Did Kodlak try to kill the dragonborn?* (spoiler alert)*

[provokastoras]

This is a fun discussion solely based on the evidence the npc gives us for his actions. was just doing the companion quests and the idea hit me. What if I were to not concider his good intentions for granted ... Is blood and honor a covered attempt to get rid of the dragonborn?
Kodlak is the halbringer of the companions. Now he is their unoficial leader. Now to accuse someone for attempted murder he must have a motive. Does Kodlak have a motive? Yes and potentially5 motives!

First motive is the dragonborn goes around his chain of command. He is ascended as a member of the inner circle without his concent but because Skjor and Aella endorse him. As such the dragonborn undermines his authority.

Second motive is that the dragonborn starts a war with the silver hand without his endorcement, because Skjor advises him. Now Skjor is second in comand on the companions could it be that the dragonborn actions make Kodlak fear for his place as halbringer?

Third motive, Aela hides your actions during the war with the silver hand from Kodlak further underminining his authority. Could this be enough to concider the dragonborn a potential thrieat to his power?

Four. Skjor dies and the dragonborn is the one to retrieve his body. Could Kodlak blame the murder of skjor on the dragonborn and habour thoughts of revange? Or maybe think that the dragiborn is undermining the chain of command of the companions by getting Skjor killed so was afraid he was next? Further indications that this might had been the case are presented later.

Five. You are the dragonborn! he is just an old man, wouldnt he find you threatening his possition?

Now sending troops to suicide missions is the way of choise for commanders to get rid of troops that concider insubornitate or dangerous especially when there are no evidence against them. Is killing the glemori witches a suicide mission?

even if its not too hard due to vamp down difficulty or simply cause the dragonborn is too strong... the feud between companions and glemori witches is a few centuries old and noone dared to go kill them all that time. That shows that even if the mission itself is not too hard, it is concidered deadly difficult by the npcs.

He sends you without a shield brother. A saspicious choice indeed especially after skjor died because he had no shield brother. Is he trying to reenact Skor's death with you?

He says to noone where you are going. In fact farkas asks you where have you been when you return to jorvaskar and why where you not there to defend Kodlak? Could it be that he wanted you to die and not take responsibility for sending you to a suicide mission without a shield brother? So that when you die everyone eventually forget about you and think you just run off like a milkdrinker?

Farkas is also harbouring suspissions on you first skjor dies after you join then Kodlak could he be suspecting you of destroying the chain of command of the companions so you can take over? Farkas is the most trusted circle member by Kodlak, could it be that Kodlak had communicated his for you with him? If Kodlak had told Farkas his suspicions for the dragonborn killing skjor it would explain why Farkas suspects the dragonborn, he might even think that the silver hand are acting on your behalf as stated on point 4 of his motives.

Finally he puts you in all that danger with no real proof that killing the witches will lift lycanthropy so even if he was not trying to murder you he puts you in harm''s way for no reason showing how much he disregards your life.

So what do you think am I right to think that Kodlak is not designed to be an inocent old man that just wants to go to sovengard? Rather he seems to act like a suspicious power hungry ruler getting rid of his competition using underhanded tactics? I think he was just short of hiring Astrid to do it.

[Pablo]

U think too much.

[nrs9000]

Originally posted by Kanta Slaus:

U think too much.

Half the fun of playing rpgs is taking the lore and story and making your own interpretations. Try using that imagination more, it's a powerful neglected entertainment tool.

[SCORP10N2000]

You think waaay to much!

1# The companions don't see Kodlakas ther leader just ther like elder adviser.

2# Also Kodlak him self don't see him self as the leader of the companions he just want to get rid of the curse so his "spirit" can go to sovengard.

[nonames]

also if kodlak wanted you out he could just tell the companions that he doesn't want you to be a companion anymore or he could of not let you join in the first place.

[Raga]

Never had such feeling. Just because of Kodlak's Journal:

Then I see every next Harbinger turn away from Sovngarde and enter the Hunting Grounds of their own accord. Until it comes to me, and I see great Tsun on the misty horizon, beckoning me. It appears I have a choice. And then, at my side, a stranger I had not seen before. As I look into PLAYER eyes, we turn to see the same wolf who dragged away Terrfyg, and PLAYER and I draw weapons together.
...
While Vilkas was confiding, through the shadows of Jorrvaskr, I saw a newcomer approach, who wished to join our numbers. It was the stranger from my dream, the one who would stand with me against the beast.
...
In any case, I've sent Vilkas to test the newcomer. We'll see if PLAYER is truly the great warrior I dreamt of.
...
I have received few dreams over the course of my life, but when they come, I have learned to trust them. I have also learned to trust the instincts of my heart, which tells me that PLAYER can carry the Companions legacy as truly as any residing in Jorrvaskr, especially with the loss of Skjor.

Kodlak does not want to kill the dragonborn. He really wants him to take his place and cure the lycantropy of the Companions. He trusts his dreams.

[SpeedFreak1972]

tip also read kodlak's journal at the end he had a strong vision which explains some of his actions.

[Void#151625]

Originally posted by SpeedFreak1972:

tip also read kodlak's journal at the end he had a strong vision which explains some of his actions.

jupp explains his reasons behind his actions no more to say.

[provokastoras]

Interesting normally I wont read journals and such I ll give it a try this time

[alexander_dougherty]

Originally posted by provokastoras:

Interesting normally I wont read journals and such I ll give it a try this time

Read the journals, all the journals, some of them are throw away garbage I'll admit, but most of them add to the backstory of the quests. And you don't which a journal is until you've read it at least once.

[nonames]

in some books and journals you also might run into a few that give useful little tips or explain some things like for example take i don't know if this is the right name but the shadowmarks book in riften ratway gives you details of all the shadowmarks on doorways and can give you hints whether or not ther might be stuff inside the residence you might find useful or whether ther allied with the thieves guild and lots of books hold lil tips like that book. Not that i go through reading them all that be painful and boring lol but some do have useful tips.

[provokastoras]

Interesting if what the journal said was consistant though it would make more sence if he did not keep the mission a secret and if he gave you a shield brother for the quest, I mean he would want you to succeed all the more. Unless of course he is being sarcastic on the journal. Though since it supposely is his innermost thoughts and desires I will agree that the designers did not intend intrigue in this quest. Which is sad so much wasted potential :(.

[alexander_dougherty]

Originally posted by provokastoras:

Interesting if what the journal said was consistant though it would make more sence if he did not keep the mission a secret and if he gave you a shield brother for the quest, I mean he would want you to succeed all the more. Unless of course he is being sarcastic on the journal. Though since it supposely is his innermost thoughts and desires I will agree that the designers did not intend intrigue in this quest. Which is sad so much wasted potential :(.

He wanted to be cured, Aela and her friend (the one who died) did not, Farkas and his brother were undecided. Aela really likes being a Werewolf and might have inteferred if she had known, and Kodlak couldn't be sure Farkas and his brother would back him up in this matter. So he kept it all secret, and trusted the circle would agree that they should have the choice of being cured afterwards.

[Undead Rufus]

Originally posted by provokastoras:

Interesting if what the journal said was consistant though it would make more sence if he did not keep the mission a secret and if he gave you a shield brother for the quest, I mean he would want you to succeed all the more. Unless of course he is being sarcastic on the journal. Though since it supposely is his innermost thoughts and desires I will agree that the designers did not intend intrigue in this quest. Which is sad so much wasted potential :(.

There are many senseless, eyebrow-raising plot points in Skyrim. I chalk most of them up to oversight or laziness, rather than deliberate attempts by the writers to create subliminal conspiracies.

[provokastoras]

well that was the reason I was asking actually, the depth of the quest seemed to go above and beyond what you normally find in skyrim. Sad they had to add an exposition as to show it was more accident rather than design.