Adding to Ben's list, because it's always bothered me:
Why do I get only one serving of venison from a deer, etc., etc.
I solve that problem often by cooking at a friend's house. I'll use their supplies (salt, veggies, et. al.) and role-play that I fed myself and their entire family - leaving the 'left-overs' there, except for one serving I take with me on the road.
Well, I since their brains are quite... rotten, it's pretty easy to make them think that you're one of them!
Just follow the steps on my little checklist that I've made for this job:
- Walk like a draugr -----> just move really slow
- Sound like a draugr -----> "Aav Dilon!"
- Think like a draugr -----> Scratch that, don't think at all!
- Look like a draugr ------> wear ancient nord armor
- Smell like a draugr -----> don't bathe for a few months
It worked great for me so far
(I'm no longer welcome in cities though... I wonder why)
I would not collect water from a watering hole. But those mountain springs are mostly formed from ice melt - probably safe to drink. Centuries ago much of earth's fresh water was safe to drink, as long as you weren't near any large communities of people (and not down stream from a hog farm or some such).
(and there are practically no rivers in Skyrim - just creeks and streams )