» Mon Jun 04, 2012 6:01 pm There's still plenty to do; I never carried on with the Companions quest line because I didn't want my Dragonborn to be a werewolf. Likewise I didn't start with the Thieves Guild quest line, because I didn't want my Dragonborn to be a thief. Neither with most of the Daedric quests because I didn't want... well, you get the idea.
I've been a goodie-two shoes, as they say. I also haven't yet joined the Imperials or Stormcloaks yet... still unsure about which side to pick. Man, I should definitely not think about this as much as I am doing! I wage this decision more then I do most of my real-life decisions! That is so bad!Right now I feel like a kid whose parents are away for the weekend; having fulfilled the Dragonborn destiny, I'm free to get up to some more evil stuff. That is, I felt like that until Arngeir told me how good I'd been and not to spoil my legacy. That was like dad coming back in wagging his finger at you to behave while they were away. Damn these game designers, they do know what they're doing, don't they? Damn, damn...
Best moments of the game for me;
- The start of course! Being a prisoner - again (chuckle). The tense escape and then the feeling of being free to explore this land, with no idea of who you are or what's in store - hmmm.
There is nothing like this feeling, and you only get it once. When does the next Elder Scrolls game come out again?- The landscapes, the ferns on the forest floor, the salmon leaping in the rivers, the ice particles being blown across the ridges, the rainstorm and the sunny days, the northern lights, the two planets amidst the stars in the sky, the black sands of the nordic beaches, the beauty of the tundra, the pine forests and the birch forests, the imposing nordic ruins, the jagged edges of the mountain rocks, the mists clinging to the sides of the mountains, ... I could go on for hours. Wowww...
- Joining the College in Winterhold and feeling like a first-year student again.
- My first dragon battle of course.
- An epic battle I had with an Ancient Dragon in Winterhold a few days ago. The way it landed on buildings and perched on top of the College's entrance arch. Ending the fight by blasting it to pieces with Fire Breath. Wow! Did I said that already? Wow!
- Standing on top of the hill in the middle of the tundra and watching the sun come up.
- Everything about the main quest. It was epic! From the call of the Greybeards, to walking up to Paarthunax, holding an Elder Scroll in your hands, fighting alongside the old Nord hero's... wow!!!
- Destroy the Dark Brotherhood! Yes, I know it's most people's favorite part but the Dark Brotherhood was a thorn in my skin from the first time in Oblivion. I never wanted to be a murderer so having them constantly there at the sidelines was always bugging me. In Oblivion there was nothing to do but ignore them and get annoyed every time the game showed a glimpse of them (yahoo, we're still here! Grrrr!). Now, in Skyrim, I was so weary of this and when that
kidnapped me and told me in her patronizing little voice that I had to kill these innocent people kneeling on the dirt floor, I just lost it, turned around and blasted her to hell! When the game then went: "Failed - With Friends Like These". "Started: Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!", I literally jumped ten feet in the air and did a little victory dance. Yes! Yes! 
It was a bit of a shame that the destroy-quest was so short, I wouldn't have minded spending some more time rooting out this lot, but that the option was there at all was just wonderful. One of the best gaming-moments ever for me!
Very clever of the games' designers, by the way, to make the quest that opens up the Dark Brotherhood-faction one where an evil old woman is praying on innocent sweet orphans. Yesss... that'll draw the goodie and the baddie-players in, very smart!
- Offering the College's librarian the Elder Scroll. "Haha, very funny, did Sergius put you up to this?"
And in the same faction, Brelyna's practice. 'Please tell me this isn't permanent.' LOL! And even more in the same vein; an Orc as librarian?! 'At least you're back in one piece, and more importantly, so is the book!' Priceless, I loved that character!- Wilandriah, the confused court mage in Riften. The conversation with her cracked me up!
- Collecting the Words of Power and Dragon Souls. That sense of achievement when you hear the 'hum-hum-hum' that means a word wall is around the corner. I want more of both!
- Nirnroot. Not again!!
- I have to mention it once more; the landscapes. And another wow! I now want to grab my backpack and jump on the first train to Scandinavia. Walk around the place for a year and learn paragliding. Don't ask...
- Exploring Whiterun for the first time. Such a beautiful city. I now wonder how much it would cost to have my kitchen done in wood like that...
- Accidentally slipping into a river and being dragged down waterfall after waterfall until I ended up halfway across the map at the bottom of the river. Dragging myself out, whooping with glee. That was fun!!
- The music. Man... when the main theme starts playing during a dragon battle.. goosebumps all over. I've ordered the soundtrack.
- Walking the 7000 steps up to High Hrothgar for the first and second time (are there 7000? Did anyone ever actually count?) I did the little quest of bringing them supplies before I started on the main quest, and I'm so glad I did. Seeing that imposing castle, closed to you, and having to turn back made the experience afterwards of being invited up there so much better.
- The way the NPC's responded to you. Going from standing around gawking after a dragon battle, to Golldir being shocked at you looting items from his family's crypt when you assist him to clear the place of necromancers. Beautiful little touches that make it so real. A shame, in this regard, that the Jarl of Whiterun doesn't have anything to say to you after the finish the main quest. Seeing as what happened in his home, you'd think he'd have something more to say then, 'Excuse me, I have a city to run'. Shame. But then the guards do say something! I could have hugged them!
I'm sure there were more moments, but this is it from the top of my head. It's been amazing. The best game ever for me. I was playing on a PS3 with maxed-out memory, so I didn't have too much trouble with the lag. A few bugs here and there and the White Phial quest had to wait until after the patch, but all in all no troubles.
Thank you, Bethesda, for an absolutely wonderful, intense and mind-blowing experience!
Now, about those Unusual Gems...
