While tracking the deer you managed to lodge an arrow into you notice the fall leaves falling ever so slowly around you. In the distance you see a snow storm brewing at the top of the mountains as lava begins to trickle down. Skyrim is filled with many different landscapes from Fall Forests to Tundra Marshes, a major advancement over it’s predecessor Oblivion. As you walk from the South to the North you will feel the temperature change making this game world the most realistic yet.
The Fall Forest
The city of Riften is located at the south eastern tip of Skyrim, this area of the province is filled with fall forests slowly losing their red, orange and yellow leaves. Streams and rivers run freely as wild life such as deer and elk tear away at the wild grasses that cover the forest floor. Trees have fallen leaving large branches taking up their own share of the forest floor all the while adding to the realism of this Skyrim environment.
The Pine Forest
Pine runs wild in the far south of Skyrim near Falkreath. The large pines fill the air with green needles as the ground is covered by vibrant and lush grass and other foliage. Trees of times past have fallen giving the forest a realistic feel of time and decay. The pine forest is a great place to hunt and search for herbs.
The Volcanic Tundra
Just north of the fall forest the volcanic tundra awaits its next victim. This harsh and unpredictable environment is filled with strange and vicious creatures. Trees are rare and the ground foliage is nonexistent, there are however a few deathly looking shrubs. The Volcanic Tundra is most likely the home of many Dwemer ruins due to the volcanic activity used to power the Dwemer steam engines.
The Northern Snow
Skyrim is known for its snowy forests which cover most of the northern section of this province. Many cities make their home in these fluffy white territories such as Solitude, Dawnstar, Winterhold and Windhelm. Players will undoubtedly spend a lot of their time battling the fierce weather system as it pours snow down upon them.
The Tundra Marsh
Located just south of Solitude the Tundra Marsh is a very frozen yet wet stretch of land. It began its life as a basic tundra until large amounts of rain fall gathered on top of its perma-frost floor. The extra rain water had no where to run to and could not seep into the soil of Tamriel. This created the marsh effect in which many resilient types of foliage have taken advantage.
The Tundra
The tundra is the largest part of Skyrim and home to the city of Whiterun. It’s a vast and completely open barren wasteland, not much lives here. The combination of extremely cold temperatures, high wind speeds and rocky flooring makes it difficult for trees to exist here. Mammoths can been seen crossing through these areas in search of food although they tend to stay near the snowy forests of the North.
With these various landscapes in mind Skyrim is set to impress even those most seasoned adventurer. One moment you could be enjoying the gently sounds of a flowing stream and next the vicious combustion of an angry volcano. Animals have distinct preferences on where they live and search for food as well as herbs according to where they grow. Skyrim hosts one of the most unique and dynamic landscapes ever seen before.
