Hi
I am hoping to write a weekly blog of my adventures on my first playthrough of Skyrim. Partly this will be to keep track of what I have heard is a deep and detailed game, but also it'll be an opportunity to try an extended writing project. I should give a major spoilers warning, as you probably shouldn't read this blog if you haven't yet played Skyrim and want to keep the plot a secret until you do.
The tone is intended to be as an outsider looking in, but I will also throw in an interlude now and then which will be written in the actual voice of my character or the context of the situation. I will refer occasionally to the mechanics of the game, and shall take an infrequent swipe at any storytelling in the game that doesn't quite ring true with what people would actually do if they were in the situation described.
Let me know if you like it, though primarily as I say I'm writing these for myself as much as for anyone to actually read them.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 1
We meet Yuri, as he is halfway through having a really bad day.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 2
The explorations continue with a trip to Whiterun.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 3
Yuri spends a day finding his way around Whiterun, before heading further north.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 4
Turning back to Whiterun, Yuri is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. And a man who looks like a snake.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 5
Yuri takes steps to solve the problems of Whiterun, before heading back to the crypt in Riverwood.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 6
Yuri shows his cunning combat skills, and ponders his tax position, before being chased by giants.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 7
It's all action as Yuri deals death to dragons, hassles a Jarl for a reward, and then takes a delightful new friend to visit an old enemy.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part: Interlude
A moment from the aftermath of the assault on Fellglow Keep.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 8
Yuri experiences a couple of "visions" of a fiery death while searching for a way up the throat of the world mountain.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 9
What goes up, must come down, with some Greybeard training in between.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 10
A young adventurer joins Yuri and Lydia as they set out to find some tree sap.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 11
Yuri attacks a tree and par takes of some woodcutting on the road to Windhelm.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 12
Having sampled all that Windhelm has to offer, Yuri turns north into the wild frozen wastes leading to Winterhold.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 13
Yuri enrols at college and livens things up with a new mascot for the quadrangle.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 14
Yuri's field trip comes to a disappointing end as he gets stumped by an ancient puzzle.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 15
Yuri goes island hopping in search of plunder.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 16
Yuri raises an objection when a dragon tries to enrol at college, before having another crack at the crypts of Saarthal.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 17
Yuri decides to leave college and braves the dangers of the route south back to Whiterun.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 18
Yuri is reunited with some old friends and enemies, prompting him to think about his future.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 19
Before signing up with the empire, Yuri and Lydia head over to Windhelm and unfinish some unfinished business.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 20
The murder investigation comes up with nothing, so Lydia and Yuri embark on a road trip to Solitude.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 21
Yuri reaches Solitude, and then heads west to show the empire what he's made of.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 22
The mysteries of Ustengrav are explored by the empire's newest recruit, though with somewhat disappointing results.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 23
Yuri and Lydia travel East, letting down the residents of Dawnstar and the Mages of Winterhold before meeting an old friend.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 24
Yuri and Lydia stoke the fires of war, and bring an end to the butcher of Windhelm.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 25
War comes to Whiterun.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 26
Yuri and Lydia return to Dawnstar, and face the perils of the nightmare temple.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 27
Yuri finds the work of a secret agent in wartime to be a grubby and morally questionable business.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 28
Having secured the Pale, Yuri's tour of duty takes him south to the hard lands around Riften.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 29
The eye of Yuri is turned fully on Riften.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 30
Spending time with the thieves guild brings Yuri into quarrel with the guardsfolk of Riften.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 31
Another failed attempt to satisfy the thieves guild causes Yuri to reassess his strategy in Riften.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 32
Yuri at last finds the key to weakening the Stormcloak hold on Riften, bringing his criminal endeavours to a long awaited end.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 33
Yuri stops off at Winterhold college on his latest mission for the empire.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 34
Yuri becomes a home owner, and then revisits all the points of the compass in preparation for the last push of the Skyrim civil war.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 35
Yuri and Lydia join the final battle of the Stormcloak rebellion.
The travels of Yuri Woodcutter part 36
The war is over, and our wearied traveller contemplates what life would be like if he settled down in Skyrim.