HOLY COW!!! You beat Maelstrom Arena already??? AWESOME !!!!

I've only been able to beat the first boss so far,


And = by the way; your reference above was from "Young Frankenstein" - boy do I miss Gene Wilder, so sad he is gone!












Gaaaah, I haven't found the statue to Azura yet! Isn't it supposed to be east of Bruma and in the mountains?

mALX- The Stormhaven statue is at the far eastern edge of the map, north of the Weeping Giant wayshrine and east of Scrag's Larder.

You always have to be on your toes in Maelstrom. Personally, I didn't find each successive arena to be more difficult than the last one--rather, the difficulty was up and down. Each arena has a "gimmick" or two that you need to figure out to survive each one in addition to the general fighting (and honestly, a few instances were total [censored]). If you do die or you are fighting in an arena for a long time, you'll usually get a message that hints at what you need to do. I'm not sure how you usually fight, but I found going as a tank with One Hand and Shield worked quite well for me. It's probably still what I am most effective with.

And indeed, it was Young Frankenstein. Great movie. It was a great loss for movies when Gene Wilder passed.

Ooh, thanks Treydoggie!!!



Ooh, thanks for the great tips, Rader! I will def keep trying. I never did figure out the tricks for that second boss; and got tired of trying = haven't been back since, and that was over a year ago with my Nightblade.

Someone told me to go through it with your characters at level 1 just to learn the tricks; then go back through with your real characters, lol.

Beautiful screenies, all of you.

Just...WOW!

Twilight town is awesome with the further away part of the town being covered in mist.

Buffy under Moon'n'Star! Great outfit too.

Here are some screenies I took today during my first session, in the Wailing Prison and on the Bleakrock Island.

Against Child of Bones

Out of Coldharbour

Shonta Quassan, the blue Argonian with an eternal smile

Cooking without ingredients

Welcome to Shonta! I'm so glad you're enjoying things so far.

Coldharbor looks pretty cold and forbidding.

Shonta looks quite pleased to no longer be in the cold place.

Welcome to Shonta, the chilly blue Argonian! Good thing he has his Dragonknight flames to keep him warm. I love his smile!

I like Shonta already! And I agree, he does have a charming smile!


mALX! You made a necro-chick!?

Woot!

Oh, Shonta is a beautiful blue! I love the "Cooking" screenshot; that one shows him close up! Truthfully = I really expected to see Hobo!


So nice to see you in the game, I'm glad you got a new laptop!









Yes! Though she tends to get me in trouble when I accidentally hit the "R" key in towns, lol.

@Acadian - thanks!

@SubRosa - yeah, Coldharbour is an uninviting, dreadful place. But interesting to explore too, it has some hidden places which I missed with my test character, but discovered them with Shonta.

@Grits - I love his smile too! I like it how that flaming spike armor looks like, like it was made for Argonians.

@Darkness Eternal - thanks!

@mALX - when I saw that shade of blue, I didn't test out any more colors.

I usually spend a lot of time creating characters but I was eager to test the game, so I didn't spend too many time tweaking Shonta Quassan's apperance. But I think he turned out okay.

Nina looks formidable. I wonder what happens when you press R in towns?

Using some Necromancer abilities is a crime, so you can only use them in dungeons, or similar places.

By default, the "R" key is your "Ultimate" weapon (the one that does some special damage for the skill line it represents). Each damage skill line has its own "Ultimate" that you can choose through when building up your skill bar.

But Necromancy is illegal; so the Nectromancer characters can't perform many of their Class skills in view of any NPC's or they will incur a bounty and be attacked by the NPC's; the guards called, etc.

Well, I have a really bad habit of accidentally hitting that "R" key when trying to hit the "E" key; but when I do that while inside towns or banks, (etc.) - next thing I know Nina is being chased around and beaten by guards, NPC's, etc.

Now Shonta has his first Ultimate as well! He used it against some brigands in the mine, now I understand why using it in towns might make some people mad.

In a company of the mudcrab

"Go for a swim and stay slim!"

Warming up cold feet

Dancing in the sunset

"How goes it?"

Oh, I love these! My favorite has to be "Dancing in the Sunset!" Very nice!

I bought the Newcomer's pack, got some useful experience scrolls and a pet - the flame salamander. I missed the detail, that it's a non-combat pet, but it's nice to have it tag along nonetheless.

Og'nyeni the Flame Salamander

Following the master

Three's a company

Eating like Sir Vyvoor

It’s a very pretty salamander!

Sal the Mander is a perfect companion for an Argonian.

Love the pic of the crab getting in line!

Oh, it is gorgeous! I love the red stripes; the regular ones you find in the wild are yellow (and not cute and small, lol). My favorite screenshot is the one with the mudcrab joining in!


Any Pets you get on your own will always be "Non-Combat" = just for companionship. The only combat Pets in the game come from your Class skill lines:

Sorcerer Class has two Pets that help you in Combat; both are Daedric: a Matriarch (DPS and Healing) and a choice of either a Scamp (DPS) or Clannfear (Tank). (once summoned; they stay out till they die).

The Warden Class (comes with the Morrowind DLC) has a Bear Ultimate that is a powerful DPS. (once you use the Ultimate; the bear stays out until it dies).

Nor sure, but I think the Necromancer Class can have a Skeleton follower that fights for you; but I am pretty sure it is only out for a short time and just while in combat (like the summons in Oblivion were). They would also be illegal; so you couldn't be seen by an NPC with it.

And and one skill line offers a combat pet; the Werewolf line:

Depending on how you build your Werewolf you can have a whole pack of wolves that come out when you are in combat and fight for you = just not sure if they are able to follow you around when you are not "wolfed out" (the Werewolf form is your Ultimate; and can only stay in form as long as you keep feeding; which is illegal to do in towns. In fact; I'm not sure if you can legally turn into the Werewolf form in towns without a Guard wanting to kill you. I've never played as a Werewolf yet; but I had a friend who had a Sorc Werewolf = it looked like he had his own army fighting with him between the two Sorc Pets and his Wolf Pack! I never had to fight when he was around!

Every other Pet you see in the game is just a companion; though.

I’ve often thought it would be neat if your non-com pet would give you some kind of bonus for combat. Like maybe the bigger ones, such as wolves and big cats, could actually do some fighting, while the smaller ones might give you attribute bonuses or something based on what kind of creature they are.

Cats and dogs could give you some kind of buff like magicka; and maybe goats and chickens could buff your strength or agility? Or the pony could give you stamina; etc. That would be interesting!

Exactly! As it is now, they are strictly for flavor or as decorations in one’s home.

Shouldn't chickens give you an egg every day, and goats give you milk?

That would be funny if Zenimax dropped an egg in your inventory if you had a chicken follower,

No, that’s ridiculous!

And cat and dog followers would give you a poop every day. Mine does.

That’d be good for the iMmersiON.

You know, my in-game chicken follower actually does lay eggs every now and then; but they disappear after about 30 seconds, lol.

I waited for it come back, it kept going left and right.

It's nice to have the flaming salamander tagging along, even if it's just a "decoration". I like its sparkling, which it performs from time to time.

Masser & Secunda

Fishing

Paying respects to the Fallen Hero

After the battle

It's Gandalf!

Wilderness

Colored outfit

I've been neglecting putting up screenshots because I keep forgetting to do so. Here are some more recent adventures of Cincinnatus.

Ready the cannons! (er, crossbows, I guess)

No hard feelings, right?

Tallying another dead Tharn

The Deadlands

Mired in battle with the Miregaunt

The call of Cincy's people

The waters of Oblivion

Well, look who we have here

Call of the Clockwork City


More screenshots to come soon!

Lopov, nice shots! The salamander goes very well with your character. Yup, when you stop sometimes at night and look up there are often some beautiful views of the moons.

Rader, Cincinnatus has really been getting around! I love questing in Greenshade - some really nice quests there. And I was surprised how much I enjoyed questing in Coldharbour as well.

Lopov, Og’nyeni is adorable! I love the picture with the mudcrab! Ha, Gandalf. Other players provide so much entertainment.

SubRosa, Jerric just did a quest to find a Khajiit’s lost dog. He had to follow a trail of stinking poop. Ulfe was so proud that she never did that! (Happiest Nord in Rimmen.) (NOT a picture of poop!)

Rader, it’s nice to see Cincy! Waters of Oblivion is my favorite from his latest adventures. There’s just something about Coldharbour.

@Rader - nice screenies, the one on the ship is my favorite. Very battle-like!

Another Tharn? How many Tharns are there? Shonta Quassan is also involved in a quest with some Tharn. More about that later...

@Acadian - this game is so full of beautiful views indeed.

@Grits - it must have been Gandalf in his younger days.

Shonta Quassan was hired by another Tharn and is now on a very complex quest that's taking him over various places in Valenwood and Elsweyr. I think that he could feel Buffy's presence today, when we "saw" that she was in the Grahtwood at the same time...

Wave to Buffy

Aww, thanks, Shonta! *Buffy waves back*

These are all such great shots; and really bring back memories of those quests around Davon's Watch and Ebonheart!


I can't even pick a favorite shot here; the Masser and Secunda one is Awesome; but I'm floored by the shot on the ship looking down the barrel of that Ballista! Then there is the Coral Reef shots just outside of Ebonheart and remembering all those spectacular quests there = and then Shonta coloring the armor = all Awesome shots!!!

Holy Cow, you are really moving along!!! Really great shots of all you've been up to, and I can't even get nostalgic because I haven't done those quests yet (that I know of, lol). Awesome shots!


(and by his armor; I am assuming that was a younger Divayth Fyr in the "Look Who We Have Here" shot, lol)






ROFL !!! Oh, I'm going to have to do that quest now, lol.





***************




I've got two screenshot posts: The first is some screenshots of the Dragon Hunt in Elsweyr (to save kitty-cats) :



https://imgur.com/a/p8H7hR6



And the second is my new house I just bought in Daggerfall! It is the Captain's house right next door to the bank; that little tiny one. I've always wanted it for its convenience to the crafting stations and bank; so yesterday I bought it and decorated it:



https://imgur.com/a/okzCOIv





*

mALX looks like you had fun hunting dragons! And the new house looks very cozy indeed.

@mALX - bring down those dragons! Are you going to bury them too?

That looks like a spacious house! At first I thought that the picture above the bed is a window and that you can see through it.

I had an interesting session today. Shonta Quassan wanted to test out his new weapon - an enchanted flame staff - so he cleared the Ash Mountain of some Daedra. Not only he got better with his staff, he also found some valuable stuff, which he later sold in Davon's Watch and he's very close to 10,000 septims!

Sunrise

Admiring the view

Favored by the Lady

Among Daedric ruins

Jump, jump!

Good to hear Shonta's still doing well and trying out some differing weapons. Nice screenshots!

@Acadian - Thanks! Yeah, he's been moving fast and doing a lot of traveling.

@Grits - Thanks! And I, too, love those waters even if the inhabitants of the realm want nothing but to literally tear me apart. I guess it is just the crystal clear aspect of the water and being able to see a lot of what is underneath.

@Lopov - Regarding Tharns, there are at least 5 in this game: Septima (big part of the Covenant questline), Javad (smaller but still fairly big role in the Dominion questline for Reaper's March), Magna (one of the delves or public dungeons I was doing), Clivia, and Euraxia (who seems to be the Big Bad for the Elsweyr expansion, which I don't have yet). UESP indicates that there is another Tharn during ESO's events, Martialis, but I don't remember seeing him. Really makes me even more curious about Jagar Tharn's backstory (the main antagonist of TESI: Arena). All these Tharns are Imperials, but The Real Barenziah suggests he is some sort of elf.

@mALX - Thanks! And yes, that is our old friend Divayth Fyr.

Jagar Tharn not being an elf may have just been a retcon. Keep in mind Cyrodiil was actually originally going to be a jungle type place with Mesoamerican style architecture.

It is very cozy! I always wanted that house because of its proximity to the Bank and crafting stations; but I never thought I'd ever really like the house. I actually love it now, it is so home-y feeling!

I know what you mean, mALX. Buffy finds Snugpod absolutely perfect. She also likes the Flaming Nix apt, as that too is small but not tiny. She is just much more comfortable decorating smaller places.

(the house might look spacious; but it is actually very small - actually one of the smallest houses in the game). Lol on the window/picture! That is exactly what I hoped it would look like; to make the bedroom garret feel a bit roomier and more pleasant, lol. The house did not come with the upstairs bedroom or stairs; I added those.

Screenshots: I love these shots of the less-loved side of Stonefalls! A lot of people don't love Stonefalls because of the Ash Storms and the Red Mountain; but it is Misa's home, and she loves it all.

On the Mundus Stone: If you ever want to pick a different Mundus Stone; we have them all at the Guild Hall so you can either choose the one that sounds the best to you or test out which one works best for your Character by testing them out on the Combat Dummies. (look in your Chat Box for the results)

Anytime you want to go to the Guild Hall; just find my name in the Guild Roster or your Friends List = Right click on my name and choose "Go to Primary Residence" from the drop-down list.

Oh, I love the Nix too! But yeah; the smaller houses are so much easier to decorate; especially when there are limits on how much you can add to a house.

mALX, I love what you did with the Daggerfall cottage!! It’s gorgeous! That house is a favorite of mine for its coziness and location. You have made it so much better with the upstairs!

Lopov, I love the misty/ashy light in your screenshots. Admiring the View is my favorite. Og’nyeni is admiring it, too!

I've been back to the Captain's house several times now. I'm still trying to figure out whether the space lost to the stairs is regained with the extra floor. It certainly makes the place more interesting, and the lowered ceiling makes it more cozy. It uses a lot of pieces that I can't (yet) make, so I'm not about to copy any of it.

Thank you so much, Grits! Yeah, Misa (who did the decorating) loves it so much I can't keep her out of it, lol.

I am not sure about the space loss; but just really liked having an upstairs for the bedroom instead of all in one room. Those beautiful beams up there would have been perfect by themselves; but they were made with pieces sticking out in to the doorway to the bedroom; so had to be covered. I'm looking for a better solution to that rather than those dark walls; and that would make the upstairs feel more roomy.

Also = to make up for some of that lost space I did consider adding a small half floor over just a part of the stairwell to give the appearance of more floor space without it actually being functional due to the ceiling slope. I could put some low piece of furniture in there; or even just a lantern to make it feel more roomy.

Boy do I miss Oblivion; where I could slap up a door and add another room or a basement;


Thanks for checking it out, Ghastley! I appreciate your input a lot!!!