Which quests have you tried to avoid?

[Elaini]

And which ones did you end up doing anyway?

Thieves Guild questline - I have "Destroy Thieves Guild" mod for this anyway.

Dark Brotherhood - Tried it, but I found it disgusting so never again.

Companions - The only way to keep doing questline is to have lycanthropy forced upon you with no promise of cure in that point (though there is and it's a slow process). Not even the Volkihar vampires do that. I did complete it eventually.

Namira's coven - I found it utterly disgusting at first (the hint that my character was ever a cannibal), until I found out that I can use the priest of Arkay as a bait to kill all the cannibals.

Molag Bal's quest - I wasn't willing to kill the priest of Boethiah first until I found out that Boethiah (Yes, I know that the Dunmer worship her!) and Molag Bal are actually both bad guys... well, anything to get that annoying Vigilant to stop bothering me at Markarth all the time.

[gnewna]

As far as Tyranus goes, I usually just walk up the other side of the stream, out of range of his force-greet radius. Though it does get a bit weird when, months later, he's still there... Namira's coven's a good way to charge up the Ebony Blade if you've already done the favour quests for the coven members that have them...

[Valden21]

I avoid the House of Horrors quest like the plague, even going so far as to travel to Markarth's front gates via following the river. Even if I mess up and get caught up in a conversation with that Vigilant, I simply lie through my teeth and tell him I haven't heard anything. Morrowind and Oblivion made me mad enough at Molag Bal to not want anything to do with him.

[Melletch]

Daedric Quests? Why I hate those very badly. I have tried making some of the preliminary cells for a Rival Assassin Guild to the DB, and one mod which will allow you to have Grelod deservingly, justly arrested or exiled without giving her soul to a demon. The DB is well-written and made, well told, but is not a good story to tell.

I wish I knew about how far that quest could go with Namira without sacrificing the Priest. Because only through a glitch on the Xbox did I find out one of the members of the coven in Markarth and killed her. I just killed the first cannibal after clearing out the Draugr and was pleased with the journal entry after the Failed Questline. I did think it implied I had, in fact, eaten someone, the very first time playing and encountering her. After so long, I figured out it was just her word trying to convince me and believing that was the answer to why we showed up. According to the weightless rules of the Dragonbreak, anything you decieded right there may be true. But my Orc just told them off that Orcs really were not cannibals.

I just ran into the lycanthropy problem, looked for a workaround, found none, want a mod now. And from an earlier playthrough I roleplayed it was my final angry decision to do it to end Aela and Skjorr's Underforge Ceremonies without Kodlak's knowledge and find a cure for him as a part of the curse. I also had just seen a lot of werewolf oppression in Falkreath, so that is my rp cover for now.

When I chose a werewolf the first time, though, I liked it for everything in the story except for the demons. As a werewol, I supported Kodlak and like the end of the questline revolving around Tamrielic afterlives.

I wish you could escape that House in Markarth, so I rarely go in just to say no.

Generally, demons in Skyrim can be at the horror level, like in Markarth or the DB. They are repulsive, but I know some people think they are funny. From what I can tell, however, dark humor is not a real quality of good story. It seems more like the creation of a darkness one likes to mock. Its not even a joke, its mockery, which usually hurts enjoyment and understanding of a story. Although there are some general slight jokes in those Daedric Quests, but those are very mild if funny.

The theology of Tamriel is kinda nice with Talos, spirits, and the Dragons, Aedra/Daedra division, etc. But the actual demons who create "change" don't always make the right kind, even in evil. There are some things which bring down The Elder Scrolls...Peg 'em!

[Belanos]

Originally posted by Elaini:

Companions - The only way to keep doing questline is to have lycanthropy forced upon you with no promise of cure in that point (though there is and it's a slow process). Not even the Volkihar vampires do that. I did complete it eventually.

Yes, I've avoided that one. I have absolutely no interest in becoming a werewolf, even if it will be a temporary situation. I thought Bethesda did a poor job of that quest line, they should have given the player more of an option and at least kept the radiant quests happening if you decline. But the whole Companions thing just stops dead at that point.

Another quest along those lines that I want to avoid is the one where you end up with the cursed Ring of Hircine. Again, I have no intention of being a werewolf, regardless of whether it's a permanent condition or not.

[gnewna]

You might like the ESF - Companions mod on the Nexus, it offers an alternative to going full werewolf - I've got chronic restarteritis and am not a huge fan of warriors so I've never yet got to that point in the mod, but by all accounts, it does handle it pretty well (and you get the option of taking the Beast Blood later if you change your mind, I think, unless Aela is cured, of course.) It also lets you customise how many radiant quests you need to do before and between the main stages (i.e. before your Trial, joining the Circle etc) and also allows you to tweak a few other settings such as whether TG members can join.

[Belanos]

Originally posted by gnewna:

You might like the ESF - Companions mod on the Nexus, it offers an alternative to going full werewolf - I've got chronic restarteritis and am not a huge fan of warriors so I've never yet got to that point in the mod, but by all accounts, it does handle it pretty well (and you get the option of taking the Beast Blood later if you change your mind, I think, unless Aela is cured, of course.) It also lets you customise how many radiant quests you need to do before and between the main stages (i.e. before your Trial, joining the Circle etc) and also allows you to tweak a few other settings such as whether TG members can join.

Thanks for that, I'll definitely look into it. I came across one like that for the Thieves Guild as well. You won't be approached by what's his name unless you've picked so many pockets and stolen so many items. I don't really have any interest in becoming a Thief either, so that mod works nicely for me.

PS: So I looked into that mod but unfortunately the full version, which has the option of whether to become a Werewolf or not, relies on silent dialogue. Since I prefer to play with onscreen dialogue turned off, that's not really an option for me. At least though I can use the increased requirements option. I thought it was a bit silly that sometimes you only need to brawl with someone in order to advance in the guild.

[chrisnc35]

I always avoid the civil war questline, never done it at all on computer or console. Don't care to. I don't care if the Stormcloaks or Imperials are at war, since I was captured for an unknown reason at a border, just to satisfy the games direction.

Also depends on the toon I have. If I have a non-mage like toon, then I will not do the college of winterhold quests.

[VILLAGE PILLAGE ⊕]

Originally posted by Elaini:

And which ones did you end up doing anyway?

Thieves Guild questline - I have "Destroy Thieves Guild" mod for this anyway.

Dark Brotherhood - Tried it, but I found it disgusting so never again.

Companions - The only way to keep doing questline is to have lycanthropy forced upon you with no promise of cure in that point (though there is and it's a slow process). Not even the Volkihar vampires do that. I did complete it eventually.

Namira's coven - I found it utterly disgusting at first (the hint that my character was ever a cannibal), until I found out that I can use the priest of Arkay as a bait to kill all the cannibals.

Molag Bal's quest - I wasn't willing to kill the priest of Boethiah first until I found out that Boethiah (Yes, I know that the Dunmer worship her!) and Molag Bal are actually both bad guys... well, anything to get that annoying Vigilant to stop bothering me at Markarth all the time.

Namira s' coven is really useful if you are playing a rude , dragonbone-dressed-only , 2hander , barbarian , smith old orc.

[Melletch]

Oh, wait! I just looked up the Wikipedia definition of Dark humor. I'm right, as the term was coined by a Breton (Andre Breton)! LOL! Ironic, given the close relation between Bretons and Forsworn and our abhorrence for the House of Horrors in Markarth. According to the wiki article, he credited Jonathan Swift as the inventor of black (dark) humor and gallows humor, and quoted 45 other writers too.

Hmm...Much of this has citations needed on it (according to whoever put the requests in), and is an article tagged for its lack of neutrality, sounding like an ad for it, and is subjective without providing real information, according to the banners.

It says there are times where the joke comes from wit by the victim, and wit to mock the victim. Also, it mentions how it can be used to sympathize with the victimizer. It says it is used to discuss "taboo" or controversial issues at times by making light of it and providing discomfort. Yeah, mockery does not make a good tool for understanding.

It is stated as being a part of the grotesque genre, so whatever value from what I am reading is not really a good or rational kind. Mockery hurts, not promotes, enjoyment with story. This seems like an inverted view of the reality of the disgusting thing which is going on. I can almost get comedic relief (Though I don't think that is what a joke is or does), if you believe in having that around dark or intense parts of a story. But this sounds more like creating a false humor to twist the sense of what clearly is the wrong kind of darkness for anyone.

[Elaini]

Originally posted by Belanos:

Originally posted by Elaini:

Companions - The only way to keep doing questline is to have lycanthropy forced upon you with no promise of cure in that point (though there is and it's a slow process). Not even the Volkihar vampires do that. I did complete it eventually.

Yes, I've avoided that one. I have absolutely no interest in becoming a werewolf, even if it will be a temporary situation. I thought Bethesda did a poor job of that quest line, they should have given the player more of an option and at least kept the radiant quests happening if you decline. But the whole Companions thing just stops dead at that point.

And also, there was no point whatsoever to have lycanthropy in the questline in the first place. Even Aela says that it means nothing if you don't choose to use it. And you never need to use the beast form either, to complete the whole questline. Except in the run though Whiterun and waking up naked in the middle of nowhere for Aela to admire.

Beastblood requirement for the "Circle" was Skjor's idea in my point of view. He wasn't the Harbinger, and the Harbinger wanted rid of the beastblood. I wish there was a way to report to Kodlak what Skjor was doing.

The only "benefit" lycanthropy gives you is some extra ways to kill with stealth if you choose to enter Dark Brotherhood, and being welcomed to a small pack of werevolves in Solstheim. But that's about it.

Edit: Thanks for telling about the mod gnewna.

[Melletch]

Actually, I overheard Kodlak earlier in my play today even, and he said to not worry about joining the Circle to someone. I could get his modesty and wish for the Circle to be his advisors, and he the Companions' guide as Harbinger. But from how he avoids making new members for the Circle, even towards you directly, it appears the positions of leadership are considered more than the Council of the Companions by Kodlak himself. It seems he thinks the Circle belongs to werewolves only, leaders or not of the Companions. That would allow them to discuss and deal with their own lycanthropy as an exclusive group officially. Whether it is neccessary, the Circle definitely gives every sign of just being the sect of the Companions for werewolves only, and the likelihood is that always the original purpose of the Circle. Before Kodlak's time, all leaders had to be werewolves. And he is the Harbinger trying to end the line in his lifetime.

And I enjoy playing werewolf, given the powerful and cool medieval monster you can be. But I don't always want to be a Companion or warrior, or warrior who is a werewolf most of the time anyway.

I was shocked when I finally played not to be a werewolf. Its like joining the College of Winterhold to find the Elder Scroll scholar, joining the Thieves Guild to get a Blade, and killing Grelod just to kill the DB. They force you to do things that just should have been simple RP choices to begin with. And you can kill the DB, but never stop the Thieves Guild in spite of Mjoll the Lioness being an obvious Questline to the player to do so when you first enter the gates of Riften. Its like Markarth's Questline, the Companions' in front of Whiterun, the Ala'kir inside Whiterun's gates again, Morthal's Main Questline right in the middle of town at the very beginning. But no Mjoll Questline to take down the Black-Briars or Thieves Guild when you figure it in your head.

[Elaini]

Originally posted by S+W | Melletch:

Its like joining the College of Winterhold to find the Elder Scroll scholar...

Actually it's not necessary. You can simple "stumble" across (navigate yourself to) Septimus' outpost for whatever reason, and he'll explain you what you need to do. Same goes with the Moth Priest in Dawnguard. Just go to find the destroyed horse cart south of Dragon Bridge, examine the vampire corpse and voilá, you're in the right track. No need to even stop by in any inns.

In both cases, talking to Urag can be avoided in 100% Vanilla. They just won't tell you that.

Originally posted by S+W | Melletch:

But no Mjoll Questline to take down the Black-Briars or Thieves Guild when you figure it in your head.

Download "Destroy Thieves Guild!" mod from Nexus. If you finish the questline (confront Maven) when Riften is under Imperial rule, though, it will change the city back into the Stormcloak rule.

[kdodds]

Pelagius Wing. I can't stand Sheogorath. Also, the Namira's Ring quest because Ew.

[Lampros]

Originally posted by Elaini:

And which ones did you end up doing anyway?

Thieves Guild questline - I have "Destroy Thieves Guild" mod for this anyway.

Dark Brotherhood - Tried it, but I found it disgusting so never again.

Companions - The only way to keep doing questline is to have lycanthropy forced upon you with no promise of cure in that point (though there is and it's a slow process). Not even the Volkihar vampires do that. I did complete it eventually.

Namira's coven - I found it utterly disgusting at first (the hint that my character was ever a cannibal), until I found out that I can use the priest of Arkay as a bait to kill all the cannibals.

Molag Bal's quest - I wasn't willing to kill the priest of Boethiah first until I found out that Boethiah (Yes, I know that the Dunmer worship her!) and Molag Bal are actually both bad guys... well, anything to get that annoying Vigilant to stop bothering me at Markarth all the time.

I don't mind doing the Thieves Guild quests, but otherwise it looks like we have similar RP tastes. I actually joined Dark Brotherhood solely to destroy it, and I didn't do the "evil" Daedric artifact quests except Ebony armor (only because I play a sneak character and I wanted that armor on my followers who were only proficient in heavy armor).

[Elaini]

Originally posted by kdodds:

Pelagius Wing. I can't stand Sheogorath. Also, the Namira's Ring quest because Ew.

The Sheogorath quest left me confused. Same thing with Sanguine quest.

Actually when once I was doing the Sanguine quest, my Dragonborn was married to Ysolda. Talk about an awkward situation. Suddenly Ysolda's words got an ICY feel to them. "You fell in love with that hagraven? Whatever."