Higher difficulty? Finally... a challenge! Vae Victo!

Wow, sounds like I am going to need better armor!!

Edit: think I will drag my spouse/follower along!

From what I understand, they'll be hitting harder, so that little mage apprentice you've got over there, will have even less room for mistakes

I turned my difficulty back up to Adept lol I was walking through Skyrim completing random quests just to kill time not for a challenge. I died 3 times already....wow....Its hard and I svck!

Yea I had to spend a lot of unused perk points after getting mobed by pirates and slapped by a lurker. It's been fun.

Let's just say they're not just beefed up. Tactics, on many, are employed.

My guess is, the starting level for mobs is around 40. You're gonna feel it if you go in under 20. At 81, the mobs probably scale up to 70.

Just a guess, but it seems likely.

Beefed up or not Rork would have struggled, he needs a truckload of health potions so will probably run for home before much longer. He got rid of the Rieklings by staying out of reach, got rid of the ash spawn creatures in the temple crypt by using all his health potions, got through all the mine Reavers to the metal gate just past that nice treasure chest and managed to get himself killed by an even more powerful pair of Reavers, ended up I had saved just before going into the mine so gave up decided to start investigating Raven Rock for storage or housing. Rork unlike my other two characters cannot carry a lot of stuff around.

Had an interesting encounter with some bugs, that in the end Rork could get rid off, lucked out on the ruined house near the wrecked ship, Rork is not very fireproof, the Ash Spawn were too much for him. Second attempt was attract the Ash Spawn, run towards the wrecked ship to see if Reavers with magic arrows could deal with them, they did. Went looking for piles of ash with goodies only to be killed by some type of Burned or Burnt Spriggan. Definitely need some health potions! Rork might run for home and send someone back in his place who can actually fight.

Yes it Did, Oh my god yes it did. I almost died a couple of times. And I was Level 53 in Dragonborn

Everything else was a one hit kill when I was a Level 53 in Skyrim.

I found myself using a lot more potions to cure diseases and poisons as there seems to be some pretty tough insects... Even at level 68 I've found it challenging... the drops are worth it though

Well it seems no matter the level then its always going to have a very nice challenge factor to it for the most part.

I'm at level 79 with enchanted ledgendary weapons and armor so I haven't noticed lol.