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For me, the biggest change in this game (well, one of many) that I love is that people are the toughest to beat. I was in a forte on a quest to open a lever for a group to get in, and I ran into 3 humans, I am thinking easy. Well, they are all magic users - with frost, no life, no stamina and no chance. As soon as I got done with them, the noise alerted 4 others of the fight. They show up, with help (fire elementals) and I was dust. It was awful b/c either I died or Lydia did and I have only had 1 follower so far in the game. No , wait, I take that back, very early, I had the archer from riverwood as my follower after giving the letter from the Bard to their "love" interest.

In Oblivion, Ogres and Minotaurs were really hard and humans, even in daedric armor weren't that bad. Run into 4 necromages and wow, look out.

Hey, can anyone explain how resist magic works? I have 4 items, all with resist frost that come to about 125% protection. Yet, when a Frost Dragon breathes on me, I barely survive. Why is that?

Does anyone know if u give any follower magic items (say a suit of armor that allows her to carry more) does that work on them?

Lastly, on my ps3, can someone explain how to give a follower a command? I see that some other things are listed like go and do this, how do u command them to do that? Can u give me a step by step on how this works? Lets say , for Lydia, since I have her right now. Also, who is the best follower and why? Are dogs worth having? I know in Fallout 3, it was a nightmare to keep dogmeat alive. Is it as hard? I am running a good guy (I plan to start a second game with an evil guy to run the dark brotherhood and thieves stuff).
Thanx
Dan

I was playing a Argonian Shadow Scale 'She-Who-Hunts", trekking through Eastmarch (near the giant camp). I was sneaking near a collection of pools when ahead I thought I spied a Sabre Cat lying down. Pulling out my bow, I eyed the cat up and fired, fitting it directly. An odd thing happened though, my soul-trap effect didn't activate. Going closer to investigate, I noticed that cat had already been killing, and behind him on a lower section were lying 2 mammoths and a giant. Utter carnage (and I never found out who killed them all, though I presume it was some dragon on the prowl).

My breath was stolen by the vista below me. The "Throat of the World" was named truely. I nock an arrow and take aim, the troll lies below me, blissfuly unaware of my presence. I loose the arrow, unleashing a bolt of pure, deadric power upon the troll. Its soul enters the void without a sound.

I step back to admire my handywork ...... and step off the aedra-damned mountain. True story.

Ok do you want to here what happened here's how it went I was to kill a bandit leader in these underground tunnels under this hut so I went around the guards at the watchtower near the road and headed to the hut. I went inside it was empty but just then I heard a woman say something so I drew my arrow and waited to see her head as she came up the stairs I then missed and hit her in the arm she then started running toward me then I shot her in the head. I then began looking for a trap door of some sort until I finally found a button I pushed it then a cupboard opened up like a door I then closed the cupboard so that just in case the guards game to check on the hut they wouldn't know I went into the tunnels.

So I started walking down the tunnels then came to a small rickety wooden bridge and I saw the siloutte of a man I killed him with an arrow to the head then his friends came to find dead so I killed them the same way I then made my was through the tunnels until I found myself in a makeshift tavern where all the bandits where eating and drinking at tables so I drew a frenzy poisoned arrow and shot it at a big orc he then started attacking them and wounded them but they then killed him. I then ran back into the caves and then killed them all with arrows to the head. I then finally got to the target she was asleep I awoke her and told her why I was here and then killed her. I then walked right back out of the cave.

It was cold and damp when the blurred perception of reality began to creep into the corners of Malices consciousness. Rather then jerking alert he exhibited the control taught painfully by his master Lord Cognus, through years of intense meditation exercises, the purpose was to control everything around him, from perception to reality. In Malices experience perception often was reality, he learned quickly that through direct or subtle manipulation he could modify the way he was viewed and thus change his reality and that of those around him. Keeping his eyes closed he concentrated, opening his senses up to the force. It felt different then usual, almost as if he was touching the force through a dense fog, there was a significant amount of pain in his body to draw upon the power of the dark side. However, it felt faint, like an echo of the normal powerful sensation. His skin was covered in a thin coat of cold moisture telling him that it was morning, someplace cold. The air was thin meaning the planet he was on either had a less dense atmosphere or he was in a mountainous region. He was being transported, that part was painfully obvious, a jerking motion combined with the smell of animals and humans stank in the air. His hands were bound in front of him, painfully tight, Malice didn't mind the pain, he drew on it used it to feed his fury, trying to fan the flame of the dark side within him. He mentally recited the Sith code;

Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me.

Usually, the dark side would fill him like an inferno, giving him strength and power, however, in this strange environment it was more like a spark. He doubted he would have the strength to break his bonds with this minimal amount of power. Malice decided to give up pretenses, there was nothing for him to gain by continuing to feign unconsciousness. He slowly opened his eyes and the world exploded around him, bright light shined into his head causing his vision to blur and he nearly lost consciousness from the pain. Malice gritted his teeth and welcomed the pain, again vainly attempting to turn it into raw dark side energy. A dirty fair haired human sat across from him on what appeared to be a primitive transportation device, he started speaking about Malice waking and bantering with another human he had identified as a horse thief sitting next to him. Malice remained silent, he didn't care about anything the man was saying apparently they had been detained by another group of humans and were being transported to a facility for some sort of processing. Another man was bound and gagged to his right, this man had an air of nobility about him, he sat straighter then the other men and was identified as a "Jarl" though this title meant nothing to Malice.

A short while later they entered a primitive settlement, stone masonry walls surrounded the encampment and there was a bustling of activity, apparently their caravan was expected Malice mused dryly as they pulled into an open courtyard. A second wagon had already arrived ahead of them containing more of the tall fair haired humans. A dark skin woman with metallic armor shouted for them to get off their wagon and began, a man next to her in some sort of animal hide armor began identifying members of the group and telling them to line up in front of another man with a black hood and a wicked looking large axe. The man that had originally been identified as the "horse thief" panicked and ran like a coward, he was summarily shot down by two men using primitive yet effective ballistic weapons, Malice didn't care about the mans fate, however, he was starting to realize that without the force this group of fools could harm, or maybe even kill him. The man in animal hide armor asked his name, referring to him as "Prisoner" and calling him elf, Malice was unfamiliar with this designation.

"I am Lord Malice, apprentice to Lord Cognus, Dark Lord of the Sith, release me fools or face my wrath"

The man ignored the threat and looked to the woman beside him.

"He's not on the list, what should we do?" He asked with a worried expression on his face. Apparently the woman was some sort of authority in this area.
"He will be executed with the rest" She replied with a stern look in his direction. Malice seethed, he looked around for options, none were apparent, if he ran he would share the fate of the horse thief. The man mumbled some sort of apology to him and said something about Thalmar. Malice just glared at them in hatred and fell into line.

So I started a Sith, for those of you familiar with Star Wars, basically I wear enchanted black robes and use a red glow enchanted katana, I specialized in "Sith Lightning" and use my Sith Speed to rush in and out of situations, I also use Jedi Mind tricks to get better prices and wear Sith Masks to increase my force powers. My slaves that follow me are treated harshly and killed if they do not do my bidding to my satisfaction. On my travels I've found the secret to eternal life through some sort of disease that although making me reliant on blood, extended my life span without limit. I joined the Imperials, and Dark Brotherhood.

I guess this is a short story kinda too, I really just wrote it as a background for my character.

It was cold and damp when the blurred perception of reality began to creep into the corners of Malices consciousness. Rather then jerking alert he exhibited the control taught painfully by his master Lord Cognus, through years of intense meditation exercises, the purpose was to control everything around him, from perception to reality. In Malices experience perception often was reality, he learned quickly that through direct or subtle manipulation he could modify the way he was viewed and thus change his reality and that of those around him. Keeping his eyes closed he concentrated, opening his senses up to the force. It felt different then usual, almost as if he was touching the force through a dense fog, there was a significant amount of pain in his body to draw upon the power of the dark side. However, it felt faint, like an echo of the normal powerful sensation. His skin was covered in a thin coat of cold moisture telling him that it was morning, someplace cold. The air was thin meaning the planet he was on either had a less dense atmosphere or he was in a mountainous region. He was being transported, that part was painfully obvious, a jerking motion combined with the smell of animals and humans stank in the air. His hands were bound in front of him, painfully tight, Malice didn't mind the pain, he drew on it used it to feed his fury, trying to fan the flame of the dark side within him. He mentally recited the Sith code;

Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me.

Usually, the dark side would fill him like an inferno, giving him strength and power, however, in this strange environment it was more like a spark. He doubted he would have the strength to break his bonds with this minimal amount of power. Malice decided to give up pretenses, there was nothing for him to gain by continuing to feign unconsciousness. He slowly opened his eyes and the world exploded around him, bright light shined into his head causing his vision to blur and he nearly lost consciousness from the pain. Malice gritted his teeth and welcomed the pain, again vainly attempting to turn it into raw dark side energy. A dirty fair haired human sat across from him on what appeared to be a primitive transportation device, he started speaking about Malice waking and bantering with another human he had identified as a horse thief sitting next to him. Malice remained silent, he didn't care about anything the man was saying apparently they had been detained by another group of humans and were being transported to a facility for some sort of processing. Another man was bound and gagged to his right, this man had an air of nobility about him, he sat straighter then the other men and was identified as a "Jarl" though this title meant nothing to Malice.

A short while later they entered a primitive settlement, stone masonry walls surrounded the encampment and there was a bustling of activity, apparently their caravan was expected Malice mused dryly as they pulled into an open courtyard. A second wagon had already arrived ahead of them containing more of the tall fair haired humans. A dark skin woman with metallic armor shouted for them to get off their wagon and began, a man next to her in some sort of animal hide armor began identifying members of the group and telling them to line up in front of another man with a black hood and a wicked looking large axe. The man that had originally been identified as the "horse thief" panicked and ran like a coward, he was summarily shot down by two men using primitive yet effective ballistic weapons, Malice didn't care about the mans fate, however, he was starting to realize that without the force this group of fools could harm, or maybe even kill him. The man in animal hide armor asked his name, referring to him as "Prisoner" and calling him elf, Malice was unfamiliar with this designation.

"I am Lord Malice, apprentice to Lord Cognus, Dark Lord of the Sith, release me fools or face my wrath"

The man ignored the threat and looked to the woman beside him.

"He's not on the list, what should we do?" He asked with a worried expression on his face. Apparently the woman was some sort of authority in this area.
"He will be executed with the rest" She replied with a stern look in his direction. Malice seethed, he looked around for options, none were apparent, if he ran he would share the fate of the horse thief. The man mumbled some sort of apology to him and said something about Thalmar. Malice just glared at them in hatred and fell into line.

So I started a Sith, for those of you familiar with Star Wars, basically I wear enchanted black robes and use a red glow enchanted katana, I specialized in "Sith Lightning" and use my Sith Speed to rush in and out of situations, I also use Jedi Mind tricks to get better prices and wear Sith Masks to increase my force powers. My slaves that follow me are treated harshly and killed if they do not do my bidding to my satisfaction. On my travels I've found the secret to eternal life through some sort of disease that although making me reliant on blood, extended my life span without limit. I joined the Imperials, and Dark Brotherhood.

I was to kill a chief of an orc stonghold in the Rift this wouldn't be an easy job at all and it would be a long journey from Dawnstar so I brought Valun with me he would be fit for the job he was strong and even though I could probably handle all those orcs I would like the company and it would be good to have him just in case. So we headed out at dusk we made it to the Mouth of the Karths after a few hours. We then traveled through the murky and freezing marshes and by dawn we made it to the mountains we would have to cross to get into the hold of Whiterun.

It was there that we found a small cabin with a dead Nord man inside I dragged him out of the bed and into the woods because I planned for us to rest until night when we would head back out again the reason for traveling at night it because of our garb is very suspicous and we aim to come into contact with no people on our way to contracts as not to arise suspicouns it is just easier for an assassin to travel at night it makes more since. So I read the mans journal it seemed he died of rockjoint and said something about a companion who was gone at the time I figured. So I slept while Valun took guard, then when I awoke Valun slept and I took guard.

At dawn I woke up Valun and we headed into the mountains it took us almost a whole day but we crossed the mountains then made our way into The Reach after traveling the Reach for a long time we headed into the mountains and found a small shack ontop of a mountain so I scouted it out and found a woman sitting on the ledge of a deck on the cliffside so I came up behind her drew my bow drew an arrow and let my arrow pierce her head she then fell of the porch and down the mountain. We decided to stay the night at the shack so first we head dinner I then went to sleep while Valun guarded me, then I guarded Valun. I awoke him at dawn and we haded back out finally we where out of the mountains but found ourselves on the road a place we prefered not to be on but considering it was the Reach it wasn't heavily used but after traveling for a few minutes I saw some Alik'r warriors interogating a woman, I though I killed them all but I guess not they just don't give up I guess. So we hid out of sight and waited for the warriors to disperse I then shot the woman with an arrow killed her then dragged her body into the rapids near the road.

Then we started traveling down the road and saw the Alik'r again but their backs where turned and they where walking. I decided we would need to kill them it would make this easier so I told Valun to to kill the one walking behind and I would get the one in front with an arrow to the back I also did it as a test for Valun because I knew the Alik'r where good fighters and this would prove to me Valun was a good assassin, and he did just that we then dragged their bodies into the rapids also.

Then a few hours later we came upon a forsworn village, we had to go through it there was no other way so I watched the guard guarding my way through the camp for a long time until I knew her movements. I then waited until her back was turned and then snuck out of the camp with Valun. Then I was walking on the road just near a bridge when I saw a shirtless crazed looking Dark Elf. So I quickly ducked into a ditch in the road and so did Valun. It seemed as though he saw me but he couldn't find me he looked right over my head then after waiting a long time he was still there so I decided I needed to kill him if I we where ever going to complete this contract. So after killing him I checked the contents of him and I found a book of Boethian he must have been some type of crazy cult member.

When we finally got to the orc stonghold in the mountains south of Markarth we started to plan then when we had the plan we went to sleep and woke up when it was dark that's when we where going to strike. So the plan was go in through the gate when the guard wasn't watching then the rest we where going to have to plan from there. So we got in the gate and closed it then hid behind some rocks and watched the guards patrols. After we figured out the patrols I killed the one nearest the gate we came in the through him behind some rocks. Then out of nowhere as we where patrolling the area and getting are surrounding another guard started walking towards the one I just killed she then found the body so I told Valun to kill her before she could warn the others and he did just that and set her body right next to the other one's. Then after having to kill an orc alchemist we went into where we thought we could find the chief it was a giant house with odd architecture that must have been orcish so was all the buildings there very odd, but anyway when we got in the door there where 5 orcs eating at a table backs turned to us. So I scoped them out then found the one that fit the description of the chief and put an arrow in his head, but it wasn't going to be that easy all the orcs got up and started to attack me and Valun so I took out Mehrunes Razor and killed one of them and Valun killed the two woman and then finished off the one that must have been the chief's bodyguard.

After it was all over it felt good to have accomplished such a challenging contract. I was also very proud of Valun he had earned himself the rank of Assassin showing much skill taking on that Alik'r and those fierce orc's was no easy feat he had definetly earned the rank. I also felt very tired from that contract it was very challenging and those orc's fought well. We had a long trip back to the sanctuarary.

I have 4 funny stories.

1. I was walking around and had a random dragon encounter. I was about 28th level and had killed a few giants and thought I was in good shape. I had about 70 healing potions of different types on me as well as tons of food. But, this was an ancient dragon with a fire breath weapon, never faced one of those. In tracking it down to get off a better spell at it, I must have walked into a section that had a dragon guarding it. Great, now, I have 2 dragons after me, both spitting fire. U never see hit points vanish so quickly as when 2 ancient fire dragons breathing at the same time.

this couldn't get any worse? Right? WRONG. A Dragon Priest crypt burst open and out jumped one of those horrible creatures. So, I had 2 ancient dragons and a dragon priest, all wanting to kill me for being at the wrong place. Seriously, the battle started at midnight and it didn't end until 1:15 AM. I won and all I had left was 1 potion of minor healing. All the other food, magic replacing potions and healing potions, gone. Moral of the story is don't travel too far to kill a dragon.


2. I was killed by a bandit who then jumped on my body and started to make out with it, then it went to black and he said "how do u like that." and then it rebooted me to the beginning of the cave, that was very odd.

3. I hadn't read about the "rules" for getting married and i am talking to the big burly smith in Riften and I get the option "I see u are looking for me." I thought he wanted me to do a job for him. So, I clicked on that link. He thinks I am proposing marriage to him!!!!! I didn't mean that kind of job!!! I left very quickly, I am sure he was playing a copy of "brokeback mountain" on the TV in his room.....

4. I got hit by a giant so hard that my character flew into a tree and stayed there, alive!! I died when I tried to jump back down to the ground!! I was not happy. I should have just died then. Perhaps that was a glitch and should have died from the impact.

I have a question, i have read quite a few of these, do u guys embellish your stories by saying that u carried the dead bodies off to sea and stuff? When Lydia dies, the only option I get are to make out- er, raid her dead body. Can u carry dead people to places? I have a ps3, can u only do those things on the computer version of it? Same with sending an arrow through a bandits throat, u can't really do that, b/c all it does is measure the hit, or is there a way to do that?

Lastly, I read a funny mod. There is a mod for people that are scared of spiders. they have in their place big bunny rabbits that spew out venom and stuff and don't do rabbit stuff, they do spider stuff (which I would find more creepy then the spiders themselves, that are very creepy).

I hate wisp mothers. They are so freakin hard to kill. U know what I don't understand? Why is a salt pile (6 gold) worth more then a wisp wrapping (2 gold) when u only get them off wisp mothers??????? I find the whole price system to be odd and make little or no sense as to the difficulty of getting said ingredients.

A hint for people looking for the easiest skills to increase: 1. Enchanting is so easy to get to 100. get items for free, enchant them, sell for more cash, repeat process. So easy. 2. Alchemy is also easy to get to 100. 3. Smithing is very easy too. I have 2 characters, a 57th level "goody 2 shoes" and a 20th level assassin who hates everyone for almost losing his head. I wish there were better spells out there to cast in the schools of alteration and illusion.

Can anyone tell me, are those 2 schools (alteration and illusion) worth taking perks in? Do the spells work in combat? In other words, frenzy seems like a waste to me b/c very rarely do u fight more then 2 things at one time (wolves and they are easy to kill) and I find the spell that has a certain level creature flee or won't fight u that the creature/person is above that level, so , it is worthless. Should I spend more time with them, or just focus on Conjuring, destruction, and restoration?

It looks like it's exposition rather than narrative.

I was playing my Breton mage when I helped Scouts-Many-Marshes with his favor quest. My breton mage picked up the amulet of Mara and the next time he ran into Scouts, the Argonian proposed marriage.

The next thing you know, we were married. Oh the honeymoon, there's a tale to tell to those with perverted minds.

I'm Level 8 or so, first trip to wind helm. I hear the dragon swoop in, guards go mental, I'm just looking for cover while I get my bow out.

Frost blasts from the air taking everyone out so it sees me and keeps pushing me further and further under cover. I back up to the last structure - some kind of covered bridge. Frosty flies past...and gets bugstuck into the side of the bridge.

I get to kill it slowly while it's stuck to the side of the bridge. Just as it's about to die it says - I'm not kidding: "I YIELD! I YIELD!"

Honestly the funniest encounter ever, and I swear I'm not making it up lol

This isn't much of a story, just an interesting thing that happened to me which happened to be quite humbling.

So I received an anonymous letter directing me to Skyborn Altar. On this trek I managed to run into, and successful bring down 2 mighty frost dragons.

After the second dragon I'll have you know I was feeling quite accomplished with myself (only my 3rd and 4th dragons encountered) and was giddily running along when I was attacked by a bear..

Moments later the bear walked away triumphant leaving me in a pool of my own humility. Seems like the great Dovahkiin is mortal after all.

There's probably a proverb matching that.

Today, I finally beat the Civil War Questline for the Imperials, So I took it upon myself to go to each Stormcloak Camp to train with those invincible quest character guys. I think training this way is better than just walking up to someone and going "Can you train me?" and they go, "Durr, sure, gimme like 500 coins,"
Not only becasue training with quest characters is free, but also because I'm training lots of other skills, too. I'm mainly training my Conjuration by casting bound sword over and over, I'm training my one-handed and my block by fighting him, and I occasionaly train my destruction on him, too. So, after I'm done training, I think I'll start on the main quest, since I still haven't gotten the Horn of Juurgen Windcaller and I'm almost level 40.

So something rather funny, and sad, happened today. I helped a man named Pavo Attius clear out some Forsworn from his mine, and then let him return to work once I told him. I then hiked back to Whiterun to forge some jewellery with the gold I'd nicked from his mine and came across a courier who was wearing absolutely nothing other than a leather hat and boots. He then handed me a letter and expressed his condolences at my loss. I opened the letter to discover that I'd been left some money at the passing away of a friend - who was none other than Pavo Attius! I hope the Forwsworn didn't get him...

u know the best way to Kill a Cazador? I know this isn't fallout vegas, but, I saw his sig and had to reply, is to shoot them in the wings.

I have a question, u say u completed the civil war for the imperials, but, trained with the stormcloaks, and I am confused. I thought once u took a side, u couldn't have any contact with the other...

Cool.
Funny fallout new vegas fight with Cazadors. I walked into a nest and shot the wings, 2 of them actually stung their own brothers/sisters. It was pretty funny. I hate CAzadors, but, to me, deathclaws are still the worse. I was playing it on hard core and whenever I fight a death claw, I cringe b/c I know I am gonna die. I want that special armor so bad on that island, but, know better, not in hard core mode.

As for Skyrim, it is great, but, man, some of the blood dragons are really hard to kill. One fight took over 30 min, no joking either. u know what i hate the most? Going for dragonflies and walking into a dragon attack. I end up with dragon bones and scales, but, no dragonflies. those things are so hard to catch in the wild. Finally found what Giant Lichens look like in nature. I think i have picked everything u can buy as an ingredient now.

u know what I wish they had in skyrim? Hard core mode. Where u had to eat and sleep (and drink!!!) each day to stay alive. It'd be awesome.

my favorite moment so far is walking into the woods and seeing 2 mages dueling eachother the fire mage kills the ice mage but the fire mage is mortally wounded crawling on the ground i pull out my axe to finish her off while she says no no not this way and i cinimatically finish her it was really cool at the amount of detail they use in making events like this

I fast travelled to Riverwood A dragon randomly spawned and started attacking the village. Silly old Alvor decided to attack it, and had his ass handed to him. After killing the dragon, i reanimated his corpse and headed back into his house to allow his family to see him 'one final time' before he evaporated into a pile of ash.

I have become very find of power attacking bandits when they are backed up against a cliff so they fall and die when they hit the ground.