I think he's always been killed by a bear in my games. Never could slip him a Mead.

He was attacked by a timber wolf that came out of the woods, just before he reached Etta's ambush. I was worried for a minute that he would die and "cheat" Etta, but he had no problem burning the Big Bad Wolf "to ash," as it were. He didn't fare as well against Etta's poisoned Gummite Bow.

En-route to Kallisto - (west of Bruma) - to fulfill a mission for Kikyo, Niamh and Vilja pass through Pale Pass, looking for anything that they may have missed the last time. Leaving Vilja at the entrance to the tunnel back to Bruma's environs, Niamh ventures out into the troll-infested wilds herself, http://i798.photobucket.com/albums/yy265/bassmunkee/Oblivion/oblivion_100112/wheres_niamh.jpg.
This venture turns out to be quite the success as following a rather round-about chase through the ruins ad the rocks of the area, a circlet of no small power is discovered. Niamh also gets a view of Skyrim...

Returning to the gate to collect Vilja, the 2 of them pass back into the http://i798.photobucket.com/albums/yy265/bassmunkee/Oblivion/oblivion_100112/pale_pass.jpg, and walk the short distance to Bruma itself where, leaving her companion to relax a little and catch up with friends Niamh http://i798.photobucket.com/albums/yy265/bassmunkee/Oblivion/oblivion_100112/about_to_go_shopping_in_bruma.jpg.

Leaving Bruma later, they set out again for Kallisto, pausing briefly on their way, http://i798.photobucket.com/albums/yy265/bassmunkee/Oblivion/oblivion_100112/ex_bandito.jpg...

[EDIT] - and yes, she knows that's not how you hold a Naginata!!

After completing the Leyawiin recommendation and spending almost four days in the city, which she has decided is one of her favourites ( due to the guild specialtly being Mysticism which is her second favourite field), she is now headed to Bravil.

After being ambushed countless times on the road just outside of Fort Alessia, Rodrigo had had enough. He travels often to Leyawiin, from his shack in the IC, and visits with Dagail. We marched in there and threw down a frenzy.... well, frenzy. It's strange that there is no in-between frenzy spell for levels 9 - 17, currently level 14. I had to make one, I named it "Rage More Dude." What's even funnier is conjuring up a faded wraith when no one has enchanted weapons. Feeling pretty confident, we walked out with a handful of loot, only to be one-shotted by a spriggan.

Curious behavior from a marauder outside of Sercen. I had killed her buddy, and had taken his claymore (enchanted), as it was just enough money to let me make a spell. She attacked me, and I corroded her weapon to the point that it broke. She ran to her buddy's body, searched it, and came out with his gauntlets and proceeded to give me a beat down. I had to quit playing around and take her down. (Working on my block, blocking with a staff with the block skill below level 50, means my staff will break in three hits.)

Just got this game for Christmas from my girlfriend. After hearing me complain about the problems Skyrim was having on the ps3 but how much I wanted to play it, she instead got me the GOTY edition of Oblivion and I've been playing ever since. This is my first Elder Scrolls game, I must admit, but definitely not my first RPG. So far I've enjoyed every minute but there are some things I don't quite understand about the game yet. For example, I created a Bard character and have advanced what I feel to be pretty far in the game, yet have achieved only level 5 at my current point (Allies for Bruma quest, just completed the quest where I closed the Oblivion gate at Bruma) and am rounding up allies. Some other things I don't understand.

-The sigil stones, are those attributes always in effect or do I do something with them?
-Alchemy, this is one thing I don't understand. I've seen the guides online and they mention mixing ingredients (of which I have quite a few) yet when I select them in the inventory the only options they display are eat and hotkey, etc. nothing about mixing ingredients. Being a Bard this is one of my major skills and I have to advance it, I would love to be able to create some things in alchemy to level up more.
- Was I wrong in picking a Bard? Are his major skills just useless? I remember in Fallout 2 I could create a character with low STR and END but max out his Charisma and Luck and always be able to talk myself out of a fight.
- The Persuade system. Being a Bard this seems highly important, yet I don't understand any of it. I select the highest point value for each discussion option yet NPC's always seem mad at me (besides the compliment option, everyone's always happy about that) and I always wear my Green Brocade when I'm persuading.

Once again, I am enjoying my time playing the game but just have some questions about the game. Thanks so much for any answers.

Also, I am playing the GOTY edition and the manual was pretty basic with no mention of alchemy or the persuade system. If that explains my idiotic post, I'm all for it!

On the leveling: You're fine. You don't want to level fast in this game, because enemies level with you.

Sigil stones: Select (equip) one in your inventory, and a window will open where you can create an enchanted object. If you choose a weapon, the item will use the offensive characteristic of the stone, and if you choose an article of clothing, it will create a constant-effect enchantment from the defensive characteristic. Name the article what you choose, before you finish the enchanting.

Alchemy: Select (equip) a piece of alchemy apparatus, like a mortar & pestle, and a window similar to the above one will open, where you can plug in the ingredients you want to mix. The window should be pretty self-explanatory. You can also custom-name potions.

The Bard is "fine." Just use the skills you need, and try to develop some minor skills to get better level-up multipliers. Later on, when you're more familiar with the game, you might want to restart with a custom class. Most of the default classes are "broken" in some way, and get harder to play at high level.

Given that you haven't had the benefit of Alchemy and custom-enchanted gear, I'd say that you're doing really well!

My decrepit avatar and Vilja are in The Count's Arms, Anvil, following completion of a road patrol and several mercantile deliveries to that fair city. En route they delivered packages to Skingrad and collected taxes-due at Gottshaw Inn.

The trip got off to an unintended late start. My avatar left his Weye domicile at the accustomed time. First stop, the Waterfront Gold Horse Courier office to grab a delivery assignment for Skingrad. Much to his surprise, he was not allowed to do so. At a loss, he rummaged through his packs until discovering the cause. He already possessed a Gold Horse assignment to the Roxey.

Cursing himself for a senile old fool, his first thought was “To heck with it, I'll settle for a patrol and one delivery assignment this trip, and do Roxey on our return.” But Roxey was so blasted near. It made little sense to postpone it. In the end he elected to, in order:

• Deliver supplies to Roxey.
  
• Visit the Palace for a patrol assignment Anvil.
  
• Visit All Saints for a delivery assignment to Skingrad.
  
• Visit Gold Horse headquarters for a delivery assignment to Skringrad.
  
• Return to Weye.
  
• Gather Vilja and the rest.
  
• Hit the road.

Doing it that way put them behind schedule. They didn't depart Weye until afternoon. Didn't reach Skingrad until late afternoon. Didn't depart Skingrad (with fresh delivery assignments) until early evening. (The Skingrad Gold Horse clerk was once again hard to track down, and they needed to eat.) It should go without saying that they did not reach Anvil that day but instead slept at an off-road campsite somewhat east of Kvatch.

Up early next morning they rode west to Gottshaw, gathered taxes, then continued on to their ultimate destination.

The patrol itself was a piece of cake. Between Weye and Skingrad they encountered a grand total of one foe, a brown bear engaged in combat with a wandering mercenary. The mercenary bested it before they could reach him to help. Between Skingrad and Anvil they faced four adversaries, including a bandit at the camp where they slept.

Oh yeah, my avatar got to ply his armourer skills on a wandering Fighters Guild member whose leather goods had disintegrated. He also gave her a better quality weapon (Glass Longsword) than what she had been wielding (Iron or Steel short-sword if memory serves), along with a shield which she had been doing without. The poor lass could have done with a helm, but we had none to spare.

-Decrepit-

Linaea has entered the Arcane University, having gotten all the recommendations she needed. She has spent time in the Praxographical Center, where she has created a new spell she calls "Naiad's Touch," a combination of Shock, Frost, and Absorb Health. Now she's on her way to get the wood for her new staff.

Etta is on the road in Dementia, having done her first job for her new boss, Sheogorath. She's about to take a side trip, and try to get a cure for somebody's illness. (A promise is a promise, no matter how doubtful the circumstances.)

Tara travelled to Bravil with her trusty Chestnut Horse, Dawnie. The journey was pleasent enough; untill Dawnie was injured by a troll near the road. Tara managed to take the troll out without a problem, but was forced to set up camp near an old ruin untill Dawnie was fit enough to ride again. Luckily, Tara knew a healing spell and used it on Dawnie's leg. She may be healed, but Tara's not taking any chances. It seems her determination to see Dawnie at full health means she'll be spending the night on the road. But she doesn't mind. A night under the stars sounds perfect to her.

Niamh and Vilja have "volunteered" to enter the portal which has opened up just north of the stables at IC.
Apparently a group of Orc Adventurers and subsequently some Imperial Guard have disappeared into it. That was 4 days ago.

They are currently - apparently - in Arcathor, which appears to be an Ayleid Ruin, which in the bits that they can actually see, looks a lot like this: http://i798.photobucket.com/albums/yy265/bassmunkee/Oblivion/oblivion_120112/Arcathor_Dungeon_Epic.jpg.
In the bits where there is no light at all, it looks like this: http://i798.photobucket.com/albums/yy265/bassmunkee/Oblivion/oblivion_120112/V_In_Arcathor.jpg.

The dynamic duo are rather hoping they are as prepared as they thought that they were...

When I first opened that I thought, "what? I can't see anyth... BY THE NINE!" I sure hope that is Vilja!

I just exited the sewers for my 26th time.

LOL - yeah I rather like that picture! I know what you mean though.

I think it's Morning Star, I have a knotted thread in my pack and I've marked off the days. Lately though I've been losing track. I slept for an hour... earlier, I've no idea when, I haven't seen actual real daylight since me and Vilja walked through that cursed portal. For once in my stupid life I wish I had listened to the guard...

I left Vilja in another section. She seemed indifferent either way. The lack of light, or it's strangeness when there is any, combined with the noise and the smell, is getting to both of us.
I hope she is alright.

I'm in some Ayleid ruin full of those... things. They stink worse than zombies.
The red light in here is making me feel sick to my belly, although it has been empty for some time now. I left what little food we had left with Vilja.

I found what the Daedra told us to seek, but I have not made it back to her yet. A curse on my curiosity!
Now I am lost, although I thank Sithis for my http://i798.photobucket.com/albums/yy265/bassmunkee/Oblivion/oblivion_120112/Ring_Of_Khajiiti.jpg...

I hope I will find my way back. I actually think I miss Cyrodiil.
...I miss Vilja...

I really liked hearing from Niamh in her own words!!

Heh, it's nice to let her speak occasionally, they are having a stressful time so it felt better coming from her...

Finally - the City Isle awaits, and Niamh and Vilja are reunited.

The 2 of them accepted the promised cash from the Captain outside the portal, not even quibbling at it's relative lack of value compared to what they had done.
It was somewhere in the region of 0230 and starving, filthy and tired beyond imagining, they made their way back to the waterfront shack.
Vilja went straight to bed. Niamh sat watching the fire for a few hours, too tired even to get into bed.
Finally, just as dawn was breaking, and Vilja was stirring she herself lay down and drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep...

(IRL: Kudos to David Brasher for an Awesome Mod).

Lothran and Buffy enjoyed a nice dinner together with the Countess and some dignitaries at the castle. Although she prefers her regular clothes, or in this case furs, Buffy had put on a nice gown that made everyone look her way. Lothran decided to step back and let his friend bask in the attention that followed.
Later on they plan to visit the barracks but first, a nice trip to Gnoll Mountain!

Rodrigo had dinner with Dar-Jee, Ra'Jahirr and several others at the Five Claws lodge last night. Dar Jee's jokes never get old and after hanging out for a while and several ales, much to his surprise (been to a lot of inns and places in his travels, and ale seems to be not as common as mead or beer or any of the wines), Rodrigo stumbled to a warm bed at the mages' guild. He awoke to find Agata staring at him .... I... uh... oh!
Have you guys heard the one about the Khajiit?

Bernadette is currently looking for Umbacano to sell him even more Ayrid statues.

Back in relaxing Cyrodiil, Arum changed his mind about trying to retrieve Mehrunes Razor. This is because he was very nearly killed by a pair of goblins in the wilderness. His sword skills are getting very rusty indeed.
To train up a bit he accepted a contract from the Fighters Guild to clear out a cave of bandits. Whilst doing this he often wished that he'd got a bow with him. After he'd cleared the cave, he found a lovely elven bow and a set of arrows, and took them for himself. He's going to head back to Cheydinhal to get his payment, then see about getting some marksman training.

Niamh ad Vilja are currently in Pell, on their way to report in to Kikyo. They've found out a little more about Umbra as well.
They are taking it easy at the moment, taking their time. The dungeon through the portal was the most difficult they have yet faced and it took awhile to recover.

The plus side is that with just under 100,000 gold they are both rich women...

I was clearing up my room and found some papers where I'd started writing down Rayn's adventures in Cyrodiil, presumably to start some sort of fic or journal, a little like Acadian does with Buffy. Interestingly, the story on the paper is my imagining how Rayn 'met' Arum, in her own words. This was quite a few hours ago in her story, but I don't think I've shared it before. Spoiler'd because it's quite long.

***

Thanks for sharing. That was lovely!