ELDER SCROLLS OMNIBUS THREAD

[Robert C]

10 hours ago, Ramo2653 said:

Between dragons and vampires it's interesting to see who isn't an essential character. RIP to Adrianne Avenicci in Whiterun and Balimund in Riften in my last playthrough.

I haven't so much as seen a vampire in ages, and I did as much as possible before triggering the dragons, yet I still have a bunch of inheritance letters from random NPCs stuck in a drawer somewhere.  Dunno what's killing these guys off.  Should probably check to see if I've lost any housecarls.

Actually, since I haven't done anything for Dawnguard yet, and I've never played either DLC before, does kicking that thing off start random vampire attacks on NPCs?

[J.T.]

The bug is still in the game where no matter what race you are, Arcadia refers to you as a Nord.

I do not like the guy working for Benethor at his store.  He keeps following me out when I leave.  I think he is racially profiling me.  He would be right that I am a Khajiit with a penchant for kleptomania, but I don't appreciate him giving me the stink eye.

23 minutes ago, Robert C said:

Actually, since I haven't done anything for Dawnguard yet, and I've never played either DLC before, does kicking that thing off start random vampire attacks on NPCs?

I ran into one random encounter where novice vampires attacked me on the road to Rorkistead and I found the bodies of members of the Vigilants of Stendarr not too far away in the tall weeds.  I think the shit starts going down after you talk to the Dawnguard orc.  I think I would like a set of that hunter armor if it comes in light.

Edited February 8, 2022 by J.T.

[Robert C]

47 minutes ago, J.T. said:

I do not like the guy working for Benethor at his store.  He keeps following me out when I leave.  I think he is racially profiling me.  He would be right that I have a penchant for kleptomania, but I don't appreciate him giving me the stink eye.

It's hard to beat Solaf and his even more annoying brother when it comes to merchants I want to feed to the dragons

[J.T.]

Holy shit, I think that the content creators that came up with Fire Arrows and the Bow of Shadows were tired of getting their asses beat by the Ice Troll on the road to High Hrothgar.  I'm 13th level and I remember getting wrecked by the Ice Troll back in the day at this level, but bow sniping with fire arrows put that asshole down for the count rather quickly.

My only other encounters were with an ice wolf and an Ice wraith.  I am glad there wasn't a snowy sabre cat on the path like the last time I played.  I think the gamer gods were taking pity on an old man because I nearly died fighting a stupid bear right outside of Ivarstead.  I hate getting Light Armor skill raises the hard way.  That fucking saber cat nearly made me rage quit the entire game.  I could not get past that bitch.  It could nearly kill me in one pounce.

Naturally I remember to brew two Cure Disease potions for the trip this time and nothing happened.  If I hadn't, I'd have gotten Rockjoint for sure from fighting wolves.

I remembered to read all of the emblems on the way up.  VOICE OF THE SKY~!!  FUCK YEAH~!!!

Edited February 8, 2022 by J.T.

[J.T.]

I never investigated the creepy barrow near Ivarstead when I originally played the game, so I figured I'd do it now since I am trying to explore more and not rush to the end of the game.  I could also use the Septims since Lucia now wants an allowance and Orcish Arrows do not pay for themselves.

Here I am tense as hell about the traps and the Draughr, and it turns out that there is some Scooby Doo shit going on and I am the meddling kid screwing up the plan.  The Dark Elf spent all this time scaring the Nords in town away from the barrow so that he could look for the claw key and the fucking Nord innkeeper in town had the claw key the entire time.  Irony. 

Oh well, I'm off to rob this tomb and then I'll make dinner.

Edited February 8, 2022 by J.T.

[J.T.]

Well, there's the Beast Harmony shout I never learned.  Relentless Draughr and their ice magic can fuck right off.

Thanks to Pets of Skyrim, I now have a rabbit named Thistle under my roof.  I even got to smith him a collar.  No more slaughtering bunnies in the wild or preparing Rabbit Haunches in bandit camp cooking pots, I gues.

Edited February 8, 2022 by J.T.

[Eivion]

9 hours ago, Robert C said:

Actually, since I haven't done anything for Dawnguard yet, and I've never played either DLC before, does kicking that thing off start random vampire attacks on NPCs?

 

9 hours ago, J.T. said:

I ran into one random encounter where novice vampires attacked me on the road to Rorkistead and I found the bodies of members of the Vigilants of Stendarr not too far away in the tall weeds.  I think the shit starts going down after you talk to the Dawnguard orc.  I think I would like a set of that hunter armor if it comes in light.

I believe Dawnguard random vampire attacks start once you hit a certain level (10?) and won't end until you beat the DLC.

[J.T.]

I sat my character down in Breezehome and Lucia came over and started playing the lute for me.  I have to get her an awesome mom.  I'm trying to convince myself to do the Companions storyline so that I can eventually marry Aela the Huntress or Njada Stonearm.  I just need to remember to cure myself of lycanthrope when I finish the last quest.

Obviously I am not being smart about this.  The correct thing to do would be to marry Ysolde because she is flagged as essential and can't be killed in the game.  Once you complete the Companion's story, all of the characters that can become followers or spouses can die.  Also, you cannot get the Lover's Comfort effect from sleeping in the same house as your spouse if they are cursed with vampirism or lycanthrope.  

I've quit for the night and will continue The Blessings of Nature quest tomorrow.  I'm attempting to do it the good guy way by taking the pilgrim with me to Eldergleam.  I will have to save my game every five feet when we're traveling because I know this dumbass will get eaten by a bear or we'll meet a dragon while we're on the road. 

The first part of the quest was a bit easier than I remember and that's probably because of the Bow of Shadows.  Since I am squishy, I had to acquire Nettlebane through hit and run tactics on the witches and then sneaking into the Hagraven's camp via invisibility potion.  The Hagraven was a more than a handful in a one-on-one scrap even after I drank several resistance potions.  If I had attacked her without bow sniping the witches first, I probably would've died instantly.

I fucked up and read Faringar's books and now the Red Eagle's Sword quest is in my queue..  I hate my life.  I will be playing this stupid game for the next four months.

Edited February 9, 2022 by J.T.

[Kevin Wilson]

Even though its been a decade I can still remember my first fight with a Giant. Thinking, "ah he is probably higher level but it should be fine" before getting launched 300 feet into the air and splatting to the ground.

Its amazing to me that people are still doing new run-throughs of this game. I am "people" as I just did one last summer myself. In my defense I hadn't done the DLC yet.

[J.T.]

9 hours ago, Kevin Wilson said:

Its amazing to me that people are still doing new run-throughs of this game. I am "people" as I just did one last summer myself. In my defense I hadn't done the DLC yet.

It's just easier sometimes to start from the beginning.  There was a lot of little nuances I'd forgotten since the last time I played.  I'm also finding out new stuff I never encountered or bothered to explore in previous runthroughs.

[RIPPA]

I mean I will have to start over if I can't get my save to transfer machines

[Ramo2653]

23 hours ago, J.T. said:

I sat my character down in Breezehome and Lucia came over and started playing the lute for me.  I have to get her an awesome mom.  I'm trying to convince myself to do the Companions storyline so that I can eventually marry Aela the Huntress or Njada Stonearm.  I just need to remember to cure myself of lycanthrope when I finish the last quest.

Obviously I am not being smart about this.  The correct thing to do would be to marry Ysolde because she is flagged as essential and can't be killed in the game.  Once you complete the Companion's story, all of the characters that can become followers or spouses can die.  Also, you cannot get the Lover's Comfort effect from sleeping in the same house as your spouse if they are cursed with vampirism or lycanthrope.  

I've quit for the night and will continue The Blessings of Nature quest tomorrow.  I'm attempting to do it the good guy way by taking the pilgrim with me to Eldergleam.  I will have to save my game every five feet when we're traveling because I know this dumbass will get eaten by a bear or we'll meet a dragon while we're on the road. 

The first part of the quest was a bit easier than I remember and that's probably because of the Bow of Shadows.  Since I am squishy, I had to acquire Nettlebane through hit and run tactics on the witches and then sneaking into the Hagraven's camp via invisibility potion.  The Hagraven was a more than a handful in a one-on-one scrap even after I drank several resistance potions.  If I had attacked her without bow sniping the witches first, I probably would've died instantly.

I fucked up and read Faringar's books and now the Red Eagle's Sword quest is in my queue..  I hate my life.  I will be playing this stupid game for the next four months.

You gotta get Mjol for a spouse. Granted you have to do her favor quest first which involves going through a Dwarven ruin. Also Aerin follows her around but that's nothing a little murder can't fix just make sure she's not around when that happens. Or you could be like me and have her get captured by vampires and when you go to rescue her Aerin shows up in the cave and gets murdered by the vampires, could I have saved him? Who knows.

Knowing what my bonus from work is going to be on Friday, I'm tempted to buy this game again so I don't have to fumble around with the disc.

[J.T.]

I courted Mjoll in my first playthrough when I was a Redguard warrior type.  Dwemer ruins don't bother me but I am playing a Khajiit rogue now and in order to get Mjoll interested in me, I'd have to denounce the Thieves Guild in Riftin.  Not sure I want to do that since I plan to be running the place before this game is done.

Finished The Blessings of Nature quest.  Got jumped by brigands at Valtheim Tower, but my companion knew how to handle a sword.  Sure enough, we met an ice dragon while we were on the road..  Luckily I brewed plenty of healing potions and was able to tank the dragon with the aid of my improved shout and my Superior rank steel weapons.  Investing in the sword crit perk may have saved my life.  I was down to my last two healing potions and my last Resist Frost when I critted the dragon and killed it.  My companion took a beating but was still alive.  Thank God I didn't have to revert to an earlier save.

Got my nearly dead companion to the glade and brought a new sapling back to Whiterun to renew the Gildergreen.  Hopefully this will cheer Lucia up as she was very upset about how sickly the old tree looked.  The things you do for your kids.

Edited February 11, 2022 by J.T.

[J.T.]

This game hates neat freaks with OCD.  Every time I walk into the Vilemyr Inn in Ivarstead, the kettles are turned over and there is food on the floor no matter how many times I straighten up.

CLEAN UP YOUR SHIT, NORDS~!

[J.T.]

Got into a drinking contest with what IIRC is one of the Daedra Lords masquerading as a human.  Passed out.  Woke up a temple and was told by a priestess that I defiled one of the statues of the goddess Dibella by fondling it.   I also may have mentioned something about marriage and a goat.

So begins my adventures in Markarth.  Once I'm done meddling in local affairs here, it'll be off to Rorikstead.

Knocking off for the night as there is classic late 60's and 70's sci-fi going down on TCM tonight starting at 8PM EDT.

Edited February 12, 2022 by J.T.

[RIPPA]

A Night To Remember is one of the best quest lines in the entire game

Though I always feel guilty for how Moira is treated

[BobbyWhioux]

fuck Markarth and it's racist Prison Industrial Complex.

if the vampires ever attack I just let chug an invisibility potion and let them do their thing on that shithole.

[Eivion]

Its Skyrim. Like half the Nords are racist.

[J.T.]

12 hours ago, BobbyWhioux said:

fuck Markarth and it's racist Prison Industrial Complex.

if the vampires ever attack I just let chug an invisibility potion and let them do their thing on that shithole.

That would be my call.  Having to choose between the Silver-blood crime organization and the Forsworn, a bunch of Daedra worshipping extremist that kill innocent women in the street, I'll tie my wagon to the Silver-bloods and try to find a way to betray Thonar later on.  It kinda sucks that the Forsworn assassinated his wife while he and I were having a little chat, but she was a bit of a bitch and probably had it coming.

It is hard not to choose the Forsworn if your thinking is strictly meta.  The set or Light Armor you receive as a reward for backing Madanach is pretty awesome and the Silver-blood ring that Thonar gives you for assassinating Madanach and breaking out of the Cidna Mines prison is a piece of junk.

I plan on running the Thieves Guild, joining the Nightingales, and doing the Dawnguard missions so there will be plenty of opportunities for me to upgrade from my trusty set of Leather Armor. 

I wasn't too far into the Markarth stuff so I decided to revert to an earlier save and go get the third word of Unrelenting Force since I forgot that you also get the word for Become Ethereal at Ustagrav.  Then I'll probably go get the word for Kyne's Peace from the haunted barrow at Ivarstead, help Dephine with the dragon at Kynesgrove, and then get on with the misadventures in Markarth and A Night to Remember after I finish the Act One part of the main quest line.

There is so much to do in this game.

Edited February 14, 2022 by J.T.

[J.T.]

The thing that made me decide to go back and get the third word for Unrelenting Force was the fight at Nepos the Nose's house. I used my two word shout during the ambush and blew everything off of his dining room table as I pushed the enemies back. 

That was fun. 

Then I started to wonder if I could wreck his entire house with one shout if I had all three words.

Edited February 14, 2022 by J.T.

[J.T.]

I also forgot about the timed gates that you have to use Whirlwind Sprint to pass before you enter the main chamber in Ustragrav.  They can fuck right off.

I knew from a past run that Delphine is a member of the Blades like Caius Cosades was in TES: Morrowind.  At the start of this playthrough as a Khajiit, I tried to pick her pocket before leaving for Whiterun and saw that she's armed with an Elven dagger.  Kinda tells you she's no mere innkeeper.

Edited February 14, 2022 by J.T.

[RIPPA]

J.T. - "Why does everyone think the Khajiit are dirty thieves?!?!?!?!"

Also J.T. - tries to pickpocket every single character in the game

[J.T.]

2 hours ago, RIPPA said:

J.T. - "Why does everyone think the Khajiit are dirty thieves?!?!?!?!"

Also J.T. - tries to pickpocket every single character in the game

It is a perishable skill.

Besides, just because I know it's true doesn't mean that I want the other races to perpetuate it as a stereotype. 

I also need to get my Pickpocketing skill squared away so that the Thieves Guild and Nightingale quests aren't too much of a hassle.

Edited February 14, 2022 by J.T.

[J.T.]

As soon as I finish helping Delphine kill this fucking dragon, I need to do as much of the Thieves Guild questline as I can until I have access to a fence.  There is a shit ton of decent junk I have stuffed in a cupboard in Breezehome that i cannot sell to normal vendors because it is all stolen.

I would install the mod that makes Khajiit merchants act as fences without having to do the Thieves Guild quests, but then I wouldn't be able to earn achievements.

Edited February 14, 2022 by J.T.

[J.T.]

Holy fuck, talk about risk vs. reward.  Found a note on a dead adventurer on the road talking about the location of an Imperial Bow of Fear.  Goddamn thing was in the treasure trove of a Master Vampire.  

I located the cave and went inside.  The fracas with the Bloodied Vampire guard was nearly as bad as the brawls I've had with the bears and saber cats I've killed, so I figured a Master Vampire would be as tough as a dragon fight.   Fortunately, equipping the Bow of Shadows provides you with 30 seconds of invisibility, so I brought it out, snuck in, and stole the Master Vampire's treasure out from under his nose. 

This plan would not have worked if I hadn't had an extra Invisibility potion to drink so that I could sneak back out safely.

When I got back to Whiterun, I sold the Imperial Bow of Fear since it is garbage compared to the Shadow Bow, went to Arcadia's and bought a Luna Moth Wing, and mixed with the dust from the vampire I killed to get back another Invisibility potion.

Do not neglect your crafting skills, folks, especially Alchemy and Smithing.

Before that, Delphine and I killed the dragon near Whiterun so now I am of to Riften to ply my trade and rise up the ranks of the Thieves' Guild.  I will need gonzo stealth skills if I am going to infiltrate the Thalmor consulate and criminal backing might not hurt either.

Edited February 15, 2022 by J.T.