So, Skyrim's out 11/11/11

[Kevin]

So, later, on the way up the mountain, I see an Ice Troll ahead... I say to her, "You stay here and I'll check it out."

<Reload after getting butt kicked>

So, later, on the way up the mountain, I see an Ice Troll ahead... I say to her, "You rush in, and I'll flank him and we'll get him together."

<Reload after getting butt kicked>

So, later, on the way up the mountain, I see an Ice Troll ahead... I say to her, "Let's just sneak around this one off the path."

But, yes, I'm enjoying the game greatly. I'm level 8 now, and am working my way up in stature as a Companion. I'm attempting to make a more of a battle mage, and so far my skills are in one handed blades, shields, destruction, restoration, and smithing. On the main quest I'm completing the last quest for the grey beards to retrieve the horn.

I hear a noise I go into stealth. I see the ice troll through the blizzard that was happening on the mountain. I load up dual firebolts Lydia pulls out her Orcish long bow that I gave her. I blast it a few times (till I'm out of magica), Lydia pulls out the two hander and finishes it off, I move along. Giving Lydia a bow and using stealth from time to time has proven to be one of the best ways to utilize her for me.

My horse on the other hand....

On the way to the college at Winterhold I see some folks in a tower. I get off my horse and Lydia and I start sneaking up to them. I kill a couple then I hear my horse making noises and the sounds of combat. I run up the tower to see my horse halfway up the stairs fighting the bandit leader. So I dispatch him and then end up having to jump out one of the windows while mounted because I could not ride the horse down the stairs properly.

That horse was not worth the gold.

I've only tried to kill a giant once got it to about half health, it killed me and I decided to not try again since it was getting late (real time) and I wanted to finish the run to Winterhold. I have killed a few mammoths (which seem to have as much if not more health than the giants but they don't hit as hard) and a couple of dragons now. Still only L12. Destruction just doesn't move quickly as a dual firebolts with a couple of perks in the destruction tree one shot most things unless they are "named". I actually think speech at 32 or so is my highest skill right now. Alchemy and smithing are rapidly catching up though.

I was planning on her being a full time mage but I've decided to not save perks, I have to spend them as soon as I get them so they end up in the skills that are high enough. Basically she is becoming what she does. This is a sign the game is better than Oblivion and Morrowind in an important way for me. Doing that in those games would have made me feel horribly gimped. This game just playing it "organically" works very well. I'm a Breton gal who is just making do with what I can find in this crazy situation I've found myself in.