Beardy nonsense, you say?

Excerpts from the diary of Monty Stormbringer (spoilers)

Day 1

My day began with my own execution. In the wrong place at the wrong time I was picked up by the Imperial dogs along with a couple of Stormcloaks and thrown on a cart to Helgen. My head was on the block and the executioners axe held high when something happened I would have scarcely believed had I not seen it with my own eyes. A dragon flew out of nowhere, landing on the roof of the tower beside us. It gave a deafening screech as flames spewed from its mouth. Despite the confusion all around, it still took me a moment to gather my senses and make my escape. Aided by Ralof, one of the condemned Stormcloaks and fellow Nord, we made our way through the ruins of the town as the dragon laid waste to all in its path. After seeking refuge in the keep we fought through the prison and lower levels before finally tasting the sweet air of freedom as we escaped through the adjoining caves. We heard a screech and looked up to see the dragon flying overhead and off towards the mountains in the distance. Ralof thanked me for the assistance and pointed me in the direction of Riverwood, where his sister runs an inn. We should be safe there. At that point we parted ways to minimise the risk of being recaptured.

~

I stopped a while to drink in the view. I have been too long away from my homeland but I did not expect my return to be met with dragons! I thought their existence was just a myth or childrens story? Though I owe my survival to its appearance today, I fear the prospect of encountering it again without such sufficient places to hide! I am though intrigued by its origin and will investigate this further. Carefully, of course!

~

With little more than the clothes on my back, a small bag and the mace I had scavenged during the escape, I started to make my way along the path. Along the way I harvested a variety of mountain flowers and thistles, as well as some wild mushrooms. I had once trained in alchemy when I was much younger and in these dangerous times I must call on all my available skills. However, I remember so little of my old lessons it feels a bit like starting from scratch. When I find myself somewhere safe to stop I will eat these plants and test their effects.

~

Foolish! Getting sidetracked has cost me the light and now I make my way in the dark towards Riverwood. I can hear wolves howling from the hills running alongside the path. I must make haste...

Been playing through and already came across a killer of a bug in the tutorial level. At one point the dragon didn't appear where it was supposed to, to breathe fire on a barricade, so it was impossible to advance. Going back and re-loading seemed to make it run as it should, but now I'm fearful of any more game-killing bugs that might crop up.

They should put a warning on games like this saying "Don't buy it unless your console's connected to the net, because these huge games are always bugged up the arse and you'll need to download patches."

I understand that a few glitches were bound to slip the net with a game this size, but it's a bloody sad indictment of what gaming has become today when even single-player games are utterly reliant on an internet connection these days.

Decided to upload some videos to youtube of random dragons I encountered, might make a habit of it for Skyrim and some others, a little Fevron vs the world selection xD Link is below if you want to check it out, don't worry no spoilers :P

http://www.youtube.com/user/fevron

Nope, it seems that whenever I get within a certain distance of where they circle they come straight after me, sometimes they get distracted by NPCs and go kill them but they usually come after me then and stick to me.

Yea it is relatively simple, the "favourites" that you can pop open and switch or use potions with quickly is very handy but it still pauses the combat to do so, so if your careful you will rarely die.

I play on PC but with an Xbox wireless controller and it is surprisingly enjoyable :D

The giants and mammoths look AWESOME, I need to kill one also but right now they hit too hard for me to take them on, even though I went for a build of heavy armor in your face shield/1handed. But there are plenty of hours left so I will get one killed sooner or later :P

@Monty ,  you gonna be summiing all this up into a review piece ?