Skyrim loading screen tips, hints, and lore - Skills improve with use

For those whom the loading screen in Skyrim goes away too fast, here are some more hints, tips, and lore tidbits from The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim:

Spellbooks can be purchased from the court wizard in the Jarl's Palace

A guard may stop combat if his attacker sheathes any weapons. But even if the yield is accepted, the guard will still attempt an arrest.

Many species of bear roam Skyrim's wilds. They are fearsome creatures, but will often avoid attacking unless provoked.

A successful power attack has a chance to stagger an opponent who is not blocking.

A greatsword swings faster than a battleaxe, and a battleaxe swings faster than a warhammer.

Dragonsreach earned its name when the ancient Nord hero Olaf One-Eye imprisoned his foe, the great dragon Numinex, within the palace.

Stamina is used to sprint and execute power attacks. Sprinting in heavy armor uses more stamina then sprinting in light armor or clothing.

A magical Ward protects the caster from offensive spells, but takes a few seconds to charge up to full power.

The Apprentice Stone ability doubles your magicka and regeneration speed, but makes you twice as susceptible to spells

Skills improve with use: Weapon Skills improve when you hit opponents. The Sneak skill improves when you successfully sneak. Spell skills improve when you cast spells.

Serving jail time causes some skills to lose their accumulated progress to the next value The longer the sentence, the more skills that are affected.

The war of the Red Diamond began in 3E 121 when Uriel III captured the throne with his mother, Queen Potema. It ended in 3E 127 with their defeat at the Siege of Solitude.

The canal that spans the length of Riften was once a major thoroughfare for merchants and fishermen, but it now sits neglected and stagnant.

Wood Elves, also known as Bosmer, are natives of Valenwood. This jungle nation is home to giant, migratory trees that house their cities.

The Plains District of Whiterun is home to the city's shops and market, while the Wind District is mostly residential. The Jarl's palace, Dragonsreach, dominates the Cloud District.

The lockpicking skill is used to open lock doors and containers faster and with fewer broken lockpicks.

"The best techniques are passed on by the survivors" -- Gaiden Shinji, 1E 490

A power attack mught stagger an opponent, preventing him from immediately counterattacking.

Whiterun was built up around the mead hall Jorrvaskr, home of the legendary Companions warrior guild.

Tiber Septim brought peace to Tamriel in 2E 896, by conquering all of the known world. Thus began the Third Era.