The Elder Scrolls XIII: Born Under a Certain Sign

[Balmas]

Yeah, that mostly comes down to the problem with level-by-doing, I think. Once you hit the max cap for doing something, you can't level up by doing that thing anymore. So if you want more perk points, you have to either do something else--which means it's something you suck at--or reset your progress. Uncapping the max skill level means you can continue getting perks while using the thing you've built your character around.

[Triaxx]

I never really used illusion, not because I don't like it, but because everything seemed to end up too powerful so quickly I never had a use. Invisibility and muffle had to be cast far away, because I rarely had enough perks invested to reach Quiet Casting. And my usual wizards are pretty much as unstealthy as it's possible to be.

[LibraryOgre]

I never really used illusion, not because I don't like it, but because everything seemed to end up too powerful so quickly I never had a use. Invisibility and muffle had to be cast far away, because I rarely had enough perks invested to reach Quiet Casting. And my usual wizards are pretty much as unstealthy as it's possible to be.

I started liking Fury in Bleak falls Barrow, where you encounter those two bandits right after you go inside. Fury one, sit back and let them fight... or raise a dead body to get into the fray.

Killing Skinner with it also involved a lot of running and summoning Frost Atronachs, though. If you are going to run around in that room, I suggest counterclockwise.

[DigoDragon]

Muffle in the morning, Muffle in the Evening, Muffle at Suppertime.

No real reason I'm quoting this, other than I ended up singing it in my head.

Yeah, that mostly comes down to the problem with level-by-doing, I think. Once you hit the max cap for doing something, you can't level up by doing that thing anymore. So if you want more perk points, you have to either do something else--which means it's something you suck at--or reset your progress. Uncapping the max skill level means you can continue getting perks while using the thing you've built your character around.

I'll have to try the uncapper too. All my characters have historically gotten tossed and I start over after the main 3 skills in their build get maxed out.

[LibraryOgre]

No real reason I'm quoting this, other than I ended up singing it in my head.

I aim to irritate.

[Triaxx]

Then you must be Skyrim. Crashing solved. Seems Rigmor must be activated when installed or quests and thus the game breaks. But now a new madness has arrived. Steel Nordic Gauntlets equip as ground items to female characters. Needs must I reinstall UNP I think.

[Shoreward]

I never really used illusion, not because I don't like it, but because everything seemed to end up too powerful so quickly I never had a use. Invisibility and muffle had to be cast far away, because I rarely had enough perks invested to reach Quiet Casting. And my usual wizards are pretty much as unstealthy as it's possible to be.

The trouble with Illusion is that if you don't actively grind its perks to keep up with the rising level of enemies, it quickly becomes useless against anyone except John the Dirt Bandit and his underlevelled friends. If you do grind it, it's pretty dang potent.

That's unless you're using a perk mod. I can't account for how something like Ordinator might alter the progression.

Personally, I still want to cast Paralyze some day. For some reason I always end up missing Alteration in the mad dash for breaking the enchanting system again.

[Balmas]

Skyrim pet peeve: there are some dragon shouts locked behind nearly every faction. If you want complete fire breath or Animal Allegiance, better join the Companions. Whoops, Slow Time is locked by both the civil war and the Mage's Guild. You can only learn the full Marked For Death shout by joining/destroying the Dark Brotherhood. Disarm requires you to be halfway through the Thieves Guild quest to complete. You don't get the infinitely-useful-with-frostfall-installed Clear Skies until you advance the main quest enough to get to Paarthurnax.

So if I really want Chase to be able to have a complete mastery of the voice, I'll need to either join all the factions--something he just wouldn't do, in most cases--or give him the unattainable shouts via the console, which is frustrating to me personally.

[Divayth Fyr]

So if I really want Chase to be able to have a complete mastery of the voice, I'll need to either join all the factions--something he just wouldn't do, in most cases--or give him the unattainable shouts via the console, which is frustrating to me personally.

As it tends to be with Bethesda games, mods can solve this problem ;)

[Winter_Wolf]

Skyrim pet peeve: there are some dragon shouts locked behind nearly every faction. If you want complete fire breath or Animal Allegiance, better join the Companions. Whoops, Slow Time is locked by both the civil war and the Mage's Guild. You can only learn the full Marked For Death shout by joining/destroying the Dark Brotherhood. Disarm requires you to be halfway through the Thieves Guild quest to complete. You don't get the infinitely-useful-with-frostfall-installed Clear Skies until you advance the main quest enough to get to Paarthurnax.

So if I really want Chase to be able to have a complete mastery of the voice, I'll need to either join all the factions--something he just wouldn't do, in most cases--or give him the unattainable shouts via the console, which is frustrating to me personally.

That's your "replay value " you're dissing!

But yeah, shouts tend to have some irritating conditions. You can't get the full storm call shout unless you actually grind the hell out of the main quest to at least Sovngarde. A pity, because it's hilarious disintegrating dragons in flight when they're struck by lightning in a storm. Mostly I just do without, because playing a random guy or lass that isn't dragonborn has been my preferred type of character for a good long while. Skyrim Unbound makes it possible, and gives you non-dragonborn shouts, and if you're inclined, auto-unlocked shouts without needing dragon souls.

My favorite shout is still throw voice, and it's conveniently all on that one wall. Pick a good hiding spot, goad a few enemies into range with a shout-taunt, and let mayhem, frenzy, or fury fly for a good ol' show.

[Triaxx]

Frankly, I usually end up using Fire Breath and Ice Form and ignoring most of the rest. Fire Breath for ranged attack, Ice Form to make enemies stop doing damage to me.

[LibraryOgre]

I aim to irritate.

Then you must be Skyrim.

Hmmm.

Large, to the point of being ungainly?
Vaguely, non-specifically, Nordic?
Lots of complexity that really boils down to one or two things?
An improbable plot that it's better not to think about?
Lazy, circular design to avoid having to do the hard parts?
Annoying catch phrases said at random, regardless of context?

I *might* be Skyrim!

[Ogremindes]

---

Jorrvaskr, Morning Star 10
On my return to the Sanctuary, Astrid requested I spy on Cicero, the Keeper of the Night Mother. She believed he was conspiring with someone else in the Sanctuary, and I was to hide in the Night Mother's coffin. I wasn't enthused by this plan, but being the only member not in the Sanctuary while Cicero was here it had to be me, and that was the only hiding place available. Things went... strangely. The Night Mother herself talked to me, told me a code phrase to give Cicero, and a place I should go to meet someone. Apparently this makes me "The Listener", the only one through which the Night Mother will convey information and instructions. Astrid needs time to think about this turn of events, and as such I've taken some minor contracts in the meantime.

Nazir has given me two: to kill a vampire at Half-Moon mill, and to assassinate an orc bard in Morthal. Half-Moon wasn't far, so I headed out immediately. Killing the vampire was no problem at all, naturally, so I continued on to Whiterun for a new contract for the Companions, and to receive my pay for the last. I'll spend the night here, before heading out to Morthal tomorrow.

---

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Jorrvaskr, Morning Star 12
Having completed my hunt, I returned to the Sanctuary. Having had a couple of days to mull it over, Astrid has decided to follow the Night Mother's wishes, and has sent me to meet the contact in Volunruud, assuming he even exists. It's a short ways north of Whiterun, so that's where I've stopped for the night, with fatigue and inclement weather stopping me going on.

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Falkreath Sanctuary, Morning Star 13
Yes...YES. The contact was there, Amaund Motierre. He was there with a legion guard, and offered the contract: a series of targets culminating in the Emperor himself! He gave me a sealed letter to pass on to Astrid, and a jeweled amulet to cover expenses. I brought these back to the Sanctuary. Astrid was disbelieving at first, but with the letter and amulet came around. She wants me to get the amulet appraised in Riften by one Delvin Mallory, a trusted contact I'm assured.

Soon... may the Hunt begin.

---

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Morning Star 13
I travelled to Riften and found this Mallory. He identified the amulet as an Elder Council Amulet, and gave me a letter of credit to give to Astrid for it. This... this is really happening. I have some marks to deal with as I make my way back to Falkreath, and then we'll see what the plan is.

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Morning Star 15
I've completed my hunt. The mage Ma'randru-jo had an unfortunate run-in with a werewolf while out on the road, and soon after an unseen marksman killed Anoriath while peddled meat in the middle of Whiterun. I will admit, I felt a pang of guilt when I killed Deekus far to the north. If it weren't for his camp I probably would have died when the Skinny Horker sank. Still, it's not like he did anything to help me beyond just happening to have a campfire on the right part of the coast. I've begun making my way back to Falkreath, I'll be there early tomorrow.

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Fort Greymoor, Morning Star 16
Astrid has given me my first mission for the Motierre contract. I'm to kill Vittoria Vici at her wedding in Solitude. There's a bonus for me if she's addressing her guests at the time. Nazir also had a smaller job for me, kill the maid Agnis at fort Greymoor. That was along the way, so I did that today. Greymoor was an Imperial fort, but the milksops got kicked out by a group of bandits. I tore through the place in beast form, Agnis had been kept as a servant by the bandits, and she died along with everything else there.

It's still a long way to Solitude, but I'll be there in time.

---

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The Winking Skeever, Morning Star 17
The assassination of Vittoria Vici went as smoothly as you like. It was after dark when I approached the Temple of the Divines, within Castle Dour. Under the cover of darkness I made my way to the ramparts overlooking the reception. I noticed the gargoyle hanging above the balcony from which the guests would be addressed was wobbly, but I had the impression Astrid wanted a spectacle, not an accident. So I found a place in the shadows from which to strike, and when Vici began to speak I struck, shooting her from the darkness, soon followed by the groom, the only one who could see from whence the shot came. I dropped down the outside of the walls, and made my way unseen 'til I was back at the market. With no suspicion headed my way, I retired to the inn to spend the night.

---

[VoxRationis]

An improbable plot that it's better not to think about?

I'd be interested in hearing your analysis of the main plot.

[Balmas]

Morrowind Episode 16 is out!

The journal I found on the dead mage indicated that he'd created a new spell to allow for massive bounding leaps across the land. Apparently, he'd not thought to account for how to land. Still, the scrolls seemed like they'd be useful, so I pocketed them.

Once I reached the silt strider in Seyda Neen, Selvil Sareloth told me that in addition to Balmora, he could also take me to Vivec, Suran, and Gnisis. I had no idea what Suran was, but Gnisis was even further north than Ald-Ruhn. My entire goal in heading north from Balmora had been to go to Ald'Ruhn and Maar Gan, so I figured that riding to a northern town and then making my way back would be less work than walking the whole way.

We arrived, and I was immediately disappointed. Gnisis looked huge on my map, but it was little more than a central temple and a few surrounding market tents. There was a local Legion fort, but what really caught my eye was the number of shrines nearby. The temple itself had one of the shrines I needed to visit for the pilgrimage of the seven shrines, and my little pilgrimage book said there was another one just outside of town.

However, once I did my praying and headed south, the first thing that caught my eye was one of those Dunmer fortresses. Berandas was full of daedra, top to bottom. I had to drop a mark spell and pop back to Caldera to get rid of some inventory in order to pick up the daedric warhammer one of them was carrying. However, the real prize was an actual daedric spear pinning a skeleton to the wall! Score!

Further in, the stone and mortar of the dunmer ruin become more cave-like. A pair of daedra set on me, and after they lay dead I just managed to hear a cry for help coming from up above me. I levitated up and quickly looted the chests up there, but it took a while longer to locate the source of the voice. A beautiful breton looked up from her position on the ledge. She quickly begged for a scroll of Divine Intervention, but since I know both Mark, Recall, and Almsivi Intervention, I've taken to travelling without scrolls of the same. I paused, levitated over the yawning expanse of the chasm, and half-jokingly told her not to go anywhere, especially not down.

Then the levitation spell holding me forty feet in the air ran out.

[Triaxx]

Ah, a Wil E. Coyote moment. One moment, everything is fine, the next, the law of Gravity reasserts it self.

[Ogremindes]

---

Falkreath Sanctuary, Morning Star 18
I took a detour on my way back to the Sanctuary, to go after a bounty placed by the Jarl of Solitude. I plowed through the bandit lair in beast form, then crossed the Reach wilderness back to Falkreath. I returned to praise and rewards, including a bonus for killing Vici while she was giving her speech.

My new contracts are to hunt down a dunmer mage who's set up in Mzinchaleft, to kill the housecarl of the Jarl of Falkreath, and to murder the son of Commander Maro, the leader of the Emperor's bodyguard, and frame him for a plot to kill the Emperor. There's something extra in it for me if I kill him where he'll be discovered quickly.

Falkreath is of course a stone's throw from the Sanctuary. I sneaked into the Jarl's Longhouse after dark and killed the housecarl in his sleep. I slinked back to the Sanctuary to sleep before heading out.

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Morthal, Morning Star 19
I passed through Whiterun, picking up a new contract from the Companions, and then headed north, back to Mzinchaleft. Maluril, my target, didn't even realize I was there to kill him as I confronted him after killing the bandits he was working with. With that done I continued west, towards Dragon Bridge, where I hope to find information on Maro's schedule as he travels Skyrim. But I needed to rest. It's been a long journey across the length of the province, so I've stopped at Morthal for the night.

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Morthal, Morning Star 20, Night of the New Moon
In Dragon's Bridge I saw Gaius Maro departing. I stole a glimpse of his schedule, and discovered he was heading for Windhelm. I can't imagine how a high-ranking legionnaire got himself invited there, but he'd be staying in the guard barracks overnight. How delightful, so very many people to suspect before me. I made haste across Skyrim to arrive before him, and found a nice dark shadow to hide in, in a corner of the barracks that was barely even glanced at.

I had to pick my moment carefully. But it came, with him alone in the room with just me and some sleeping guards. I crept behind him and slit his throat without a sound, planting the letter in his pocket. Then it was just a matter of getting out without being seen. At the last, just before I was clear of the palace I was spotted, I thought I was going to have to make a break for it, but the "guard" whispered to me "Hail Sithis". I sighed with relief, and quietly left the city.

---

Damn that guy moves slower than molasses in Winterhold if you don't fast travel or use the wait function. I wanted to ambush him as he entered the gate, but if I just hung around he wouldn't have arrived before dawn, and if I waited he would teleport straight to the barracks.

[VoxRationis]

Yeah, I too find it odd that Maro's security schedule takes him into territory which is actively rebelling against the Empire.

[Triaxx]

I had forgotten just how much more fast and fluid the combat was in Oblivion. I mean, being able to duck in and out of combat and avoid being hit.

Missing sprint and shield bash though.

[Winter_Wolf]

I had forgotten just how much more fast and fluid the combat was in Oblivion. I mean, being able to duck in and out of combat and avoid being hit.

Missing sprint and shield bash though.

Compared with which game? I can manage to bob and weave pretty well in Skyrim and rarely get smacked down on that count. But I still get jumped by packs of wolves. I want to make a joke about wolves being the ninja of Skyrim, but I play with the sound off so it's not really correct.

[Triaxx]

Seems to me enemies in Skyrim have a much wider attack angle, so they can turn in the air in mid power attack. Oblivion's attacks don't seem to do that as much.

Then again I am aiming for stealth so I'm less about the upfront combat.

[Keltest]

Yeah, I too find it odd that Maro's security schedule takes him into territory which is actively rebelling against the Empire.

Skyrim is fighting to secede, not to overthrow the entire empire. The assassination of the Emperor is not their goal, so as a visiting politician he can expect a degree of protection even from a relatively hostile nation. Killing the emperor would remove any possibility with trade outside of Skyrim, and even Ulfric isn't so stupid and isolationist as to believe that Skyrim can survive when literally the entire rest of the continent is actively at war with them.

[VoxRationis]

Skyrim is fighting to secede, not to overthrow the entire empire. The assassination of the Emperor is not their goal, so as a visiting politician he can expect a degree of protection even from a relatively hostile nation. Killing the emperor would remove any possibility with trade outside of Skyrim, and even Ulfric isn't so stupid and isolationist as to believe that Skyrim can survive when literally the entire rest of the continent is actively at war with them.

I'm not sure that Ulfric wouldn't kill the Emperor to make a point. He considers the Empire "corrupt and dying," and probably doesn't hold a lot of stock in respecting its leaders' sanctity or any relations with them. But in any case, even if Ulfric doesn't plan on actively killing the Emperor, allowing Imperial security officers to make inspection tours of his cities is decidedly out of character, and allowing the Emperor into Stormcloak territory would be as well. Moreover, since the Emperor never even is scheduled to go anywhere but Solitude, it's a little weird that any other cities would be included in the tour. His search and inspections aren't nearly thorough enough that assassins would need to skip town to plan, which is the only part he'd catch by doing inspections out of town. Don't get me wrong, it's a fun bit of design, and it's nice to have an NPC that's doing their own thing on their own schedule and doesn't materialize in place to die once you get there with the quest in your journal, but I don't think it makes much sense in this particular context.

[Keltest]

I'm not sure that Ulfric wouldn't kill the Emperor to make a point. He considers the Empire "corrupt and dying," and probably doesn't hold a lot of stock in respecting its leaders' sanctity or any relations with them. But in any case, even if Ulfric doesn't plan on actively killing the Emperor, allowing Imperial security officers to make inspection tours of his cities is decidedly out of character, and allowing the Emperor into Stormcloak territory would be as well. Moreover, since the Emperor never even is scheduled to go anywhere but Solitude, it's a little weird that any other cities would be included in the tour. His search and inspections aren't nearly thorough enough that assassins would need to skip town to plan, which is the only part he'd catch by doing inspections out of town. Don't get me wrong, it's a fun bit of design, and it's nice to have an NPC that's doing their own thing on their own schedule and doesn't materialize in place to die once you get there with the quest in your journal, but I don't think it makes much sense in this particular context.

I think its less about whether the Emperor actually plans to visit the cities and more about having the information for when things go squirrely. Understanding where the various strongholds and choke points are, routes in and out of the city, things like that. Since the emperor doesn't plan to visit them, he doesn't need to worry too much about assassins in those cities, but if he does end up there for some reason, a general understanding of what to expect is good to have.

[Triaxx]

I suspect he was intending to make an 'unofficial' visit to Windhelm, while his body double attended the wedding, giving the Emperor his own chance to end the war. Possibly by breaking Skyrim into two distinct provinces, one of Stormcloak territory, one of loyalist imperial. Ulfric get's what he wants, the empire get's to stop the war, and they both get to thumb their noses at the Thalmor.

[VoxRationis]

@Triaxx: Now that's an interesting idea. Might explain Motierre's reasoning. He doesn't seem to be a bog-standard power-grabber, since he tells an assassin who has no particular reason to care that the Emperor's assassination would involve momentous policy changes. Perhaps he believes Titus Mede II tends to be too accommodating, and Motierre is more of a '54-40 or fight' kind.

[Ogremindes]

---

Dawnstar, Morning Star 21
I returned to the Sanctuary to find it in chaos. Cicero had attacked Astrid, losing patience with her disrespect of the Night Mother. He badly injured Veezara before fleeing, with Arnbjorn on his trail. Searching his quarters, I discovered Cicero knew of an old Sanctuary in Dawnstar, his likely destination. Before I left, Nazir gave me another contract, to kill a pirate captain, and I was rewarded for my work with Maro with a token to give to a seer in Whiterun. Astrid gave me the use of her horse Shadowmere.

I rode into the night to catch up with Cicero I found Arnbjorn injured outside the Sanctuary door. I told him to leave this to me, he was too hurt to be much help anyway. Cicero wrote the passphrase for the Sanctuary door in his journal, I used it to enter.

The Sanctuary was defended by spectres which sought to stop me. Cicero's journal mentioned that they recognized him as Keeper. As Listener they should have recognized me too, I started to doubt my mission. Astrid had shown me a spell to summon the spectre of an old Brotherhood assassin, while he was bound to serve me, he advised against killing the Fool. In the end I spared Cicero, it was too apparent that the higher powers behind the Dark Brotherhood were opposed to killing him. He would just have to keep his head down, for now.

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Morning Star 22
Passing through the Solitude docks to take out the pirate Safia, I travelled south to Whiterun to speak with the seer Olava the Feeble. Her reading was somewhat disturbing. It sounds like the Dawnstar Sanctuary will feature again in my future, after... blood. She also told me of the resting place of an "Assassin of Old" which I should visit.

I have some other tasks to do before heading back to Falkreath. I'm far to low on crossbow bolts for one, and while I have a fast horse at my disposal I may as well head over to Riften.

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Frostfruit Inn, Morning Star 24
I returned to the Falkreath Sanctuary, and lied about Cicero's death. No matter, the Motierre contract must go on. I need to find and take on the identity of "The Gourmet". But no one knows who this gourmet is... except for one person. Festus discovered a copy of The Gourmet's cookbook, signed and dedicated to Anton Virane, the cook at Understone Keep. Astrid allowed me the continued use of Shadowmere, so I rode out to Markarth.

Anton was a man of no backbone, and revealed the name and location of his friend in exchange for sparing his life. Of course, Festus specified that I was not to leave any loose ends. After making sure he wouldn't be waking tomorrow, I stole Anton's uniform; if I'm going to take the identity of "The Gourmet" I would need a disguise that looks the part.

The Gourmet is an orc: Balagog gro-Nolob. The same orc that has been staying long-term at Nightgate inn. I left Markarth before the body could be found, and rode as far as Rorikstead before stopping for the night. From here the resting place of that Assassin of Old isn't far. I should follow up on that before riding to Heljarchen.

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Windhelm, Morning Star 25
In order to reach the "Assassin of Old" I needed to get through Deepwood Redoubt, a stronghold of those Forsworn brigands. The defenses were well designed, fortunately they had built many of their huts in otherwise open areas that should've gotten me shot to pieces. Hag's End, the actual place I was headed, was past the defenses I was repeatedly attacked by a hagraven as I slaughtered the witches their, the hag kept vanishing by magic until I reached the very top of the tower. The Assassin of Old was in a hidden room of the tower, I collected his gear and moved on.

I arrived at Heljarchen after dark. The orc had made himself comfortable in the inn's wine cellar, paying a sizable septum for the privilege. This, of course, meant that he was alone in a room with many shadows for things to be hidden. I told him of the part "The Gourmet" would play, before killing him, taking his invitation to cook for the Emperor, and hiding the corpse away. I slipped out the back and travelled the rest of the way to Windhelm to rest for the night.

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Dragon Bridge, Morning Star 26
So this is it. Tomorrow I waltz into Castle Dour posing as a master chef, and poison the Emperor. My disguise is ready, Astrid has an escape route planned out, and has given me the poison to use. Everything's been leading up to this, but... Astrid was behaving strangely. Cold. Called me "Listener" a lot. Maybe it's just the stress coming after Cicero's outburst. She surely wouldn't have sabotaged the mission. Not now.

I'll have to be on guard. Any sign that my cover is compromised, I'm out.

---

[Kareeah_Indaga]

I stumbled across a Reddit thread discussing Cyrodiil's jungle status, and it occurred to me: why is it strange that it was a jungle and then wasn't? Just south of Cyrodiil in unambiguously-jungle Valenwood we have trees that walk. So the jungle trees migrate north, taking various bits of fauna with them, and then when the conditions become unfavorable they migrate south again. This even lets it yo-yo back and forth multiple times across history, so it can be grasslands in ESO and jungle again in time for Tiber Septim to Shout at.

She quickly begged for a scroll of Divine Intervention, but since I know both Mark, Recall, and Almsivi Intervention, I've taken to travelling without scrolls of the same. I paused, levitated over the yawning expanse of the chasm, and half-jokingly told her not to go anywhere, especially not down.

Then the levitation spell holding me forty feet in the air ran out.

That is hilarious. XD

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

It's not that "it was a jungle then it wasn't", it's "it was a jungle and then it NEVER WAS."

Additionally, the fan disappointment that we could have gotten a cool jungle session with demon-infested aztec-ish ruins hidden deep in dangerous jungles, the roads normally patrolled now only dangerous paths in a time of crisis, but instead we got a boring generi-medieval setting of trees and more trees.

[Yuki Akuma]

It's not that "it was a jungle then it wasn't", it's "it was a jungle and then it NEVER WAS."

Aah, CHIM.