Did you kill Paarthurnax?

[Cyrotek]

The problem with comparing the degree of impact in Skyrim with that of New Vegas is that in New Vegas, your actions there don't really have that dramatic an impact on the world at large. The next game could be set in France for all we know, and nothing you did in New Vegas will even be heard of over there.

Considering that the settlement of New Vegas has everything to do with how FO1 and FO2 ended im not so sure that you're right.

 

The issue isn't so much that the outcomes in FO1 and 2 didn't affect the world, its more in that only one outcome became canon. This is something of a running theme with FO games, though it may change, we don't really know.

 

TES games, however, skirt by the issue by giving you the illusion of choice, but really only giving you a single outcome. The exception, of course, is Daggerfall, and the creation of the 'Warp In the West' and the associated Dragon Break was nothing short of genious, but if they were to have a Dragon Break every time there was a choice in the game, it would seem like time was unraveling. On Dragon Break is awesome. Two, eh. Three is too much, and more is just absurd. The Civil War is pushing it, and Beth is going to have to decide who wins, one way or another, and is going to piss off those who sided with the others. Its a dangerous line. The same can be said for Paarthunax and the Blades. If Paarth dies, his supporters will be upset. If he doesn't, the Blades dies out, and ceases to become a storytelling resource (And they've pretty much always been at the core of the stories).

 

When dealing with continious story telling, too much choice isn't nessessarily a good thing.

 

I do agree though, the range of voice acting and conversational choice in NV was vastly superior to Skyrim. Even if they just put in conversational choices which are for flavor, rather than trying to throw quest info at you, it would be an improvement.

 

Guess Bethesda is just going the way they did with the last few TES games: They just take every outcome possible and mixmatch it into something no one expectet. Oh, and Parthurnaxx wont be back in any other TES game, because hes killable. Unlike the blades. If were unlucky he doesnt even gets mentioned in any book.

 

And the Civil War will probaly not have a winner either way. If you end the questline (doesnt matter which one), you just kill the Leader, but the war itsself keeps going on. I bet, in a TES6, the books will tell, that both leaders died and something else happened after that. Like the Thalmor attacked or whatever.

Edited January 2, 2012 by Cyrotek

[MasterAckrovan]

I'm really, really torn about this point in the game. I've decided to go collect all the Dragon Priest masks in the mean time while I decide what to do. The arguments for both sides are just so alluring, kudos to Bethesda, I haven't been this torn in a game in DA: O!

 

To some extent I think people need to look more closely as to the reasons provided for why Paarthurnax should be killed, because they're there just not obvious unless you pay attention. First and foremost, Paarthurnax's name in Dragon-Language translates too "Ambition Overlord Cruelty". He even states that you can't trust a Dov, so to accept blindly that all he'll do is try to teach the Dragons to be peaceful is skeptical.

 

While yes, he did live peacefully on a mountain for a couple thousand years and left the world well enough alone, if he's going to be out in the world teaching and training other dragons, there's no reason to suspect that his "internal tendencies" won't revert themselves. His ideals and beliefs in the Way of the Voice are noble but I'm afraid I don't seem them as all that practical. Put a big enough hammer in someone's hand and they will inevitably smash something with it. His comments on the ending cutscene (which I cheated a bit and looked at on youtube) I also thought was suspicious, since he seemed very intent on forcing the Dragons to listen to what he says.

 

On the flip side, he equips the player with the very weapon that can kill his far more powerful brother. If he had any intent on taking over the Dovah reintroducing the anti-Dragon weapon of doom is a big nail in his boney foot. He refuses to accept the Greybeards as his personal slaves (which he states they would be happy to do anyway). He fights against Aulduin when they player sees him on the mountain top. The proof of his good nature is certainly there. As far as the blades go, 200 years of no real purpose is long enough to bring change. It can be safe to say that the blades of TES: V are vasely different from previous games. It's only natural for change to occur, and I'm not sure I really want to support a group of warmongers, no matter how justifiable they can be. They should redirect their focus toward thwarting the Thalmor in Skyrim. (also, who the flying dovah does Delphine think she is for trying to order me around? :P Everything she says sets me up to be the leader of the Blades.)

 

Side note, the biggest flaw in this game for me (aside from the Follower system) is that the Blades aren't very fleshed out. From the moment I met Delphine I was fully expecting a "Rebuild the Blades and Eventually Lead them Quest", not give them three followers and go kill some dragons (which you run into waaaaaay too often imho).

[Hosam]

I have tried a lot of different options in this game, some of them distasteful like joining the Dark Brotherhood, but I have never killed Paarthunax and never will. Not being able to eliminate the Blades is one of my major gripes in this game (not being able to take down the Thieves Guild and Maven is another). I am also pissed I could not kick them out of the peace conference in the same manner as the Thalmor ambassador.

[drakkenfan]

I didn't kill Paarthurnax. He's one of the best characters in the game. It was such a neat surprise to find out he was a dragon. Though, in my next playthrough of the game, I suppose I'll kill him just to see what happens.

[Cyrotek]

I didn't kill Paarthurnax. He's one of the best characters in the game. It was such a neat surprise to find out he was a dragon. Though, in my next playthrough of the game, I suppose I'll kill him just to see what happens.

 

You will be dissapointet.

[Dukkah]

The Blades can eff off on this one. As much as I liked them in Oblivion, I can't bring myself to kill Paarthurnax: he's my friend. He helped me master my Thu'um, and I would never have been able to take Alduin the first time without his help. Besides, he's overcome his nature, meaning he's already reasoned that he is better off as a peaceful layabout than a conquering beast. I can respect that. :yes:

[axiler]

Nope, I killed the blades on the spot for suggesting it :tongue:

[StayFrosty05]

I can't kill Paarthurnax, as my favorite character in the game and the only one that makes any real sense in the main quest....I feel the Grey Beards are complacent, the Blades are genocidal and power hungry...Paarthunax has a much more balanced view. I would have liked to be able to tell the Blades where to get off and tell Paarthunax that I'm not going to kill him.

 

Delphine I didn't like from the moment my PC met her, she threatens him ("If I didn't like the look of you, you would be dead already"...I wish there was an option to put her in her place there)...wants him to prove himself to a complete stranger, I don't like him having to bow down to her and take her with him to kill the dragon....tells him she is there to protect and GUIDE him...O.o...,etc....it's a pity you can't circumvent the Blades to complete the main quest, all they essentially really give is knowledge that the Dragon Rend call existed, after that their pretty defunct....By the way, doesn't the 'Blades Stronghold' technically belong to the Dragon Born? That's what I was thinking anyway, as it takes the Dragonborn to enter the place in the first place....Yes, I would like to kick them out...>:-)

 

I was shocked and suprised on my first play through when the Blades first told my PC they want Paarthunax dead...aside from an immediate 'No!' I also weighed the advantages/disadvantages....came down to Dragon versus an old man and a pain in the ..... woman as an ally....it was a no brainer...:-).

[mclericp]

I liked parthumax, he is dam cool and is the only dragon who doesnt attack me(besides odahvving, but thats later on.....)

but i wanted the blades too, since i m anti-thalmor, screw those high elves who think they are the superior race(i murdered the Thalmor agent in markarth castle on the spot despite being put on 1000 bounty).

i wished there was an option, where you can lie to the blades Parthumax died, but actually u spare him. Or maybe i wish there was an option to kill esbern and delphine, take over the blades myself, and start recruiting and support the greybeards.

[Wael90]

I just got to that point. Been playing non-stop for a good amount of days and have skipped the Blades questline for too long but I finally got to that meeting. I love Paarthurnax. The guy actually lived on top of a mountain for thousands of years and GUARDED Skyrim, waiting and waiting and waiting for Alduin while also helping people with learning the Voice. Delphin should not even be in that meeting. Who even invited her? I have the blood of a dragon, does that mean I have to suicide too? Blades is a stupid name anyway. Is there no way to kill Delphin? Cause I'm sure not going to please her.

 

A few more questions, is Dark Brotherhood worthy of my presence? Cause I remember when I did the first quests for the Thieves, it kinda hurt me running around threatening people for 100 septims as I'm the kinda cool guy with good manners and ethics. Not that I don't live the Ragged Flagon, it's awesome. But what about DB? Please avoid spoilers, a simple and emphatic yes or no will do.