Selection #1: Tsashima confronts the player for turning in a good person to corrupt guards.
- Tsashi: Tsashi did not realize you were a cruel person.
- P: I’m not cruel.
- Tsashi: Then handing over a woman who just wanted to help was a mistake, yes?
- P: No?
- Tsashi: This one does not think you understand what the word “cruel” means. She prefers the company of those with a bit more in their brains and hearts, yes? (Tsashi leaves, hostile.)
- P: We got paid. I don’t see the issue.
- Tsashi: You see less than the Falmer do, yes? Will you listen to Tsashi when you cannot see?
- P: I will take your advice.
- Tsashi: Good. This one worries for you, yes?
- P: I worry for you too.
- Tsashi: Then let us hope our worrying actually keeps the other safe, yes?
- P: I worry for you too.
- Tsashi: Good. This one worries for you, yes?
- P: I see just fine.
- Tsashi: Silly one, this is a metaphor. Have you not found a metaphor before?
- P: Never.
- Tsashi: Dark moons. It is all right. Tsashi can teach you.
- P: I’m just joking around.
- Tsashi: But this one is not. She worries for you.
- P: Never.
- Tsashi: Silly one, this is a metaphor. Have you not found a metaphor before?
- P: I will take your advice.
- Tsashi: You see less than the Falmer do, yes? Will you listen to Tsashi when you cannot see?
- P: No?
- Tsashi: Then handing over a woman who just wanted to help was a mistake, yes?
- P: I’m not cruel.
Selection #2: Katja comforts the player after an unspeakable tragedy.
- Katja: Hey, sister/brother. I made some soup for you. You should eat something. You’ll need your strength where we’re going.
- P: Thanks, Katja.
- Katja: I’ll always have your back, sister/brother. There’s something you should know. I killed another assassin today. After us. I don’t know how to make Tamriel listen. Not unless we fix this. And I can’t do that without you at my side, at your full strength.
- P: I’m never going to be back at my full strength. I’m not Dragonborn anymore. I’m no hero.
- Katja: You lost one weapon. Shouting was far from the only skill you had. You wouldn’t give up like this if you dropped your sword in a fight. You’d find another way. Dragon souls and prophecies aren’t what made you a hero. Your ferocity. Compassion. Courage. Sense of justice. That’s what matters. And you’re not alone.
- P: I’m never going to be back at my full strength. I’m not Dragonborn anymore. I’m no hero.
- Katja: I’ll always have your back, sister/brother. There’s something you should know. I killed another assassin today. After us. I don’t know how to make Tamriel listen. Not unless we fix this. And I can’t do that without you at my side, at your full strength.
- P: I don’t want your fetching soup!
- Katja: I don’t give a horker’s arse what you want. You need your strength. I just killed another assassin after us. What if I hadn’t been here? What if I’d been sleeping? Dammit. This isn’t going to end until we kill Naeduin and close off Oblivion again. I’m not arrogant enough to think I can do that on my own. So stop being a milkdrinking bastard and eat your fetching soup!
- P: What? Where are we going?
- Katja: Away from here. It isn’t safe. They know we’re hiding here.
- (Volkihar Lord): Your castle is well-fortified. Do you think we can trust your kin not to sell us out? Or should we prepare to kill them all when we get there?
- (Dawnguard, been to Forgotten Vale): The Forgotten Vale. It’s enormous and deadly and very well hidden. Assuming we trust Serana, no one will find us there.
- (Dawnguard, done Soul Cairn): The Soul Cairn will have to do. Valerica hid from her own husband in her own house for Dagon knows how long there. Provided we can contact Serana to turn us again first.
- (Blood-Kin): We seek vengeance. And we’re both blood-kin. The Strongholds will take us in.
- (Katja is Vateshran): Vateshran Hollows. It’s risky on the Naeduin front, but none of the assassins will be able to get past all the puzzles and guardians, if they can even find the entrance. From there we’ll go to either the Hunting Grounds or Coldharbour.
- (Dark Brotherhood, Listener): Your Sanctuary. I might not be fully welcome there, but they’ll fall in line if you order them to let me stay. It’s impossible to get into one without a passphrase.
- (Namira Champion): Your coven will protect us. Reachcliff Cave is hard to find and get to. If we can wake the draugr, it’ll be fairly defensible as well.
- (Deepwood Pack, Veslen not Ard): Deepwood Vale might be safe. Veslen will understand our plight. It will at least take them time to find us again.
- (None of the special things): I don’t know. The wilderness? A ship out into the Sea of Ghosts? Some realm of Oblivion? Away.
- Katja: Away from here. It isn’t safe. They know we’re hiding here.
- P: I’m not going anywhere. Not for a long while.
- Katja: Yes you are. Because I’m not losing you, too. It’s your choice if you do it on your own two feet, or if I paralyze you, tie you to a saddle, and ride off somewhere safer.
- P: Leave me to my grief.
- Katja: And let the only family I have left be slain by the assassins and bounty hunters they keep sending after us?! No. Don’t be an arse. I knew Saru for well over a decade longer than you did. If you don’t think my heart is as shattered as yours is for our family, you are being selfish and stupid. And I know you are neither of those things. You’re going to eat the soup. You’re going to get back on your feet. We’re going to avenge our family and home. And we’re going to make damn sure the rest of Nirn doesn’t have to feel what we’re feeling right now. Got it?
- P: Thanks, Katja.
Selection #3: Sarulndil plots with the player after a horrific tragedy and disaster.
- Saru: There you are, dear. We must strategize. It is going to take a good deal of resources that I’m not sure we still have access to if we are going to defeat Naeduin and close Oblivion once more. I have favors I can call in—some less savory than others—and I’m sure you do as well. We should get an initial asset count before we go to the Embassy.
- P (Saru Thalmor, Player not): The Thalmor Embassy?!
- Saru: Yes. What other authority are we meant to turn to? We ousted the Empire’s presence here, killed Ulfric, and blew up Windhelm.
- (Dark Brotherhood Complete): Oh, and you killed the Emperor.
- (Elisif is Jarl): You can’t seriously think Jarl Elisif is equipped to deal with something like this.
- (Potema is Queen): Obviously we should go to the High Queen as well, but we are going to need to play all of our cards. Even the ones we don’t like.
- (Galmar survived Windhelm disaster): We can try talking to Galmar as well, but he has very few resources now
- (Forsworn Takeover): We can ask the Ard, but I’m worried we won’t be able to rally the rest of Tamriel around a bunch of daedra worshippers claiming they want to fight daedra.
- Saru: Yes. What other authority are we meant to turn to? We ousted the Empire’s presence here, killed Ulfric, and blew up Windhelm.
- P (Saru Thalmor, Player not): The Thalmor Embassy?!
Selection #4: If you are a vampire and meet Erell and his mentor, Carcette, for the first time.
Erell: Vile creature. Have you come to receive Stendarr’s Mercy?
P: That’s not a very nice way to greet somebody, priest.
Erell: I generally greet monsters with my sword through their throat. You should never have come here, vampire. (Erell draws his greatsword.)
Carcette: Vigilant Erell! What are you doing?!
Erell: Ridding the world of Daedric corruption. This creature must not be allowed to live.
Carcette: This is our sanctuary, child. We do not kill here. Stranger, you should leave. May Stendarr light your path.
Erell: Leave?! It’s a vampire! It must be purged in holy light! I won’t let it hurt anyone else!
Carcette: My word is final, Vigilant. As is my warning, stranger. Leave this place.
Selection #5: If you are a werewolf and meet Erell and his mentor, Carcette, for the first time.
Erell: Stendarr’s Mercy. You’re a… The only cure we may offer you is death, if you are prepared to receive it.
P: Huh? I’m not sick. I can’t get sick anymore, thank Hircine.
Erell: Thank HIRCINE?! You serve the daedra! I knew it from the moment I smelled you enter the Hall! Keeper Carcette! There’s a werewolf! A daedra-worshipper!
Carcette: Stendarr bless you, stranger. For you have been misled and cursed. I pray that one day you will find yourself again. Leave this place, for your own safety.
Erell: Leave?! You can’t let it leave! It’s going to kill people! Or worse, convert them to its vile ways! It has made very clear what it serves.
Carcette: Hearts can be changed, Vigilant Erell, with patience and mercy, not with a blade. Go and pray until your head is clear once more. (Erell storms off, hostile.) Stranger, you should go. There are many safer places for you to honor the Divines than this. Stendarr light your path.
Selection #6: Ri’andra confronts the player for their murderous ways.
Ri’andra: You’re an odd one, Dragonborn. For all the good you’ve done for Skyrim, Ri’andra thinks, perhaps, it was all an accident. Perhaps it is that you simply like to kill, and had a chance to kill some things here and there that it was a good thing to kill… But slaughter itself is not the way. And this one does not wish to walk such a bloody path with you.
Selection #7: Ri’khar if asked to join the player in fighting a god-tier dragon.
Ri’khar: Oh for the love of the Moons. How did Ri’khar get himself into this? He thought his days of heroism were long behind him. Ugh… A bit of skooma to steel his nerves, hm? (He drinks skooma.) Ah. There we are. He will join you, Dragonborn. There are many worse ways to die.
Selection #8: A letter from Delphine (vanilla character) if their actions lead to an attack on her secret base.
Dragonborn,
I urge you to be more cautious in who you trust with sensitive information. As I have told you before, the Thalmor are no friend of mine. The men who most recently attacked me were not Thalmor, as far as I could tell, but were incredibly dangerous. I hope you have an explanation. Return to our usual place immediately.
A Friend
Selection #9: From book 1 of my fantasy series, narrated by a young King Arthur, as his sister, Kay confronts him about his wedding to Lenora when she suspects his feelings lie elsewhere.
I felt my face flush as I whirled on her. “How long have you been spying on me?!”
Kay ruffled my hair. “Long enough to decide it was a good idea to make sure you were okay.”
I glared at her. “I’m fine! You don’t have to worry about me all the time! I’m not a child! I’m getting married tomorrow!”
She snorted. “You don’t sound fine, pipsqueak.”
“I am the king. This is my duty! It doesn’t matter, okay? Just drop it!” I hissed.
Kay rolled her eyes at me. “Fine. Whatever. Go talk to one of your other knights about it, then. Someone needs to teach you to flirt and such because that was painful to watch.”
“Since when are you an expert on love? You still haven’t admitted your feelings for Bedivere!”
“Wart, I will throw you off the castle,” Kay snapped. I stuck out my tongue at her. She pulled a beetle seemingly from thin air and placed it on my tongue. I shrieked and frantically spat out the large bug. Kay laughed. I pushed her, harder than I meant to, and she fell flat on her bum. She looked up at me in shock. “Wow. You actually grew a muscle. Not half bad.”
I extended my hand to her. “Yeah, your baby brother is all grown up now. I’ll be taller than you before you know it.”
She took my hand and laughed. “You’re never going to grow that tall. Or I’ll cut off your feet.” She pulled me into a hug. “Wart. I know you’re not happy with all this. You don’t have to do this. I’ll cover for you. I’ll find an excuse. A loophole. Something. I’m your seneschal. And your big sister. It’s what I’m for.”