Entering Falkreath Hold

I traveled south and west to Falkreath. On the way from Helgen to Falkreath, I found a Shrine to Talos that had been destroyed by the Thalmor. This was on the shores of Lake Ilinalta, where I was also able to find a Pine Thrush nest and nearby a clay deposit. On the way, I was also twice beset by vampires! Fortunately, after I killed them, their excellent enchanted armor became mine! Unfortunately, I began to feel ill afterward. I am still trying to decide if I want to experience being a vampire.

The Thalmor orders.

After meeting with the Jarl, I went on two quests to clear out bandit dens - Bilegulch Mine and Knifepoint Ridge. The Jarl, who is a major tool, had a deal going with Bilegulch Mine that they reneged on. Knifepoint Ridge was a bounty, probably set by the more useful Steward even though the Jarl's name was on it. Bilegulch Mine is mined by Orc bandit outlaws. It's an orichalcum mine, and overtop it the orcs have set up a full smithy, with some orc weapons. This could be evidence of an orc settlement in Falkreath?

Knifepoint Ridge was a very well-established camp with a full smithy and alchemy station, set over an iron mine. The bandits made Imperial prisoners work mining rather than doing it themselves, as the orcs did.

Although Falkreath is heavily wooded, there isn't really any interesting flora. There is a higher frequency of stumps, which yield Mora Tapinella, and due to the massive graveyards, skeletons can appear, which yield Bone Meal. There are also numerous Pine Thrush nests sprinkled around, and plentiful fishing. However, the area didn't yield much over the course of my brief survey, so I went back to Whiterun and took a trip north to Solitude. (Meanwhile, Lydia and I both overwent makeovers, presumably due to time spent doing each other's hair.)

I arrived at Solitude, bought a horse, and am currently trying to decide if I want to go in or ride back south to Falkreath before starting quests in the area.

"Yes, it totally makes sense that I look like a model. Hush, you."

Bleak Falls Barrow

The view from Bleak Falls Barrow, entrance.

Still companionless, I decided to try heading up to Bleak Falls Barrow anyway, since Lydia, my future housecarl, is the best companion at the moment, and the Jarl will give her to me after Bleak Falls. On the way to Bleak Falls Barrow from Riverwood, there was an iron ore vein. Bleak Falls is home to a rather large and terrifying Frostbite Spider, bandits, and a large supply of draugr. I had to turn back to Riverwood to get a companion at this point, since the draugr, who often wield strong two-handed weapons, were too much for me. I picked up Faendal, the elf in love with Camilla Valerius, whose brother sent me to get the Golden Claw from Bleak Falls. As a distance fighter, Faendal is not the best choice. He also seems a bit stupid, not drawing his weapon when I draw mine, and occasionally just standing and staring at the approaching danger. However, his aid did enable me to clear the dungeon.

The precise location of the iron ore vein.

Toward the end of the barrow, heading toward the sanctum, are no less than 15 clusters of Glowing Mushrooms!

I killed the Draugr Overlord and received a shout at the end before heading back to Riverwood to drop off the Golden Claw. A courier stopped me in the village with a letter from the Jarl of Falkreath, who says he's heard of me and would like to meet me, promising his favor if I should come. I decided to head down after finishing in Whiterun for the time being. After I left the Riverwood Trader, I found myself being attacked by Death Hounds and a Master Vampire! I had to run, since one attack nearly killed me.

So refreshing for Miraak not to steal the soul.

Going to Whiterun led to my first dragon battle, which took forever no thanks to Faendal, who seemed stupefied by the dragon's approach. However, I was given Lydia and the title of Thane. I left Faendal with a few weapon upgrades and sent him on his way. Lydia is a heavy armor swordswoman, and should be a much better match for me. Next, to Falkreath! Hopefully, they have a stable-- I finally have enough funds for a horse, which will make my upcoming trip north toward Winterhold much easier.

Lydia is taller than me! Well, she is a Nord...

Glowing Mushrooms - Resist Shock

Advancing in Potions and Fungi

As part of the duties I wanted to complete before I headed out of the Whiterun area, I went to Redoran's Retreat to retrieve Amren's Sword. Amren, a citizen of Whiterun, requested it of me because bandits stole it and his wife was seconds from leaving him if he tried to get himself killed by bandits. However, the cave only had about four bandits within it. There was additionally a great number of mushrooms-- White Cap, Imp Stool, Namira's Rot, Mora Tapinella... essentially, all of the basic mushrooms, but no glowing mushrooms. There were one or two specimens of each kind, providing a wide sampling. It might be worth heading back inside if I find myself in the Whiterun area again, which I no doubt will, since the tundra is also home to cotton, luna moths, and torchbugs, as well as mammoths and other wildlife.

I made more potions to advance my skills, and lucked upon some new effects--

Torchbug Thorax and Purple Mountain Flower, in addition to Restore Stamina, also have the effect of Lingering Damage Magicka. They make an excellent poison, though I will have to make sure to take nightly trips to gather the thoraxes. It will be helpful against magicians in particular, since they are never long on stamina anyway, so wearing out the restored statistic will hardly be a problem. On that note, I really must find some way to combat my magicka loss during battles-- which herbs would be best at Restore Magicka, or should I look into enchantments?

I proceeded from there back to Whiterun, but it was evening and none of the shops were open. I was able to drop the sword off with Amren, but I headed back out to Halted Stream Camp. Along the way, I found a large number of Mudcrabs, who appear to enjoy the streams and pools in the tundra, some Nirnroot along the water, and various fish and dragonflies. The dragonflies, Dartwings, are very difficult to catch.

Halted Stream Camp is situated directly over Halted Stream Mine, which is an iron mine with many veins of ore-- very useful for mining iron. Additionally, there is a gold ore vein near Halted Stream Camp, about two cursors west, near a stump and a Dwemer ruin where bandits have set up Silent Moons Camp. There were only eight bandits in Halted Stream, but it was very difficult for me-- it might be worth getting a companion of some kind to help fight. I did, however, manage to kill them all by careful use of stealth. However, leveling bow and stealth are not what I'm aiming for. I definitely need a companion.

Bleeding Crown - Weakness to Fire
Blisterwort - Damage Stamina
Imp Stool - Damage Health
White Cap - Weakness to Frost
Namira's Rot - Damage Magicka

Beginning the Journey

The character is rolled. I've called her Ella, and have decided that she is half-Nord, half-Bosmer, even though theoretically those may be two different species and thus incompatible. But this is my character and I'll mix species if I want to.

I was discovered crossing Skyrim's closed borders from Cyrodiil, as any character might be, RP background: I was trying to enter Skyrim to pursue my journeyman level of herbalist training. More than an herbalist, however, I strive to be a naturalist-- to catalog all the plants and animals of Skyrim. I intend also to become skilled in magic, since I don't want to be weighed down with heavy weaponry as I collect specimens, though a bow is necessary for animal ingredients, and I will need to cultivate some close-range weaponry skills as well.

And now, of course, there are dragons!

On the 17th of Last Seed, Morndas, 4th Era, 201, after I was to be beheaded in the border town of Helgen, and subsequently saved by a great and fearsome dragon, I took off with one of the Stormcloak soldiers who had been a guard to Ulfric Stormcloak. Ulfric, the Jarl of Windhelm, was bound and gagged, and in the wagon bouncing along with me, off to our apparent doom. Of course, that wasn't to be so. He was with the Stormcloaks and me, but we were separated and I ended up with one of my Imperial captors, a man named Hadvar. We escaped Helgen together and went to Riverwood, where his uncle Alvor runs the smithy.

Before we escaped, we ran into Imperial torturers. Despite being an Imperial-supporter himself, Hadvar did not seem to mind me ruthlessly killing both the torturer and his assistant. I can't abide torture.

Regarding animals and plant life: the road from Helgen to Riverwood had numerous wolves, foxes, and prey animals. The plants were far more interesting to me. On this road, one finds red, blue, and purple mountain flower, mostly blue, turning to patches of red as you get closer to the river. There is also thistle, but very little else. There were numerous kept plants in the village, but these, of course, were domesticated. There was a Frostbite nest in the catacombs beneath Helgen, where I was able to harvest Frostbite Venom and Spider Eggs. There was also, interestingly enough, a bear in the catacombs, but I quickly dispatched of her so I could harvest her claws and pelt, as there was no evidence of cubs. On the other side of the river in Riverwood, there was some Mora Tapinella growing on tree stumps.

Hadvar stayed on in Riverwood, but I was too impatient and left immediately for Whiterun. I made it by dawn and received a brief lesson in smithing from the local blacksmith, as well as hearing several arguments. I head up the Jarl's keep, Dragonreach, soon, but I am tiring fast. I have promised many people to look into many things (missing swords, bandit camps, stolen items), but first I must inform the Jarl about the dragon. I desperately want to make my way to the northern climes, to see what grows in the snow wastes, but I must finish up here first.

There was quite a bit of purple mountain flower on the road to Whiterun, as well as clumps of tundra cotton. There is much lavender as well. From Helgen to Whiterun, there were sporadic patches of snowberries. There was also numerous clumps of deathbell and nightshade in Whiterun, which is concerning, as both are obvious poisons.

Hard at work advancing my skills, I made many potions.

Blue Mountain Flower and Rock Warbler eggs = restore health.
Dragon's Tongue and Snowberries = resist fire.
Tundra Cotton and Lavender = resist magic.
Red Mountain Flower and Mora Tapinella = restore magic.

Besides the eggs, these are all very common ingredients. and I believe that harvesting them will allow me to advance my alchemical skills rapidly. I look forward to my adventures as a journeyman herbalist and naturalist!