Skyrim Conspiracy : Bugs in Jars of DOOM

It's a conspiracy maaaan!

There are those who are 'in' on the secret, and those who aren't.
Allow me to illuminate you, brothers, about the dark aspects and occult practices of Bethesda and all its hellish minions (designers).
This might be a conspiracy that dates back generations (or actually just since last year) but it's imperative to bring these issues to light so that we might awaken from the clouded dream we've been lulled into by sinister forces.

Prepare to be AMAZED: 

GameInformer.com:

This whole hunt started innocently enough when a Reddit user noticed that the various insect-carrying jars that you can pick up in Skyrim have runes carved into their lids. In a series of investigations that my mind can barely comprehend, runes were translated, other hints were dug up, and the lore of Elder Scrolls was scoured, eventually leading one fan to create this map:

AHA! It all makes sense now, right? No? As best I can understand, the runes point toward five towns that form a pentagram that itself points the way to a ritual that could wipe humans off the face of the planet. I don't completely follow the thread of logic behind this insanity, but feel free to read the thread on Reddit and try to for yourself.

Wooooo it challenges all your beliefs, doesn't it? All that you held dear has been torn asunder! Admit it!
Which dark forces, which manipulating demons, could have hidden such arcane knowledge? Who could have wrought such deception and intrigue? Who could have been so subversive, so underhanded, so conniving??

Blizzard. >:C



PS:
 Dear Gameinformer.com;
That is not a pentagram. That's not even a pentacle. Those are just two pentagons in a circle - otherwise known as an alchemical transmutation circle. JEEZ you gotta get this stuff right or your conspiracy won't control ANYONE.
Amateurs.

Sweet Mother: Skyrim Shadow Glitch / Bug

I've been experiencing a glitch or bug or SOMETHING in Skyrim recently that doesn't necessarily render it unplayable, but it comes close.

Shadows and lighting are giving me an issue. I've read up on the issue extensively and tried many things, to no avail.

If anyone has even heard a whisper of a rumour as to how I might fix it (without, you know, actually getting a new computer), I'll pretty much try anything at this point, including summoning the Dark Brotherhood.

Basically the lighting issue is as follows in screenshots:
And in many instances (especially interior) the pockets of lighting/shadow that are SUPER bright, or so dark I cannot see to play.

That's not rain, that's the shadows trying to slice us to ribbons.

Body lit, head shadowed.

As I turn, the darkness rotates. It isn't stationary.

Acer Aspire 5552-7858
Windows7 Home Premium/64bit
6 GB RAM, 640 GB HDD
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250
AMD Phenom II x4 N970
(all settings on low - Mock me for my wussy laptop if you must, but know that I'm but a humble soul and don't mind playing Skyrim on 'nice personality', as long as I still get to play it!)

Ive updated drivers, rolled back drivers, updated them again, changed graphics setting on the system, tinkered with shadow settings for game, tinkered with graphical settings for game, always keep the game 'updated' in Steam, uninstalled and reinstalled Skyrim, pounded my head on the desk, summoned hellish demons to attack puppies out of spite, and more things I shant list.

I'm assuming it's some sort of incompatibility between my graphics card, or between the drivers and the game - mostly because none of my other games are suffering. But this is a NEW thing, only having started within the last month or so. Ive played Skyrim successfully, albeit low res, since it came out.

Anyway, I'm just putting this out there in hopes that some random wandering adventurer has experienced this and has slain the enemy.


Sweet Mother Sweet Mother send your child unto me
For the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear.

***************************


Update, Nov. 2012: Ok, so for anyone interested enough in the answer to this riddle: The problem is with my graphics card/chipset, so don't bother spending fruitless hours messing with graphics and drivers and ini settings. They won't fix this problem.
AMD have not provided a driver update for the Radeon HD 4000 series cards. They have made available updates for the 5000 and up, but if you have 4000 you're pretty much screwed. They don't seem to be compatible with the Skyrim update that came out in July 2012.

So that's about it. :/  I'm continuing to play Skyrim and I simply have to tolerate the spazzy lighting. It is annoying, but it's not a total game-breaker (although it ruins much of the immersion).
I'll wait to get any DLC until I have a new machine.

~E <3

Skyrim - Peter Hollens & Lindsey Stirling

Nirnroot Hunting

"Nirnroot is the easiest. It grows only by the water and makes a unique chiming noise. The only drawback is it won't regrow after harvesting."

―Ingun Black-Briar

So in an effort to pick enough nirnroot for alchemy (and in an effort to make it STFU "unique chiming noise" my butt - more like "irritating, nagging drone"), I went questing near riverbeds and streams.
One must always be vigilant for bears in this neck of the woods, but I wasn't particularly worried. They never follow you into the water. They're like dragons that way.

Crossed the bridge back there, after kicking some Forsworn ass. I hate how they troll bridges. What jerks! Scored a briarheart in the deal. Then ate it! Delicious.
And the look on the previous owner's face as I did so... priceless! XD

Came across this. I don't think it was a Guardian Stone. Probably just more ruins.

Wot's this? Chaurus chitin?

The lady at the lumber mill was no help. And she was mean to me! (So I stole her chicken eggs. Serves her right.)

I think this is probably a rest-spot for brigands or thrives, but there was nobody around when I got there. Good.

At the end of the day I hadn't harvested a single nirnroot, unfortunately. All I got was a sack full of mountain flower. Hmph.

I should probably try again at night when the nirnroot are more easily visible. And since I can't sleep anymore due to ... issues... *cough pain-in-the-ass-werewolf-blood cough*, I might as well spend all night sloshing about in miserably cold water looking for a Goths-be-Blighted WEED.
It's either that or vampire hunting. And I'm sick to death of those creepy bastards and their dinner parties and their fancy clothing - Boethiah take them!