Elsarian Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I've already player through the game 5-6 times and know how to get each of the housecarls. This is my first run through without doing the main quest, and I really need a place to store my "stuff". I have 2 followers that help with the carrying part, but would like a house to stock pile ignots and crafting materials, since the vendors don't always have what I need. I guess I'll marry Ysolda, so I can use her house. I've acquired Drela's house, but it can get tiresome walking back and forth to Whiterun every time I need something from the store. It all adds to the alternate reality experience, and I'm not is a hurry to get anywhere, but I do like to upgrade my armor and weapons often...gives me something to look forward to. Getting "one hit" killed by bandits gets old. There's so much you miss by just fast traveling from one mission to the next. Also, kudos to the WARS IN SKYRIM mods...makes the "getting there" experience worth while. Walking through the woods with only the occasional bear or wolf attacking you can get boring. Using the WARS mod makes it seem like a real hostile environment, plus it gives you 10x the amount of "loot" you can sell. Or you can become the Thane of Markarth and get Vlindrel Hall that has good display rooms and storage, coupled with Dovahkiin hideout mod, will make a very good player home for you and whomever you marry. Right now I am living out of the house in Windhelm and using Dovahkiin hideout as a sort of basement/treasure room. I really love the mod. You should give it a try and see what you think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeremeW5257 Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 I've used the "hideout" mod in past games. It is very useful...especially when you have several houses. The Markareth house is much better, but you get a "dude" housecarl. I like using female followers...just for the "eye candy" sake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesapien Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Funny, every time I wonder "Am the only one who..." I know I'm not the only one. I've started a new character and am role playing as not knowing she's the dragonborn. So I'm not intentionally avoiding the main quest; she just hasn't stumbled upon it yet. I've no clue when she will discover this about herself. So I've got no advice about getting Lydia because such foreknowledge is difficult to RP. How do you explain that one? So, really, my advice is to stick to role playing and avoid such odd goals. Buying a house, too, would be an odd goal for my character when there are so many wonderful places outside the cities. She doesn't know there is no chance of theft in a purchased home (which wouldn't make sense to her) and even if the security were tighter she'd probably have to experience losing 5,000 coins worth of stuff before even considering it. So far, she's lost nothing. Then, again, she's not one to horde stuff anyway. Maybe when she's ready to marry and have kids, if that ever happens! But, still, Lydia??? Why Lydia? Even if you're looking for a female companion, Lydia? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeremeW5257 Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 The reason for Lydia is mainly because I like the follower dialogue that the housecarls have...referring to you as Thane. It makes it seem more like a military relationship. The other reason for Lydia is you get her relatively easy. To get Jordis or Iona, you have to "discover" Riften and Solitude, which can take a while if you don't fast travel. Then you have do to several "Thane" quests which also takes a while without fast traveling. I use a lot of mods so the vanilla Lydia is nothing like "my" Lydia. Once I acquire her, I use the NPC editor to advance her skills, give her spells, and use the jiggly boob mods to make he fun to look at while adventuring. You can only take the "alternate reality" version so far. You end up doing the same quests, and it seems like the same game...unless you just stay in the wilderness, killing bandits and taking loot. Eventually you have to "go to town" to sell your stuff, upgrade weapons and armor, and somewhat interact with society. Even though your character is "just off the boat", you still have the goal to survive...acquire shelter, weapons, money...blend into society. The game is "open world", but not "open ended". Until the CK is released, you can't open a store, start up a faction, take over a City and make yourself Jarl. If you just get married and stayed home, it would be a pretty boring game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesapien Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Ah, but I'm not playing the alternate reality version, really. I'm just role-playing as if my character is unaware of what I'm aware of. She just doesn't know yet that she's dragonborn. In the beginning, when so and so said it's best we go our separate ways, that's what she did. Later, when she tried to approach Whiterun, the guards used dragons as an excuse to keep her out, so she used a dragon as a reason to let her in, pretending she actually had something new to add for these folk who already knew about the dragon attack. It's not like Whiterun was new to her (a Nord) anyway. Whiterun has always been her favorite trading center of Skyrim. Why assume my character avoids towns? She loves both, enjoys it all. Everything about Skyrim is exactly why she has returned to her home. I think this makes her into the person and reason why she is the dragonborn, destined to save Skyrim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZombieKittenss Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 I've played the normal version a couple of times and now have moved on to an alternate reality experience. The main quest line is disabled and there are no dragons. To increase the immersion, I'm not fast traveling...which I thought would make for a boring game, but it actually makes it a lot better. My question is this...how do you become Thane of Whiterun without the main quest line? You are granted the title after defeating the dragon that attacked the city. I don't care about the title, but I want Lydia as a follower. I can spawn here with console commands, but I'm trying to play the game without console cheats...which is tempting, but rewarding. Anyone else experience this situation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZombieKittenss Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Alright I know this is late but I was trying to figure it out and I got it. For you to get the main quest line you need to travel to Helgen. Upon discovery it gives you the quest unbound. Then you can go from there. Your welcome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloudyroach Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 I don't think there is an alt to using console commands for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kutsuumugen Posted January 10, 2017 Share Posted January 10, 2017 You can become thane of Whiterun without the main quest line but you have to help the stormcloaks take Whiterun first. Then go to the new Jarl and get the quest to become a thane from him. EDIT: After testing, I realize I was wrong. You have to get through at least killing the dragon at the Western Watchtower for this to work. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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