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[Ken]

My last attempt at this challenge (Felix, above) ate it a while back on an early guild quest.  He was level 12 or 13.  Felt like crap about it because I was really enjoying the character and the RP experience.  My intention was to tell his story through the eyes of his followers, but at the end of his short career he'd only had two and hadn't even made it up to High Hrothgar yet.  I'd post up his final score but I've wiped my old saves accidentally reinstalling the game, moving, and tweaking things.  I half-heartedly tried the challenge again shortly after Felix died with a two-hander warrior type that looked a bit like Arnie in his prime, but I wasn't really feeling it.

Anyway, I've been having another serious go at this challenge over holidays and my current character is doing very well.  Level 26 and driving ahead.  I'll put together something to share in the next few days, but I was motivated to post because tonight I had an extremely close call with him at the climax of a quest I'd never before run (spoiler-free note: it involves a former ruler of Solitude).  Right at the most harrowing, nail-biting, oh-shit-oh-shit-I'm-gonna-die instant I flipped the inventory up to desperately look one last time for any measly health potion I might have missed and realized there was some nice screenshot potential staring me in the face.  He won the fight and completed the quest, but at this particular moment I wasn't too sure...

More to follow.

[BloodBird]

That looks incredibly badass. I've been thinking of doing this as soon as I finish my main toon's run, and THAT requires that I get over the X-mas period and the SW:TOR testing phase. Could be... months.

We will see what happens.

So I turn off my PC to visit my father for X-mas... when that's over I get home and turn my PC on.

When I left previously it seem to have DL'ed an update to windows or whatever and removed all my personal settings, saved passwords, user-files etc. etc. etc. this included all local saves for all Steam games. My Skyrim toon is gone, and I have to fucking start over. In practically all games that are not MMO's and for EVE I had to re-do all passwords user-names and in-game settings.

Great going Bill. Fucker. I'll make a Hardcore RP toon in Skyrim when I can be bothered to start the game up again.

[Graelyn]

Well that fucking sucks.

GL with the hassle.

[BloodBird]

So as soon as my internet connection can stop being an asshole and deny me anything beyond surfing the internet and posting on forums, I wanted to get a RP toon up and going. The rules state than any mod that does more than alter appearances are not allowed - I am assuming this includes the killable kids/important NPC's mod as it alters the way the game works?

I'm asking because as far as I can tell it makes the game harder and more realistic, although it don't honestly alter anything for the purpose of this contest, but it *IS* a 'game-changing' mod. Would a run with it on be disqualified?

[Ken]

So as soon as my internet connection can stop being an asshole and deny me anything beyond surfing the internet and posting on forums, I wanted to get a RP toon up and going. The rules state than any mod that does more than alter appearances are not allowed - I am assuming this includes the killable kids/important NPC's mod as it alters the way the game works?

I'm asking because as far as I can tell it makes the game harder and more realistic, although it don't honestly alter anything for the purpose of this contest, but it *IS* a 'game-changing' mod. Would a run with it on be disqualified?

Nah, of course not, just note what mods you were running. 

[Jalenar Frost]

Don't get the sense anyone is actually reading these, asside from Ken's, but updated again.  Also... the Imperial/Stormcloak quest lines are painful in this challenge.  I've ran the length of skyrim several times just for that quest line.   

[orange]

Have to be careful since we are playing too

[Gordon_Comstock]

Bakground

Allow me to introduce you to Esk (loosely based on Pratchet’s Equal Rights) Esk is undoubtedly a mage, much to the surprise of her strictly non-magical Breton parents. A fireball related mishap involving her father’s previously pristine moustache  meant Esk found herself shipped off to the venerable village witch. A quite few years, punctuated by a few bright pubescent pyromaniac episodes, followed but were ended abruptly by a world wind romance with a young Nord adventurer. Wooed as only a cloistered young fire mage who had re-read the Busty Aragonian Maid one to many times Esk fell head over the heels with this roguish nomad. Despite her geriatric guardian ‘s protest promptly fled High Rock for a life on the road and a happy ever after in Skyrim with the love of her life.

Alas it was not to be, the flame of young love turned into an inferno after she caught her man indulging in some exceptionally caddish behaviour with a Redguard in a less than romantic alley setting. After roasting her erstwhile lover, the hair of her rival love interest and half the village a quick exit was rather forced upon her leading her into the wilds where her story looked set to end having been caught as she slept by Empire forces and mistaken for a Stormcloak sympathiser.

The Playthrough

Having fled Helgen Esk almost immediately stumbled upon a grizzly scene of dead talos worshipers and a Talos agent, reeling from this ghastly scene (and having stripped all the bodies) she stumbled into a bandit camp and had to fight a running battle while she gradually charred these surprisingly resilient brigands. The looting turned up an orcish mace which Esk took rather a shine to.

A busy day came to an end with a trip to Embershed Mine(sp?) where having dispatched two bandits with some style she promptly fell into their waiting bed rolls and slept soundly.
In the morning after a quick breakfast it was onwards through the mine where many a rough sort fell to the flaming wrath of a newly rejuvenated Esk. Excitingly a treasure map was found which seemed to indicate a stream and tree and which turned up yet more booty.

Now quite heavily weighed down a brief sojourn in Riverwood to sell/side with feadal over Sven and gain him as a follower and offer to help the Riverwood Traders hapless sibling track down the claw and a nights sleep in the Inn it was adventuring too Bleak Halls Barrow she went.
The flammable undead posed little challenge to this fire-starting damsel while Feandals unerring arrows proved their worth. After a brief stop off in Riverwood it was off to Helgen to warn a Jarl about a dragon.

As she passed the waterfall on the road to Whiterun Esk met a nobleman on the way to a wedding in solitude who couldn’t stop going on about how expensive his presents were. After hearing herself described as a peasant Esk saw red and after bashing his head in with a mace proceeded to roast his wife and body guard. Murder hadn’t been on the menu but the oodles of jewellery quietened Esk’s conscience.

Fleeing the scene as nonchalantly as a slightly frazzled fire mage fleeing a human BBQ can, Esk ran into three people fighting a giant. Without a thought for her won safety Esk ran to their aid and began raining fire on this oversized neaderthal. Unfortunately a carelessy aimed flame saw two singed companions led by a particularly pissed on Aela chasing our young Esk back up the road to the scene of the crime. A breathless pursuit saw Esk jumping from rock to rock just quickly enough to avoid the hot pursuit. Three times this was repeated as Esk attempted to circumnavigated these roided up guild members and make it to Whiterun. It would appear she would be unwelcome in Jorvasker! Still the Jarl must know of the flying dinosaur which had saved her but destroyed and entire town.

After casually turning over the Dragonstone young Esk was embarrassingly caught trying to half-inch a soul gem from Dragonsreach meaning her trip to fight her first dragon was briefly delayed while she paid her bounty. Red faced from her apprehention in from of the Jarl Esk took out her frustration on a hapless dragon and found out that she was something called Dragonborn.

The Jarl seemed very impressed making her Thrane and apparently some grey beards were keen for a chat but with the Companions presumably still looking to teach a lesson to an over exubrient young witch, a pile of dead noblemen and women no doubt soon to be found on the road she had rather conspicuously strolled into town on and the memory of her visit to the Whiterun jail still vivid Esk decided to bugger all that and head for the furthest reach her coin could take her.
A quick carriage ride to Skyrim’s capitol in the freezing north followed with her still faithful, if increasingly bemused follower, Feandal.

A perfunctory execution made her feel at home and a quick chat with the executioner saw her get some work rather quickly. Deciding a good nights sleep was the order of the day Esk headed to the Tavern. Waking up after a night of heavy drinking Esk slowly remembered signing up for the bards collage egged on by an overly frienfly lute player. Atrip to find a long dead mans verse had been allotted her by some sort of headmaster and so still feeling rather queezy, the dragon borne was off to do some dungeon diving.

After toasting an obscene amount of draugers and following a ghoust arounf a foul selling crypt a rather hairy battle with King Olaf the deathlord very almost saw the end of our fiery young heroine. A combination of running and hiding looked set to see her win out in the epic battle. It was only after drinking her wight in healing potions and eventually bashing her tormenter around the noggin rather forcefully with her trusty mace that our Esk could take stock. Her faithful Feandal laid dead at her feet…

A distraught Esk fled the scene with a face full of hot tears remembering the occasional awkward moments of tension that had crackled between her and her elf friend on the long carriage ride. A path never to be explored.

Heading back to Solitude Esk began composing her first ballad. A rather moving, if  tuneless ode to her fallen friend. As she was struggling to bring the second verse to a satisfactory conclusion and wracking her brain for something the rhymed with 'bastard drauger' that she remembered the errand she had promised the executioner.

A quick trip to kill a bandit and an opportunity to douse her sadness in the soothing scorch of magical flame! Unfourtunatley Esk had somewhat under estimated the importance that Feandal’s steady arrows had played in her survival to date and it as the Bandit Chiefs warhammer swung in a great arc towards her forehead that the last words of Esk the fair and flamey were squeeked.  “Sodding Nords!” Eloquence fit for a bard of Skyrin I'm sure you'll agree.

Alas the world would never find out if young Esk would have found a tune but I had a blast.

Score

Level
8 = 400


Locations Discovered
16 = 160

Dungeons Cleared
3 = 60

Chests Looted
46 = 230

Quests Completed
5 = 150

Misc Objectives Completed
9 = 90

Questlines Completed
0 = 0

Hours Slept (divided by) Days Passed
60/6 = 10

Food Eaten (divided by) Days Passed
8/6 = 1.33333333333333333 = -150
Difficulty – Apept
Total Score: 951

[Graelyn]

Bravo! 

[Reece Swaby]

I am Orian Bane, following the my recent demise at the hands of a worshiper of the daedra Hircine a few of my disciples who had stored my soul in a black gem hauled my body to a safe place to begin a ritual to resurrect. Now I have returned and have tracked the beast to Skyrim I will find her and vengeance will be mine

[Natalcya Katla]

These are awesome.

[Nicoletta Mithra]

Nebi-Ru the Argonian Artisan



On his way to Skyrim the artificer Nebi-Ru hoped for learning a lot about smithing, to find new, exotic ingredients for his potions and to master the arcane arts of enchantment. Little did the greedy Argonian know, that when he did against better knowledge try to make friends with one of the people of Winterfell, that the bandit leader should kill him, while he was just tasting how he drained the life from his underling.

Thus, Nebi-Ru's stylish finishing move did coast his life.

Item	#	Score
Level	8	400
Locations Discovered	11	110
Dungeons Cleared	3	60
Chests Looted	62	310
Quests Completed	6	180
Misc Objectives Compl.	18	180
Questlines completed	0	0
Hours Slept/Days	21/4	5,25
Food Eaten/Days	15/4	4

Difficulty       =   Adept   

Final score      =   1249,25

[Andre2807]

Anders Dragonborn. A nord who is originally from Skyrim. A faithfull worshipper of Talos and strongly part of the Stormcloaks. He was captured along with Ulfric before crossing the border to Skyrim. Anders parents were captured by the Thalmor.

From a very young age, Anders had the nack of healing magic. Having lost both parents, he started developing both his sword arm, as well as healing powers, and the ability to use a shield as a weapon.

Anders always had an issue with Imperial Guards and would attack them on sight, if he saw them on the roads of Skyrim. Joining the fight to free Skyrim from the Imperials, he helped Ulfric to gain important holds in Skyrim. However, after being sent to Whiterun to deliver an axe, the Jarl gave Anders a new order. Help out with the Dragon attack.

Not knowing of his Dragonborn abilities, Anders never quite understood what he had to do with dragons. He only survived Helgen, and that his second name is in fact "Dragonborn". After helping out Whiterun from the dragon attack, and then helping Ulfric to take Whiterun, Anders quickly made a name for himself within the Stormcloaks.

During his travels in the Reach, he left Markarth to join the Stormcloak camp... it was there... In the hills of the Reach, where he fell to his untimely death.

The end.

Item                     #      Score
Level                     9      450
Locations Discovered      34           340
Dungeons Cleared        6           120
Chests Looted         62           310
Quests Completed          7           210
Misc Objectives Compl.  21           210
Questlines completed        0            0
Hours Slept/Days   64/9           7.1
Food Eaten/Days        32/9           3.5

Difficulty = Adept

Final Score = 1650.6

[Avio Yaken]

would there happen to be a version of this challenge for Fallout new vegas? i would love to try my hands at that!

[Ember Vykos]

would there happen to be a version of this challenge for Fallout new vegas? i would love to try my hands at that!

I'd say you could adapt it easy just change the name of the game to Hardcore Challenge: FalloutNV and go. Given that it has the hardcore mode built in where you have to eat and such and even your bullets have weight it should be super fun.