Day 3

*Yawn*  It’s 4:00am when I wake up.  It’s still dark outside.

At least I still got a good eight hours of sleep.  It’s going to be a long day.  I start heading east in the general direction of Skingrad.  Kvatch is closer, but I’m not exactly sure what it’s like before the oblivion gate siege.  Skingrad is still a better bet.  I pass under some ruins and find a herd of flaming reindeer. 

Okay, it was me that set them on fire…Geez, excuse me for being a pyromaniac.  The deer burns to ashes, and upon looting it I gain some venison, a type of meat.  I chase after another deer, and the sun is in the sky by the time I kill it.  http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa120/85natrapS/Oblivion%20Blog/Oblivion2008-04-2520-04-18-46.jpg

Anyways, I continue east.  A couple hours and many flowers later, I stumble across what seems to be some deserted ruins. 

Curiousity gets the better of me, and like at Hrota Cave, I decide to enter.  Wow, spooky.  http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa120/85natrapS/Oblivion%20Blog/Oblivion2008-04-2520-06-30-14.jpg  This place is pretty cool on the inside.  I’m sneaking around, looking for loot, when I hear some whispering voices.  I wait for a few seconds, but I don’t see anyone.  I slowly turn around and start to leave the dungeon.  This was a bad idea.  I make a wrong turn and find myself right behind a necromancer in dark robes. 

Okay, stay calm.  He hasn’t noticed you yet.  I’m going to back away very, very slowly.  Oh, shit.  He saw me.  I run for my freaking life.  I turn around, and he’s summoned a zombie.  Oh, shit!

I retrace my steps as fast as I possibly can, but take another wrong turn.  I’ve sprung a trap.  Giant blades of death begin to swing from the ceiling.  One of them slams into me, cutting away part of my health and blurring my vision.  I turn around just in time to see one of the blades cleave through the necromancer’s zombie. 

That’ll buy me some time.  I head through the exit and continue running.  I turn around to see if the necromancer is still following me, but he’s not.  However, an animated skeleton with a meat cleaver is now in hot pursuit. 

Must…keep…running.  After 10 minutes of running I slow down.  I think I lost them.  Phew, gotta take a breather.  I rest and eat some food to restore my energy.  I slay three deer with fireballs launched from afar.  I loot three more pieces of venison.  I continue towards Skingrad, but I’m still really far away.  I come across some weird cave, but I’m not sticking around to be chased by more black magi.  I’ve learned my lesson. http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa120/85natrapS/Oblivion%20Blog/Oblivion2008-04-2521-16-06-98.jpg

Next to the cave is a small camp.  I run towards it, but drop into a crouch when I see an archer standing guard.  I move closer, and see that she is a wood elf.  I decide that she is not a threat, and I stand up and walk towards her. 

Apparently, she’s just a rogue NPC.  And from the looks of her gear, she could kick some serious ass.  She says, “Leave me to my work, stranger” when I approach her.  Alright, that’s cool.  As long as I stay on her good side, she probably won’t kill me.  I take her advice, and leave the small camp.  It’s around 2:00pm, I’ve still got plenty of time.  I spot a small, ruined castle up ahead. 

I survey the area first.  I don’t see any enemies.  I’m still not heading inside though.  I pick the flowers around it, and head back up to the trail.  I follow the trail for a couple more hours, picking up everything I see along the way.  The sun begins to dissapear over the mountains.  Within minutes, it’s completely dark outside. 

I look up and see a weird celestial body in the sky.  Not sure what it is.  Must be Oblivion’s moon or something.  I look on my map and I see a small tent icon.  I walk over to where it is.  http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa120/85natrapS/Oblivion%20Blog/Oblivion2008-04-2522-58-41-01.jpg It’s not inhabited, as far as I can see, but won’t let me sleep there because there are enemies nearby.  I set up a perimeter and look for any animals or humans.  Pretty soon I find this unlucky fellow.

It’s a dark elf bandit.  I sneak up behind him and launch a flare spell right into his back.  He turns around and starts filling the air with arrows.  I block most of them with my shield, then charge into him with my dagger.  I slash a few times, then back up and finish him off with another fireball.  http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa120/85natrapS/Oblivion%20Blog/Oblivion2008-04-2522-59-57-53.jpg  He’s down for the count.  I walk over to the body and loot it.  Alright!  I have bow now!  I also replace my old rusted dagger with his mace.  A wolf jumps out from behind a bush, but I make quick work of it.

I skin the wolf of it’s pelt and walk back towards the camp.  There not much at the camp, save for some ale which I greedily pick up.  Hey, finders keepers.  It’s 12:45am, so I’ve got to be heading to bed.  I sleep for eight hours and wake up in the morning. 

Day 2

A new day…

I wake up in Anvil at 8:30.  A little bit of a late start, but that’s okay.  I sit down in my room and eat the breakfast that room service set out for me. 

Grapes, bread, and wine.  Not the most healthy breakfast, but at least it will keep my energy up.  I finish eating and leave my room.  As I’m walking down the stairs, I encounter a guy named Wilbur.  He seems like a nice enough fellow.  He informs me that if I murder someone, the Dark Brotherhood will visit me while I’m sleeping.  What a load of crap.  http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa120/85natrapS/Oblivion%20Blog/Oblivion2008-04-2518-51-34-76.jpg 

A bright and sunny morning in Anvil.  I’m ready for my daily workload of picking herbs, shrubs, mushrooms, flowers, and the like.  If Lady Luck is on my side, I’ll hunt as many animals as I did yesterday.  I don’t have very much food, so I stop by a general good store and replenish my supply before I exit Anvil.  Well, I’m going to have to look for a new town.  I don’t care how nice the room at the inn was, I need a cheaper place to stay.  Too bad Mirabelle won’t rent out any rooms to non-sailors.  Apparently she needs her daily dose of seamen.  I head north until I come across Hrota Cave.  I’m curious as to what (or who) is inside, so I decide to take a peek. 

I’m careful to be no more than a shadow in this cave.  I glide swiftly, but quietly across the rugged stone floor.  I don’t see anybody in the room ahead, but there is a wooden door at the far end.  I peek through the cracks in the door.  http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa120/85natrapS/Oblivion%20Blog/Oblivion2008-04-2519-18-49-85.jpg  Looks like the coast is clear.  I open the door, and as I predicted, there isn’t a soul to be found.  I take a couple steps into the room.  I hear the noise of shuffling feet.  I pull out my dagger and blend back into the shadows.  I turn around just in time to see a small rat running in between some crates.  I dig through a chest and procure 10gp.  Seeing as though this cave is (I hope) uninhabited, I assume it’s morally legitamite to scavenge from these abandoned boxes and crates.  I search the rest of the cave and find a bronze necklace.  Well, that wasn’t a total waste.  10gp for me is nothing to sneeze at.  And now I have my first piece of jewelry.  I’m walking towards the exit when I accidently spring a trap.  Oops. 

I alright, just a little surprised.  The spiked flail only took away 1/4 of my total hp.  I pick a few more mushrooms and leave the cave.  Okay, that little cave detour took a few hours.  It’s 3:00pm when I step outside.  I head north picking flowers until it’s 5:00pm.  I have to look for a place to spend the night, because Anvil is too far back.  I look on my map and decide the closest place is the Brina Cross Inn. 

I head inside and chat a bit with the locals.  It’s a small inn and tavern type place.  Everyone inside is pretty friendly except for one person. 

Her name is Caminalda.  From her robes, she’s either a noble or a wizard.  Seeing as how she’s in the Brina Cross Inn, I’m assuming she’s a wizard.  Best not to get on her bad side.  I decide talk to her, and she gives me the stink-eye.  Don’t know what her problem is.  I talk to the innkeeper and rent a bed for the night.  It’s a bargain at 10gp. 

It’s not as nice as the one in Anvil, but it’s a helluva lot cheaper.  I even read this book before I go to sleep.  http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa120/85natrapS/Oblivion%20Blog/Oblivion2008-04-2519-44-02-57.jpg.  Today wasn’t as prosperous as yesterday, but it wasn’t bad.  It’s only 8:00pm, but I want to get an early start tomorrow.  In the morning, I’m heading for Skingrad.