Hour 26: Across the Interior

The alchemist in Raven Rock says she wants 5 samples of Netch Jelly, so I decide it's a good time to explore a bit more of the island. After slaying 3 Netches near Raven Rock, I head across the interior, passing by Highpoint Tower (which provides an excellent view of the whole southern part of the island, from Raven Rock in the west, to Fort Frostmoth in the south, across to Tel Mithryn in the east - it's a very compact area when you look at it from up high), piercing all the way across to the north-east coast and Bujold's Retreat. From there I made my way up to the Skaal Village for the first time - a pleasantly-constructed place, but none of the locals will speak to me at all. I figure they're probably involved in the main Miraak quest in some way so maybe they'll talk more another time.

Three of the villagers are involved in some kind of magical ritual and don't want to be disturbed. We'll see how well that goes after I visit death and destruction upon all Tamriel!

From the village, I head further north and discover a cavern called Frossel. It's infested with vile Rieklings, and I uncover fairly large settlements of them camping in disgusting little grottos. In the largest area of the cavern, the foul little creatures are engaged in some kind of act of worshipping a frozen skeletal horse-and-cart. I slay all of the foul goblins with deadly impunity, though they do put up a ferocious fight (some are mounted on oversized and cantankerous bristleback boars), and ransack their trinkets and chests for a good bit of gold.

I head back west to Raven Rock on foot - it really doesn't take long to cross the whole island - passing by the impressive Temple of Miraak, something called the Altar of Thrond, and eventually a little sheltered place called Frostmoon Crag. One of my 'miscellaneous' quests is to visit the hunters there, but I'll be damned if I can remember why. They seem cagey, and upon trying to speak to them they all transform into werewolves! These beasts are tough (although not as bad as were-bears) but eventually my skeleton bodyguards put them down. One of my gripes with the game is the lack of information about miscellaneous quests once you've received them - I have a vague recollection that some barkeep or other recommended I hunt down three werewolves at Frostmoon Crag at some point in the past, but it would be nice to be able to see just who gave me the quest etc.

I'm still short of 2 portions of Netch jelly, so I head back to the southern part of the island and find another group floating around not far from Tel Mithryn. I also stumble across the enormous Silt Strider, which I'd somehow missed before:

Unfortunately it's just a curio and can't be used to travel around - not that you'd really need such a service on Solstheim anyway. You can see the amazing hazy golden light of the environment in this picture, and I feel obliged to include another scenic shot across the water which I took nearby:

I head back to Raven Rock and deliver the Netch jelly, and for my trouble I'm rewarded with two measly potions from the alchemist.