If necromancy is legal in Cyrodiil...

[PrinceJonathan]

Not once did Manimarco's Order attack civilians, their beef was with the Mages Guild only,

The various Necromancer NPCs have an aggression of 100, meaning they attack anyone for which they have less that a +95 disposition bonus, except when quests temporarily stop them from attacking the PC . That means everyone and every creature other than Necromancer faction, Necromancer Cult Faction, and Undead faction. If you wander by some Necromancer, inside or outside, he will attack you whether or not you are in the Mages Guild. He will attack your companions, your horses, any wandering NPCs, any Imperial Legionare, any City Guard, or Orc Adventurer, regardless of whether they are in the Mages Guild. Anyone who comes into detection range. Those coming into range are few, absent some mod that put them near necromancers or necromancers near them, but the necros are just waiting for the opportunity. For fun, get some to chase you into a town.

 

When I said they never attacked civilians I meant all the attacks by the Order of Worms in the questline were directly aimed at the Mages Guild. Your post seemed to imply Mannimarco was openly attacking towns and villages right alongside Dagon's invasion. As if Dagon, Mannimarco, and Mankar were best buds, had tea parties, and sexy pillow fights together.

 

As for their aggressive disposition, it's really just videogame logic. The game needs enemies and necromancers make good enemies. But try looking at things from a more rational point of view, as if they were real people. If you're in the Mages Guild, they hate you for being in it. If you're not in the guild, they probably hate you because you're trespassing, and they're not going to ask you kindly to leave like most NPCs because they think you'll probably inform a guard or the Mages Guild. Who will then raid their home on the flimsiest of evidence.

 

If Bethesda bothered to program a way to join the Necromancer faction, they'd probably stop attacking you. Maybe if your character could actually speak, he could say something like, "Damn it, I am not your enemy! I am an amateur necromancer myself and was hoping to use this cave as a quiet place to study."

 

Unless their minds have deteriorated from overuse of Black Soul Gems. I think I read in the lore somewhere they're unstable and tend to slowly soul trap bits and pieces of the person carrying them, not sure what effect that has on a person's mental state, but it can't be good.

 

Now if you want to explain something, explain conjurers. They're basically a pallet swap of necromancers, but there is no in-game reason (that I know of) for them to attack you. Conjuration isn't illegal or even frowned on by the guild. They're not in league with Dagon or the Mythic Dawn as far as I know. They're just out there, hiding in ruins, cavorting with deadra, and attacking any wayward adventurer who comes too close. If the answer isn't "videogame logic/game needs enemies", then I have no idea how to rationalize them.

[TheRomans]

The game indeed does not explain the wild conjurers, sort of leaving us license to explain them ourselves. Because they conjur mostly Mehrunes's beasties and a hostile to all of creation other than themselves and their minions, I imagine them to be some sort of Mehrunes Dagon Cultists, but not members of the Mythic Dawn. I call them "Dagonistas".

 

The wild conjurers have many outdoor spawn points than do the Necros (who have just Fort Linchal that I can recall) and are much more likely to encounter traveling NPCs. Never the less I have observed random encounters between Necros and other NPCs, in addition to thoses with me, companions, and Orc adventurers; when some NPCs from a mod passed within detection of Fort Linchal; and when a Necro from Linchal chasing deer stumbled upon a legion patrol; and when an NPC fleeing from beasts on the road west of Skingrad made the mistake of fleeing into Fort Istirus. In all case the Necros waged war upon the NPCs. I do not believe the timing of their attacks along with Dagon's was coincidental.

[PrinceJonathan]

The game indeed does not explain the wild conjurers, sort of leaving us license to explain them ourselves. Because they conjur mostly Mehrunes's beasties and a hostile to all of creation other than themselves and their minions, I imagine them to be some sort of Mehrunes Dagon Cultists, but not members of the Mythic Dawn. I call them "Dagonistas".

 

The wild conjurers have many outdoor spawn points than do the Necros (who have just Fort Linchal that I can recall) and are much more likely to encounter traveling NPCs. Never the less I have observed random encounters between Necros and other NPCs, in addition to thoses with me, companions, and Orc adventurers; when some NPCs from a mod passed within detection of Fort Linchal; and when a Necro from Linchal chasing deer stumbled upon a legion patrol; and when an NPC fleeing from beasts on the road west of Skingrad made the mistake of fleeing into Fort Istirus. In all case the Necros waged war upon the NPCs. I do not believe the timing of their attacks along with Dagon's was coincidental.

 

Not all daedra belong to Dagon. Daedroth for instance are usually found to serve Dagon, Molag Bal, or Malacath.

 

Spider Daedra usually serve Mephala.

 

Scamps serve a wide variety of masters like Boethiah, Mephala, Molag Bal, Namira, Periyte, and yes Dagon too.

 

The Elemental Atronachs have no connection to any Prince and serve whomever they please.

 

Those Hunger things you see all over the place in Sheogorath's realm also serve Boethia, Clavicus Vile, Mephala, Molag Bal, Namira, Sanguine.

 

And there is no timing to their attacks. They're out there in the wild, minding their own business. They are not laying siege to city walls, and only attack people who come too close like a crazy hermit in the woods with a shotgun.

Edited January 27, 2013 by PrinceJonathan

[Awevalan]

Yes...the strikingly persistent buggers are often hilarious...especially in those "whole town vs one guy/gal" situations...