4.2 Age Of Something

        I began by hiring the carriage outside of Whiterun to take me to Windhelm. Once there, I entered Candlehearth Hall, the inn of the town. I requested the song "Age of Oppression" and listened; it described an uprising of the Stormcloaks, saying that the "age of oppression is now nearly done." I then left the inn and entered the palace and listened to Ulfric Stormcloak talk to his advisor about possible strategies for advancing the uprising, mentioning sending Bulgruuf a "stronger message" and taking Whiterun. I approached Ulfric and told him that I helped Ralof escape, and he said he would vouch for me. He said Ralof had not come, but I could speak to Galmar to join the uprising. Using an appeal to pathos, he spoke of how we had all been branded villains and I could join if my criminal past was left behind me. He continued to speak of the value of honor and integrity among the Stormcloaks.
        I left Windhelm and traveled by Carriage to Solitude. I entered the Winking Skeever, the local inn, and requested the song "Age of Aggression." It was almost identical to "Age of Oppression" in melody. Lyrically, it was the opposite. It was an ode to the Imperials. It spoke of spilling the blood of Ulfric Stormcloak and said that "the age of aggression is just about done." Both songs have the same purpose, to motivate and inspire loyalty, but are intended to reach two very different audiences.
        I then exited the inn and walked to the Blue Palace. I heard Varnius speak of lights and magical sounds coming from a nearby cave, and Sybille said that it was simply superstition. Falk suggested a more reasonable and moderate approach of sending a few guards, which Elisif agreed to. I then spoke to Elisif the Fair; she spoke of her husband Torygg's murder by Ulfric Stormcloak. Attempting to appeal to pathos, she spoke of the Stormcloaks as a "blight" that must be "purged." This did not resonate with me personally because my character already seems to have decided on joining the Stormcloaks, though he has not done so officially. It is easy to tell through the songs and appeals present in both cities that each city is prepared to support their respective causes, whether they be inciting rebellion or attempting to crush it.

Plog Reflection

        Playing Skyrim while analyzing it as a valuable literary text has helped me develop a variety of useful compositional skills. Even the act of writing about Skyrim, a video game, shows that I have the ability to consider the value of a non-traditional medium. I have been able to create a character with his own personality: Torbjorn Skogtyv, the thief who can fight for himself when confronted. I have played in such a way that follows and expresses that persona I created. I have had to analyze many different genres of conveying information within Skyrim, and familiarize myself with the genre of the "plog," or play-log, in which I wrote my accounts. I was able to identify Aristotle's appeals as they appeared in the game and consider why they were appropriate in their respective situations. I was able to consider the continuity present between various points in the game and judge their depth, considering why certain things may appear as they do and how they contribute to the quality of the game as a work of literature. I have been able to assess options of action and dialogue, trying to determine whether they will produce the same results for the story and my character's progression. I have at times needed to abandon more straightforward strategies when they did not suffice and was able to find a more unorthodox solution to a problem I was faced with.
        All of these skills can be applied in future tasks of composition. No matter what medium or genre of information is provided for me, I will be able to produce coherent writing that considers the value of the content within the source. I know how to view a problem from multiple angles and decide which approaches or strategies are the best for solving it. Writing in the "plog" format has  made me comfortable with writing on various platforms and it has made me able to deal with comments made on my writing; comments from peers and my professor have become instrumental in shaping how I write for the current medium, and I can process criticism in a way that improves my writing. Perhaps most importantly, I have learned to change my writing and working strategies based on the different tasks I am faced with.

4.1 Dragon Rising

        I began by listening to Irileth and the Guard speak to the Jarl about the dragon seen attacking the West Watchtower. The Jarl then tells me that he needs my help again, asking me to help Irileth fight the dragon, and I agree. When we meet with other guards at the main gate of Whiterun, Irileth provides them with words of encouragement, speaking of their responsibility as Nords to fight, their honor and the glory ahead. I then followed Irileth and the other guards to the West Watchtower, and the dragon appears. Even having played through this game a few times, the first dragon fight is always difficult. This time, I fought him using primarily my bow and two scrolls of fireball. I moved out of the tower, fired one or two arrows at the dragon, then moved back in before it could fire frost at me. This took some time, and once its health was very low (and I had run out of arrows) I moved in to kill it with an Ancient Nord Sword. My character absorbed the dragon soul, I learned the "Fus" shout, and I returned to Whiterun to speak to the Jarl of what had occurred. He told me of the Greybeards, a mysterious group who would know more about my newly found powers.
        Playing through this game as a text, I have noticed that I do certain things very differently. I spend much more time waiting to hear conversions from start to finish, and when conversing with other characters, I spend more time considering the results my speech options will yield. Instead of rushing through quests, I take my time in listening to what each character involved has to say. I have become much more efficient at note taking; I have to try to take down the important aspects of what a character is saying very quickly because unlike with traditional written text, I cannot simply re-read something, and characters generally do not repeat things. Other than the genre of conversations, I have had to deal with visual clues. I have had to use menu/inventory screens to learn about new items and try to decide what is best for each new situation I am put in. I have had to decide by only the appearances and names of enemies whether or not I will be able to fight them successfully or should flee. Playing as character whose main focus lies in stealth, I have had to find ways of dealing with enemies that are too powerful for me to fight directly.

3.2 Bleak Falls Barrow

        I returned to Dragonsreach to talk to Farengar about his "dragon project" which turned out to be the task of retrieving a dragonstone from deep inside Bleak Falls Barrow. I told him I would do it, and he seemed pleased with how eager I was. I ran down the hill and exited Whiterun, promptly stealing a horse on which to begin my journey to Bleak Falls Barrow. 

        I arrived outside of Bleak Falls Barrow and snuck past the bandits outside, then entering the building. Still sneaking, I delved further into the barrow, killing each bandit and taking what was inside of every chest and container I encountered, until I reached the first puzzle. Before me was a lever and three stone tableaus (from left to right): the snake, the snake, and the whale. To my left, I saw three pillars that could be rotated to show either a snake, whale, or a bird. I rotated these pillars to the same order as the stones by the lever: snake, snake, whale. I then pulled the lever, opening the gate. I picked up the book "Thief," and read it, increasing my pickpocket skill. 

        I then encountered the Giant Frostbite Spider and killed it with a sneak attack critical strike. Wrapped in webs, Arvel the Swift told me that he had the golden claw and he would continue with me if I freed him. I freed him, and he made it clear that he was lying. As he attempted to escape, I stabbed him to death took the golden claw. I moved through the next rooms, killing the draugrs and passing through the swinging axe traps. Encountering the frost troll, I elected to sneak past it rather than attempting to kill it. I killed the Draugr Wight ahead and passed through another set of swinging axe traps. I reached the final puzzle door with the hole for the golden claw. After being stumped for quite a while, I opened my inventory and looked at the golden claw, seeing that the sequence of icons was on it: Bear, Bug, then Owl. I rotated the pieces to their places, then inserted the claw, opening the door.

        Entering the final room, I walked up the stairs and learned my first word of power, unrelenting Force. As the owner of the golden claw, the Draugr Overlord, awoke, I attempted to kill him. I tried and failed to kill him multiple times; my character and weapons were not powerful enough. Finally, I had a successful attempt. I had fired an arrow at him and retreated toward the door by which I had entered. I continued to fire at him to ensure that he followed me. As he followed, I retreated further back the way I had came. Finally, I reached the last swinging axe trap. I sprinted through and the Draugr followed behind me, but he was stopped in the trap and quickly perished.
I deactivated the trap and removed the dragonstone and all other loot from his body. I reentered the final room, looting the chest and table. I finally exited Bleak Falls Barrow and fast-traveled to Dragonsreach to tell Farengar of my success. 

3.1 Whiterun

        On my way down the hill from Dragonsreach, I first encounter Heimskr. He talks about the power of Talos, and I ask him why the worship of Talos was outlawed. He says this was done because the emperor is a coward; Heimskr says he does not fear being arrested because he is a prophet of Talos. I next encounter Brenuin, a drunkard, who thanks me after I give him 1 gold. I walk near Amren, who is arguing with his wife Saffir about hiring people to help him reclaim his father's old sword that is in a thieve's hideaway. I offer my help to him, and he says if encounter the sword and bring it to him he will be very grateful.
        I then entered the lower part of town, which seems to be where most of the Merchants live. It is centered around the small open market area and the homes of the traders. I speak to Jon Battle-born who asks me why I am in Whiterun. I tell him that I am there to seek my fortune, and he says that people here are lazy and will pay someone else to do anything for them. He says that he's always lived in Whiterun and mentions the petty conflict that arose between the Battle-borns and Grey-manes. He says the appearance of a dragon is a real problem that people should worry about, not petty feuds.
        I talk to Ysolda in the market; she says she wants to become a merchant and hopes to buy the Bannered Mare from Hilda once she has enough money. She says she needs to procure a mammoth tusk for a merchant, and I offer my assistance; she says she will teach me about trading. I then walked to the Warmaiden's and talked to Ulfberth War-bear. He says they have all kinds of weapons, big and small. He says that most of the weapons here were crafted by his wife, and he praises her skills, calling her an artist.
        It appears that the population of Whiterun is almost equally split between males and females, perhaps with slightly more men. Most are human, but there are a few of the more obscure races represented as well. Most people appear to be traders/merchants or skilled craftspeople. They tend to talk about things most pressing to their own affairs, as well as statements about the state of the empire and the local politics. All of these conversations that I have observed and participated seem necessary to make the player aware of their role in the game; while there are snippets of irrelevant chatter, most conversations rely on actions the protagonist has made, or are in place to offer the player even more options of gameplay with additional side quests.

2.2 Before The Storm

        I approach Ralof and his sister Gerdur by the river in Riverwood. Gerdur gives me the key to the house and some supplies, then asks what happened. I tell her about the dragon and escaping with Ralof. She is surprised, but states that she thinks she must have seen the dragon too. She says that Riverwood will be in danger, and I must go to Whiterun to warn the Jarl. I leave Riverwood.
        As I neared Whiterun, I approached a group of people fighting a giant and assisted them in defeating it. Once it was dead, Aela the Huntress approached me and said that she is a part of the Companions, a group of warriors or mercenaries. She says that I can talk to Kodlak Whitemane if I am interested in joining. My actions in this instance presented my character as a brave warrior, which caused Aela to react with interest. If I had approached the giant then simply fled, it is not likely I would have been informed about the Companions.
        When I approached the main gate of Whiterun, I was told by a guard that the city was closed because of the dragon sighting. I informed the guard that I was sent from Riverwood to request the Jarl's aid. I could have instead told the guard that I came from Helgen and knew of the dragon  (persuading him to allow me to enter), or I could have bribed him with gold. Any of these options would have yielded the same result: my entrance into Whiterun. The guard told me to go immediately to speak to the Jarl in Dragonsreach.
        In Dragonsreach, Irileth stops me and says that the Jarl is not accepting visitors, but I tell her that I have news from Helgen; she says I should go speak to the Jarl now. The Jarl asks me about the dragon, and I tell him that Ulfric Stormcloak was about to be executed when the dragon attacked. I told him Riverwood needed troops, and he said he would send some, even though his advisor said it could be seen as a provocation. The Jarl thanks me, provides me with a reward, and tells me that he may have another task for someone like me. I exit Dragonsreach.
        In each of these interactions, I have presented my character in such a way that seems most likely to produce a favorable result. I told the guard what I knew would allow me to enter into Whiterun. I told Irileth what I knew would allow me to speak with the Jarl. I told the Jarl what I hoped would cause him to send troops to Riverwood. The reactions from other characters in each of these instances make the player feel important and, in a way, congratulate him or her for doing what the story required.

2.1 Riverwood

        On my way to Riverwood I left the path and collected some thistle. I chose to accept the blessing from the Thief stone, which fit my character quite well; Torbjorn, the thief, would surely take any opportunities provided to advance his skills. When I arrived in Riverwood, I first talked to Sven, who said I looked like a traveler. I told him I'd seen a dragon in Helgen, and he said that Hilde must not be crazy. I then talked to Hilde, who said she had seen a dragon, but nobody believed her. By making mention of the dragon, the game creates a sense of continuity; it shows that events elsewhere have effects that can be perceived all across Skyrim. Hilde also mentions that Lucan's store was robbed. I talked to a child in the town who also mentioned the thieves. I was then approached by Durak, who asked me if I would be interested in joining the Dawnguard, a group of vampire hunters. I asked for more information, then said that I would be interested. The Dawnguard interactions come from a DLC, or downloadable content package; these packages can add new quests, areas, and other aspects to a game, something like when a TV series is constructed from a successful movie. All of these interactions between characters provide you with many different dialogue options that allow you to "speak" and play the game as your character would, but there are limitations. For example, sometimes characters will speak directly to you when approached and you are not provided with the option of responding to them. In addition, you almost always have the option of terminating dialogue with another character without responding.

        I then stole some iron and steel ingots and improved some of my weaponry at grindstone. My character would always be looking for easy ways to improve or add to his belongings, even when it might be at the cost of others. After this, I entered the the inn and overheard Delphine complaining to Orgnar that the ale was going bad. Small interactions like this between background characters give more depth to Skyrim, showing that each character has some life of their own and are not present only to interact with the player. 

1.2 Unbound

        My character is a Wood Elf named Torbjorn Skogtyv. I chose to be a Wood Elf because they make good scouts and thieves, and my character will mostly likely be a thief or roguelike character. The game utilizes appeals of logos when allowing you to choose your race, presenting their attributes and giving facts about what each race excels in.
        I chose to follow Ralof from the Stormcloaks when given the choice. I have chosen the Stormcloaks each time I have started a new Skyrim character because they are presented to be rebellious, and frankly, choosing to follow the Imperials - who were about to execute me - does not make any sense to me. My decision to choose the Stormcloaks was also influenced by my knowledge of an exploit that allowed me to raise my Sneak stat to level 100 in about twenty minutes. In addition, while I was being carried in the cart with the other prisoners, Ralof asks the horse thief Lokir what town he is from, giving the reason that a Nord's final thoughts should be of home; this is a stirring appeal of pathos. However, the Imperials do have the appeal of Ethos; a longstanding empire should be credible and able to support any promises they would make.
        After entering the Keep, we encounter dead Stormcloaks, and Ralof comments something to the effect that we will be seeing them in Sovngarde: presumably the afterlife in the Skyrim universe and perhaps influenced by Norse and other mythologies. This is another appeal to pathos that solidifies my decision to follow and perhaps later join the Stormcloaks.
        Many genres are present in this first quest. I am able to talk to Ralof, though rather briefly. In the torture room of the Keep there is a book on a table titled The Book of the Dragonborn which gives history and prophecy as to the nature of the Dragonborn. Many other books are present throughout Skyrim, some of which give stories and poems, others provide stat boosts, and others provide you with new spells and abilities. Much information is transmitted simply through the speech of other characters you hear as you make your way through this first quest.

1.1

My character's name will be Torbjorn Skogtyv. It's a name I've used for characters before in other games and, to an extent, summarizes the style in which I like to play games. The name is a conglomerate of somewhat poorly translated Norwegian words; Torbjorn means thunder-bear and Skogtyv means wood-thief or forest-thief. So, my character will rely on stealth and stealing when he can but will also be powerful enough to deal with situations he can't weasel himself out of.