Finally got around to doing the quest lines I never do, and in so doing reminded myself that there are reasons why there are some quest lines I never do. (And was reminded once again how pleased I was when there was a "no, fuck you guys" option to the Dark Brotherhood line in Skyrim. I still haven't played the version where you actually play along. Probably not going to.)

Was also reminded, when I reached the end of the main quest yesterday, of how satisfying it is to just walk up to Mankar Camoran and shank him before he even finishes his patronizing little speech. "And so you come to me at LAAARGH" dead. "Oh, I'm sorry," (wipe blood off sword) "you were saying?" There's a moment like that in the Mages' College storyline in Skyrim too, when the Thalmor guy starts a speech but the game doesn't compel you to hear him out - probably both unintentional on the designers' part, but just richly satisfying. :)

The thing I love about the Elder Scrolls games is how plainly, irreconcilably ridiculous their storylines are, even by the standards of fantasy roleplaying. Tertia Caxton (named for a character I created for a story I never got around to writing) is now the Hero of Kvatch, Champion of Cyrodiil, Arch-Mage of the Mages' Guild, Master of the Fighters' Guild, Knight-Errant of both Leyawiin (despite the fact that the Countess of Leyawiin hates her guts with an undying, incandescent passion) and Cheydinhal (despite the fact that she assassinated the Captain of the Cheydinhal City Guard and desecrated the tomb of Countess Llathasa), the Grey Fox, leader of the Dunbarrow Pirates, Listener of the Dark Brotherhood (albeit an extremely negligent one; I prefer to roleplay it that she's put the Brotherhood out of business in Cyrodiil by taking it over and then declining to do her actual job), valued champion of every single Daedric Prince except Mehrunes Dagon (who is presumably more than a little annoyed with her), and the Lord Crusader of the Knights of the Nine at the same time.

Oh yes - and she's Sheogorath, Daedric Prince of Madness. Talk about imposter syndrome.

What I'm saying is, I understand the developers wanting to give the player a lot of options, but I can't help think that for any individual character, selecting some of them should close off the route to others. :)

Anyway. It's been nice revisiting Cyrodiil. The game's graphics haven't aged terribly well, particularly the characters, but the environments are pretty, and sometimes it's still nice to just roam around taking in the countryside.

--G.
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Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.