The Elder Scrolls XIV: Good? Bad? I'm the one with the Thu'um!

[Keltest]

I don't know why everyone is so tied up in the idea that there aren't consequences for your actions. Why can't it just be that your soul goes to whoever you sold it to after you die? People seem convinced that there must be some sort of happy ending for their PC, but I don't see why that necessarily has to be the case if you willingly sold your character's soul to a known evil entity. Just because you sold your soul to 6 evil guys instead of 1 doesn't make the end result any happier.

If you don't want your PC to have an unhappy ending, maybe just don't sell their soul for crappy mid-tier artifacts that you probably don't even need.

Its not that people don't want their souls to be claimed, its that a typical character who completes the main quest, both the DLC main quests, and a couple guild lines typically has about 4-5 claimants to their soul, which is extremely odd when you consider that many of these claimants know who you are before offering their deal. Lets say I'm an Argonian thief. Do I go to Akatosh, or the Hist, or Nocturnal, or Sovngard or Hermaeus Mora? If I join the companions too, does Hircine get my soul, or does he get into a fight with Akatosh, Nocturnal and Mora over it? If I became a Vampire instead, does that mean Molag Bal joins the fray? Will Shor send somebody to make sure I'm still free to go to Sovngard if I want to?

[The_Jackal]

I don't know why everyone is so tied up in the idea that there aren't consequences for your actions. Why can't it just be that your soul goes to whoever you sold it to after you die? People seem convinced that there must be some sort of happy ending for their PC, but I don't see why that necessarily has to be the case if you willingly sold your character's soul to a known evil entity. Just because you sold your soul to 6 evil guys instead of 1 doesn't make the end result any happier.

If you don't want your PC to have an unhappy ending, maybe just don't sell their soul for crappy mid-tier artifacts that you probably don't even need.

Meh, Sithis gets everyone anyway, even the Aedra and the Daedra.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Uhhh... I thought it was pretty much a definition case that the Dhovakin went to Sovngard after the events that end the official game, regardless of what any of the Daedra would prefer.

[InvisibleBison]

I think that, when the Dragonborn dies, all the entities who he's pledged his soul to get sent one of the souls in his body - so any given entity probably ends up with some random dragon, while the actual Dragonborn's soul has a pretty good chance of dodging all the deals entirely and going onto whatever normal afterlife procedure there is for dragonborn.

[The_Jackal]

I think that, when the Dragonborn dies, all the entities who he's pledged his soul to get sent one of the souls in his body - so any given entity probably ends up with some random dragon, while the actual Dragonborn's soul has a pretty good chance of dodging all the deals entirely and going onto whatever normal afterlife procedure there is for dragonborn.

What's stopping the Dragonborn from going for full-on apotheosis? That's what Tiber Septim did. My Dovahkiin is, of course, a Vampire, so...

[Triaxx]

I figure the various god likes will get dealt some dragon souls as compensation.

[Kareeah_Indaga]

That's what I did. Doesn't seem like the place was any more dangerous for it neither. Just took myself and went home without any issues.

And if you talk to Valerica as to why that's the case, she'll tell you it's because part of you 'rubbed off' on Soul Cairn. So potentially still a hook there.

[Triaxx]

Serana also mentions it I believe.

[veti]

As a rule of thumb, the Daedric Princes don't take kindly to that sort of behavior. They may not be able to touch you if you go to Akatosh or whatever the heck happens to a dragonborn soul, but until you do, youre still alive, and still technically theirs. They can take you to Oblivion and do whatever they want to you without killing you. Look at what happened to Miirak.

We can certainly posit that they won't like it. It doesn't follow that they have the power to do anything about it. And "technically theirs" is debatable at best, as you'd know if you'd studied Faust in college.

Can they just up and "take" someone to Oblivion? I can't think of any examples. And if your soul is disputed property, they'd presumably have to either outwit or settle with the other claimants.

Miraak went to Apocrypha, apparently, willingly, and made it his home. That would presumably mean making himself subject to Mora's whims.

Interestingly, Mora seems to be the most directly murderous of the princes: as well as Miraak, he also kills that harmless mad wizard, and the Skaal shaman. He's also, disturbingly, the one who's most direct and confrontational about claiming you.

[Keltest]

We can certainly posit that they won't like it. It doesn't follow that they have the power to do anything about it. And "technically theirs" is debatable at best, as you'd know if you'd studied Faust in college.

Can they just up and "take" someone to Oblivion? I can't think of any examples. And if your soul is disputed property, they'd presumably have to either outwit or settle with the other claimants.

Miraak went to Apocrypha, apparently, willingly, and made it his home. That would presumably mean making himself subject to Mora's whims.

Interestingly, Mora seems to be the most directly murderous of the princes: as well as Miraak, he also kills that harmless mad wizard, and the Skaal shaman. He's also, disturbingly, the one who's most direct and confrontational about claiming you.

They cant outright create a portal and pull you through, but they can send their minions after you, which can amount to the same thing.

[Spore]

Meh, Sithis gets everyone anyway, even the Aedra and the Daedra.

Sithis feels like the inevitable heat death of the universe (all-consuming void) or is he more like the embodiment of void and darkness while Anui-El is everything and light?

Why would Sithis "get" anyone exactly? Sithis is a deity but one with a will, not a force of nature like its creator Padomay top which every living thing is drawn to. If anything, essence and anything with a soul would return to Anui-El if you believe in reincarnation in Elder Scrolls (and not color-coded eternal afterlives Forgotten Realms style).

[LibraryOgre]

Does anyone know of a Skyrim mod that will let you apply the "One-handed weapons/Two-handed weapons/bows do X% more damage" to their respective weapon types? Because it seems like you should be able to, but you can't.

[veti]

Does anyone know of a Skyrim mod that will let you apply the "One-handed weapons/Two-handed weapons/bows do X% more damage" to their respective weapon types? Because it seems like you should be able to, but you can't.

You want to apply "x% more damage" as a weapon enchantment? Hmm. The tricky part would be preventing you from applying "2h damage bonus" to a bow, or similar - but if you don't care about that, it should be straightforward to mod.

Unless there's some unforeseen bug, of course. And it would take a lot of testing to be sure there wasn't. (The question of charges, for instance - what if it's hard coded into the game that weapon enchantments always have charges? They may not even be visible or rechargeable, but still there. It would take a buttload of testing to rule that out.)

In short - no, and I'd want to see a lot of endorsements to persuade me it had been done properly.

[PopeLinus1]

Hey, what’s everybody’s favorite guild? Gotta go with the brotherhood for me.

[Keltest]

Hey, what’s everybody’s favorite guild? Gotta go with the brotherhood for me.

Like, in Skyrim, or ever?

In just Skyrim, I like the Companions. Of all the quest lines, I think theyre the one that best captures the actual feel of how it would be to be in the guild. You fight people for fun and profit. By the end, youre well liked and respected, but not the absent ultimate guiding figure you end up for most other guilds. You still have a reason to be taking quests from the other members of the guild. And the characters are kind of interesting. Yeah, its a little silly you can join it as a mage, but that's whatever, youre the Dragonborn, you use magic if you accidentally speak too loudly. I can see how they would make an exception as long as you aren't afraid to get your hands dirty.

Overall, house Telvanni in Morrowind always caught my fancy for its nonconventional quest and organizational structure. Again, it seems like one of the better designed ones from a standpoint of what your character is actually doing.

[Triaxx]

I was always a fan of the Dark Brotherhood in Oblivion. Fun, but difficult quests.

Oblivion Thieves Guild is also tons of fun.

In Skyrim I much prefer the Mages and Companions. In Oblivion the Mages and Fighters we're too... Disjointed and nonsensical.

[The_Jackal]

Hey, what’s everybody’s favorite guild? Gotta go with the brotherhood for me.

In Skyrim, Dark Brotherhood, at least from the perspective of having the best and most satisfying quest line. As far as liking the institution and its members, none of them, but the Dark Brotherhood at least I feel comfortable with not liking them, and I do admit to enjoying Nazir's sardonic wit, limited though it is.

I think one of the meta-problems with the Dovahkiin shtick is that everyone feels beneath you, because you're the one chosen savior of humanity, and that premise is really at odds with the fact that all player activity is driven not by your own agency, but by the list of chores offered by quest-givers. So I guess Nazir and Astrid being tools really fits in well with that sense of superiority, your resentment of them feels quite natural, but doesn't work so well with outfits like the College or Companions.

I'm hoping that in the next Elder Scrolls, they get away from the 'chosen one' motif. That's not to say one wants to play the apprentice scullion maid, but something a bit more normal than predestined messiah of infinite power would be a nice change of pace.

[LibraryOgre]

I'm hoping that in the next Elder Scrolls, they get away from the 'chosen one' motif. That's not to say one wants to play the apprentice scullion maid, but something a bit more normal than predestined messiah of infinite power would be a nice change of pace.

Morrowind: Chosen One
Oblivion: Not the Chosen One
Skyrim: Chosen One

[DigoDragon]

Hey, what’s everybody’s favorite guild? Gotta go with the brotherhood for me.

Overall the Companions are pretty good and my pick for best guild. Entry requires actually putting up a fight, the missions require beating up other groups, and you end up not forced to sell your soul to anyone.

(okay, you do have to turn werewolf to get into the inner circle, but you can undo it later)

[Triaxx]

Morrowind was more: Maybe the chosen one, maybe one who has chosen. I tend to play it as someone who has discovered they have these powers, and while I use them I haven't really learned what they mean yet.

[Aeson]

Oblivion: Not the Chosen One

Dialogue with Emperor Uriel Septim VII ("You... I've seen you... Let me see your face. Yes, you are the one from my dreams..." or something like that) suggests otherwise. The player-character might not be the Chosen One who ends the Oblivion Crisis by an act of self-sacrifice, but is a chosen one, shown to the Emperor in prophetic dreams sent by the Nine (presumably), who is the key to making that possible. The player-character is also more explicitly the Chosen One in Shivering Isles and maybe Knights of the Nine.

[factotum]

Morrowind was more: Maybe the chosen one, maybe one who has chosen. I tend to play it as someone who has discovered they have these powers, and while I use them I haven't really learned what they mean yet.

Yeah, the story in Morrowind makes it quite clear that there have been other Chosen Ones in the past who simply failed at the task--you just happen to be the one who succeeds.

[veti]

My favourite guild would be the Temple in Morrowind. Pilgrimages, missions to heal people - particularly the time you have to heal a daedric cultist, and if his friends spot you they'll attack... I like that the whole thing is actually thematically appropriate. It feels like a religion, not just an excuse to kill things.

[DigoDragon]

Yeah, the story in Morrowind makes it quite clear that there have been other Chosen Ones in the past who simply failed at the task--you just happen to be the one who succeeds.

Which I found amusing, cause that's less 'Chosen One' and more 'Chosen out of a lottery of potential candidates and you weren't first picked'.
Honestly I like those kind of heroes more.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

In Morrowind, it's not that the character was the Chosen One in the sense that he was born with the destiny to do amazing things. It's more like, he shows up in Morrowind and players in a larger game go "Oh, here's a likely candidate... born under the right sign of uncertain parentage... right, let's see what happens when I start screwing with him...".

I mean, come on. The only reason you didn't die was that you were manipulated into finding the 'cure' for Corpus. The rest just kind of fell into place as a self-fulfilling prophecy. "Oh hey, you need to go do this or you're going to die horribly" is a great way to get someone to do something, then "Oh yea, this guy is going to try to kill you because you managed to not die, do unto others, right?" to point you at Dagoth Ur, and the rest kind of follows naturally from there.

Sure, the Ashlanders have this Neverine prophecy, but ultimately, you were the poor shmuck that fit the very loose requirements to get screwed around with that *didn't* just let himself be turned into undead by the curse of Corpus.

[Caelestion]

Dialogue with Emperor Uriel Septim VII ("You... I've seen you... Let me see your face. Yes, you are the one from my dreams..." or something like that) suggests otherwise. The player-character might not be the Chosen One who ends the Oblivion Crisis by an act of self-sacrifice, but is a chosen one, shown to the Emperor in prophetic dreams sent by the Nine (presumably), who is the key to making that possible. The player-character is also more explicitly the Chosen One in Shivering Isles and maybe Knights of the Nine.

Given that Uriel VII also knows the hour of his passing, I think it is less about you and more that you simply figure in his prophetic dreams.

[Calemyr]

Given that Uriel VII also knows the hour of his passing, I think it is less about you and more that you simply figure in his prophetic dreams.

True. "I had a vision of my death, and you were there and you were there and you were there and this unknown prisoner was there... Yep. I'm screwed."

[Aeson]

Given that Uriel VII also knows the hour of his passing, I think it is less about you and more that you simply figure in his prophetic dreams.

You're a prisoner without a background who's in a cell that none are supposed to be held in. The Emperor stops his bodyguards from killing you, is certain that you aren't of the Mythic Dawn and can - and will - help, and entrusts you with the Amulet of Kings, the knowledge that Uriel VII has another son, and that Jauffre is the one to whom you should take the Amulet and who can find his last son, all despite having no apparent reason for doing so beyond prophetic dreams.

Also,

My dreams grant me no opinions of success. Their compass ventures not beyond the doors of death. But in your face, I behold the sun's companion. The dawn of Akatosh's bright glory may banish the coming darkness.
...
I can go no further. You alone must stand against the Prince of Destruction and his mortal servants. He must not have the Amulet of Kings! Take the Amulet. Give it to Jauffre. He alone knows where to find my last son. Find him, and close shut the jaws of Oblivion.

His dreams may not tell him anything beyond his death, but he sure is confident that you have something to do with stopping the Oblivion Crisis. That suggests to me that his dreams said something more than just "oh, and this random stranger was there to see you die, too."

[Rynjin]

While there is definitely an element of prophecy in your PCs role in Oblivion, they're also not "the chosen one". They're more like one of the strong supporting side characters in any fantasy story.

You're the badass competent one that escorts the wimpy prince on his journey to become a man who can be respected. Basically, you're like Lan from the Wheel of Time series: important in your own right (and the subject of multiple prophecies yourself) but not THE chosen one of this particular tale.

[Triaxx]

I am slightly giddy to see another WoT fan.

Right, Important brain thought thing... Kodlak also had prophetic dreams of the Dragonborn, though not by name. It's not limited to Uriel Septim.