Because I wasn’t able to assist the Companions on their quest to assassinate the leader of the Silver Hands, I decided to do some adventuring closer to Whiterun. That’s been helpful, I feel like my skills are improving. I primarily use a sword and a shield but I do like archery and some magic every now and then. And thanks to all the loot I’ve been recovering, I’ve developed a good lot of money and items to practice my smithing, alchemy, and enchanting.

When I most recently set out adventuring, I had High Hrothgar and the Greybeards on my mind. Instead of making it a short trip and ignore any prospects on my way, I intended to adventure in any caves I came upon.

White River Watch was a small cave just to the east of Whiterun. A group of bandits called it home and from the journals they’d left, it turns out they’d been attacking travelers. They captured a wolf from someone and intended to train it but that didn’t work out.

Continuing east I ventured into Graywinter Watch. This cave was also a bandit hideout but they had all perished courtesy of a pair of trolls that moved in. This was my first time fighting trolls and I was wowed by their strength. Farther east was another cave, Nightshade. Same story as Graywinter Watch; trolls moved in and took care of the bandits that were calling it home.

Hillgrund’s Tomb was an ancient Nordic tomb serving as a family’s resting tomb. I met a Nord named Golldir right outside and he told me that a necromancer had ventured inside and was causing a ruckus. His aunt tried to get rid of this necromancer but she hadn’t returned. Golldir, Lydia, and I ventured inside and took care of Vals Veran, the necromancer.

Much later on Lydia and I came across an abandoned prison. Inside were a few tough ghosts, some loot, and a journal detailing a breakout. This prison was near Fort Amol so I just had to return and see if Lydia and I could hold my own with the mages who captured it. Lydia and I were able to defeat one group of them, but the other group was still beyond our abilities; back to Whiterun.