Malacode
2014-03-05, 04:25 PM
This is going to be (as the thread title indicates) a Skyrim Let’s Play. I’ve never done one of these before, but I do enjoy following along with others so it seemed like something worth joining in on, and Skyrim seemed like a good game to do one for. Unlike a lot of Let’s Plays, I will be avoiding the main storyline like the plague – I’ve played it, everyone knows it well, and it’s hard to add any spin or a personal touch to make it more fun to read.
With that in mind, here follows the tale of Gilfre Caro, an Imperial scout fresh from North Point. I’m playing using the Skyrim Unbound mod, starting off in Solitude with Imperial gear. I’ll only be following the Imperial Legion quest, and any sidequests that seem appropriate.
A terrible Let’s Play. Never done it before, doing it because I’m currently unemployed and need to occupy my day with –something-. I do intend to try my best, to hopefully you’ll see past any flaws (Or better yet, help me shore them up)
Something short. If there’s no real interest, I’ll cut it off after the Imperial quest concludes. If there is, I might do more.
No overarching plot. I haven’t really planned anything, and my preparation consists of having done a practice run on the Stormcloak side of things.
No lore or regard for canon. I’ve played Arena, Redguard and Morrowind, so I have some vague references that I may or may not remember, but don’t be surprised if I deviate from the lore.
No cheats, though the console will be used to fix any buggy stuff that comes up. I might use exploits to level skills faster if they’re particularly annoying or require lots of side-tracking to improve, but that’s contingent on where Gilfre goes. I am using mods, but I can’t imagine any of them touch on this issue
Images that stretch the screen. They will be in spoiler tags, but I do want to give fair warning.
I’m an ordinary legionnaire. That means imperial-appropriate gear. Legionnaire armour, for example. No Forsworn or Falmer weaponry, or the like. Especially no Nord gear.
If there’s any interest, I’m more than willing to take input from you. Suggestions for what sidequests to take, mods to use, where to put perks, what skills to focus on, even what format I should write in. Might be some delay between the suggestion and its implementation, depending on how far in advance I play before posting a chapter.
SKSE. Makes things work.
Skyrim Unbound. Most important mod for this Let’s Play, as it facilitates the entire game. It lets you choose starting location and gear, decide if you’re a dragonborn or not, all sorts of stuff.
SkyUI. Easier to navigate menus, change between sets of gear and manage some of my mods.
Open Cities Skyrim. Being used to Morrowind, I really disliked that I couldn’t just jump over the walls of major cities, and that being locked out at night was a thing, so I use this.
Acrobatic Infiltrator. Again, helps with the “Entering cities at night” thing. Unintended benefit, adds a player house near Solitude that I might end up using.
Sneak Tools. Lets me backstab and craft all sorts of utility arrows.
Apocalypse Spell Package. Again, I’m used to Morrowind and having a whole lot of versatility and power with spellcasting. Haven’t used this before, and I’ve avoided Destruction and Conjuration in Skyrim thus far, so I’m pretty eager to explode things with my mind in this run.
Race Menu and ApacheHair. More character customisation, which I like in a game.
Some others that probably won’t get noticed or used at all.
Now that’s out of the way, here we go!
http://cloud-3.steampowered.com/ugc/579016022558890172/96BB1A5EBD6E445F04C4F685297147AF276E3790/
Finally arrived in Solitude, off that damned boat with that insufferably cheerful captain. No more nights spent trying to keep down whatever they’d passed off as food that evening, no more days spent with my head over the side giving offerings to whatever god of the sea would take them. Solitude’s warmer than I was expecting, colder than I’d hoped.
http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/579016022558894188/0A198C9559A300BDF46D6B47A5430952DCEF910A/
I’d barely been allowed to pack anything for the journey, despite all the extra room on board. Just what I could carry myself, like I was out scouting. I’d taken some of the meat we had aboard, some kind of coastal creature with lots of fat, as a snack, and some drink as well, but everything else was for business. I headed up the gankplank, looking to ask for directions.
“Hey! I’ve orders to report to General Tullius”
The guard turned slowly, eyed me carefully through the helm he wore.
“Judging by your armour, I’d say you’re an Imperial scout”
“Yes. And I have orders to report to the General. Can you tell me where the General is? He’s probably wearing very shiny armour”
“He’ll be in the war room. It’s up in Castle Dour. Look for the legionnaires training right outside.”
He spoke slowly, but unlike me he was doing it unironically, with a thick Nordic accent. I rolled my eyes. This was going to be a fun posting, I could tell.
“Thanks” I wandered off in the direction he’d indicated with a meaty fist. “Simpleton”, I muttered.
I found the trainees with barely any trouble. They were being directed in proper use of a shield… And failing miserably. The man in charge did not look happy with their progress, and when he spotted me he immediately called me out.
“New trainee, is it? Just joined up? Well you’re late! Get in with the others, you have a lot to catch up on Auxillary!”
“Not new Sir!” I responded promptly, taking of my helmet. Not a good idea to piss off anyone with a rank higher than mine, not without knowing who I was serving with. “Just off the boat. I’m the response to General Tullius’ request for reinforcements.”
“Name?”
“Auxillan Caro. Gilfre Caro”
“Imperial name, but you look like a Breton. And hair like one of the Stormcloaks.”
“My mother was from North Point, that was my last posting too. Hair’s practical. Can’t grab it if it doesn’t come past my neck, doesn’t need much cleaning if it’s mostly gone”
“Hmph. Where’s your officer, the rest of your troop? They’ll need to be inspected”
“I’m it sir.”
“One woman? One -scout-? This some kind of joke?”
“Possibly, sir. You’d have to take it up with those that sent me.”
“Hmph. Well then, Auxillan, I have a use for you. These sons of dogs need to learn how to use that shield arm of theirs. There’s a training manual we used to use, handy little book. Find me a copy, I’ll cheer up a little. A happy captain is an easy one to serve under. Do I make myself clear?”
“Sir”
“Off to the General then. You have some bad news to deliver. I don’t intend to be present. On your way”
“Sir”
Another Nord, another irritation. The general had better be of better blood.
"I'm telling you, Ulfric's planning an attack on Whiterun."
A woman’s voice. Nice to know there was less sexism in the Legion here in Solitude, if one had rank enough to be in the war room. I was waiting outside for any private discussions to end, waiting for the door to open and the inevitable disappointment and anger at my arrival, but that didn’t stop me from listening in.
"He'd be insane to try. He doesn't have the men."
The self-confidence and experience in that voice… Age too. It had to be the general. Shame, I’d hoped it’d be the woman. With the orders on my note, Tullius could have been anyone. Unfortunately, he sounded like an old man from Cyrodiil, just like every other officer I’d ever met.
"That's not what my scouts report, sir. Every day more join his cause. Riften, Dawnstar, and Winterhold support him."
"It's not a cause. It's a rebellion."
"Call it whatever you like, General. The man's going to try to take Whiterun."
"Jarl Balgruuf..."
"Balgruuf refuses the Legion's right to garrison troops in his city. On the other hand, he also refuses to acknowledge Ulfric's claim."
"Well, if he wants to stand outside the protection of the Empire, fine. Let Ulfric pillage his city."
"General."
"You people and your damn Jarls."
"Sir? You can't force a Nord to accept help he hasn't asked for."
"If Ulfric's making a move for Whiterun, then we need to be there to stop him. Draft another letter with the usual platitudes, but this time share some of your intelligence regarding Ulfric's plans. Embellish if you have to. We'll let it seem like it's his idea."
"Yes, sir."
"You Nords and your bloody sense of honor."
"Sir."
I heard footsteps, someone approaching the door. I quickly backed up, tried to look like I was paying attention to the training in the courtyard below.
“You may enter” said the woman, with a beckoning nod. Chief Lieutenant by the insignia, so she was at least a Legate. A Nord too. I’d try not to hold it against her, but I was two for two with bad experiences with the locals. I followed her into the room, looking around for any hints I could use to my advantage here. It was a small room, not usual for campaign headquarters. The general was bent over the map, studying it like he was desperate for any hint of advantage. Flags studded it. Red for Imperial, blue for the rebels. Pretty even split, but with the look on his face there had to be some catch. Numbers? Terrain? Maybe he was just a pessimist. The Lieutenant was quick you join him at the table, and join in on the worried staring. Maybe there was something to this war.
http://cloud-3.steampowered.com/ugc/579016022558900828/9FC51217EF7BAB8F835B620DA08006FC057A4962/
“Report, Auxillan” said the woman.
“Here to reinforce against the rebellion, sir.”
“Your commanding officer sent rank and file rather than report themselves?” questioned Tullius. “Why so little respect for me and my command?”
“No disrespect, sir. Well, maybe some.”
“Explain”
“I’m it, sir. Your reinforcement.”
The general stared blankly, as if he didn’t understand. The lieutenant got it immediately.
“If you’re all we get, you must be all we need. Unless you’re just being palmed off on us, Auxillan, and North Point is keeping its best.
“I’d like to say it’s the former, lieutenant..?”
I left it open, fishing for a name. If I got one, I got some advantage here, knowing hers without her knowing mine.
“Legate Rikke”
I smiled. Points for me.
“But I suspect it’s a little of both”
“Hah” the general snorted. “High opinion of your own abilities. That had better be confidence, not bravado, ‘Auxillan’?”
He used the rank as an insult and a question, spotting my play for advantage for what it was and pricking any attempt at talking myself up. Canny. I didn’t like canny superiors. They noticed too much.
“Gilfre Caro, sir. It’s mostly confidence. I’ve made it to Quaestor, led a troop of my own.”
“And you lost it again for?”
“Insubordination, ma’am.”
“Why the confidence then?”
“I’ve made it once, I’ll make it further next time. If you’re fair, and judge me on the merits of what I do for you, not what I did back in High Rock, that is. I’ve also a little talent with some of the more… destructive magicks”
“No displays of that here, Auxillan” came the carefully measured reply from the general.
Legate Rikke turned to the general and spoke quietly, just loud enough for me to overhear.
“I had intended to send the reinforcements to retake the old fort at Hraggstad.”
I looked down at the war map, quickly noting its location in relation to Solitude. Northwest, away from the front. Shouldn’t be too many of the rebels there, if any. Probably an easy job.
“We’ll make do” said the general, evidently unhappy. I spoke up
“Why change your plans?”
They looked up at me, the general frowning, Legate Rikke with a glint of something in her eye. Some respect gained? Maybe just annoyance at the bravado.
“If you were going to take it, why not send me?”
Legate Rikke turned to face me
“Alright then, Auxillan Caro. You want to prove yourself, then do it. Scouting only, got it? We want to know what’s there before we try to move back in.”
http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/579016022558908058/4E4D54CFC61FB57E4F26E376B11343313BCE6D8E/
“Report, Auxillan Caro”
I swallowed, blinking and rubbing an eye with my thumb. It had been a long walk back, and I knew that if I didn’t make my report immediately I’d lose all inclination to do so.
“Hraggstad is ready to be garrisoned, ma’am”
“It was empty? You look tired, but it’s been too long for you to have just made a round trip. What held you up?”
“Wasn’t empty, ma’am.”
“Explain. Now.”
Gilfre made her way to the fort, spotting a Stormcloak camp along the way ( http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/579016022558902609/5970A41E9A8472FF77A8282DD7960404AAC2EA08/). Not wanting to get into any trouble this soon, and being on her own, she wisely backed out and continued along the route to Fort Hraggstad. She waited an hour or so until night fell, hoping to get a look around the place unseen while any occupants slept, then snuck around the back (http://cloud-3.steampowered.com/ugc/579016022558906234/7D77067E3172A5223691A20AB85909EEC8D4A907/1024x575.resizedimage). Unfortunately, some bandits were up and about. Sneaking up on one, she managed to cut his throat ( http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x251/callum996/Skyrim%20Lets%20Play/Ididnotgetascreenshotofthis.jpg), but he let out a scream as he died and alerted everyone else. At that point, stealth was out of the option. Putting away her iron knife, Gilfre prepared to cast some spells. Flames and Frostbite did the trick, sapping away their health and stamina simultaneously ( http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x251/callum996/Skyrim%20Lets%20Play/Orofthis.jpg). She made her way through the courtyard more or less unscathed, and picked up an imperial bow from a rooftop and plenty of iron arrows from the corpses. One of them was wielding a massive two-handed axe, which she also took for herself. Wielding that, she snuck into the main building and was promptly spotted immediately, a problem quickly solved by her new axe. The fight here consisted of power attacking until her stamina ran out, then Flames/Frostbite until her mana ran out ( http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x251/callum996/Skyrim%20Lets%20Play/Therewasfighting.jpg). That place was cleared pretty quickly, so from there she moved to an adjacent building where she found the bandit leader! An epic fight ensued. ( http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x251/callum996/Skyrim%20Lets%20Play/Imdonehere.jpg)
That all done, she looted the place of all the gold and magical gear she could find (One lousy sword that makes undead run away, yawn), then walked back to Solitude to get her quest reward report back.
“Well” said Legate Rikke, an odd look on her face. It was the same one she’d had when I’d spoken out of turn before I’d left, and I still wasn’t sure what it meant. “You overstepped your orders, Auxillan Caro. Return to the barracks, get some rest. The troop that’s been preparing to march is going to have mixed reactions to the news. No fighting, that’s a relief for some, but no spoils either. I recommend you spread some of the wealth you’ve picked up-“ she gestured to my clearly overfull money pouch “amongst the men.”
My eyes narrowed
“I emptied the place, I found the money”
“By ignoring orders, Auxillan!” snapped the lieutenant. “I trust that the general won’t hear complaints of such from the men in your troop?”
“Ma’am”
She had a point… but it was a lot of money. A couple of months wages. Wouldn’t be much more than a round of drinks each, split between us all… That was a thought.
I went back to the barracks, checking it was clear. No one about. I hid the money in my personal chest at the foot of my bed, keeping only some on my person, all of it smaller coins to make the pouch look full, with plenty of jangle. Sitting on the chest, with the pouch in one hand, I waited for the rest of the troop to come back from drills. It didn’t take long before they began to fall through the door, sweaty and weary from a long day under the eye of Captain Aldis.
“So, lads, who’s coming for a round? It’s on me.”
Well, a long one to start us off. Didn’t expect that much to come out of so little. Future chapters should be much shorter, there’s a lot less set up to do. The format for the “doing the quest, fighting the dudes’ bit is quite different than the talky bit and a little more expedient, but if it’s a less enjoyable read I’ll try the other style. Conversely, if you prefer that, I’ll change the talky stuff. All suggestions and comments welcome :D Let’s make this Let’s Play as good as it can be.
Only quest we've got at the moment is Rare Gifts from Captain Aldis. Need to find a copy of The Mirror, which is a long way out of our way. Still, trains a potentially useful skill and might get a decent reward.
Skills:
Sneak + 3 (To 18)
Light Armour + 2(To 17)
Destruction + 2 (To 17)
Two Handed + 2 (To 17)
With that in mind, here follows the tale of Gilfre Caro, an Imperial scout fresh from North Point. I’m playing using the Skyrim Unbound mod, starting off in Solitude with Imperial gear. I’ll only be following the Imperial Legion quest, and any sidequests that seem appropriate.
A terrible Let’s Play. Never done it before, doing it because I’m currently unemployed and need to occupy my day with –something-. I do intend to try my best, to hopefully you’ll see past any flaws (Or better yet, help me shore them up)
Something short. If there’s no real interest, I’ll cut it off after the Imperial quest concludes. If there is, I might do more.
No overarching plot. I haven’t really planned anything, and my preparation consists of having done a practice run on the Stormcloak side of things.
No lore or regard for canon. I’ve played Arena, Redguard and Morrowind, so I have some vague references that I may or may not remember, but don’t be surprised if I deviate from the lore.
No cheats, though the console will be used to fix any buggy stuff that comes up. I might use exploits to level skills faster if they’re particularly annoying or require lots of side-tracking to improve, but that’s contingent on where Gilfre goes. I am using mods, but I can’t imagine any of them touch on this issue
Images that stretch the screen. They will be in spoiler tags, but I do want to give fair warning.
I’m an ordinary legionnaire. That means imperial-appropriate gear. Legionnaire armour, for example. No Forsworn or Falmer weaponry, or the like. Especially no Nord gear.
If there’s any interest, I’m more than willing to take input from you. Suggestions for what sidequests to take, mods to use, where to put perks, what skills to focus on, even what format I should write in. Might be some delay between the suggestion and its implementation, depending on how far in advance I play before posting a chapter.
SKSE. Makes things work.
Skyrim Unbound. Most important mod for this Let’s Play, as it facilitates the entire game. It lets you choose starting location and gear, decide if you’re a dragonborn or not, all sorts of stuff.
SkyUI. Easier to navigate menus, change between sets of gear and manage some of my mods.
Open Cities Skyrim. Being used to Morrowind, I really disliked that I couldn’t just jump over the walls of major cities, and that being locked out at night was a thing, so I use this.
Acrobatic Infiltrator. Again, helps with the “Entering cities at night” thing. Unintended benefit, adds a player house near Solitude that I might end up using.
Sneak Tools. Lets me backstab and craft all sorts of utility arrows.
Apocalypse Spell Package. Again, I’m used to Morrowind and having a whole lot of versatility and power with spellcasting. Haven’t used this before, and I’ve avoided Destruction and Conjuration in Skyrim thus far, so I’m pretty eager to explode things with my mind in this run.
Race Menu and ApacheHair. More character customisation, which I like in a game.
Some others that probably won’t get noticed or used at all.
Now that’s out of the way, here we go!
http://cloud-3.steampowered.com/ugc/579016022558890172/96BB1A5EBD6E445F04C4F685297147AF276E3790/
Finally arrived in Solitude, off that damned boat with that insufferably cheerful captain. No more nights spent trying to keep down whatever they’d passed off as food that evening, no more days spent with my head over the side giving offerings to whatever god of the sea would take them. Solitude’s warmer than I was expecting, colder than I’d hoped.
http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/579016022558894188/0A198C9559A300BDF46D6B47A5430952DCEF910A/
I’d barely been allowed to pack anything for the journey, despite all the extra room on board. Just what I could carry myself, like I was out scouting. I’d taken some of the meat we had aboard, some kind of coastal creature with lots of fat, as a snack, and some drink as well, but everything else was for business. I headed up the gankplank, looking to ask for directions.
“Hey! I’ve orders to report to General Tullius”
The guard turned slowly, eyed me carefully through the helm he wore.
“Judging by your armour, I’d say you’re an Imperial scout”
“Yes. And I have orders to report to the General. Can you tell me where the General is? He’s probably wearing very shiny armour”
“He’ll be in the war room. It’s up in Castle Dour. Look for the legionnaires training right outside.”
He spoke slowly, but unlike me he was doing it unironically, with a thick Nordic accent. I rolled my eyes. This was going to be a fun posting, I could tell.
“Thanks” I wandered off in the direction he’d indicated with a meaty fist. “Simpleton”, I muttered.
I found the trainees with barely any trouble. They were being directed in proper use of a shield… And failing miserably. The man in charge did not look happy with their progress, and when he spotted me he immediately called me out.
“New trainee, is it? Just joined up? Well you’re late! Get in with the others, you have a lot to catch up on Auxillary!”
“Not new Sir!” I responded promptly, taking of my helmet. Not a good idea to piss off anyone with a rank higher than mine, not without knowing who I was serving with. “Just off the boat. I’m the response to General Tullius’ request for reinforcements.”
“Name?”
“Auxillan Caro. Gilfre Caro”
“Imperial name, but you look like a Breton. And hair like one of the Stormcloaks.”
“My mother was from North Point, that was my last posting too. Hair’s practical. Can’t grab it if it doesn’t come past my neck, doesn’t need much cleaning if it’s mostly gone”
“Hmph. Where’s your officer, the rest of your troop? They’ll need to be inspected”
“I’m it sir.”
“One woman? One -scout-? This some kind of joke?”
“Possibly, sir. You’d have to take it up with those that sent me.”
“Hmph. Well then, Auxillan, I have a use for you. These sons of dogs need to learn how to use that shield arm of theirs. There’s a training manual we used to use, handy little book. Find me a copy, I’ll cheer up a little. A happy captain is an easy one to serve under. Do I make myself clear?”
“Sir”
“Off to the General then. You have some bad news to deliver. I don’t intend to be present. On your way”
“Sir”
Another Nord, another irritation. The general had better be of better blood.
"I'm telling you, Ulfric's planning an attack on Whiterun."
A woman’s voice. Nice to know there was less sexism in the Legion here in Solitude, if one had rank enough to be in the war room. I was waiting outside for any private discussions to end, waiting for the door to open and the inevitable disappointment and anger at my arrival, but that didn’t stop me from listening in.
"He'd be insane to try. He doesn't have the men."
The self-confidence and experience in that voice… Age too. It had to be the general. Shame, I’d hoped it’d be the woman. With the orders on my note, Tullius could have been anyone. Unfortunately, he sounded like an old man from Cyrodiil, just like every other officer I’d ever met.
"That's not what my scouts report, sir. Every day more join his cause. Riften, Dawnstar, and Winterhold support him."
"It's not a cause. It's a rebellion."
"Call it whatever you like, General. The man's going to try to take Whiterun."
"Jarl Balgruuf..."
"Balgruuf refuses the Legion's right to garrison troops in his city. On the other hand, he also refuses to acknowledge Ulfric's claim."
"Well, if he wants to stand outside the protection of the Empire, fine. Let Ulfric pillage his city."
"General."
"You people and your damn Jarls."
"Sir? You can't force a Nord to accept help he hasn't asked for."
"If Ulfric's making a move for Whiterun, then we need to be there to stop him. Draft another letter with the usual platitudes, but this time share some of your intelligence regarding Ulfric's plans. Embellish if you have to. We'll let it seem like it's his idea."
"Yes, sir."
"You Nords and your bloody sense of honor."
"Sir."
I heard footsteps, someone approaching the door. I quickly backed up, tried to look like I was paying attention to the training in the courtyard below.
“You may enter” said the woman, with a beckoning nod. Chief Lieutenant by the insignia, so she was at least a Legate. A Nord too. I’d try not to hold it against her, but I was two for two with bad experiences with the locals. I followed her into the room, looking around for any hints I could use to my advantage here. It was a small room, not usual for campaign headquarters. The general was bent over the map, studying it like he was desperate for any hint of advantage. Flags studded it. Red for Imperial, blue for the rebels. Pretty even split, but with the look on his face there had to be some catch. Numbers? Terrain? Maybe he was just a pessimist. The Lieutenant was quick you join him at the table, and join in on the worried staring. Maybe there was something to this war.
http://cloud-3.steampowered.com/ugc/579016022558900828/9FC51217EF7BAB8F835B620DA08006FC057A4962/
“Report, Auxillan” said the woman.
“Here to reinforce against the rebellion, sir.”
“Your commanding officer sent rank and file rather than report themselves?” questioned Tullius. “Why so little respect for me and my command?”
“No disrespect, sir. Well, maybe some.”
“Explain”
“I’m it, sir. Your reinforcement.”
The general stared blankly, as if he didn’t understand. The lieutenant got it immediately.
“If you’re all we get, you must be all we need. Unless you’re just being palmed off on us, Auxillan, and North Point is keeping its best.
“I’d like to say it’s the former, lieutenant..?”
I left it open, fishing for a name. If I got one, I got some advantage here, knowing hers without her knowing mine.
“Legate Rikke”
I smiled. Points for me.
“But I suspect it’s a little of both”
“Hah” the general snorted. “High opinion of your own abilities. That had better be confidence, not bravado, ‘Auxillan’?”
He used the rank as an insult and a question, spotting my play for advantage for what it was and pricking any attempt at talking myself up. Canny. I didn’t like canny superiors. They noticed too much.
“Gilfre Caro, sir. It’s mostly confidence. I’ve made it to Quaestor, led a troop of my own.”
“And you lost it again for?”
“Insubordination, ma’am.”
“Why the confidence then?”
“I’ve made it once, I’ll make it further next time. If you’re fair, and judge me on the merits of what I do for you, not what I did back in High Rock, that is. I’ve also a little talent with some of the more… destructive magicks”
“No displays of that here, Auxillan” came the carefully measured reply from the general.
Legate Rikke turned to the general and spoke quietly, just loud enough for me to overhear.
“I had intended to send the reinforcements to retake the old fort at Hraggstad.”
I looked down at the war map, quickly noting its location in relation to Solitude. Northwest, away from the front. Shouldn’t be too many of the rebels there, if any. Probably an easy job.
“We’ll make do” said the general, evidently unhappy. I spoke up
“Why change your plans?”
They looked up at me, the general frowning, Legate Rikke with a glint of something in her eye. Some respect gained? Maybe just annoyance at the bravado.
“If you were going to take it, why not send me?”
Legate Rikke turned to face me
“Alright then, Auxillan Caro. You want to prove yourself, then do it. Scouting only, got it? We want to know what’s there before we try to move back in.”
http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/579016022558908058/4E4D54CFC61FB57E4F26E376B11343313BCE6D8E/
“Report, Auxillan Caro”
I swallowed, blinking and rubbing an eye with my thumb. It had been a long walk back, and I knew that if I didn’t make my report immediately I’d lose all inclination to do so.
“Hraggstad is ready to be garrisoned, ma’am”
“It was empty? You look tired, but it’s been too long for you to have just made a round trip. What held you up?”
“Wasn’t empty, ma’am.”
“Explain. Now.”
Gilfre made her way to the fort, spotting a Stormcloak camp along the way ( http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/579016022558902609/5970A41E9A8472FF77A8282DD7960404AAC2EA08/). Not wanting to get into any trouble this soon, and being on her own, she wisely backed out and continued along the route to Fort Hraggstad. She waited an hour or so until night fell, hoping to get a look around the place unseen while any occupants slept, then snuck around the back (http://cloud-3.steampowered.com/ugc/579016022558906234/7D77067E3172A5223691A20AB85909EEC8D4A907/1024x575.resizedimage). Unfortunately, some bandits were up and about. Sneaking up on one, she managed to cut his throat ( http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x251/callum996/Skyrim%20Lets%20Play/Ididnotgetascreenshotofthis.jpg), but he let out a scream as he died and alerted everyone else. At that point, stealth was out of the option. Putting away her iron knife, Gilfre prepared to cast some spells. Flames and Frostbite did the trick, sapping away their health and stamina simultaneously ( http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x251/callum996/Skyrim%20Lets%20Play/Orofthis.jpg). She made her way through the courtyard more or less unscathed, and picked up an imperial bow from a rooftop and plenty of iron arrows from the corpses. One of them was wielding a massive two-handed axe, which she also took for herself. Wielding that, she snuck into the main building and was promptly spotted immediately, a problem quickly solved by her new axe. The fight here consisted of power attacking until her stamina ran out, then Flames/Frostbite until her mana ran out ( http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x251/callum996/Skyrim%20Lets%20Play/Therewasfighting.jpg). That place was cleared pretty quickly, so from there she moved to an adjacent building where she found the bandit leader! An epic fight ensued. ( http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x251/callum996/Skyrim%20Lets%20Play/Imdonehere.jpg)
That all done, she looted the place of all the gold and magical gear she could find (One lousy sword that makes undead run away, yawn), then walked back to Solitude to get her quest reward report back.
“Well” said Legate Rikke, an odd look on her face. It was the same one she’d had when I’d spoken out of turn before I’d left, and I still wasn’t sure what it meant. “You overstepped your orders, Auxillan Caro. Return to the barracks, get some rest. The troop that’s been preparing to march is going to have mixed reactions to the news. No fighting, that’s a relief for some, but no spoils either. I recommend you spread some of the wealth you’ve picked up-“ she gestured to my clearly overfull money pouch “amongst the men.”
My eyes narrowed
“I emptied the place, I found the money”
“By ignoring orders, Auxillan!” snapped the lieutenant. “I trust that the general won’t hear complaints of such from the men in your troop?”
“Ma’am”
She had a point… but it was a lot of money. A couple of months wages. Wouldn’t be much more than a round of drinks each, split between us all… That was a thought.
I went back to the barracks, checking it was clear. No one about. I hid the money in my personal chest at the foot of my bed, keeping only some on my person, all of it smaller coins to make the pouch look full, with plenty of jangle. Sitting on the chest, with the pouch in one hand, I waited for the rest of the troop to come back from drills. It didn’t take long before they began to fall through the door, sweaty and weary from a long day under the eye of Captain Aldis.
“So, lads, who’s coming for a round? It’s on me.”
Well, a long one to start us off. Didn’t expect that much to come out of so little. Future chapters should be much shorter, there’s a lot less set up to do. The format for the “doing the quest, fighting the dudes’ bit is quite different than the talky bit and a little more expedient, but if it’s a less enjoyable read I’ll try the other style. Conversely, if you prefer that, I’ll change the talky stuff. All suggestions and comments welcome :D Let’s make this Let’s Play as good as it can be.
Only quest we've got at the moment is Rare Gifts from Captain Aldis. Need to find a copy of The Mirror, which is a long way out of our way. Still, trains a potentially useful skill and might get a decent reward.
Skills:
Sneak + 3 (To 18)
Light Armour + 2(To 17)
Destruction + 2 (To 17)
Two Handed + 2 (To 17)