Irish mythology has the Banshee, which appears when somebody is about to die. In Skyrim, Journals fill the same purpose. If somebody you know starts writing a Journal, get far away quickly, because they are going to die a horrible death. Seriously, why is it that almost no living NPCs have journals, but I find them scattered on or around dead bodies on a regular basis?

Cliched rping element. How do you get information about what happened here when the guy's dead? How about you walk in and find out...?

Yeah it seems pretty much every dungeon has some sort of mystery due to journals and dead bodies. I guess all the living npc's know what happens when you use a journal so they just keep away from them lol.

I think people in Skyrim are continuing writing journals for the same reason nobody in Star Trek thought about stop producing red shirts or cops in action flicks stop talking about their retirement.

Since we play TES 5: Skyrim and not CSI: Skyrim, a journal is the best way to introduce the story of a dungeon without putting a living person in every hell hole. If you see a book titled "funny rituals with almost no virgin blood" lying on an altar, everyone of us knows what's happening in that specific dungeon, same works for journals. I try to see it positve, at least we have backstories for the dungeons. Sort of.

That's a good one! It should be a real book title in a Temple of Dibella or something. Crass yet at the same time, sophisticated humour.

Hmm yea now that you say it, i guess all people to write journals are doomed to a horrible death. Now do people still want journals?

Crushed by Rocks?
Write a Journal

Kidnapped by Falmer?
Write a Journal

Being Burned Alive by a Dragon?
Write a Journal.

Just whatever you do, remember, don't die in mid-sentence. Your audience will prefer a thorough subjective anolysis of your imminent demise.

I suppose our character could have increasing powers of Premonition and Intuition...

You find a small Medallion of Intuition inside the urn, and what looks like a Manual of Forensic Lore

It's always preferable to write an entry where you declare that you're *just about* to succeed in whatever task you've set out to do. That seems to be the gamebreaker.

Hmm, anyone read Death Note? Explains my thoughts on the case.
But I have seen some NPCs writing on books on ledgers and such, but that is rare indeed. They wrote and read much more in Oblivion it feels like.

cliche yes but it's cool. It's a mystery that is like... man i want to know more, but there is none, so you start to speculate. it's cool, again, it's cliche though.

What about Cicero? he wrote like three or four journals and is now better than ever (at least in my game).

He's insane. So when you write Journals, you either die or go mental.
So Neo, Red or Blue pill?

OMG, you made me LOL. Hence, as we all know, "if it's red, it's dead."

Meanwhile, if you are trapped and death is imminent, why not leave a final word to those who might find your remains?

"Dear sir or madam,

It pains me greatly to be unable to meet you face to face, in the corporeal sense. However, I'm trapped in this cave and the water is rising... gosh I'm thirsty. Anywho, on my person you shall find a key to...."

Everyone has a journal they just keep it secret and hidden like a smart person would, the dumb ones just take it everywhere and end up dying in a cave, leaving it there for you to read

CSI: Skyrim is one incredibly short show.