Guest Blogger!

Merry Christmas, readers, today we have a guest blogger! Take a look, we quite like him.


Hey, Tanky here. I guess a good opener would be to explain who I am (I'll try to sound as if I don’t love myself too much). I’m the latest competition winner Nathan Davidson and I thought that as these guys have rewarded me for merely following their concise adventures into the electronic world of gaming (wasn't really that hard, the trick is too be a closet nerd like myself who cant openly talk about these things with college friends without getting funny looks).

Tanky

So, I'm going to go into depth about my recent influx of overly enjoyed gaming since I started again a few months back, kick started by one of the most anticipated games of 2011!, (yes, you've probably already guessed it by now) SKYRIM!

With merely a few hours before release my girlfriend announces that “I don’t want you to have to wait until Christmas to play Skyrim”, Which to any gamer, Is like a dream come true, So never the less I began my adventures and in no less than 48 hours the main quest, the dark brotherhood and the thieves guild were finished. Due to an added feature known as ‘Shouts’ and the fact all games are becoming ever more user friendly (known to us gamers as ‘being easier’), I found my adventures in Skyrim more fluid and there was very little in the way (other than a few puzzles that anyone with the cognitive strength of a slug could figure out). But, I would like to continue this post by adding the many aspects of the game I have enjoyed…

Lycanthropy
(the werewolf curse)

(best bonus) Immunity to disease including the most annoying of the Elder Scrolls universe Sanguinare Vampiris (the vampire curse).
(Bonuses while in beast form) Increased melee damage with a range of +5 to +60 when in beast form depending on level.
Increased dexterity with the opportunity to run on all fours in beast form.


Shouts
(the utterance of words of power and the resulting effect)

On completion of the game you now get to use 2 very useful shouts when in a stcky situation such as being cornered…
Call Dragon- Od (snow) – Ah (Hunter) – Viing (Wing) “Odahviing! Hear my voice and come forth. I summon you in my time of need.” This summons the dragon Odahviing (aka Alduin’s sidekick) to help you in battle.
Call Of Valor- Hun (Hero) – Kaal (Champion) – Zoor (Legend) Each level of this shouts summons a different hero of Sovngarde (The ones that banished Alduin into the future). Hun – Gormlaith Golden-Hilt (who wields bows/sword/shields and shouts) Hun, Kaal – Felldir The Old (Who wields a Great sword and a number of damage inflicting shouts) Hun, Kaal, Zoor – Hakon One-Eye (who wields a Battle Axe and uses Melee Shouts)

Mining

Although this may seem like a pointless nod of appreciation to other fantasy veterans such as the ever popular but underrated Runescape or the classic and the modern MMORPG versions of Warcraft. Mining has become a useful tool in Skyrim due to two simple facts, The mines are everywhere and Pickaxes are light to carry (Which basically makes this like finding a ten pound note on your way to earn money. A HAPPY BONUS). This was the contributing factor to why I was probably one of the first people I know to achieve the 100,000 gold achievement on my Xbox 360. Along with this goes the ability to smelt your ore into bars, and in turn create items to sell for a higher price. Your patience really does pay off in Skyrim.

Cooking

Throughout my journeys in Skyrim, I discovered my favourite recipes for a useful item and through the most un-used skill at my disposal, Cooking. The Two I would like to share with you are:

Elswyr Fondue
(Ale,Eidar Cheese Wheel, Moon Sugar) Which fortifies magicka 100/12m and regenerates magicka 25%/12m
Horker Stew
(Garlic, Horker Meat, Lavender, Tomato) Which restores 15 health and 15 stamina and also regenerates health 1/12m


Now for a little summary of the ever popular and my favourite aspect of the elder scrolls games, The Dark Brotherhood. again filled with deception, plot twists and this time …. brace yourself… YOU MEET THE NIGHT MOTHER AND WORK DIRECTLY FOR HER!
For those of you that wish to seek this quest line the first meeting that may occur is by a small farm North of Whiterun, The meeting is strange your are confronted on your journey by a weird man, who talks like a psychopath and is dressed accordingly in a medieval court jesters apparel and his carriage (WHICH HARBOURS THE NIGHT MOTHERS BODY).

That is all for today.

PEACE