u/Farstride14

TLDR: OP plays Subnautica and likes it so far

DAY # 1

So, A while back I mentioned that I was planning on playing subnautica while my family was visiting the in-laws. I didn't get to play a lot, but I did play and it was very cool, and I even did a few drawings.

I really loved how the game starts. You're in distress, and you're in a small self contained area. It's like starting out as a prisoner in D&D. It may be cliche, but I'll never get tired of it.

I'm playing on the hardcore single life mode, I wish it wasn't an option, but I'm pretty addicted to that kind of gameplay, so I if I die, I'm back to square one.

I will say that made even the minor threat of the fire in the escape pod feel like a bid deal. I freaked out a little bit because before I realized you could put out the fire, I was just trying to climb up the ladder and make it out. Also the datapad with its corrupted memory is a cool way to do the tutorial.

Anyway, Here's Drake and Sadira just after touching down. Sadira is still unconscious as Drake tries to put out the escape pod fire.

Art is mine, feedback is welcome.

TLDR: Drake got engaged

Morndas 29th of Hearthfire

So, After returning Gleda the goat to Ennis in Rorikstead, Drake followed the next clue back to Whiterun where the whole mess started. After picking up his housecarl, Who I imagine has been wondering where her Thane has gotten to, Drake headed over to the market square to see about this debt he owes Ysolda. This is where things began to take a terrifying turn.

Drake learned from Ysolda that he apparently bought (on credit) a wedding/engagement ring, Although Ysolda also implied the wedding never actually happened. Drake offered to pay for the ring, but Ysolda really wanted the ring back if there isn't going to be a wedding. So Drake retraced his steps once again to a place called Witchmist Grove, where he met his former? fiance, a hagraven named Moira, who was still very down with the wedding.

Fortunately, Drake was spared having to think to long or hard about how to extricate himself from the engagement, because as soon as he tried to explain that he needed the ring back, she decided to try to kill Lydia, and Drake had to put her down Gangnam style.

In retrospect (not that I am unhappy with the outcome) showing up to see his former fiance with another woman, was probably not a great way to avoid confilct. In any event, I imagine Lydia is extra annoyed with Drake at the moment, and it was probably an awkward ride back to Whiterun.

Art is mine, the story is from my game, but I'm taking liberties for the sake of entertainment.

TLDR: Drake re-steals a goat.

Sundas 28th of Hearthfire

After cleaning up the temple and finding Sam's note and the ingredients for the staff, Drake headed out to Rorikstead to where he was accosted by an angry Redguard named Ennis, and learned a little more about his night with Sam. Apparently Drake stole Ennis's prized goat Gelda and sold her to a giant. I had the option of trying to pay for the goat, but It sounded like Ennis was pretty attached to the goat, so I figured I'd try to actually retrieve her for him (and hopefully find out what happened to Sam).

Drake found Gelda in a field to the South of Rorikstead. Drake very cautiously tried talking to the giant Grok, I was pretty nervous about putting Drake within arms reach of a giant since so many of you have warned me about Skyrim's space program, but Grok wasn't hostile, but he also wouldn't talk with Drake. So, I think Drake is going to have to swipe it. . . again.

I'm trying to play Drake as an honorable character so I tried to steal it back in a fair way. I figured since a giant's toe was one of the ingredients on the list, and he found one in the temple of Dibella, that must have been what Drake sold Gelda for. The toe I got in the temple is listed as a quest item so I can't drop it, but I was able to purchase another one. There was an option to purchase Gelda from Ennis for 1000 gold. SO, when Grok was no longer paying attention, I had Drake sneak up to Gelda. I dropped a giants to and 1,500 gold in her place.

Not gonna lie, I feel pretty crumby for having Drake stealing the goat back from Grok, who (as far as I can tell) is an innocent bystander in this whole mess. In retrospect, probably the best option is to just have Drake offer to pay Ennis for the trouble he caused.

Anyway, Ennis said Drake left a note that said something about Ysold in Whiterun, so I guess that's where Drake is headed next.

Art is mine, the story is from my game, but I'm taking liberties with the telling for entertainment purposes.

TLDR: Drake wakes up after blacking out and learns he behaved badly.

Fredas 26th of Hearthfire?

"Wake up!" The shrill voice shot through Drake's head like a hot pick into his brain. By the nine! his head hurt, and the rest of him wasn't fairing so well either. He seemed to be a collection of pain and wetness, and he hadn't even opened his eyes yet. "I said wake up, you drunken blasphemer!" the shrill voice rang out again, louder and more piercing than before. Drake winced and tried to open his eyes, only to snap them shut again against the oppressive torchlight.

As he brought a dripping hand to his face and propped himself up, eyes still closed, he realized that he seemed to have fallen asleep in a small shallow pool of water. What in oblivion had he done that for? he wondered, trying to remember where he was or how he had gotten there as his cramped and aching muscles sang out their displeasure.

He clumsily cupped his hands into the water and splashed his face, before having another cautious go at opening his eyes. There was a sharp moment of pain, and then the world slowly seemed to begin righting itself as things came into focus. He was in a large rectangular stone room lined with pillars and shapely statues, and hung with flowing red tapestries and lit by torches and glowing braziers casting everything in a mysterious red aura.

And he was indeed sitting in and had apparently been sleeping in a small raised stone pool in the center of the room.

A yellow shape beside the pool turned out to be the only other figure in the room. A young woman in the robes of a priestess, her arms resolutely folded across her chest as she scowled down at him.

"Where. . . am I?" Drake, drake rasped from an ironically dry throat.

"Of Course!" the woman scoffed, raising her eyes to the roof as if seeking divine aid for patience. "So, you don't even remember coming here, do you?"

Drake tried to recall anything about how he had gotten there, but to no avail. He cupped his hands into the water and splashed his face once again, shaking his head vigorously as he tried to put things together.

"Would you stop doing that with the sacred pool!" the woman shrieked seizing him by his sopping arm and trying to pull him from the pool.

Drake, clumsily rose to his feet, staring down in alarm at the water he'd so recently slept in, as he he made his way from the pool splashing the priestess in his haste. "I'm sorry!" he offered the young woman as he ran an exasperated hand through his disheveled hair. "I truly don't know how I came to be here!"

The priestess still gripped Drake by the arm, whether to steady him or keep him from fleeing Drake couldn't say, but some of the hostility had left her face and she stared at him thoughtfully for a moment, before shaking her head. "And I suppose you don't remember fondling the statuary either?" she said tipping her head towards one of the shapely images that line the room.

"WHAT!?" Drake shrieked, but the sudden exclamation sent a lightning bold of pain through his brain, and he would have dropped to his knees in pain if the priestess weren't still gripping his arm.

"Yes, your head hurts." the priestess said, pulling Drake upright, as she placed a palm against his forehead as if checking for fever. Apparently satisfied she went on matter-of-factly, "So, you don't remember where you are, and I'm guessing that means you also don't remember coming in here and blathering incoherently about marriage or a goat." She clicked her tongue dissaprovingly before going on. "Which would mean you don't remember losing your temper and throwing trash all over the temple."

Drake, was still reeling from the sudden pain in his head as he listened to the priestess's unfamiliar narrative, but suddenly a memory flashed into his aching head. The stranger! from the Bannered Mare!

"Sam!" Drake suddenly exclaimed grabbing the priestess's arm as he nearly toppled over in his earnestness. "Was a man named Sam with me?!"

FIN

So, Drake did the drinking game with Sam, and He's no longer in the same city, or even the same hold. It appears Sam and Drake went to Markarth where they, or at least Drake trashed the temple to Dibella. The priestess Senna wouldn't say more than that till Drake helped her clean up the mess he made and apologized.

Among the mess, there was a note from Sam, with a list of items needed to repair the staff he promised Drake which included a giant's toe and a Hagraven's feather and some holy water. Drake has the giant's toe and the hagraven's feather, and I assume he came to Dibella's temple for the holy water (why he woke up in the pool. But I can't figure out any way to actually get any of the water. There were some bottles in the room, but they are wine, and I can't empty them out.

Senna the priestess said Drake had mentioned Rorikstead and my quest marker is now set there, but it seems weird to be here at the pool and not have a way to collect the water when I have the other items.

Art is mine, the story is from my game, but I'm taking liberties with the telling for entertainment purposes.

TLDR: Drake get's distracted by a sidequest . . . again

Turdas 25th of Hearthfire

Drake's hand darted for his dagger hilt as he spun to face the commotion that had erupted behind him, but he was met by nothing more threatening than the sight of Mikael sprawled across the floor at the feet of a very annoyed looking Uthgerd and the raucous laughter of Bannered Mare's usual customers. Drake let out an exasperated sigh, shaking his head at the bard's antics before realizing that in his haste to face the imagined threat, he'd sloshed his ale across the bar-top.

His eye caught Hulda's from behind bar as she surveyed the spilled drink, and shot Drake a look that was half irritation and half concern. She gave her head a flick, tossing the red hair out of her face as she wiped her hands across her skirt, and headed towards drake, grabbing a linen towel from one of the tables on her way.

"I'm sorry for that" he offered weakly as she began wiping down the bar-top.

Drake could feel his face growing hot, as the harried innkeeper cleaned up his mess in silence.

"You know Drake," She finally responded, never taking her eyes from her task, "I'm pretty accustomed to cleaning up messes in the Bannered Mare." She shrugged," comes with the job I suppose. but aside from breaking all my furniture in that fight with Uthgerd," she glanced briefly up at Drake, "You're not usually the one making them" she said, cutting him off before he could protest her comment about the fight with Uthgerd.

She wrung the towel out over the rubbish barrel before leveling a concerned stare at him. "Is something wrong? You've seemed . . . on edge ever since you and Lydia came back into Whiterun."

Drake returned Hulda's stare unsure what to say. He had been on edge. Ever since finding that note on the Thalmor Assassins. Divine! The Aldemeri Dominion wanted him dead! How could he not be on edge. He thought he'd left this sort of trouble behind him in Cyrodil, but here it was again and bigger than ever.

Drake shook his head, pulling himself back to reality and giving Hulda a weak smile. "Probably just the Rattles" he said, Arcadia seems to think there's a case of it going around.

Hulda sniffed derisively, "and I'm sure she offered you something to cure it too!" She glowered for a moment as her eyes darted in the direction of the apthecary shop as though she could sense it through the walls, before her gaze returned to Drake, "Try to relax tonight, Drake" she said, her voice softened, as she grabbed a pitcher from one of the casks and topped off his drink before moving out from behind the bar, doubtless to remind Mikael he was there the play and sing, not fetch another beating from Uthgerd.

Drake smirked at the sound of Mikael being told off as he rolled his shoulders trying to loosen the tension. Hulda was right, he should try to relax. There would be enough to worry about tomorrow as he and Lydia rode for Ustengrav to retrieve the horn of Jurgen Windcaller, but tonight he wasn't going to let that or the Thalmor or the war get to him. Tonight he was just going to relax, he thought, taking a deep pull from his ale cup.

"You look like someone who can hold their liquor!" a voice rang out beside Drake, as he felt a hand slap him on the shoulder.

Fin

So, Drake made it back to Whiterun, and, for real, I was going to head out and do the main quest. I sorted out my inventory at breezhome, sold all my stuff, leveled up my smithing, etc ect. and then I went to the Bannered Mare and there was a new guy there. . . So, I guess I'm doing this thing now.

Art is mine, the story is from my game, but I"m taking liberties with the telling for the sake of entertainment.

TLDR: OP rescues Thorald

Middas 24th of Hearthfire. So Drake finally made it to the inner recesses of Northwatch keep. The attempts at stealth didn't last very long and it quickly became a bloody slog through the keep.

Lydia and Drake eventually found the interogation room where a Thalmor "interrogator" tried to defibrillate Lydia while her heart was still beating.

We killed the Interogator and his storm atronach and rescued Thorald who apparently had a sword hidden in his prison wallet. Together we made our way out of the keep, freeing some other prisoner on the way and causing a minor riot.

Once they got outside of the keep Thorald explained to Drake that it wouldn't be safe for him to go back to Whiterun (makes sense), but gave him a secret message to deliver to his mother so she would know he was safe.

Anyway, It looks like this mission is in the bag, Drake just needs to get back to Whiterun, deliver Thorald's message to Fralia, get his affairs in order, and then on to the main quest!

Art is mine, the story is from my game but I'm taking liberties with the telling for entertainment purposes.

I made a joke about how many people Drake and Lydia would have to kill to rescue Fralia's son. I think it ended up being about 16 Thalmor (if you count the hit squad they faced on the way to Northwatch keep) I'm glad I didn't have to go up against any imperials for this mission because I'm trying to stay neutral so far.

So, I never play newer games. the only console I have is a handheld switch a freind bought for me, and I pretty much just use it to play skyrim and old N64 games, but recently, I have had a weird hankering to play Subnautica. And even more recently found out it was available on the switch.

I don't play a lot of games, cause I have a lot of kids and realistically there just isn't time, but they are going to be away for a week (end of July beginning of August, And I am thinking of "taking the plunge"

anyway I drew some artwork based on my interest in playing. I normally draw D&D and Skyrim stuff, so that's why these characters look nothing like the characters in game.

Art is mine, feedback is welcome.

TLDR: OP finally makes it to Northwatch Keep, and fails his stealth check

Tirdas 23rd of Hearthfire

Drakes heart pounded against his cuirass as he did his best to flatten himself against the stone wall waiting for the pair of sentries to pass. It had been one thing taking eliminating the fortress’s exterior guard out in the open air, where there was the coverage of the tree line, room to draw a bow, and . . . if push came to shove, the option of retreat, But inside the fortress, in the darkness of windowless stone walls, in the musty air heavy with elven magic, Drake couldn’t help feeling like a cornered rat.

He held his breath as the sound of voices and footsteps drew still closer. Shadows or not, if the soldiers turned down their passage way, there was no way they could avoid a fight. The light of sentry’s torch lit up the adjacent hallway and he could hear the footsteps stop as the low murmur of voices told Drake they were deep in discussion. He heard too the gentle creak of leather of Lydia tightening her grip on her massive sword (as if there would be room to swing it in this tight hallway).

But a moment later the sound of footsteps resumed and the light of the men’s torches and the sound of their voices grew fainter as they passed on heedless of the keep's intruders or of their dead companions just outside the keep.

Drake let out a relieved sigh as his house carl pulled away from the wall, as though the very thought of hiding in the shadows disgusted her, which it probably did, Drake thought as he cautiously continued their trek deeper into the keep. In fact, he mused, if it were up to his housecarl, they probably would taken on the entire keep by now.

FIN

So, Drake and Lydia have made it to Northwatch keep, and I just want to let you know, your boy Drake, really shined in taking out the keeps exterior guards. I don't think anyone knew we were even there till the last to guards who Drake and Lydia were able to drop fairly easily.

Inside the keep, on the other hand was a different matter. It's funny when I started the game I wanted to go with a stealth dagger build, because Drake is based on a D&D rogue, I tried to make daggers work, but (maybe I'm missing something) it never seemed real viable, so after an awesome encounter with a whiterun guard who charged the dragon at the watch tower, I switched to more of a sword and board style.

I do stealth, but it's not a huge part of my gameplay and I've never unlocked that sweet sweet16x damage modifier for daggers (which I really would have liked to try here at Northwatch keep) anyway, Drake and Lydia tried to sneak through the keep but it's a lot harder to be stealthy in a stone fortress with no sound absorption, Drake had a pretty sweet sneak kill on one of the first guards, but after that it things go real messy. I think when you kill an enemy Lydia sees it as permission to full Rambo on any enemy she sees or imagines.

Anyway, they are part way through the keep, are almost out of health potions, and everything is a bloody mess.

Art is mine, the story is from my game, but I'm taking liberties with the telling for entertainment purposes.

Edit: On a side note, it's mean to look like he's snarling. not like he's grinning like a psychopath

TLDR: OP has first confrontation with Thalmor

Tirdas 23rd of Hearthfire

Drake crouched low sword and shield at the ready as he waited for the two figures in golden armor to make their rush at him. Behind him he could hear the clang of steel on steel that told him Lydia was too occupied to lend a hand with two figures in front of him. Drake took a small step back, adjusting his weight as the two figures cautiously made their way to either side of him. The snow at their feet was already a crimson mess littered with the fallen bodies of the Thalmor patrol.

The patrol’s were a common, if unwelcome sight throughout skyrim. Escorting captured rebel soldiers, and generally making even the loyalists uneasy with their thrice cursed sense of elven superiority. But beyond occasionally demanding to know what Drake and Lydia were doing on the roads, they had never given him any problems.

But it had been different with this patrol. As soon as they had come close enough to make them out clearly, the elves had drawn their weapons. No questions, no demands for surrender, just murderous intent. And now the snow was slushed with the red of 2 fallen soldier’s and 1 slain justicar’s blood. The remaining three still fiercly determined to kill the humans.

There was a cry of pain from behind, and despite the figures circling him, Drake dared a glance back at his housecarl, no longer on her feet, but wrestling in the muddy snow in bloody hand to hand combat with the elf. One of Drake’s own opponents seized the opportunity the distraction afforded and rushed forward, his comrade following suit a split second later.

Drake side stepped the thrust of his attacker’s blade swinging his shield in a wide arc that rammed into the portion of the elf’s face left exposed by the winged helm. There was a sickening crunch of teeth and bone breaking, at the contact. Drake swung his still free sword arm at the second charging soldier, halting his advance as he was forced to parry the blow, as the first elf crumpled to his knees, hands clutching his mangled face.

The first elf temporarily out of the fight, it was now a one-on-one battle between Drake and the remaining solider wildly raining blow after blow of his twin glass swords down on Drake’s own sword and shield as he slowly backed blindly through the snow, desperately looking for an opening in the elf’s relentless attacks.

But the opening never came, and as Drake took yet another step backwards his foot caught on some brush hidden beneath the snow, and with a sickening dropping feeling in his stomach, he felt himself falling backwards even as his opponent advanced.

Drake stared up at the snow laden tree branches above them trying to bring his shield up over himself, and knowing he would never get it up in time to stop the elves next blow.

“FUS!” he shouted up at the elf, using what thume he had left to try to buy himself time, but the weak shout barely fazed the elf. It did however do more than shake the branches above them, and a sudden deluge of snow dropped from the shaken branches above down onto the elf unbalancing his attack and blinding him with white.

Drake, seeing his opportunity rolled to his side and lashed out wildly as the soldier’s legs. There was a scream and the elf fell, as Drake continued hack and slash at him with his sword till at last there was silence.

Drake rolled back onto his back panting and staring up at the tree branches now emptied of their snow, till he heard the crunch, crunch, crunch of footsteps through the snow and Lydia came into his view offering her hand and helping her thane to his feet.

FIN

So, Drake and Lydia left Solitude early Tirdas morning. They traveled under the huge arch the city is built on and followed the road that hugs the frosty northern coast. As they were traveling and finally getting close to Northwatch, there was a weird encounter with some Thalmor soldiers. I've seen the Thalmor patrols before, and they always look pretty tough, but other than threatening Drake not to interfere with them, they haven't been hostile. But these were different, they immediately drew their weapons and went into combat with Lydia and Drake. They weren't pushovers, but in the end they were defeated, and as Drake searched their bodies, he found a note telling them to find and kill Drake because he's a threat and enemy to the Thalmor.

I don't know if this is something that happens when you start the "missing in action" quest, or if it's something that is triggered when you hit a certain level, but apparently the Thalmor are now hostile. I guess that is going to reshape Drake's visit to Northwatch.

Art is mine, the story is from my game, but I'm taking liberties for the sake of entertainment.

TLDR: OP makes his way to Solitude

Morndas 24th of Hearthfire

Drake was uneasily reminded of Cyrodiil as he approached the massive gate into Solitude. The fortress city still had the rustic look of rough hewn stone rather than the precisely cut masonry of the empire's capital, but in terms of size and pressence the city dwarfed any of the holds Drake had visited in Skyrim.

Still, Drake had to reminded himself, that his trouble in the Imperial city was hundreds of miles away. In Cyrodiil he may have been a wanted man, but in Skyrim he was a respected Thane, and a property owner to boot. The ghosts of his past would fade, and in time the uneasy memories would cease to trouble him, or at least that it was he told himself as he made his way past the guards.

It had been evening when Drake and Lydia had arrived at Solitude, and Drake had sent his housecarl to stable the horses with instructions to meet him at the local tavern where he would have procured them rooms, but the sudden throng he found himself with as he entered the city square, made him wonder, if it had been wise to split up.

The square was packed as though it were holiday, and still more people were pouring in. What in Oblvion was everyone in such a rush to see? All the eyes were directed to a stone dais at the Eastern end of the square, where a stern looking official stood flanked by several guards.

Judging from the angry face of the official and the uneasy murmur of the crowd, Drake judged he wanted no part of whatever spectacle the people had gathered to see. He did his best to make his way Northward across the square, but it was slow going against the flow of the crowd.

"They Can't hurt uncle Rogvir," the high pitched voice of a child broke through the deep murmir, and Drake instinctively turned towards the voice only to see an old woman carrying a child away, as she continued to call, "Tell them he didn't do anything!"

Drake's throat tightened and he renewed his effort to push through the crowd, but before he had made any progress a roar went up through the crowd, and Drake saw a man in ragged robes being led by guards up to the dais and behind them, an axe-man wearing a black mask.

Angry shouts and jeers continued to fly as the man and his execution made their way onto the stage.

FIN

Drake and Lydia made it past Rorikstead and Dragon's Bridge, but it was getting pretty late by time we made it to Solitude, so Rather than trying to press on the rest of the way to Northwatch I decided we'd go spend the night in Solitude.

But entering the city prompted an event, and a reminder that there is a civil war going on. So Drake watched the unhappy event unfold before getting a room at the Winking Skeever (A much more upscale place than the bannered mare, but I guess Solitude is the big city of Skyrim.

Anyway. I imagine the sight of the execution would probably have given Drake some uncomfortable Deja-vu. Hopefully it doesn't interfere with his attempts to rescue Fralia's son from Northwatch.

Art is mine, the story is from my game, but I'm taking liberties with the story telling for entertainment purposes.

TLDR OP finds a big crab on his way to Northwatch

Morndas 24th of Hearthfire

Drake took another cautious step closer to the creature, the leather gauntlet of his sword hand creaking under the pressure of his white knuckled grip on sword as he stood ready to strike at the slightest sign of life. But before Drake could take another step there was a loud splash of water as his house carl marched, unceremoniously into the water and directly into the reach of the crab’s massive claws.

“You DO know it’s dead, don’t you my thane?”

Lydia had the unique ability to sometimes utter Drake’s title in a way that seemed to suggest the words “milk drinker” were on her mind. A suggestion that Drake felt very strongly as the house-carl stared back at him incredulously.

Drake, exhaled and relaxed his grip on the sword. “How could you tell? How did you know it wasn’t just asleep?”

The house carl arched an eyebrow at her lord. “Have you seen these things sleep?” she asked as she stepped gingerly onto one of the claws and began hoisting herself onto the carapace. “They half bury themselves in the mud and hunker down in a tight ball”. She grunted as she pulled herself atop the monster and began dusting herself off “They don’t sprawl out like this,” she went on, gesturing down at the crab’s extended pincers.

Drake stared up at Lydia standing atop the creature, and nodded his head thoughtfully, hoping he didn’t look as foolish as felt. “I guess, I’ve never seen one this big before, so I didn’t know what to expect”

Lydia placed her hands against the small of her back, “Well I guess I can’t judge you soft southerners too harshly,” she said, stretching out her saddle worn back. She paused for a moment before continuing, “besides, there was another more obvious reason I knew it was dead.”

Drake raised an inquisitive eyebrow, and his housecarl gave one of her rare mischievous smiles. “I’ve been out this way before and already knew about this one.”

Drake shook his head as he re-sheathed his sword and slung his shield onto his back, doing his best to ignore Lydia’s smug grin.

“Old Grandpa Snapper” here is a famous landmark,” the Nord continued, “he’s been here as far back as anyone can remember,” She jumped down with a splash into the pool. “in fact, it’s a kind of right of passage for the kids from Whiterun to come out here and dare the younger ones to touch grandfather.”

Drake waited for his house carl to make it out of the pool before turning with her to head back to the horses. “I didn’t even know the mudcrabs could get that big”

Lydia shrugged. “I don’t think they ever stop growing, but once they get big enough to be a nuisance they get killed off” She stared distantly as they continued the ascent back up to the road and there was longing in her voice as she said, ” but back in the day, when men were first settling here. . . there must have been bloody big ones!”

FIN

So, Lydia and Drake are on the western road out of Whiterun heading towards Rorikstead and eventually Northwatch to try to rescue Fralia's son for the Thalmor. Along the way we had a few interesting discoveries, but far and away the most fascinating and terrifying of all was the corpse of the biggest mudcrab I've ever seen. There were several smaller mudcrabs in the vicinity and I thought for sure once I'd killed them all the "mother" was going to wake up.

Even after I was satisfied that the big one was dead I kept waiting for another one of the same size or larger to emerge, but nothing ever happened. It was just an interesting bit of landscape, and it felt like it could be the source of a fun picture (although I did exagerate the size a smidge)

Anyway, here's a bit of storytelling, because sometimes I like to write short stories for my pictures.

The art is mine and the story is from my game, but (Obviously) I'm taking some big liberties with the story telling for entertainment purposes.

TLDR: OP's prepares for a long journey.

Sundas 23rd of Hearthfire

So, Drake did his first theft, and stole the paper from the Battleborn house that tells where Fralia's son is being held. Fralia, understandably wants her son rescued from the Thalmor, and If Drake doesn't go Avulstein is going to do something big stupid and Fralia will probably end up losing both her sons.

I didn't really want Drake to get involved in the civil war questline, but I also don't want Fralia and Eorlund to loose both their kids, so I guess I will head up to Northwatch keep to see if I can't rescue Thorald (maybe without killing anyone else's sons)

Northwatch is INSANELY far away from Whiterun (I think it might actually be as far away as possible on the map) and I am trying to play without fast travel, so Drake and Lydia saddled up at first light and are heading to the extreme NorthWest of the map. I've marked the path I plan on taking if you're curious. I've learned sticking to the roads ussually works WAY better than trying to make a bee line. if it ends up being a multi day trip I figure Drake and Lydia can spend the night either at one of the villages along the way or even Solitude if we make it that far.

I'm trying to work on drawing more scenery, so hopefully this trip gives me some cool sights to draw on the way.

Art is mine, the story is from my game, but I"m taking liberties with the telling for entertainment purposes.

TLDR: OP over-prepares and learns the sad truth about invisibility potions

Loredas 22nd of Hearthfire

So, I really really like Whiterun. I love exploring ruins and dealing with bandits and traveling across Skyrim, but Whiterun just always feels like Drake's home, and it's extra cool that he is a Thane there as well. I say all that to say, It freaks me out to imagine him getting into trouble there or becoming enemies with any of his neighbors.

Other than warning that bard in the bannered mare to quit hitting on Carlotta, and accepting Uthergerd's challenge to a fist fight, all of Drake's interactions in Whiterun have been positive, so the thought of him getting involved in a feud between the two big families in the hold makes me a little nervous. In fact, I'd probably be tempted just to skip the quest, but I'm a huge sucker for women in distress plot hooks, and I can't stand the thought of just leaving Fralia forever unsure of her son's fate.

Which means I need to break into the Battleborn house. Judging from everyone's comments there are apparently a bunch of interesting and creative ways to go about doing so, but I guess I'm just a dummy, because I just went ahead had Drake break into the house, but I was super freaked out about getting caught.

Part of my head-canon for Drake is that he was a thief in Cyrodil and had to flee to Skyrim when he got in over his head and he is now trying to go straight. I don't think Drake's stolen anything in the game yet, and the only locks he's picked have been dungeon chests. So, while I was willing to have him break into the battleborn house, I was also really freaked out about getting caught.

I'm trying to do a no deaths and no-reloads game, and so far that's been a success (unless you count me reloading during the Kodlak funeral glitch). So, I tend to do a lot of preparation and planning (what gear am I taking, what standing stone do I have active, etc.

Anyway, I did a ton of preparation for breaking into the Battleborn house. I knew, no matter what I didn't want Drake killing anyone, so I changed him from his armor to normal attire (yes I know that is dumb, but I believe it's also easier to sneak when you're not wearing armor) I do a fair bit of sneaking in my game, but it's not the stat I lean into (I go more sword and board than anything else) so my normal gear isn't geared toward stealth, but I whipped up a ring necklace and boots that all fortified sneak (is muffle better than fortify sneak?), and also whipped up an extra strong potion of fortify stealth, and few potions of invisibility.

On a side note, I did NOT realize that every time you do literally ANYTHING your invisibility potion ends. So, I drank the first one before opening the door into the house, and then immediately had to drink another one once I was inside. and then another one to pick a locked door inside.

Drake eventually found the journal that said Fralia's son was being held as a prisoner at a place called Northwatch, but by the time he found it, he had used up all his invisibility potions and had to sneak out the old fashioned way. I think he saw one person in the house the whole time I was there, I don't think he was detected. But his stats show he has stolen once (the note about Thorald) but I think I'm ok with that.

Anyway, sorry for a super long description of a super short event. But it turns out Fralia was correct about her son, and I'm guessing Drake is going to be traveling to this Northwatch place.

Art is mine, the story is from my game but I'm taking liberties with the telling for entertainment purposes

TLDR: OP receives the typical Nord greeting

Fredas 21st of Hearthfire

Drake furtively opened the door into the Greymane home. After learning the house's location he'd waited till the street was clear of bystanders before going inside. It felt a little silly being so secretive, Whiterun was home after all, and it's inhabitants his neighbors. But Fralia had insisted it wasn't safe for them to be seen or heard speaking together, and while that might just be the paranoia of an old woman mourning the death of her son, there had been something in the earnest manner she had spoken to Drake with that made him wonder if there weren't some truth to what the woman had said.

Drake quickly stepped inside. He could see a cheery fire burned cozily in the open central room of the house just beyond the small entrance room. but there was no sign of Fralia.

Aside from the soft crackle of the fire and gentle bubbling of a cookingpot, the house was silent. Perhaps Fralia was still out. He took a step forward out of the entryway and into the hearth-room. He was on the verge of calling out, when a an iron grip seized him from the side and he was slammed into the wall so violently that the timbers shook and dust trickled down on him from the second floor.

But Drake barely had time to notice any of this as the chill of cold steel pressed into his neck, and a voice with a heavy Nord accent barked, "Are you working with the Battle-Borns? Speak now before I put you in the ground!"

FIN

So, I headed over to Eorlund and Fralia's house and was met by their son (mystery solved!). Except apparently this isn't the son she's looking for, but he is also in hiding from the Battleborns and the empire becuase he is also a Stormcloak.

Fortunately Fralia showed up in time to stop her son, Avulstein? from "putting Drake in the ground" and explained the situation. Apparently both Fralia and Avulstein are conviced that Thorald was not killed in battle, but captured by the Imperial army and is being held somewhere. They don't know where, but they are certain the Battleborns do (cause they're like BFFs with the emperor or something).

Avulstein can't investigate because he's a rebel and would get arrested if he showed his rebel face, Fralia can't investigate because she is old and might break her hip again. and Eorlund can't because he is in love with his mistress, the skyforge.

So, looks like it's up to Drake to find out what happened, and what he's going to do about it. How many dead bodies will leave in the wake of this rescue mission? You decide!

I'm excited about this mission, but I'm also nervous. I've been pretty careful to stay neutral on the whole civil war thing so far, and I'm afraid this quest might force me to make an uncomfortable decision.

Art is mine, story is from my game, but I'm taking some big liberties with the telling for entertainment purposes.

TLDR: OP is distracted from the main questline again

Fredas 21st of Hearthfire

So, the companions questline was a much larger and more drawn out story than I had expected. It was cool, but it also felt kind of weird to be dealing with the affairs of this local band of mercenaries when there is this earth shattering dragon threat going on, and I promised myself once I was finished with the Companions, I would put my head down and dive into the main questline.

But then I ran into Fralia. (Side note) I didn't realize she was Eorland's wife until I started this quest, I kind of assumed Eorland just lived at the forge, or with the companions, it's kind of weird now knowing he has and a son and a house in town. I don't think I've ever seen the skyforge empty (not that I get out much at night).

Anyway, I was treating myself to a sweetroll from the bannered mare as a reward for saving Kodlak from Hircine and becoming the Harbinger, when I ran into Fralia (her shop is right next to the Bannered mare) and she started talking to me about how she knew her son was still alive.

And then I remembered that WAAAAAY back when I first came to skyrim (I think the first time I left the Bannered Mare There was an interaction between Fralia and an Imperial soldier and one of the Battleborns, and there were arguing about her missing/dead son.

She asked Drake to meet her at her house to talk about her son in private, and I'm a pretty huge sucker for women in distress plots, so I guess the horn of Jurgen Windcaller is going to have to wait a hair longer.

Art is mine. The story is from my game, but I'm taking liberties with how I tell it for the sake of entertainment.

TLDR: Lydia is ACKKK-chewily pretty cool!

I feel like Lydia is a super divisive character. Anytime I post a picture about her it seems like half the people say their favorite part of the game is murdering her, and the other half tell me she is S tier Waifu material.

I definitely get that like the other the two other followers I've had so far (Faendal and Serana) she can block her fair share of doors, and she is more than apt to go full Conan (1982 version) on enemies when I'm trying to sneak, but I do like her quite a bit as a follower.

I think I specifically like that in a game full of characters who are just waiting around for you to show up and solve their problems so they can shower you with praise and give you that oh so coveted shot of dopamine, You have this House Carl who was (seemingly reluctantly) assigned to you near the beginning of the game. She's not openly hostile to you, but it also doesn't feel like she's thrilled with you either.

And because she becomes your follower pretty early in the game, she gets to see you as a low level character while you are still figuring things out, and probably screwing a lot of things up. It definitely makes her "sworn to carry your burdens" sting a little extra when she says it after a particularly messy encounter.

On the flip side of that though, if you don't dismiss her right off the bat, she is also present to see you going from being a noob to a decent player. And I kind of think a part of how followers work in the game from a story telling perspective is they give the dragonborn somebody to witness them being awesome.

I realize they are just pixels delivering per-scripted lines and they don't actually form an opinion about you, but again as you are imagining the story play out, it's kind of hard not to image your follower growing to be a little impressed after you defeat that troll up on the mountain, or when you flawlessly execute a bandit horde or a draugr lord.

I realize this is dumb, but anytime I do something I consider impressive in the game, I'm glad my follower is there to see it. Lydia still gives me her snark when I give her the 500th item to carry, but I like to imagine there's less vitrol in it. Now if I could just get her to stop stepping on pressure plates.

Art is mine, feedback is welcome

Is there a good way to kill slaughterfish?

I recently got a necklace with the waterbreathing enchantment on it, and I feel like it's opened up a whole interesting new world of underwater exploration. Like I can't go by a body of water (except up in the icy areas) and not want to explore it.

And it's really cool that the developers apparently put some thought into including interesting little tidbits in the underwater world, mostly alchemy ingredients, but it's still cool.

BUT. . . I really hate the slaughterfish. They're not particularly dangerous to Drake at this point, but they are really annoying, and they are annoying difficult to kill. The only way I've found to take them out is to lead them all back to shallow water, and then bat blindly at them with my sword, before going back into the water and probably finding another slaughterfish that hadn't noticed me yet.

is there a way to actually kill them while you're underwater? Is there some non awful way of taking them out before you go in?

Art is mine, story is from my game, but I'm taking liberties with the telling for the sake of entertainment.

TLDR: the Companions have a new Harbinger

Tirdas 18th of Hearthfire

Well, kids. I think the companions quest is pretty much done. Some of you mentioned there are some loose ends that can be closed up, and I'm sure I'll be exploring those, but both Kodlak and Drake's curse has been broken.

I was a little dissapointed that I didn't get to see the ghost of Ysgamir, but seeing Kodlak separate from his wolf form and then battling it was also pretty cool.

It was also very touching having Kodlak thank you for breaking the curse on him as a ghost, especially after having read his journal, and hearing his impressions of you. I don't love being the "leader" of the companions now, but I get how that wraps the story up nicely. I suspect the Companions are going to have to be ok with a largely absent Harbinger, but I have a feeling they'll be ok.

Several people told me the Companion's questline is their favorite, and while there were things that I wish were different, now that I've finished the main story of it, I can definitely see why.

Art is mine, story is from my game, but I'm taking liberties with the telling for the sake of entertainment.

TLDR: OP is (supposedly) almost done with the companions questline

Tirdas 18th of Hearthfire

Well kids, I'm no fortune teller, but it looks to me like Drake is just about to the end of the companions questline.

Drake, Aela, and Farkas (also Lydia) made their way deeper through Ysgramor's tomb, with Vilkas left back at the entrance. We made it past the ghosts of the fallen Companions of yore and came to a section of Spider's that proved to much for Farkas. Apparently he and Drake had some encounter with spiders early int he game that I forgot about or somehow skipped. He mentioned that after Dustman's Carin he can't stand crawly things. So I guess I'm just forgetting something traumatic that happened.

So Drake Aela (and Lydia) made their way deeper into the tomb and past the spiders, and some more companion ghosts. I kept expecting the Aela was going to come to a point where she said she couldn't go any further, but she stuck with me all the way.

I'm really enjoying this stage of the companions quest line and this is a minor nit-pick, but it's weird to me that Aela is the one who accompanies you to the end and Farkas and Vilkas get left behind. Aela seems the absolute LEAST worthy of the circle to help the dragonborn break the spell. She's a huge part of the reason Kodlak died in the first place, she is all about revenge, and she doesn't even seem to agree with Kodlak about the nature of the curse. Like I said, not a huge deal it's just weird that she makes it to the end while Farkas and Vilkas are presented as kind of unworthy.

Anyway, Drake and Aela make it to what I assume is the final chamber and meet with the ghost of Kodlak, warming himself at a blue alter flame. Kodlak tells Drake what a great job he's done bringing honor to the companions, and Drake explains that he has come to break the curse, and now Drake is going to get a change to level up in witch burning.

There's a large Sacofoagus in the room so I'm guessing I'll also have to fight someone. Perhaps the ghost of Ysgamor himself?

One way or another, it looks like this questline is just about done. Wish me luck.

Art is mine, the story is from my game, but I'm taking liberties with the telling for the sake of entertainment.