Day 1
"Sir Okaheart is a man with aging features and signs of silver in his hair. His past of service left him with scars in the flesh and the soul as well. Armored with a sword and shield, he answered the call of grace and now searching for the Elden Ring."
Emerging from the Cave of Knowledge I took the "First Steps": I met with White Mask Varré, Melina, found the Church of Elleh, and bought a few things from Merchant Kalé: a Crafting Kit, a Torch, and a Telescope.
Then... I had my ass kicked by a Tree Sentinel, a huge, armored knight on a horse. So, I decided to gather stuff and kill some soldiers in the woods instead. Nice and easy. This is my first day, no rush.
Day 2
I left the forest north and found the Stormfoot Catacombs at the foot of Stormhill... hence the name. In there, I fought some imps, and after escaping a fiery trap, I managed to open the door to the boss. It was an Erdtree Burial Watchdog, but it looked like a cat... with three faces... smashing with a huge sword... breathing FIRE!!! It needed a couple of tries, but I figured out its pattern and defeated it. First Boss Kill! Looted Noble Sorcerer Ashes and Wandering Noble Ashes from a chest before, but... I had no clue what to do with these.
Then I went for the Gatefront Ruins, killed more soldiers, but the knight was too hard. All of them bore the same crest and served someone named Godrick. Who is he? Some ruler of this region?
I rested at a site of grace east of the ruins, where Melina told me she finally started believing in me, something her spectral steed Torrent did from the start. She gave me her Spectral Steed Whistle, so now I could call Torrent any time... where possible.
I ventured further east, avoiding the guys with large swords usually on horseback and jumped down to the ravine leading north-east from Agheel Lake... just to be invaded and killed by some Bloody Finger guy. Tracked back and found the Murkwood Catacombs with more imps and a Grave Warden Duelist boss... he was too fast and too strong. Death in every corner. I called it a day.
Day 3
Went back to the Church of Elleh, where a witch called Renna was waiting for me... didn't understand half of what she was saying, but her hat was awesome. She also gave me a Spirit Calling Bell. Now, I could use the ashes I found in the catacombs. With my team of nobles I could beat the knight at the ruins and found a bunch of things there: a Lordsworn's Greatsword, a Flail, Gilded Greatshield, Whetstone Knife and the map of the region. The Greatsword was the first item on my Berserker Build list. (At the time I was lost in this huge game, so I needed some pointers what loot to find and how to develop my stats.)
I also went back to the Murkwood Catacombs and with a few lucky parries managed to kill the Grave Warden Duelist too. Got Banished Knight Engvall Ashes.
Feeling powerful, I fought to Stormveil Castle. Near the road, I found a sad maiden who gave me Spirit Jellyfish Ashes. She was talking about becoming one with her soldiers who had their limbs and heads taken... and given to the Spider... suuuure, thanks for the ashes, bye. I reached the inner gates, and Margit, The Fell Omen blocked my way in. I died, I died running, I died with a cooperator, I died with my nobles... and many other ways. Too many. I called it a day.
Day 4
I left the Castle for more adventures, spent some quality time at the Gatefront Ruins, and traveled east along the road. Nothing much happened. I killed some stuff, collected runes, and got stronger.
Day 5
Saw a strange big plant and giant crabs. Didn't stop. I kept going east, killed a pack of wolves, and found a bunch of runes in a graveyard of sorts... lots of open stone coffins.
When resting, Melina approached me and took me to Roundtable Hold. This was a place... somewhere. Only the tarnished are allowed here, by grace. There were a few strange people there and lots of closed doors. After that, I killed a bunch of nobles at the Dragon-Burnt Ruins. There was a cellar here too, where I had to kill some giant rats, and I found a chest... it was a trap that teleported me into some mine. I could hardly escape to the surface, to find myself surrounded by scarlet rot. Where the hell was I? I managed to get to a site of grace so I could escape, but I was curious about this place, wondered around a little, and found Rotten Stray Ashes and some other stuff, but this place was pure hell, I couldn't stay any longer.
I had two Stonesword Keys, so I decided to unlock the path near the first steps to the Fringefolk Hero's Grave. After a bunch of tries, I escaped the chariot of death and reached the bottom. I have come here eventually to find a talisman, but I totally forgot where to look so I ended up fighting this tree root monster... it was miserable, I died all the time, so I retreated. But I'll have my revenge someday.
Went back to the road leading to the Castle and headed east. I met Knight Bernahl, a weapon artist, and killed more soldiers. I found the Deathtouched Catacombs, and after running back and forth among skeletons, I managed to open the door to face a Black Knife Assassin. He wasn’t too hard, and now I have the Assassin's Crimson Dagger.
I continued my travel east and helped a Living Jar named Iron Fist Alexander getting him out of a hole. He told me to meet him far to the east for a festival of glorious battle. I crossed a bridge, killing a huge guy with a pumpkin-like helmet and met a Nomadic Merchant on the other side, who was playing music.
I ended my journey at Summonwater Village, where I fought Tibia Mariner, some ferryman of death, rowing a boat with a huge horn, and summoning skeletons. I could easily ride around on Torrent, avoiding its area attacks, and finish it off. I looted a Deathroot and Skeletal Militiaman Ashes. (I could have summoned D, Hunter of the Dead, but I didn't meet him near the village, only later in Roundtable Hold.)
Day 6
I got back to the Fringefolk Hero's Grave, the place with the killer chariot, jumped down the ledge near the end and managed to dodge the Grafted Scions and grab the Erdtree's Favor talisman. Done.
Another loose end was the Murkwater Cave, where I missed the "boss" Patches. I decided not to kill him when he surrendered, so now he is a merchant there. Done. He had a chest in the cave. Of course, it was a trap. It teleported me not far into the forest... full of giant bears.
Just outside the cave, when I turned left came Bloody Fucking Invading Finger Nerijus. After a few tries, I managed to run around long enough so that Bloody Finger Hunter Yura could join the fight. We killed him for good, and I got Reduvia, a very cool dagger that sprays blood loss. Done.
I was really into checking off stuff on my list, so... Margit. Why not? I already gained some levels and had my rotting spirit dog. I summoned the Sorcerer Rogier and jumped right in. He went down. On the first try. OMG! "I shall remember thee, Tarnished!"
Why stop here? I entered the castle through the side opening after killing Gatekeeper Gostoc this annoying fellow with the attitude, I have yet to bring his Bell Bearing to the Twin Maiden Husks in Roundtable Hold. (Reading a little about it, I've probably made the right decision to kill this bastard early on. He would have stolen my runes on death and locked me in the room with that damn Knight.)
So I went all the way up the side of the castle, killed everyone, and gathered everything I saw. I probably cheesed the knight in the Rusty Key room. He stuck behind the door so that I could chip away at his health from the outside. Still, it took me quite some time to reach the top, and the knight at the top gave me a really hard time.
On the way, I found some Hookclaws, which I really like. They are fast and build up blood loss, which is very cool. From the top, I parkoured the roofs and somehow managed to get to the next site of grace with all my runes. Then the next, and finally, the one just outside Godrick. This was the perfect point to call this a day.
Day 7
I'm not ready for Godrick the Grafted, that's for sure. So I have to get stronger. I started to explore the castle and found some nice rune-farming areas, but there were a couple of very hard mobs. It's really frustrating to spend 30 minutes getting the runes back and dying right after. I have to keep my distance for now.
There were two elevators that I couldn't use when ascending the castle, so I decided to find a way to turn them on. One could be reached by jumping down the north wall along the cliffs. Well... falling into a bush, really. For the other, I had to get past a Grafted Scion.
On the way, I found a quest item for Roderika, the sad girl outside the castle. She regained her spirits and moved to Roundtable Hold. After some discussion with her and Smithing Master Hewg, she set up her spirit tuner shop, where I could upgrade my spirit ashes.
I realized I could hold my Hookclaws in both hands, becoming a meatgrinder. I finally managed to kill the big guy outside the elevator room. I could actually beat him several times, and at one point, he dropped his Omen Cleaver, my first great sword, baby.
I upgraded my claws, some other armor, and even my rotten dog spirit friend. Then I saw the Tree Sentinel. I jumped on Torrent, summoned the dog, and gave him hell with the Omen Cleaver. It took about 10 tries to figure out a strategy that gave me enough time for scarlet rot to kick in, and then I just had to keep my distance. It was a fine closing of the day.
Day 8
I felled a Tree Sentinel. I’m powerful... well, not yet. I can't mount Torrent at Godrick, so I can't use the same strategy. I decided to explore Eastern Limgrave, starting from the south now. I cleared Fort Haight and strolled north, where I heard some wolf howling around some ruins, but I only found a sleeping bear... a huge one. I already saw these big guys after the chest in Patches' cave teleported me to this part. So, while I managed to kill one, I mostly ran around avoiding them and finally found the map of this region.
I followed the road around a huge tree and found a round building with a magic elevator. It took me down deep underground to the Siofra River, where the glowing crystals in the ceiling were like a beautiful night sky.
Enemies were tough here, so I was mostly strolling around with Torrent gathering stuff. I also found some interesting materials and a map of this area.
Before getting distracted, I was heading north in eastern Limgrave to reach the point D showed me in Roundtable Hold after a showed him my Deathroot. So I continued my way and found Kenneth Haight, the wannabe ruler of this land. He asked me to clear his fort. I told him I had already done that, so he gave me a fancy dagger and asked me to pledge allegiance and visit him to be knighted.
Moving on, I found the ruins of the Third Church of Marika and was rewarded with the Flask of Wondrous Physick. While resting at any site of grace, I can mix two crystal tears to create a powerful potion. This will come in handy.
I found the waygate and met Gurranq Beast Clergyman. Well, he is something, eating Deathroots, but he gave me some useful stuff in exchange. Job done. Let's get back to Limgrave and meet Kenneth in his Fort.
Well, communicating with demi-humans didn't work out too well for him. The fort was overrun. Clearing it and meeting the lord rewarded me with only a sad story. The knighting has to wait.
I ventured south to the Weeping Peninsula. Beyond the bridge, I found Irina, a visually impaired girl waiting for his father, the warden of Castle Morne. She asked me to deliver a letter to him.
Castle Morne was full of rotten strays and misbegotten. While I was advancing up, I took a turn and ended up behind the castle, followed the path, and reached the shore with a boss arena. It took a few tries, but dual-wielding the enhanced Hookclaws with my scarlet rot puppy, and(!) setting the focus on the boss helped a lot. Leonine Misbegotten felled, the Grafted Blade Greatsword looted and... Edgar is now on revenge for his daughter. The poor girl was murdered while I was delivering her letter. (I could have summoned Edgar to this fight, but I only met him after.)
Now I was feeling powerful, so I tried Godrick. It went quite well. I reached phase 2 in a few seconds. Let’s start with him tomorrow.
Day 9
I went straight to Godrick and gave him hell. It was epic. Just a little left from his health, he grabbed me with his dragon arm and smashed me to the ground, flames everywhere. I almost died when scarlet rot gave him the final blow.
I got his depleted great rune. I knew where I had to take it. The only problem was that I didn't know the way. Through the throne room, I found a way to the region north. But for now, my goal was the Divine Tower.
Took some time to find the way around the Ballistas, but I finally reached the beginning of the great bridge. I found the Claw Talisman and opened the main gate on the way. I fought my way through an army of soldiers to find the entrance guarded by a lion with a blade attached to its right leg... I didn't have time for this, so I just ran past and discovered the grace beyond the gate. Still... I felt obliged to kill the beast, so I returned before continuing my journey to the tower to have my ass kicked. At least a few times, but I eventually beat it.
At the top of the bridge, there were three(!) golems: two with axes and one with a bow and huge arrows. I could kill one before at Castle Morne, but three, all aggroing the moment I stepped on the bridge... no way. I somehow managed to get past them and used the waygate that took me to the entrance of the Divine Tower. There, I could restore the great rune.
Back in the Roundtable Hold, I was admitted to the inner chamber, where Enia told me the message of the two fingers... they are fingers, huge fingers. I was offered the option to trade the Remembrance of the Grafted for one of his weapons, but I decided to hold on to it for now since I didn't have the necessary stats to use either of the weapons.