So I had just recently finished mingling with the folks in the Four Shields Tavern at Dragon Bridge. They made me aware that I didn't look so good and it turned out that I had contracted 'Sanguine Vampiris'. I was only in the first state so I decided to make the trip to Solitude, since they had the nearest chapel/statue, to cure myself.

I walked out of the tavern and started running for Solitude. About 100 meters, in-game, I got sneak attacked by an assassin. I quickly cast 'Stoneflesh' on myself and started running back to Dragon Bridge. My plan was to get the guards to help me since I haven't got a very wide variety of spells yet and he was feisty Dunmer.

I got him to follow me and I ran to the nearest guard. The guard saw the situation with which he replied "This should be good"... And he stood there watching as me and the assassin had to battle it out. The other guards were busy patrolling the backside of the tavern apparently.

Thanks a lot guards. Glad to know you provide safety only for the town residence.

Welcome to Skyrim, where violence is an accepted aspect of society.

One would think they would help out a fellow Nord though.

I've heard that they wont help you if you bring the attackers to them. If the attackers had come to you and attacked you in town, they probably would have helped you out. Probably a scripting issue. I had this happen to me once, though instead of watching, the gaurds said things like "Help! Somebody do something!"

Nords' honor code compels them not to accept help which is not requested. No nord, guard, knight or peasant, would intervene in a struggle unless invited.

Not if they're ambushed.

I don't remember this part. There are a couple of NPcs who speak about nord honor code and they only mention what I've written in my last post.

I recall leaving solitude and 3 thugs were walking up that upward hill towards me. I ran past them and started casting fury everywhere to get them fixed on each other. Suprisingly the guards helped me and it was an epic fight. I thanked them and went on my way.

It might depend on what mood their in.

Not when I start brawls, it isn't.

For whatever reasons (messed up scripting or something), guards don't react like guards when the pc is being attacked by some things. They act like civilians, even cowards sometimes.

I don't know ... relatively early in this playthru my character (lvl. 6'ish?) got ambushed by three bandit thugs in steel plate (way out of my league at that point) on the road outside of Whiterun. I ran about 100m to the western watchtower and the guards immediately attacked my pursuers, saving my [censored] for sure. I wasn't thane in whiterun at that point either so I don't think it was a faction issue, so like I said ... I don't know.

I didn't base that on any lore. Just me being from a "nord" land But they're imperial guards so I still think they should have reacted.

Guards are pretty much useless nowadays. They go down to easy for being the best the city could get

Well, you know, they're all retired adventurers with bad knees after all.

asotil at least helped in a fight (even if he was badly out matched by level 20), and i always liked his "stop right there criminal scum!" routine, i miss asotil

Still far better at surviving a dragon attack than say Alvor. He drops dead almost instantly

Haha, that's gotta svck! Wish that won't happen to me Must have been an awful let-down!
But, hehehe, I can't help but laugh whenever I think about it. I guess you freaked out, and killed everyone afterwards because they didn't want to help you Better luck next time though, champ!

PS: My 100th post :D:D *proud*

I don't kill innocent people, thank you very much!
Also, congrats on your 100th post

Most of the time the guards in my game are fairly competent and, dare I say it, even nice toward my character (who isn't a Nord...just a Breton with a high Speechcraft skill ). The Windhelm guards in particular keep mentioning caves, shipwrecks, dragon roosts, etc. that she might want to investigate. The guards in Whiterun just want her to enchant all their weapons for them.

Although there was one incident that sticks out in my mind as a particular "the guards must be crazy" moment. (Cut for spoilers for "Blood on the Ice.")

So, I leave Whiterun after becoming the thane and whatnot (helped save the town from a dragon) and I get accosted by these hired thugs right outside the town gate (the guards are right there). They attack me first and what proceeds to happen next is a 5 minute battle of back pedaling, dodging and casting fire and healing spells all while hacking away at these guys (I was like level 5 or something). Throughout the entire affair the guards are just standing there, watching while the Thane of their town (with his housecarl Lydia in tow) is getting his butt kicked by these random thugs...this game needs a faction/reputation system badly.

running around at the speed of sound got nowhere to go but get killed! wooooaaa oooaaa the gaurds wont help me cause they're buttholes oooaaa yeaahh C;mon!!!!