Part 24: And then I saw everything.

And then I saw everything.


Today's update starts with a stop in Balmora. This is partially for repairs, and partially an easy way of showing you guys that I've moved the LP to a waaaay more powerful computer, poked around with Morrowind Graphics Extender, and essentially I have amazing draw distance, with fog being a thing of the past. As you may recall, last update, we were asked to get four chunks of raw ebony to hire a wizard. Where to look?


Dwarf fortresses. We start with Arkngthand, which we visited way back when for a puzzle cube. I'd just like to stress that while this fortress is pretty much directly overlooking Fort Moonmoth, you can't see any of it from the foot of Fort Moonmoth under Morrowind's regular settings.


Usually it's tucked away in barrels, like these. Arkngthand held three pieces! Note that one chunk of Raw Ebony weighs TEN POUNDS. This is why glass is Wizard Lizard's lootable of choice!


Oh, and the robots all respawned.


Looks like the effort was enough to level us up. I'm pretty sure this is the message we're stuck with when leveling from now on.


In any case, we're headed east to scour all the fortresses already on the map.


One benefit of the increased draw distance is becoming readily apparent: we're seeing good shit that we otherwise may not have seen.


I'll just mark this for later.


I don't know if MGE did a number on the water effects too, but this place actually looks serene for once.


So naturally the game throws a duststorm at me.


But we spot a fortress as of yet undefiled for us to investigate, and press on along the path!


And then I spot no less than two more in the distance.


Ultimately I settle on the one with the giant gizmo next to it. Now, let's...wait, hold on a sec.


Oh Bethesda.


In we go, for reals this time!


So here I am, entering this cave, and I see this gal. I'm thinking maybe it's bandits again. But on closer inspection, this is a vampire-riddled dwarf fortress. Basically, they have better stats as vampires, and I'm finding them a smidgeon difficult to kill!


This...this is probably the creepiest screenshot in the whole LP if you take into account where vampires came from in the first place.


Always with the robots, those dwarves.


This, though, is exciting. I'm pretty sure I mentioned it in a previous update, but in case I didn't, Skink-in-Tree's-Shade at the Mages' Guild in Sadrith Mora wants this book.


Prismatologists! No, vampires. They get some kind of absorb health spell that they're more than willing to spam, which just compounds their annoying survivability.


To arms, old bean!


Reginald von Bloodslurp is quite simply ridiculous. She was perhaps the toughest nut to crack in the whole fortress. See her health bar? That's after three stabs. Three stabs with my spear and I'd be lucky to have taken off 15% of her health. I'll try not to rely on it too much, but it'll serve as a nice bulldozer in case things get rough.


To Sadrith Mora!


Whoa, hold on, I'm pretty sure that's a shrine.


Besides a hostile beatnik wizard, there's not much to speak of in here.



After that, turn-in is just a hop, skip and a jump away!


I guess we've got another Mage's Guild assignment, too. Sounds hard and boring.


Last but not least, we check in with Big Helende. We need to steal some book in Ald'Ruhn. Sounds easy!


Whoa whoa whoa, what's this? I found this absolutely massive shrine while poking around near Sadrith Mora.


But the only door in is crumbled and inoperable.


Or is it? This is a perfect opportunity to point something out: if I can't for the life of me figure something out in this LP, I'm gonna look it up. Some people might think this isn't in the spirit of the LP, but what it boils down to is me playing this game for the first time, and I'm going to act as such.


This isn't just any crusty old ISTHATAGOLDENSAINT


I try to soul trap her, but she doesn't end up in a gem for some reason.


Sword's pretty good, though! As you can see, the tomb is giving way to...darker places.


No, really, I mean darker. The main chamber of this shrine is massive, and this is what it looks like with night eye.


Wait what


Huh. Not exactly the kind of thing I use, but since I used one of my scrolls on that chest, I guess I'm keeping it!


There's also this, which looks pretty insane, but I forgot exactly where in the shrine it was.


And wouldn't you know it, I stumbled upon yet another shrine on the way to Ald'Ruhn! This one had orcs and not much else.


Finally made it! Is it me, or is there something up with the Ghostgate?


Huh, nope. Guess there are some things you just can't see from far off.


This does, however, give me the notion to try and levitate over it again.


Holy shit, it worked! Even that Ash Slave is grinning, he's so impressed.


And a fortress too? Well! That's gonna be one exciting endgame. I decided to just wander around there for a few minutes.

So anyway, I decided to get back to Ald'Ruhn and steal the book already, but then, well, I got a bit curious about some of my loot, and things got a little hilarious. Screenshots would not do.

Windwalkin' (Youtube)


Now, after that book!


Who even has an indoor manor, anyway?


Wow, that looks...pretty roomy, actually. I decide to sniff around the private quarters first.


And my intuition was right! It's right here in an important-looking chest.


Better book it before anyone notices.