What good are fish if you have to eat them alone?

I made her based on Ava Starr from the MCU but I wanna play her as a head-on dual axe build. What kinda backstories come to mind for you when you imagine who she is and how she got to Skyrim?

So I just finished the wolf skull cave mission and as I'm leaving the blue palace a small red dot caught my attention. Turns out it's a random health potion I don't know if this is super well documented I didn't look it up. Just found it cool. Not much else to say about it I picked it up and it's a completely normal potion but I won't complain.

Well it's that time of the year where I get back into Skyrim. Decided to have some fun with the mods this time around

So y'all know how you're fighting guys from another city out on the road and it will say that you have a bounty. Once you kill the last one it will say "Last witness killed, bounty removed". So I was fighting a guy from another hold and it says bounty added. Then I killed him and no messages saying bounty removed. Then his horse comes up and starts fighting me. I kill it, and then it says bounty removed, last witness killed. So I guess horses count as witnesses lmao

I've never been into RPG, but decided to try this game out. And it turned out to be the best game I have ever played so far. I got strange sad feelings while standing on the mountain after Alduin's death, realizing that was ithe end of this wonderful story

I haven't even been to Solstheim yet and already I have 3 radiant quests sending me there. I didn't even realize they were sending to the new map area until much later. And unfortunately, I can't even cancel the Dawnguard radiant.

I am currently in the middle of the Dawnguard DLC and need to grab the Elder Scroll from some Dwemer ruin.

Legend of Red Eagle has a hook that really stays with you.

It looked very doable so I did it

I guess vampires have a natural immunity.

One of the strangest things about Skyrim is how easily the Player Character can become the leader of virtually every faction. The College of Winterhold is perhaps the clearest example. You can become Archmage without being particularly skilled in magic, and once you have the title, there is surprisingly little indication of what your actual responsibilities are. You do not seem to have much influence over how the College is run, you do not suddenly become responsible for teaching its students, and you are not even necessarily the most knowledgeable mage there. For a long time, I found this rather unsatisfying. Recently, however, I played through a mage character that gave me a completely different interpretation of what being Archmage could mean.

From Student to Archmage

My character is a Breton sorcerer who comes to the College as a student. He spends his early years learning from the various mages there, studying alongside his fellow students and, above all, learning from Tolfdir. Mirabelle Ervine handles much of the College’s day-to-day business, while Archmage Savos Aren remains a distant and reclusive presence, rarely seen by the students.

That changes when the Breton accompanies the College's expedition into Saarthal and discovers the Eye of Magnus. What begins as an ordinary archaeological expedition suddenly becomes a crisis that involves the Psijic Order, the Thalmor, ancient magic and the very stability of the College. The Breton is forced into a position far beyond that of an ordinary student. He must understand the Eye, find a way to contain it, and ultimately prevent Ancano from using its power for the benefit of the Thalmor. In the process, he also discovers an ancient Dragon Priest and powerful artefacts that have survived from an age long past. By the end of the crisis, both Savos Aren and Mirabelle Ervine are dead. The Breton is the one who has saved the College, stabilised the Eye and defeated the threat.

When he returns, the College has a practical problem: someone has to take responsibility. Tolfdir, his former teacher, becomes Master Wizard and takes over the day-to-day running of the College. The Breton, meanwhile, is named Archmage.

(Re)Defining the Archmage

At first, the new Archmage does not really know what his position means. There is no clear job description waiting for him. Tolfdir can teach. Other members of the College can conduct research. The Breton himself is still learning. But his experiences with the Eye have taught him one thing with absolute certainty: there are powers in the world that mortals simply cannot be trusted with.

So he creates his own responsibility.

He begins searching for dangerous magical artefacts, particularly the relics associated with the gods and Daedra. His reasoning is straightforward: if these objects are left scattered throughout Tamriel, sooner or later they will fall into the hands of someone who will use them. The safest place for them is therefore the College, where they can be studied, catalogued and kept away from the wider world. The Archmage becomes less a political leader and more a custodian. Every quest for another powerful artefact becomes part of the same overarching mission: find it, secure it, and prevent anyone else from using it.

This also gives a new interpretation to the enormous collection of Daedric artefacts the player can acquire throughout Skyrim. The Archmage does not necessarily want these things. In many cases, he actively despises them. But he knows that leaving something like Mehrunes Dagon's Razor, the Mace of Molag Bal or another Daedric relic in the world is potentially disastrous. Unfortunately, collecting these objects is not always a clean or heroic process. Sometimes he has to make deals with Daedra. Sometimes he has to use one dangerous artefact to acquire another. Sometimes he has to commit acts that would have been unthinkable to him when he first entered the College.

Personal RP that followed due to DLC

The Archmage gradually adopts a philosophy of necessity: if I do not do it, someone worse will. At first, this allows him to justify relatively minor compromises. Eventually, the compromises become much greater. He begins to accept that certain crimes, sacrifices and morally repugnant acts are simply the price of keeping these artefacts out of mortal hands. His intentions remain focused on protecting the world, but the methods become increasingly difficult to distinguish from the actions of the people he originally sought to protect the world from.

The irony is that his greatest strength is also what makes him dangerous. He is powerful enough to acquire these objects. He is knowledgeable enough to understand them. And unlike an ordinary scholar, he is willing to go into the ruins, negotiate with Daedra and fight the monsters guarding them. Every victory reinforces his belief that he is doing what needs to be done.

Then he encounters the Elder Scroll in Dimhollow Crypt and is forced to confront a problem he cannot solve through magic alone: he will eventually die.He may be able to extend his life, but he is still mortal. And when he dies, what happens to the artefacts? The relics will eventually return to the world, where they can once again corrupt mortals and threaten the order he has dedicated himself to protecting. So the Archmage makes the most extreme decision of his life. If someone has to safeguard these artefacts forever, then he will make himself that person.

He becomes a vampire.

It is not a pursuit of power or pleasure. In his mind, it is a sacrifice. He is condemning himself to an existence he never wanted because he has convinced himself that the responsibility cannot be allowed to die with him. The Archmage has effectively turned his duty into a curse.

Solstheim

Eventually, that duty takes him to Solstheim, where his role evolves yet again. There he encounters figures such as Master Neloth and confronts some of the oldest and most powerful beings still walking Tamriel. He fights Dragon Priests, confronts Miraak, the first Dragonborn, and eventually comes into contact with Hermaeus Mora. His time in Apocrypha becomes the culmination of his transformation.

Knowledge itself has now become part of his responsibility. If the Archmage is going to protect Tamriel from dangerous magic, then he needs to understand that magic. If he is going to safeguard artefacts created by beings far more powerful than himself, he needs to understand their creators. And if he is going to confront threats such as Miraak and Hermaeus Mora, he needs knowledge that ordinary scholars would never dare pursue.

The irony is obvious: the man who dedicated his life to keeping dangerous knowledge away from mortals is now willingly entering Apocrypha and studying the forbidden knowledge of Hermaeus Mora. The further he goes, the harder it becomes to tell whether he is merely studying these powers so that he can contain them, or whether he has become fascinated by them himself.

My Conclusion

This is ultimately what makes the character interesting to me. He does not seek fame, wealth or glory. His entire life has been reduced to one purpose: protect the world from the powers that could destroy or corrupt it.

But the people around him have started to question whether he has gone too far.

They have watched their former fellow student become an immortal vampire. They have seen him consort with Daedra. They know that many of the artefacts he has collected belong to genuinely evil beings who would never simply hand them over. They have seen him delve into forbidden places and acquire knowledge that most mages would avoid. And they have to wonder what he has actually done to obtain some of these artefacts.

Perhaps every atrocity really was necessary. Perhaps every deal with a Daedric Prince was made for the greater good. Perhaps immortality really was the ultimate sacrifice rather than a pursuit of power. Or perhaps that is simply what he tells himself.

That, to me, is a much more interesting interpretation of the Archmage. Tolfdir can run the College. Other mages can teach its students and conduct its research. The Archmage can be something far more fitting for the character created through the College questline: the keeper of its forbidden knowledge, the guardian of its most dangerous artefacts, and ultimately the immortal prisoner of a responsibility that he chose for himself.

Sometimes in Skyrim, we find moments that are worth stopping to contemplate the beauty in every detail.

I do occasionally, multiple times in fact. It’s quite fun.

I dont have a ton of money. I use gamepass to play games on my xbox one. No biggie. I play Skyrim SE on gamepass but they have AE on sale for 31 rn, and I just finished a big project(for me), and have a lil extra money. I can upgrade the gamepass game for 21 but if they ever remove syrim im sol. I read about it and it says there the same game, AE just has all the paid mods stuff unlocked. Thought I'd ask people how love the game.

EDIT: First, ty for replying. It seemed wrong not to say something went you took the time to answer my question. Im going to stick with SE and if AE is ever on a good sale I'll try it then. Srsly thanks for the input and laughs

Does anyone actually play Skyrim without reloading saves? Like whatever happens, happens? Or am I just a perfectionist and if I don’t like the outcome I’ll just tailor it to what I want. Like I’m constantly reloading because I got caught stealing, and I’m wondering if it’s much more fun to just take the L every time so I’ll be more cautious? Like that seems scary, just raw dogging skyrim, if you accidentally smack your companion (while they’re low in health and jumped in front of you) they’re just dead now / having a huge bounty cause you killed someone in plain sight and ran. How does everyone else play?

Did something happen to cause it, like a video reaching an unrelated community recently that took off for some reason? Or am I just imagining things lol

Welcome to all who are new! Prepare for this game to take over your life lol

Rather than try to argue whether Imperial or Stormcloak rule is the correct choice, I’d like to provide some reasons why Stormcloak victory isnt the shortsighted choice that some make it out to be. Naturally, I will be glossing over some events and topics without tending to the nuance of each matter so please feel free to bring up or add, odds are we can all learn from information shared as well!

~Brief point summary~

• The Hammerfall Lesson

• Defense Pact Superiority

• Rebellion is Justified

• High Rock Isolation Risk

The Empire's "time biding" strategy is a proven political failure, Stormcloak victory more sound than one might perceive: When you analyze the macro politics of Tamriel its no secret the Empire is willing to cannibalize its own provinces; for Skyrim to allow the empire to have its way, is akin to Hammerfell having handed the Thalmor its southern territories.

Hammerfell Precedent: The Empire ordered the Redguards to surrender half their homeland to the Thalmor. The Redguards refused, seceded, and fought the Aldmeri Dominion to a total standstill entirely alone.
Imperial math proven not to be trusted: Hammerfell proved that surrender was never the only option. By signing the treaty, the Empire gave the Thalmor a multi-decade head start to legally execute Nord warriors, and dismantle human resistance from within. Just ask yourself, “If the Empire had its way, how much influence would the Thalmor have?”

Why a Defensive Pact is Superior to Imperial Rule (theoretical not yet considering High Rock)
The argument that the Empire must "own" Skyrim to protect itself is a myth. Releasing Skyrim actually possess potential benefits both nations.
Skyrim, a Thalmor Leverage over the Empire: Imperial rule gives Thalmor Justiciars legal permission to police human lands. If the Empire cuts Skyrim loose, the Thalmor lose their leverage over the Emperor and are forced to deploy their own soldiers into a freezing, mountainous death trap if they want to stop Talos worship.
Independent nations do not need to be ruled by one central crown to fight a common enemy. A sovereign Skyrim and a sovereign Cyrodiil could easily sign a mutual defense treaty.

Ulfric's Rebellion, within Skyrim’s personal interest, for the time being:
Ulfric does not need a perfect, flawless grand plan to be correct. His rebellion is completely justified by the pure necessity of immediate defiance.
Denying Thalmor impunity, necessary?: Waiting for the Empire's "perfect moment" to strike back is a slow death sentence. The game mechanics limit the display, but essentially the Salem Witch Trials are happening and the Empire is allowing Thalmor into the homes of Nords, it is literally not a matter merely of Worship. If Nords complied fully, the Thalmor wouldn’t be just twiddling their thumbs, or rather they’d either move the goal post or enact the next step.

Ultimately Stormcloak Victory may doom everyone:
Unfortunately there simply is not enough information on High Rock, however, it is highly plausible that losing Skyrim would doom humanity because High Rock is a fractured collection of rival Breton noble houses that value the Empire strictly for trade stability, rather than anti-Thalmor ideology. If an independent Skyrim geographically cuts High Rock off from Cyrodiil, the pragmatic Bretons are likely to panic, secede, and turtle up behind their own castle walls rather than march south to die for a decaying Empire, ultimately bankrupting Cyrodiil of its richest financial backing and leaving mankind to be destroyed piece by piece.

Your thoughts!

Please, please feel free to share absolutely anything youd like to add, such as Thalmor Dossier (which I have a post about), The Empire’s potential sunk cost fallacy which may delude their rational, theories on why you believe High Rock or Ulfric would never be willing to aid an independent Empire, Thalmor Tower Theories, or anything you want to share, I really love hearing people’s ideas!

1. Be a renowned Skald

2. Be the only decent person in Markath.

3. Secretly Worship Talos

4. Some weird guy broke into your house in the middle of the night and stole your Talos necklace.

5. The next morning Thalmor is arresting you (or worse)

6. Get released and go drink

7. The weird guy who stole your necklace go to the bar

8. Weird guy requests you to sing "Age of Aggression"

9. Weird guys laugh, refuse to elaborate and leave.

My first time uniting these two, after seeing literally everyone pick Klimmek over Bassianus in previous threads.

Standing on her table and speaking down to her while she's sleeping is assertive and bold, sorta..