I am playing a Khajiit sneaky-thief/assassin and a day or two ago I posted in another thread that I was getting pretty fed up with the specieist comments that were being directed at my character when innocently walking through a town. You know the sort of thing, references to me being a thief, just because I am a Khajiit (after all I have never been caught, so nobody actually knows that I'll nick anything that isn't actually nailed down), and nasty mentions about cats and rugs. Well, this evening I snapped.

I was walking through Winterhold, dressed in best clothes and boots, when a guard coming the other way said something. I didn't catch the first part of what he said but he finished his comment with the word "Cat". Without thinking about it I dropped into a crouch, drew my daggers, whipped around, went up behind him and slit his throat. I got away without any fuss, but no doubt I'll have a bounty or other problems next time I go there.

What scared me was that I was genuinely angry about being called a cat and reacted to that anger in role without thinking about it. Getting a bit too much into role, best go and do some ironing and stuff in the real world for a day or two.

This may sound cliche, but it's just a game.

"T This may sound cliche, but it's just a game."

Of course it is, Mr. Gnome. That it can induce a true emotional reaction in some old b*gger like me, suggests that it is rather a good game.

I can understand your emotional perturbation regarding being belittled by the townsfolk and various other people who wander around in Skyrim, but the fact of the matter is - Nobody trusts the Khajiit, period.

I made an imperial once but couldn't play it because I got tired of hearing about being an imperial. All my characters are now Nords because I'm against the belittlement of someone simply due to their race. Nords are the accepted "kinsman" of the land, so I don't get any of the irrational angst against me if I go anywhere.

Back to your original point, though, you were doing exactly what a Khajiit would have done anyway. It's awesome how we're able to transplant ourselves into our characters, isn't it?

I understand you OP.

I rolled an Imperial once and one day in an inn, minding my own business, a nord comes up to me and started bashing on all Imperials, claiming they were spies for the Legion and were filthy people.

I look at him really stern.

He continues and says that he was ousted from his position of Jarl because of Imperial traitors.

I stand up and ready my fists.

He then tells me to keep comments to myself because the Imperials are out to report everything to the Legion.

Now I am not part of the legion, nor is the supremacy of Imperials my goal in Skyrim. I was just in the inn relaxing after a hard day of finding work.
Then this ignorant, stupid, ugly, old, worthless sod comes up to me and starts bashing my culture and my people? After all we had done for Skyrim and are STILL doing?

We got into the nastiest fist fight I have ever seen. It was funny. He wasn't boasting about how amazing the Nords were when he was running for his life down the street, when I decided to pull out my Claymore!

You are a cat though.

Well, you did choose to be a furry, people will treat you like one.

You get "sneak thief" references as a Nord, too.

People make comments based on skill.

wow

you didn't go too far in your role. that's good stuff indicative of a good game.

real-life emotions from playing a game is just as valid as those from a movie or book. i feel even more so since we actually are these characters.

^What he said.

Yeah I got tired of the cat thing to,so I restarted my game as a different character

Hey, wanna hear a joke? Why do Khajiit lick their butts?

Haha nice.

I can totally relate. You put a lot of time and care into your character, and for the duration that you spend playing the game as that character, it becomes an extension of you, a manifestation of an aspect or two of your own personality. Unless you are playing a character through just to see what it's like, you are likely playing a character that you enjoy, which means it's something that it represents some part of you. Our actions define our character, and our character's action define them, and therefore us. So that guard wasn't insulting your character; he was insulting you. Or, at least, that's the perception of a good rp-er.

I played an altmer battlemage char my second go-around, and got fed-up with a lot of people bashing elves. Instead of getting angry at them, though, I took into account that a lot of altmer were acting like douches, and so it made me strive to be better than them. It could have made me angry enough to go on a killing spree, though, but I chose to channel it differently.

In response to someone's reply, yes, it is a game, ultimately. If it makes you so mad you can't think straight or calm down enough to function well in IRL (which didn't seem like an actual problem you were experiencing), then maybe think about it a bit before playing, or spend less time in a play session. If you're not having that issue, then congratulations! You are a true roleplayer, through and through! Rejoice, and slaughter many foes of the noble Khajiit.

Nords like Nords and Bretons it seems. They have the same disposition to other NPC's, so it shouldn't be a surprise that they would bag on you for bing one, but good call on dropping the guy like a bad habit. He had it coming.

To get the taste of Khajiit cooking out of their mouth. Classic.

"Don't go fiddling with any locks around here or we are going to have some real trouble"

"Cause any trouble around [insert town] and I'll haul you off to the dungeon myself"

"You watch it, sneakthief"

"You watch it, Imperial"

It's part and parcel of the place...get a rep as skilled at something, and people react to you, such as "Destruction magic is fine, just dont' go burning down any buildings", or "Please don't do any more of that Shouting, it's making people nervous"...

However, every so often I do get overly irritated at the little snot-gobblers who say "I thought adventurers were supposed to look tough" or "You don't scare me"...I know it means a reload, but I do get satisfaction from turning into the wolf-man at that point and running around chasing the little kiddies and roaring at them.

I just need one more Nord to tell me what he thinks of Orcs and someone is going to be treated to Rough Wen's specialty: Knuckle Sammich.

Guards and certain townspeople are snerks to everyone, including Nords.

Nah, in the real world I am quite well balanced - just done nearly four hours ironing without thinking I am a Khajiit or wanting to kill anyone.

However, I look in here before bed time and what do I get? Well some sympathy but I note the comments from the following:

MsMock87

Komodo Saurian

Lexandro

RoosterDad (calling me a "furry"!)

Erandur

and Koleman, who while sounding sympathetic, managed to get in this little gem, " Nobody trusts the Khajiit".

There are times when I wish this was a multi-player game

Getting too into role?
No, you just got fed up with repetitive comments.
It's just a game.

Nice.

But you need restraint my friend, restraint.

Pretend you are as content as little kittens with thei bellies full when in the world of men.

I know exactly how you feel. Midas Magic though gave me a better option for my magic cat. Everyone referring to me as "cat" or "thief" will find himself being much smaller, since bunnies usually are not as big as humans or elves. Let the hunt begin!