Marriage - Broken down at the beginning of September

"Marriage is neither Heaven nor Hell, it is simply Purgatory" - Abraham Lincoln

Wise words, but apart from being able to create and play as a different person in a different world, Skyrim puts a little twist on marriage - there's no downside.

At first when I head there was going to be romantic relationships, I tracked it back to the "Troll post" I've mentioned before, meaning that it was a joke - Which I was fine with; I didn't like the idea. Luckily it turned out to be true in the end, and I say luckily because I've actually come around to the idea and I think that that is because it isn't handled Bioware-style (Dragon Age, Mass Effect etc.) not that there is anything wrong with that, mind you, but it just isn't right for this game.

But since the news was released, I've made 1 post about it, but there have been many updates on the topic ever since - so lets get to that, shall we?

Relationships in Skyrim are neat and has benefits - not only does Radiant Story look at whom your friends and enemies are and then gives them specific roles in quests, but having a good relationship with someone could also make them think twice about calling the guards on you, should you have the nerve to steal their fruit (and the likes.)

Once you've build up a relationship with one of the more than hundreds eligible bachelors, then no matter the gender and no matter the race, you can wear an amulet  to signal that you're ready for the next step: Purgato... I mean marriage. I guess it's one of them cool Nord traditions; And we know that that'll turn out well! Just look at how great the dragon-worshipping went!

Once you've courted whomever you want to court and have become man and wife, man and man, or wife and wife, you're new partner does more than just hold that honorable title. Once a day, your spouse can cook you a meal to restore your strenght <3 If you have a house, your new love will move in with you, or if you so desire, he or she will become your companion, aiding you in your travels, be that by fighting at your side, or giving you some neat perks.

Bounty Hunters!

Well, snap my neck and call me a dead chicken, preferably to be used as gourmet food in the future!
We've been over the crime system, but just to keep it short and clear: There are 9 holds (Counties) each with their own ruler, prisons and bounties, meaning that if you get a bounty in region A, nobody in Region B will know about it.

So you could just stay away from the big bad city of whatever region your bounty is in, and thus stay safe and sound, right? WRONG! Like a thief in the night, the news snuck up on me: There will come fricken BOUNTY HUNTERS after us. Whilst it appear quite logical that my actions, as in burning the entire population of a small peaceful settlement to a crisp, should not go unnoticed, I was still pleasantly surprised once I found this out.

I will not indulge you in grand words and eloquence, building up excitement and motivations, as I always do, this time around, due to a smacking headache. Therefore I will try another approach: BE EXCITED OR SUCK!
Let me know if it works.

Centurions!

Centurion

A recent poll on The Skyrim Blog clearly show that if the fans of TES would have to choose a race to enter the fray and show themselves in the games, it would have to be the Dwemer. Sure their ruins are back, but as you know, the Dwemer are not. Luckily, they left something behind... Bwahahahahahahaha!!!

Nah, seriously - I recommend that you pack a lot of crap before you enter the dwemer ruins. In fact, you should probably go all boyscout and say "Always be prepared" (Which is ironic, since they weren't prepared when i snuck up on them with a machete and... Nevermind.)

As you venture into the hollowed halls of Dwarven culture, which we so missed in Oblivion, you'll find that life may become difficult as you might meet the Dwemer legacy: The Centurions.

These be not the crafty centurions you meet in Asterix and Obelix, my friend, and they are not child-friendly AT ALL. In fact, they are to mostly function as high-level bosses so steer clear.

The Centurion of Skyrim

You know not what they are? The centurions are fierce, ancient machines build by, guess who, the Dwemer and they are fricken nuts. The type I know typically roll around in sort of a ball shape and then unfold like a transformer, or destroyer droid if you prefer. As far as I can tell, there'll be a bunch of different kinds in Skyrim and maybe each of them are unique, since they function as high-level "bossy" battles?

I'm gonna pick yo' pocket!

STOP! YOU VIOLATED THE LAW!

Pickpocketing is one of my favorite skills in The Elder Scrolls - I love the thieves guild and all its beautiful members, so pickpocketing is very important to me and I am sure it is for everyone else too, right? (Rhetorical - of course it is.)

It warms my heart greatly that they've made it so much more interesting - BGS has recently released the skill- or perk-tree if you prefer, for pickpocketing. First of all, it seems like weight and value of an object affects how difficult it is to steal <-- Awesome. But that aside, lets see them perks:

[Light Fingers 0/5] Reduces the influence weight and value of items has on your chance of successfully pickpocket an item

[Night Thief] Pickpocketing sleeping people works almost every time

[Poisoned] Silently place poison in other peoples pockets in order to harm or kill

[Cutpurse] Pickpocketing gold is 50% easier

[Extra Pockets] Carrying capacity is increased by 100

[Keymaster] Pickpocketing keys always works

[Misdirections] You can pickpocket equipped weapons

[Perfect Touch] You can pickpocket equipped items

Personally I've always enjoyed the idea of having perks in an Elder Scrolls game - In fact, the first thing I thought when I saw them in Fallout was: "Why the hell isn't this in Oblivion?"

Just looking at these perks for pickpocketing, confirms my opinion: Perks are awesome - And now, so will being a thief!

Dragon Shouts!

I think that forgetting to write about dragon shouts is kind of stupid, but I don't feel like I need to at this point. Most people already know all about them and it wouldn't be much different from telling you that the game will be released November 11th - you simply already know!

But just for the sake of doing it, I will shortly write about the dragon shouts, briefly, and then make a list over known dragon shouts.

To break it down, dragonshouts are a power you possess, being the fancy dragonborn and all. At the early stages of the game, after a daring rescue fro your execution, you are sent an invitation to join the greybeards, whom live on the top of the throat of the world, the tallest mountain in Skyrim and the second tallest peak in Tamriel. After you climb the 7000 steps and reach them, they will teach you of "The voice," which will enable you to make use of your gift and enabling you to learn the words of power.

Word Wall

Each of the at least 20 dragonshouts, will have three stages, one word for each one. In order to complete every set of dragonshouts and expand our vocabulary overall, you need two things: The first one being the easiest, but most time consuming, as you need to travel across Skyrim in search of old word walls, containing the necessary words of power - each wall has one word that you can learn, so it'll be some time before you're fluent in the luxurious language of the flying reptiles called dragons. The second thing you need is more problematic, but essentially less time consuming - You have to obtain dragon souls. How do you do that? You need to kill dragons!

So once you've slain one of those magnificent bastards and absorbed its respective soul, that soul will be converted into points, which you will then be able to spend on each of the words you've acquired, enabling you to shout that word very loudly and thus use its respective power.


Given that we're all such math whizzes, we've already figured out that that means we will at least have to find 60 word walls as well as slay 60 dragons, which of course is all in a days work.

Now that that is explained, lets see what Dragon shouts we've got so far:

• Fus Roh Dah: Fires a shock-wave of force energy, both stunning and pushing enemies aside. Similar to the "Force Push" of the Star Wars franchise.
• Liz Slen Nus: I don't know about level 1, but level 2  spews a torrent of ice crystals and level 3 encases enemies in ice.
• Strun Bah Qo: This one creates a thunder storm (or at least level 3 does), striking your enemies with lightning.
• Yol Toor Krein: Allows you to breath fire - each level extends how long it is active
• Tiid Klo Ul: Slows time around the player
• Lein - -: Whirlwind sprint - allows you to instantly move forward a great speed.
• - Dovah -: Summons a dragon to come to your aid (You cannot ride it)
• - - -: The words are not knows, but this shout is called "Animal Allegiance"

Ice Wraiths!

Known for months, Ice wraiths will be flying around terrorizing us once we reach the frozen tundra in the land of Skyrim. Unlike their Cyrodiilic brethren from Oblivion, the regular wraiths, these bad boys are reminiscent of teeny, tiny version of transparent Japanese dragons - or eels, but what the hell do I know? I'm just hoping they won't suddenly appear and start screaming "ONAGI!" - simply terrifying.

David Schwimmer aside, I think we should focus on what we know of these neat creatures, which I believe to be hostile. The only picture we have of them, shows of three of them, causing me to believe that they are creatures prone to attack in groups. Being described as creatures formed out of pure ice and air, moves them even further away from the Wraiths in Oblivion, with them not being undead, nor vengeful. Not that that makes me want to try and join in on a dance of peace with them.

Wisps!

One of the PAX attendees who braved the 2½ hour line to play Skyrim, has revealed to us, the inclusion of wisps in the game. The wisp, being the most hated enemy in Oblivion, should disappoint most people, as they'd rather see it gone, but fear not.

There is not talk of the ol' will-o-the-wisp from Oblivion. Rather than a glowing orb of light, the player described it as an aetherial-looking female. Realizing for the first time that I don't know what aetherial means exactly, I'm guessing that it means it was kind of elf-spirit looking - maybe like a nymph?