Skyrim makes it very difficult to role play hero. The 3 main problems are not being being able to stop the dark brotherhood, the thieves guild and the companions.
For somebody of such strength, being the Dovahkiin and arch Mage, it is very irresponsible to ignore these blights on Skyrim.
Perhaps some of these will be resolved in dlc but I think that if it wasn't for the 11-11-11 release date they would have been included in vanilla

One of these is not like the others.

You CAN stop the Dark Brotherhood.

I don't see what's so bad about Thieves Guild or the Companions.

There will always be evil in the world. But you'd think stopping Alduin from eating the world would make you feel like a hero anyway.

One of them is hairier than the others...

This doesn't really help your situation, but the Elder Scrolls has never really been a series that was founded on the black and white notions of "hero" and "villain." Some of the worst people in the history of Tamriel are called heroes, and a lot of misunderstood, well-intending, and honorable people have gone to the grave as villains.

Also, you can stop the Dark Brotherhood. I wouldn't really call the Companions evil. The Thieve's Guild will eventually die off without your involvement but I agree, it would have been nice to have quests available to lay siege to the Ratway.

I wouldn't really call the College of Winterhold a bastion of "heroism" either.

You can stop the DB, although I would never do that to my father.

My current character is a paladin. It's entirely possible. I only have a few crimes listed in my stats sheet and those were out of necessity, such as pickpocketing items to get into Blackreach for the main quest instead of starting the daedric quest. My character is completely free of daedric influences. I like that. All of my other characters did at least one quest, but I don't want to be their puppet with my paladin.

Joining both the Companions and the Dawnguard seemed hypocritical, but you have to keep in mind that the Silver Hand are just bandits. They may appear honorable, but they attack anyone who gets near them. They aren't like the Dawnguard.

Destroying the Thieves Guild would be awesome for a hero character but I don't see anything wrong with the Companions. Did they stole your sweetroll?

If your problem with the Companions is that they kill and beat up people for money, you can't stop them - the ones they kill are criminals and bandits, though, they are not like the DB in that sense. You CAN however become the Harbinger and RP that you use your influence to keep them on track.

If your problem is that and make sure that just was an unfortunate episode in their history.

I agree that there should have been an option to join forces with Mjoll and do something about the TG and Maven Black-Briar, though.

They have lost their way. Joining the Circle isn't something that a noble knight would do. But at least you can reverse course and cleanse the Circle, which is noble.

Being hairy =/= being evil. The companions are good guys.

1. you can destroy the DB but you have to first destroy an evil old lady that abuses orphans which is a "good" thing right?

2. thieves aren't evil if they rob from the corrupt rich and give to the needy poor...think robin hood and fat friars

3. whats evil about the companions? just because they're beasts and enjoy battle doesnt make them evil..that would mean im evil

lastly this is skyrim, theres no cut and dry, black and white, "good" and "evil"...everythings grey because sometimes murder is bad but other times you kill 1 to save many so thats not "bad" imo

Not necessarily. Although the Companions are by and large mercenaries without a specific agenda at the time of the game (maybe except for the hunt for W.), they don't exactly love vampires. Some radiant quests involve clearing out vampire lairs. So you could roleplay it as "joining forces" on the principle that my enemy's enemy is my friend.


My thoughts exactly.

You can destroy dark brotherhood and both companions and TG are rather good or neutral and they were simply corrupted by curse, and bad leadership. My main character is archmage and secretly leader of thieves guild and still is a heroic goody to shoes who loves his wife and his friends, roleplaying whise at least

This isn't the Grey Fox's Thieves Guild. The first few missions have you extorting innocent townsfolk who are by no means rich. They no longer target the rich. They no longer protect the poor. They're just thugs.

wha? the companions are not evil, they have been blessed...


*read if you know what their blessing is, the spoiler contains the argument

Best way to deal with Maven and thus the TG is to help the Stormcloaks kick the Empire out. You'll remove a huge part of her influence with high society and the possibility of her influence in Mistveil Keep....

As for the Companions, I agree the dialogue against things getting hairy is not good enough, there should be more of a chance to reject them or side with non-Circle types from an earlier time.

Except then you help the Silver-Bloods who are arguably worse. If you shut down the Dark Brotherhood and leave the Thieves Guild to rot, you already limit Maven's power and influence. You don't need to shut her down.

I think his point is more....

Say we wanna make a typical Nord hero that has a strict code of honor.
You cannot refuse the companion's "gift."
Some quests, like the one for Dibella, require you break into a room or agree to steal something for someone before the quest can be activated. It's ultimately good, but requires a minor evil that's completely out of character.
You're encouraged to steal.


In that sense, it's very difficult to strictly roleplay and actually play quests that suit your style.
Why is my Sovngarde-loving, honor-bound Nord accepting that gift? Why is he breaking into Dibella's chapel? Why is he talked into stealing for information?


Basically if you want to keep your sense of honor, you end up missing out on a lot. And not just like "I have a sense of honor so I won't join the Brotherhood," but rather "I have a sense of honor so I won't agree to steal for that guy, even though doing so would ultimately lead towards a quest where I righteously save the entire Hold."
It's quite awkward for roleplaying...

Yes , i know diffrent interpretation of things I always was thinkig that the fact that they are willing to do this was because of mercer leadership , bad influence , but as I said it this is may version if you have other idea than your idea is as good as mine , this is a joy of Elder scrolls

I guess you could always down 40 bottles of mead and just say that your character makes bad decisions when they're drunk.

You can stop the DB once you complete the very first quest for it.

The rest, however, cannot be destroyed/stopped, only ignored. This game might have grey areas, but its ruined by the fact that quests give you no divergent endings, and choice is almost entirely non-existant.

Is it sad that this was my main excuse for doing some of missions that start wtih being [censored], somehow i think it is...

The problem is that this game defines "grey" by having your character murder someone, but they make up for it by saving a bus filled with puppies and orphans in the quest immediately after the murder one.
That's not grey, that's bipolar. My character has no philosophies, no moral code, no honor code, no convictions, no nothing. He can't, because one second you're asking me to break in, the next second I'm saying a princess who was about to be murdered as I broke in to steal whatever it was.


It's just railroaded into this black-and-white roller coaster that makes you feel bipolar.