Random hostile npcs

[roy2x]

What is the deal with the random hostile nords, bretons, orcs or whatever other race that just run up to you and fight. I can understand assassins and hired thugs wanting a piece of me but these guys have nothing on them or about them that explains their hostility.

[alexander_dougherty]

Either you have a bounty, or the game thinks you do (it's an odd bug where NPCs react to a bounty you don't have and therefore can't clear). Try punching a guard in the affected hold, and sheathing you weapons, you will have to pay a fine, but it should clear any bounty (whether it exists or not)

[roy2x]

I see, so its the bounty. Is it a bug or just oversight that they are not named bounty hunters because those already exist in the game. I guess I can understand normal people trying for your head is believable too when you can get bounty notices from taverns very easily.

[alexander_dougherty]

It's a bit of a bug, it should be the guards that go after you, but it's well known for random NPCs to do it.

Try the fix I posted, it works far more often than not, and short of loading an earlier save, there aren't any alternatives sadly.

[roy2x]

Ahh I meant the random npc encounters.

[alexander_dougherty]

Originally posted by roy2x:

Ahh I meant the random npc encounters.

Oh those.....
Sorry, wrong end of the stick.

Those are the NPCs who you could have chosen at the beginning but didn't, they exist as a sort tongue in cheek easteregg, trying to kill your current character so you will pick them for the next playthrough....

Unless you mean the thieves and assassins, which are advertisements for the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood, just as the random fighting mages are advertisements for the Mages college (only unlike the assassins and thieves won't back off once you join)

[roy2x]

Originally posted by alexander_dougherty:

Oh those.....
Sorry, wrong end of the stick.

Those are the NPCs who you could have chosen at the beginning but didn't, they exist as a sort tongue in cheek easteregg, trying to kill your current character so you will pick them for the next playthrough....

Thats neat. Thanks for explaining.

[dolmore]

There are random encounters with hostile NPCs in the Skyrim world that have nothing to do with bounties or companions or factions. Just the occasional wandering bully, self-described badass, etc. You're like the top gunslinger that every wannabe is looking to take on.

[Ihateeverybody]

Originally posted by alexander_dougherty:

Originally posted by roy2x:

Ahh I meant the random npc encounters.

Oh those.....
Sorry, wrong end of the stick.

Those are the NPCs who you could have chosen at the beginning but didn't, they exist as a sort tongue in cheek easteregg, trying to kill your current character so you will pick them for the next playthrough....

That is actually a compelling interpretation of those encounters. I like it.

[Astrylan]

Sometimes a Khajiit addicted to skooma will attempt to mug you too. Not that they ever have a weapon or armor. Meaning even a character who just came out of Helgen can beat him off if it somehow managed to trigger on the way down the mountain or on the way to whiterun.

[peppermint hollows]

Originally posted by Astrylan:

Sometimes a Khajiit addicted to skooma will attempt to mug you too. Not that they ever have a weapon or armor. Meaning even a character who just came out of Helgen can beat him off if it somehow managed to trigger on the way down the mountain or on the way to whiterun.

A character who just came out of Helgen can what now?

[Roaming Zombie]

Originally posted by roy2x:

Originally posted by alexander_dougherty:

Oh those.....
Sorry, wrong end of the stick.

Those are the NPCs who you could have chosen at the beginning but didn't, they exist as a sort tongue in cheek easteregg, trying to kill your current character so you will pick them for the next playthrough....

Thats neat. Thanks for explaining.

And also completely made up.

[alexander_dougherty]

Originally posted by Roaming Zombie:

Originally posted by roy2x:

Thats neat. Thanks for explaining.

And also completely made up.

Maybe, but not by me, I read it in another thread last year, and I liked it.....
It beats "they are just random NPCs who attack you for no reason" which is the only alternative

[smr1957]

Originally posted by alexander_dougherty:

Originally posted by Roaming Zombie:

And also completely made up.

Maybe, but not by me, I read it in another thread last year, and I liked it.....
It beats "they are just random NPCs who attack you for no reason" which is the only alternative

Well, you should state it as being a joke - because it is not the reason for those encounters - and spreading misinformation - no matter how amusing the misinformation may be, is not something that should be done - we have enough unreliable people doing that. Now, I happen to think it is amusing as well, but that does not mean it should be posted in lieu of the actual answer.

As concerns those encounters - yes, they are just encounters that occur at encounter spawn points - the type of encounter is generated from a list of potential encounter types.