

Where’s the ring? Or is this a knighting? (This is a joke, not a marriage announcement)

Night sky on the Throat of the World

A warlock is about to die

Durnehviir and Magnus (Durnehviir is the dragon)

*

"Night Sky on the Throat of the World" has to be my favorite, but it was a very tough call with Kharjo proposing right before that! How did you get him to kneel? AWESOME shots, all of them! Coming back for the vid this afternoon!

LOL, Kharjo fooled us! Is he meditating on a Word of Power? Suuuuuuuugar… Dawn is lovely, and you caught a magnificent night sky with the clouds and aurora! (And of course the beautiful Aravi!) But Warlock is my favorite, oh my gosh what a look on Aravi’s face! She looks lethal!!

Dragon aerial battles are so cool to watch. That was really neat to see Dragonrend in action. When Alduin used his meteor shower Shout, it really felt like the end of the world. Interesting to hear Paarthurnax talk about the dov who serve Alduin. It makes me wonder a tiny bit about Paarth’s future intentions. I guess Alduin will leave a power vacuum, and Paarth is planning ahead.

Lovely moment at the end with the time wound, snow, and Paarthurnax sitting alone while Aravi and Kharjo left together.

What a heartpounder! I was worried Kharj was going to get eaten! So Alduin was wise enough to back off and retreat from the frenzied kitties but it’s not over yet I see. Aravi’s got to figure out how to capture and interrogate one of Alduin’s buddies, then rethink her tactics to defeat the big fellow for good? Great vid!

Fabulous screens all, and they just seem to ‘fit’ with the mood after fighting Alduin. I simply adore Night Sky – the way the clouds let some stars shine through, the twin moods, snow, detail on the rock and, of course, a very determined Aravi. And what a touching scene of A&K together.

Sorry KC, it'll be tomorrow (or actually, this afternoon) before I get to see the vid. Bob fell through a roof on the construction site, I was gone all day and at almost 3 am and two days without sleep - I'm going to go to bed! Sorry

Don't apologize, I'm glad Bob is doing alright.

Vid: What a fight! This line stood out to me, Aravi said "The Jarl of Whiterun may not think so." Loved that! Alduin seemed weaker in the sky, on the ground he seemed invincable! Awesome Vid!

I looked at the title of the vid, and hoped it was not going to be dragon Pr0n!

I see even Kharjo's familiar has joined in the fun. Wow, that blast of fire that Parthy made is still burning, even after Aldy flew away. Oh neat its that meteor storm. I loved that at Helgen.

Out come the two swords, and down goes Alduin. Just like everyone else. Or not. He's essential I see. Maybe Parthy will know a way to remove his essential tag, so he can finally be put to bed.

So Aravi's Su'um is strong? Since Aravi has not done the civil war, I am guessing that Balgruuf is still jarl in Whiterun. A few chests of gold should convince him... (that is something you hear from his steward if you do the SC side of the civil war. Apparently a few wagonloads of Imperial gold made the White Gold Concordant go down a little easier... )

Where is the ring is really cute. But the Warlock about the die was my fav. I love that snarl on Aravi's face!

@mALX: I can’t believe that the one with Kharjo wasn’t your favorite! I just set Kharjo to wander around using my mod and he did the kneeling on his own. When I saw that, I couldn’t resist, just had to put Aravi right in front of him.

When Alduin was in the sky, Aravi couldn’t fight him. He was definitely much weaker on the ground. Thanks mALX!

@Grits: I don’t know what he’s meditating on, but it needed a screen!

The meteor shout is so cool! The sky looked so dangerous when he used it. The end really did have a peaceful feeling to it, didn’t it? Thanks Grits!

@Acadian: Yep, the cowardly dragon ran from the kitties. Where did he go? One of his underlings will know. Night Sky was a challenge to get, I wanted to include everything in the sky and have Aravi too. Thanks Acadian!

@SubRosa: I think that’s spelled a little differently.

That battle was a little crazy, without Kharjo it would have been very difficult for Aravi. I was happy to see Paarth get in on the fight too.

Yep, Balgruuf is still Jarl. Funny about the SC Jarl, a true Nord until shiny gold is on the table! Thanks SubRosa!

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This first video is all talking. Aravi talks to the Jarl of Whiterun about using his keep as a dragon trap. Then she talks to the Greybeards.

Link

4:36

If you aren’t interested in watching that one, here’s the short version:

Aravi: “Can I trap a dragon in your keep?”
Jarl: “Ha ha you’re joking right?”
Aravi: “I’m serious.”
Jarl:
Aravi: “This is important” (persuasion)
Jarl: “I can’t have the Imperials or Stormcloaks taking my city after a dragon slaughters and burns my garrison. Get them to agree to a truce and then we will see about your dragon.”

~~~ Aravi travels back to High Hrothgar

Aravi to the Greybeards: “I need you to host a peace conference.”
Greybeards: *grumble grumble* “Fine.”

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After talking to the Greybeards, Aravi leaves to recruit some dragon slayers. It does not go as planned.

4:01

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Finally, some screenshots

Silhouette

Khajiit and wolf

another elven retexture (I still prefer the golden vanilla armor)

Got to love Silhouette! It took me a minute to find Aravi for the Aurora's beauty! Khajiit and wolf is a great close-up of Aravi too.

Absolutely LOVE your depiction of the first vid - so much funnier and more interesting than the actual vid, lol.

2nd vid - ROFL !!! Aravi's thoughts showing her temper at Delphine was hilarious !!!! I loved this, you made this vid with your signature Aravi personality we came to love so much in Oblivion!

I absolutely LOVED this update!

It is Balgruuf who took the bribe from the Empire. You just learn it if you join the Stormcloaks. Likewise, the only reason Heimskir is out there preaching the Talos stuff is that he bribes the guards to stay out of prison. Balgruuf's administration is one where money talks...

"I want to trap a dragon in your palace"
When you put it that way, I don't envy Aravi for having to convince anyone to do that!

OOps, I missed the second vid the first time I looked at this. One Yol and the grey clouds are gone. I wish I had that IRL. It has been raining here for the last two days straight, and does not look like it is going to stop anytime soon. Renee would love it, she could create a new character every day!

Ahh, now we come to the part that shows us why everyone hates the Blades. I am with Aravi. I would draw my sword too! The Blades are supposed to serve the dragonborn, not the other way around. Where does that beyotch get off saying that you are not welcome in the temple which your blood opened up, and allowed them to stay in? A bunch of damned traitors is what they are. It is too bad Delphine and Esbern are essential, otherwise Aravi really could go all wolfy and just eat them. It is sad that all you can do in the vanilla game is leave all that Blades crap behind and go your own way.

I love that Silhouette pic. Aravi against the bright colors of the aurora are just awesome. The one with the familiar behind her was great too. Excellent timing on your part to get the pic in just as the initial swirling of light was still around it.

I see you found the black retexture of the elven armor. It works good for the Thalmor. Gives them a more Nazi-like appearance. I never did decide if I liked it better than the original gold on my characters though. The gold armor looks really good with an Altmer character's skin.

Vid 1. Thanks for providing that. Heh, I loved your advance executive summary of the conversation. Nevertheless, it was fun to listen to the vid and nice to see Aravi in a blouse and skirt for a change.

Vid 2. Speaking of fashion, Aravi’s too pretty to stick her head in a helmet. Perhaps she could visit SubRosa’s circlet shop? Now that said, the cape is definitely nice! I’m glad to see Aravi is totally unimpressed with the Blades’ plan. I loved and agreed with her reaction. It would have been fun indeed if she had acted on her wolfy impulse and shredded those who would have her kill the very cool Paarthurnax. Or perhaps if she huffed and puffed and shouted their house down? Like mALX said, you definitely captured what Aravi felt there!

Screens. That silhouette shot is magnificent! Aravi’s pose and the unusual sky are so cool! The one of her attacking is deadly! She really means business there, and I love how prominently the scar on her muzzle shows.

I love your video 1 synopsys. Master Einarth spoke to Aravi!! How cool was that!

Wow, you did a beautiful job showing Aravi's thoughts in the second video. As mALX said, there was the Aravi we have known and loved since Cyrodiil! And I agree with her response completely.

Those screens are just amazing. There is no way to pick between the aurora one and the wolf one, they are both awesome! This was such an enjoyable update!