KleverKil'Vanya
Ortillery Operator
I mean it's a great way to show everyone that the empire cannot be trusted to stay to prior agreements if they can steal something.
Clever Craft (TES: V Skyrim SI)
- Thread starter Chairtastic
- Start date
- Location
- Elsewhere
... they haven't cleared out Fort Frostmoth yet, have they? Because that might give the new guys some trouble, and if the insinuation is that they're there to clear out the "bandit problem", the local heavily armed reaver-clan prolly won't be obliged to help out.
Also, I really hate that things seem to be building up to a Ulfric Was Right moment.
Also, I really hate that things seem to be building up to a Ulfric Was Right moment.
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- Location
- Madness realms
Maybe he was. Actual question though beyond his racist tendencies what's up with Ulfric? I've never gotten very far in the game due to wanting to finish as many sidequests as I could so I could do a straight main quest run at the game and then suffering from sidequest fatigue and giving up.
- Location
- United States
- Pronouns
- He/Him
He was a captain/officer in the Empire's war against the Thalmor, and then was captured and tortured by Elenwen. He ended up released/he escaped (I don't remember which) and then came home and became jarl. He is a devout worshipper of Talos, a religion currently banned by the White-Gold Concordant, and shitty piece treaty that the Aldmeri Dominion (elves + Thalmor) and the Empire signed. He ends up rising up in rebellion against the High King of Skyrim and causing a Civil War for a variety of reasons, Talos worship chief among them. He's known to be especially racist against anyone not a Nord, even if born and raised in Skyrim. Notably racist in his governance of his city, though honestly some of the other racial groups that he discriminates against were being shitty at one point. Doesn't excuse it.
Part of the problem is that he's stubborn and not savvy with international politics. He understands Skyrim politics just fine and is charismatic, but played right into the hands of the Thalmor when he rebelled. He also either didn't realize that the Empire was only licking its wounds and fully intended to launch another war again when it was ready, or he didn't have enough contacts to tell him that.
It's also said that learning the Thu'um fundamentally changes you, and the only shout he has mastered is Unrelenting Force. Says a lot about his personality and approach to life.
I did not know that, and it does in fact alter a large portion of my perspective on him as a character and leader. I wonder if forcing Ulfric to learn Clear Skies would balance things out a bit more.
It also doesn't help that he's technically a plant by the Thalmor. They knew he'd rebel against the Empire in the name of skyrim's rights and worship of Talos and the Thalmor also knew that would in turn weaken the Empire. I remember reading something about the "Markarth Incident" that had something to do with Ulfric and the Thalmor but I can't dredge up the memories right now.
Vasha the criminal/gangster and supremely blase? So he's apparently a more important figure here then OG Skyrim...but what is this joint-rule marriage nonsense? Homosexuality may be openly accepted in Tamriel, but I don't recall Farri ever making his preferences known, and more importantly the whole point of political marriages is to create heirs that bind the parties assets and thus align interests. That's kinda hard to do with an older Khajit male and a young Khajit male.
I'm going to second Rentoba, it sound to me like someone (probably an Imperial, but there might be a degree of separation involved) got to play influencer with Torryg. Because he's inexperienced, and to his credit knows that others may know better...and to his detriment listens when he perhaps shouldn't.
Yes and no? It's technically all a bit vague, but he probably isn't literally a sleeper agent or knowingly going along with Thalmor agenda. But he has at least been somewhat worked over psyop wise. When he was captured in the war and inevitably broke under torture, his interrogators told him that it lead to the fall of the capital. That essentially, the war was 'lost' because of him, and that the White-Gold Concordant was his fault. They were lying, the Imperial city had fallen before his capture, and the war was already at best going to end in a draw...but Ulfric didn't know that, and he never told anyone else his shame.
With that context in mind, the Markarth incident (wherein Ulfric demanded a shrine to Talos as a reward, and the Jarls involved were honor bound to comply) and the Thalmor subsequently jumping all over the excuse to play Secret Police and crank up the tension? That was less to do with one man foolishly fighting a law that wasn't, couldn't, actually be enforced, and that everyone knew was BS...and more one man desperately trying to assuage his guilt and rectify his mistake.
As for the rest of the files, it's mentioned that Ulfric isn't amenable to cooperation once the rebellion starts, but very unclear what that actually means in terms of Thalmor puppeteering and manipulation.
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SneakyWalrus
Is the Water Free?
Tulius didn't turn up until he was needed to stomp on Ulfric's rebellion, which canonically it took him all of one ambush to manage, until Alduin interfered and drew the war back out into a stalemate. It's mostly likely some lackey in the East Empire Company or another merchant trying to gouge a good deal out of the new acquisition of Solsthiem. The Imperials are most likely using it as an excuse to reclaim their influence in the northern regions, driven by the East Empire Company in order to protect their investments.
KleverKil'Vanya
Ortillery Operator
Well I mean it's gonna end with them being ignored by near all the population on the island so it doesn't matter if they scream about how they are in charge, not a single one of the residents will give a flying fuck when they have earned not a single piece of respect from them. If they try to push it then unless they stack that garrison with a full legion, which is more than Skyrim got during its civil war, they won't have the manpower to enforce it either.
Yeah sounds right from what we know of the High King Torygg of Skyrim. The issue that I see coming from this is that Torygg sent Ulfric with the AUTHORITY to negotiate a treaty. This means he is bound by his Honor to uphold the treaty. With him ignoring half the treaty, this gives someone the ability to challenge his authority to the rest of Skyrim. Ulfric can denounce Torygg as a oathbreaker and possibly challenge him for the High King.
And if our favorite cat advises Ulfric to fight a fair fight instead of Fus Ro Dah-ing him into paste, then Ulfric will be High King without it dissolving into a civil war as his claim is legitimate.
SmashQueen
Professional duck-cat.
The pamphlets already went out about Solstheim yeah? And like previously stated, a Jarl's word means so much more when written by them.
Edit:
And as we know, Ulfric signed those pamphlets.
And now Torygg has been persuaded to ignore half of the stuff written down. He has tarnished Ulfric's reputation. Made him a liar. And of course, Farri's clan will not take such purposeful pompous actions in stride.
Edit:
Oh good points. Kind of hoping this happens now.
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- Location
- Philippines
Somehow, for some reason, I'm beginning to think that maybe skyrim would be less political if the newly resurrected dragons were a bit more active and talkative.
Jordisk
<Unverified N00B>
- Location
- Blind Eternities
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Dragons aren't resurrected yet. That is a good few years away; Torigg is still considered a "boy", probably a late teenager, while he was at least mid-twenties when he was killed. The dragon that spoke for Hircine, which is the same dragon you kill at the Western Watchtower, was one of the few dragons to survive all this time.
Chairtastic
Anything's a chair if you're brave enough
- Location
- Breakfast nook
- Pronouns
- He / Him / It
While Torygg himself benefits from having more subjects and thus more tax to collect -- it's more like Westeros than the USA. His incomes are mostly tied to Haafingar, so benefits to him personally have to involve Haafingar. He's also just as young as Farri is, and while observant, he lacks conviction. He can be bullied or cajoled easily.
Because Morrowind was having a general economic downturn, and he didn't like scrubbing ash out of his fur every day.
At the moment, Seneca Tullius is still in Cheydinhal drinking himself to an early grave to get through the collapse of the Mede Dynasty.
This is true of all governments. The only way they keep an agreement is if someone is willing to break their arms for failure to do so. A treaty is just words on paper if you don't enforce it. For all that they're assholes, the Aldmeri Dominion at least understand treaty enforcement.
"That's it. I'm ragdolling all of you."
Ildari hasn't started her experiments yet, there's been no sightings of her. But Farri's first Cyclone shout excavated a good chunk of the Fort out from under the ash.
The reason why Skyrim's Civil War is so compelling to some people is that both sides are right to some degree. Ulfric is a base-breaking character in-setting because he's so right and he's so wrong.
Ulfric's racism has always been passive -- and he's still at the stage where it's possible to reverse his racist tendencies. I've had it pointed out to me that the dark elves in the Grey Quarter already didn't have much because they arrived as refugees, and they've refused to adapt to Skyrim's difference in culture. This doesn't excuse Ulfric's racist naming of their district or his guards allowing abuse, but it provides insight into how he views them. The issue with the Saxhleel in Windhelm is significantly worse -- but then again Saxhleel and Dunmer have been known to grab knives and have a good old fashioned London talking-to with each other.
My reading of him is someone who is racist, yes, but whose nationalism trumps his racism -- and that his racism is rooted in flawed 'by the bootstraps' mentalities along with PTSD.
He escaped, and came home to a Skyrim that was radically different than when he left. Look at Eastmarch, they used to have four settlements: Windhelm, Lower Yogrim, Cragwallow, and Wittestadr. Through depopulation, they only had Windhelm left. Strangers wearing familiar faces and visible depopulation through casualties in the war. Then add on top of that the Markarth incident where Ulfric was imprisoned again and missed his father's funeral.
He is not a happy camper. He in fact may need therapy to be invented soonish.
He also knows Disarm, and possibly other incomplete Shouts. But Unrelenting Force and Disarm being his two complete Shouts both speak to his character, yup.
That was probably on the Greybeards' to-do list before the Aldmeri Dominion invaded and Ulfric left their order. Shame.
The Thalmor are not very good in straight-up fights, but they know their intelligence work. A government where the CIA is in charge.
Cliffnotes of Markarth Incident: Great War happens, Reachmen take and occupy Markarth while the Empire is distracted with the intent to lobby the Reach becoming a distinct province of Skyrim. Ulfric, back from the war, is part of a militia the Jarl of the Reach commissions to get his city back. One of the terms they negotiate for is free Talos worship -- it is promised. Come time to pay up, they renege on the deal and arrest the militia members. Ulfric is slightly upset by this.
Tamriel is a setting where bisexuality is the norm, not heterosexuality. You're expected to at least be open to a same-sex relationship. And Vasha solves the heirs problem by already having children who can inherit the position. Vasha's dialogue in the DB quest, taken to their logical conclusion, would make him a Maven Black-Briar esque crime lord. Just one who's a bit more Littlefinger in his operation.
Our strengths are our weaknesses.
It's probably also a long con into eventually getting Morrowind back. Fort Frostmouth's port is due north of Morrowind, maybe even Blacklight itself.
That was only the case because land reinforcements couldn't be brought in due to blocked mountain passes. Cyrodiil in the fourth era just doesn't like sending their legions by ship for whatever reason. Their navy must be ass.
The agreement was struck with the promise of Torygg's honor... and Ulfric's sword-arm to secure it.
Ulfric, probably: You done goofed.
Alduin, probably. Dovahkiin, you buttface. It seems it is up to me to resolve this political dispute as the dov do.
Alduin puts on tiny glasses and reads from a scroll: We'll start with a rudimentary lesson on international treaty doctrine.
Alduin's prophecy relies on a civil war in Skyrim to release him from his time displacement. So that can happen whenever.
- Location
- Philippines
Yeah, about that. What would happen if an article of law was spoken by a dragon? What form of shout would come out?
SneakyWalrus
Is the Water Free?
Paal! Meyz! Fahdon!
Foe! Turned! Ally!
Or perhaps, more cynically:
Fen! Gruth! Grah-Zeymahzin!
Will! Betray! Battle-Companion!
- Location
- Philippines
Not like that, I mean the entire thing! If a dragon decided to read the american constitution out loud, would everybody within earshot suddenly salute and sing the star spangled banner? Would the clouds suddenly become colored star and stripes? Would the date turn to the 4th of july?
A dragon only needs a word to enact an effect, three to refine it to its peak. What can a dragon do with an entire article?
Chairtastic
Anything's a chair if you're brave enough
- Location
- Breakfast nook
- Pronouns
- He / Him / It
To cause the effect of the thu'um, it seems they have to exert effort. They can talk in Dovahzul without breaking the world and all -- but put some oomf behind it and they can cause havoc. They have way more control over their thu'umee than mortals do, since they never have the Greybeards' issue where they cannot speak at all without causing earthquakes.
Jordisk
<Unverified N00B>
- Location
- Blind Eternities
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Actually, it doesn't. "When the Snow-Tower Lies Sundered, Kingless, Bleeding". That is the exact wording. The Snow-Tower refers to Snow-Throat, also known as Throat of the World, the largest mountain in Skyrim and one of the Towers that maintain the Arena, and through said tower indicates Skyrim as a whole. So Skyrim must be "sundered" (literally, "Split Apart"), "kingless" (without a king), and "bleeding". Bleeding is perhaps the only one that is vague; what does it mean for the snow-tower to be bleeding? Is it that the people of Skyrim are bleeding, as they fight in a war that Sunders the province, started by leaving themselves Kingless, as per canon? Or is it something else, perhaps a freak lava-flow (Blood of the World, you could say) that splits the province from the Cyrodiil border to the Sea of Ghosts, which happens to kill the high king and his travelling party when it opens? Or something no one else has thought of?
Observation
Chairtastic
Anything's a chair if you're brave enough
- Location
- Breakfast nook
- Pronouns
- He / Him / It
Codex: Ahzidal's Observations
---
Translated from Dovahzul.
--
Log entry two thousand and five. I'm alive again, and in full possession of my mental faculties once more. In hindsight, my madness may have been the result of toxic metal exposure, or perhaps my fungal research. So -- it may happen again, but for now I'm back to work.
In the thousands of years since my death, magic has largely not advanced. In fact, it has taken a turn towards being lost -- the Clever Craft is not respected, and is being discouraged. Shameful.
Dukaan and I agree on one thing -- that must change. Zahkriisos, as always, is more concerned with having food in people's mouths and faith in their hearts than the pursuit of greater understanding. But I'm certain he will support us, so long as we don't hamper his aims.
Dukaan and I have started to document as much of the Clever Craft as we can -- portal magic, levitation, and the creation of great artifacts, and so on.
I was confused why the star-wife did not ask us to make a portal for him, but Zahkriisos explained it was some sort of pilgrimage to honor another star-wife. The journey is supposedly part of the act. Bah.
The star-wife obviously had to trade a great deal of power and knowledge to learn how to revive us -- I could smell the lingering effects of Hermaeus Mora on him, and to revive beings as great as myself tremendous cost must have been involved. This explains his weakness, and how he needs to 'jump-start' his knowledge on certain topics. The active memories have been lost.
Fortunately, the star-wife has so much interesting information that I can suffer explaining the basics again. He told me an aspect of magic, exploiting the power in the world itself -- Nirn's own holiness -- for the magical effects. A filament of metal, connected with a circuit of lightning, produces light as an example.
This star-wife, this Farri Gold-Tooth, called the automatons of the Dwemer primitive. Primitive! Oh, such interesting advancements shall the two of us make once he returns.
What I could get from him before he left is enough to begin experimentation. Gold and gemstones can be used to create a circuit to channel energies to accomplish tasks.
And this new material he introduced me to -- heart stone, he calls it. Magnificent. It's traditional Nirn basalt that has been exposed to divine energy for so long that it has become a morpholith. The finite, when exposed to infinity, becomes transfinite.
These heart stones provide energy according to their size and density. While it is not as renewable as soul gems, the ease of acquiring them makes experimentation so much easier. No longer will I have to find a gem and go out to fill it for an experiment that goes nowhere. I notice they are somewhat visually similar to centurion dynamo cores -- more study is necessary.
I will begin experimenting with their use in enchanting, and with this circuitry concept the star-wife has shown me.
I suppose I should document this too -- Zahkriisos has asked Dukaan and I to help him try and find the star our star-wife Farri is tied to so that we may celebrate it. From the sheer number of Oblivion facts that Farri knows, I suspect him to be an un-star from the Serpent constellation.
Kyne forbid we ask the star-wife, like civilized people. No, no, that would make too much sense. Damn fanatics.
---
---
Translated from Dovahzul.
--
Log entry two thousand and five. I'm alive again, and in full possession of my mental faculties once more. In hindsight, my madness may have been the result of toxic metal exposure, or perhaps my fungal research. So -- it may happen again, but for now I'm back to work.
In the thousands of years since my death, magic has largely not advanced. In fact, it has taken a turn towards being lost -- the Clever Craft is not respected, and is being discouraged. Shameful.
Dukaan and I agree on one thing -- that must change. Zahkriisos, as always, is more concerned with having food in people's mouths and faith in their hearts than the pursuit of greater understanding. But I'm certain he will support us, so long as we don't hamper his aims.
Dukaan and I have started to document as much of the Clever Craft as we can -- portal magic, levitation, and the creation of great artifacts, and so on.
I was confused why the star-wife did not ask us to make a portal for him, but Zahkriisos explained it was some sort of pilgrimage to honor another star-wife. The journey is supposedly part of the act. Bah.
The star-wife obviously had to trade a great deal of power and knowledge to learn how to revive us -- I could smell the lingering effects of Hermaeus Mora on him, and to revive beings as great as myself tremendous cost must have been involved. This explains his weakness, and how he needs to 'jump-start' his knowledge on certain topics. The active memories have been lost.
Fortunately, the star-wife has so much interesting information that I can suffer explaining the basics again. He told me an aspect of magic, exploiting the power in the world itself -- Nirn's own holiness -- for the magical effects. A filament of metal, connected with a circuit of lightning, produces light as an example.
This star-wife, this Farri Gold-Tooth, called the automatons of the Dwemer primitive. Primitive! Oh, such interesting advancements shall the two of us make once he returns.
What I could get from him before he left is enough to begin experimentation. Gold and gemstones can be used to create a circuit to channel energies to accomplish tasks.
And this new material he introduced me to -- heart stone, he calls it. Magnificent. It's traditional Nirn basalt that has been exposed to divine energy for so long that it has become a morpholith. The finite, when exposed to infinity, becomes transfinite.
These heart stones provide energy according to their size and density. While it is not as renewable as soul gems, the ease of acquiring them makes experimentation so much easier. No longer will I have to find a gem and go out to fill it for an experiment that goes nowhere. I notice they are somewhat visually similar to centurion dynamo cores -- more study is necessary.
I will begin experimenting with their use in enchanting, and with this circuitry concept the star-wife has shown me.
I suppose I should document this too -- Zahkriisos has asked Dukaan and I to help him try and find the star our star-wife Farri is tied to so that we may celebrate it. From the sheer number of Oblivion facts that Farri knows, I suspect him to be an un-star from the Serpent constellation.
Kyne forbid we ask the star-wife, like civilized people. No, no, that would make too much sense. Damn fanatics.
---
SneakyWalrus
Is the Water Free?
I'm surprised he refers to the Daedric Prince by his full name rather than Herma-Mora as the Atmorsns used to do. Also, I wonder if the Dragon Priests will be interested in the work of Neloth to the south, considering his interest in heart-stones.