VDantes Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 I have pondered the implications of having my soul allegedly owned by so many Daedric Lords, and the only thing that makes sense to me is that the Daedra might not have the actual power to collect them as they claim. They are a tricksy bunch, and maybe the only way they can get your soul is by convincing you that they will own it if you do their bidding. Perhaps they only own your soul if you believe they do. They certainly operate through constant betrayals and lies, perhaps they can be lied to as well, and there is no binding contract for the ownership of the soul. Just a rouse to get us to give up the goods and think that we have no choice once we have "committed." Given how much elaboration the writers put into the story of the world, I just can't believe that this conundrum is an oversight that they never considered. I think they left it open to interpretation, like so many other things in the game, to encourage us to wonder and do exactly what we are doing now. Additionally, I think it is pretty silly to complain about the potential soul selling in regards to the artifacts, as the "dealing with the devil" aspect is one of the biggest things that makes the items so intriguing. It's not like they are the best weapons in the game or are needed to complete any other quests. You don't need them and you don't have to do the quests. To remove any potential eternal consequences from them would be to remove most of the moral dilemmas in the game. The ethical conflict should make the game feel more like real life. Everything shouldn't be easy to choose and without any strings. Many of the complainers in this thread have whined that they didn't like the soul contracts, but wanted there to be more consequences. That's contradictory. I think it is far better to have unforeseeable and unknown consequences that our character must speculate upon for the rest of their lives rather than have in-game alienation from certain factions. The former is thought provoking and the latter is game experience limiting. Part of me wishes that I could use the Ebony Blade more without having to murder my friends because I miss the Daikatanas from Morrowind and I just love that kind of sword. But the moral dilemmas I've been going through are incredible and heart wrenching. I am constantly trying to convince myself to not kill anyone with it and to leave it at home but finding myself unable to put the sword down because I might make friends with someone I might dislike. I then reflect on the act of making friends with the intent of killing them and become horrified at the implications. It is awesome. Most of the moral dilemmas given to us by games are fairly easy to work through. There are so many ways to get away with being caught doing most bad things. But this sword makes the victim apathetic to their own murder and demands the blood of people who like and trust you. You are guaranteed to get away with it with no punishment other than the knowledge of what you have done that will either haunt you or make you into an inhuman psycho killer. THAT is diabolical. I could cheat and resurrect the NPC friends I'd kill, but that would cheapen the experience. I'm just going to wait for a mod that puts Daikatantas back in the game and continue to wrestle with the urge to hide the sword in a barrel so that I don't see it on the wall and give in to the temptation. As for whining about Nocturnal, that also seems pretty silly as the obligations have to be the least demanding of any religion ever. You "worship" her by doing whatever you want. You are told you have to pay for it in the afterlife, but I'm not buying that. You shouldn't believe everything you are told by a morally ambiguous double dealing voice who is beyond conventional mortal notions of good and bad. None of them are omnipotent, nor are they omnipresent, nor are they omniscient. If beings who lie constantly tell you something that is impossible, then it is almost certainly a lie. The reason they get so much entertainment out of us mortals is because we are so ready to believe the things they tells us. Play the player, take their shiny sticks and promise each everything you've got, let them argue about who gets the soul while you run off to do as you please. Plus they are not likely to even ever see you soul shed the mortal coil anyway as the player characters in these games have a tendency to end up immortal eventually anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginnyfizz Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Play the player, take their shiny sticks and promise each everything you've got, let them argue about who gets the soul while you run off to do as you please. Plus they are not likely to even ever see you soul shed the mortal coil anyway as the player characters in these games have a tendency to end up immortal eventually anyway. >This<. I could not put it better myself. And Skeleton Key, why do some posters think that they need this so much? My devious little Breton says call yourselves thieves, if you need that thing to pick locks? Methinks some folks need to visit the Lockpicking trainers more often! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marharth Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 @the opThe dark brotherhood is a religious organization, what did you expect? @everyone talking about where your soul goes1. Sithis above all else. If you serve the DB your soul will instantly go to Sithis, no exceptions.2. Daedra. They will either argue, you will go to the most powerful Daedra, or you will go to the one you serve the most. Daedra are more powerful then Aedra.3. Any Aedric realms. This includes Soverngarde (it has a link to Talos.) Your soul will go to one of them. It is out of the question to say that you will be immortal, there is no evidence of that unless there will be a future DLC like the shivering isles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatalmasterpiece Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Op, so why didn't you just keep the skeleton key, make your fortune and move on? No one forced you to finish the quest and you could have gotten all that money if that is all that really matters to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelTorme Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Agreeing with you with respect to the Thieves Guild -- there really should be a satisfying and secular ending to that quest line. I can't agree with you on the Dark Brotherhood, of course, because its background has always been entangled with the Night Mother, even as far back as Daggerfall (she looked a bit better in those days). In terms of Guild mechanics, what is far more bothersome to me is the fact that a warrior who knows a cantrip or two can very easily become Archmage, and will arguably have an easier time of it than an actual mage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntsman2310 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 I don't think of the Dragonborn's obligations to the various Daedra and Nightmother as worshipping. I think its more of a mutually beneficial agreement, similar to whats happened many times in the past with other Adventurers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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