Skyrim - Blackreach and Other things

Last night I spent a good few hours searching out red Nirnroot in Blackreach and eventually finding all of them.  I actually went looking for the Elderscroll which in itself took about three minutes when I went straight to it, but I decided to do the Nirnroot quest and spent ages wandering around.

I also did some geode mining for soul gems even though I have a ton of them, but one can never have enough for those enchanted weapons.  I even got a couple of extra black soul gems from mining which was a nice addition.

Blackreach is pretty amazing.  The size and layout, not to mention the actual environment, is very imaginative and takes ages to get through depending if you want to do it all of course.  Thankfully there actually were more than the 30 red Nirnroots I needed and I looked in every nook and cranny with a few to spare.  I only died once and that was to an annoying Falmer archer that skewered me in two shots no matter where I came at him.   I got him with a lucky Flame Breath shout and Chain Lightning on the second try while my companions kept him busy.

Somewhere in there I saw a giant in the distance, but couldn't find him again when I went back to look.  I even aggro'ed the Centurions and flamed them to death.  They are pretty fast for a huge mechanical monstrosity and their steam breath is deadly at close quarters, but then I don't get close.  Going toe to toe with one of those hulks would be suicidal for my sneaky little Khajiit mage/archer.  I'm level 37 focusing on stealth, archery, destruction and some blade, and can take most enemies with few problems, but hitting a big steaming, moving metal wall doesn't sound like a good survival tactic.

I must say though as much as I'm loving this game I do wish there was more variety in the enemies in caves and tombs.  Several versions of the same Draugr just upgraded in health and with different names and with maybe a few fragile skeletons in the mix occasionally gets to be very predictable.  The same goes for the Falmer and Chaurus in Dwemer ruins, although there were a few human Falmer slaves in Blackreach.  Even though I hate them, especially when they sit in their webs until you get close or drop on you, (shudder) the spiders could also do with some variety and their poisons never level up in strength either which makes them a bit useless at higher levels.

I feel like I've been playing this game for ages yet I still have a long way to go, which is a very good thing.

After getting out of Blackreach I cleared out some Forsworn camps with my companions, Vigilance the dog and Kharjo, a Khajiit warrior from the traveling caravans, and I wish I had gotten a screen shot but didn't think of it at the time.  Next time I will though.  Anyway, I gave Kharjo a staff of Chain Lightning to carry for me and he uses it well so I keep it charged for him.   However, somewhere along the line he must have picked up a Fire Staff (I don't remember picking it up myself and passing it to him) and he had one in each hand blasting enemies left and right with lightning and fire.  Dual wielding staves....It was such a sight that I just sat back and laughed.  It was awesome.

Not to mention earlier on in a quest I gave him a Staff of Zombies to carry and he methodically went round resurrecting bodies left and right to fight for us.  Not that they lasted long.   And people say the AI is stupid.....well it is when it comes to setting off traps and getting caught in them unable to get up...like some of the Dwemer traps.  Good thing I made my companions essential.   Vigilance doesn't have that problem as he's short enough that most traps pass over his head....literally...XD.  Sometimes it pays to be short, but his problem is he's long and gets stuck in corridors sometimes.  Can't have it both ways I suppose..XD.

Anyway, this is my character Tukassi and Kharjo together ready for action.  He has Ebony armour and helm now though and I'm in Nightingale armour.

Speaking of Nightingales...

And a nice scenery shot of my horse at dusk.  Poor thing doesn't get out much since Kharjo can't ride a horse of his own though.