Dragon's Dogma: Vocational Dangers

Adventures of Skyrim - spoilers ahead! You can follow the rest of the story here!

After sealing up the Everfall (by putting a padlock I imagine, or maybe a sturdy 2x4 against the door), Ser Maximillian of the Duke's guard offers me to join the "Wyrm Hunt", which is more like a fancy way of asking for my help in investigating the return of the dragon to this land. I say sure, recruit myself a ranger names Ferris to replace my previously eaten, now certainly being digested team mate and then switch my vocation from fighter to assassin, because they get to use bows. I also switch Rose from mage to sorcerer, which is pretty much "mage with bigger spells".

The Wyrm Hunt investigation includes tracking down a spy in the Duke's court, one who supposedly works for the cult of "Salvation" - dragon worshipers who welcome the end. So, Cult of the Dragon exists here too. Check. Following said spy is pretty easy since he stands out like a sore thumb. More interesting is that this spy, Ser Julien, meets with the busty merchant Madeline as his contact. I just report this to Ser Maximillian who says he'll handle it.

She's that kind of girl.

Our next task involves recovering old slates from the Watergod Altar cave which hides behind a waterfall. While there's nothing overly strong in there the resident saurians remind me that there is no swimming (for humans) in this game, especially when one drags Ser Berne and Ferris to a watery grave. The lizardmen obviously can swim, but aren't very agile in the water making them easy targets for Rose's new spells.

Dragon's Dogma: Many Heads, All Hungry

Adventures of Skyrim - spoilers ahead! You can follow the rest of the story here!

This is not how I planned my day to start!

It's a good thing I literally sleep in full armor because I awake to the encampment being attacked by a hydra! My team quickly joins the soldiers including Ser Berne and Captain Mercedes in the defense. It takes a bit of doing, but cutting off one head is enough to send the rest squirming back to wherever it came from. Captain Mercedes wants to seize this opportunity to bring the head to Gran Soren as tribute to the Duke, so we set off with the remainder of her troops through a harpy and bandit infested mountain path.

With my squad taking point, we suffer no casualties at all. Upon reaching the capital Ser Mercedes and her company ditch us at the gate so they can claim the fame of the tribute themselves I suppose. Not that I mind. The good Ser Berne decides to stick with us though, which is great - another sword is always welcome. Before checking ou the sights, Lily suggests we visit the Pawn Guild who handle mercs like herself. The manager of that place, Barnaby, asks us to check out the not so convenient dungeon right underneath called the Everfall since "something odd" is going on there.

The huge spiraling pit is filled has a handful of undead, but upon reaching the bottom we clearly wake up some Eldritch entity as spell-casting tentacles with hungry mouths start appearing all over the place. They are killable with a bit of effort but they are endless. Ultimately we have to flee and just seal the door behind us. Anise doesn't make it.

*Nom nom nom!*

Dragon's Dogma: Stage One - DEATH!

Adventures of Skyrim - spoilers ahead! You can follow the rest of the story here!

Having earned some fame I am allowed (to create) my own bodyguard - who I design as Rose the sorceress (because, wifey!). I also recruit a warrior type lady named Anise and after some quick training exercises with Ser Berne, the sergeant at the encampment, we head back to Cassardis to hand in and complete a handful of other newbie quests (like flower picking). Since it is night time when we arrive, we find a spirit lady named Olra at the docks who asks for our help. I say yes, and we are warped to Bitterblack Isle.

That's not a big black curtain behind us...

This turns out to be an "end game" area but I don't care. We push through the insanely strong greater goblins and run into Death himself, who we have no option but to run from. Rook is too slow and gets beheaded by the reaper's scythe before it vanishes into the shadows. Undaunted, we push on - often having to run past things like giant skeletons, skeleton warlocks, a cockatrice, and gargoyles, until we reach a deep chamber which is the home to a giant floating eye.

This beholder is far too tough so we backtrack out of there for the time being. Fortunately we now have some pretty cool gear, enough XP to reach level 17 and a rather large sum of gold in the bank. :)