"You were trying to cross the border."

[Relativelybest]

So, more or less the first thing that happens when you start a new game is Ralof turning to you and saying: "You were trying to cross the border and walked right into that imperial ambush."

 

...Does anyone else think that's an oddly precise thing to say when "you walked right into that imperial ambush" would have been enough to set up the situation? That firmly establishes that no matter what kind of character you chose to play, you were captured while trying to cross a border, and that brings up a couple of questions:

 

1: Which border were you trying to cross? Were you heading into Cyrodiil? Or Hammerfell, same as Lokir?

 

2: More importantly, why were you trying to cross the border? Were you wanted by the law? If you played a native Nord, were you trying to escape the civil war? Or were you just a traveller trying to be on our way? If so, why the heck do you spend the rest of the game running all over Skyrim? Why did our characters suddenly change their minds about leaving the country? After a near beheading and a very hostile dragon encounter, no less.

 

I guess it would make the most sense if you were crossing the border into Skyrim, because that explains why you seem to know nothing about the place. But that's not just an attempt; clearly you were very successful, so it's weird Ralof would word it like that as opposed to "you had just crossed the border" or something.

 

I dunno. Any theories about this?

[sajuukkhar9000]

You were crossing the border from Cyrodill into Skyrim, Lokir was trying to steal horse near the Cyrod/Skyrim border to use it to get to Hammerfell.

 

 

As for the why, it is because you as the Dovahkiin were destiny bound to be there when Alduin returned, it was fate itself, the machinations of the 8 gods and the missing 9th who has taken the form of Talos.

 

 

Lorkhan who is Akatosh, wearing the mask of his father Sithis, and his reincarnation Talos, would not let his puppet be missing for his own play.

Edited June 15, 2012 by sajuukkhar9000

[landy8]

I always thought that PC was entering Skyrim, not leaving. So I agree with sajuukkhar9000.

 

Besides, the charatcer entering the province in the beginning of the game is an old Bethesda tradition.

[BrettM]

I, too, had always assumed my character was caught while entering Skyrim. Every character can have his/her own backstory about why they were doing this: fleeing persecution in Valenwood, driven by some vision to seek destiny in Skyrim, passing through on the way to Hammerfell, etc.

 

It does raise a couple of questions, though. For one thing, the ambush was said to have taken place at Darkwater Crossing, which isn't exactly snug up against any border. For another, even a Nord character seems to be regarded by various NPCs as a foreigner.

[fraquar]

Where you were captured was outside Darkwater Crossing, so it's likely you were either going to or leaving Eastmarch. Where you were headed is uncertain.

[BrettM]

Where you were captured was outside Darkwater Crossing, so it's likely you were either going to or leaving Eastmarch. Where you were headed is uncertain.

Ouch. Now that you point out that Ralof meant "Eastmarch border" instead of "Skyrim border", it seems obvious. And I feel like an idiot for missing it. :)

[sajuukkhar9000]

Where you were captured was outside Darkwater Crossing, so it's likely you were either going to or leaving Eastmarch. Where you were headed is uncertain.

Where does it say anywhere that you were captures outside darkwater crossing?

 

the place the opening beings is literally stones throw away from the gate that leads to Cyrodill, that is far morel ikely.

[fraquar]

In the carriage ride, Ralof tells you we were captured in an ambush outside Darkwater Crossing - it's like they knew exactly where we'd be.

[kevkiev]

...the ambush was said to have taken place at Darkwater Crossing, which isn't exactly snug up against any border.

 

The ambush having taken place at Darkwater Crossing is something I've always had trouble figuring out. Kind of an odd location to tie into the idea that my char was caught trying to cross the border.

 

edit: just checked my handy hardcopy map - oh, I get it, the Eastmarch border. (So much for reading prior posts :tongue:) But wait, that get's me sentenced to beheading?!

Edited June 15, 2012 by kevkiev

[fraquar]

It is a weird location for an ambush though, since it basically borders The Rift, a Stormcloak friendly hold. Seriously, Darkwater Crossing isn't very far from Windhelm proper.

 

Seems like either Ralof failed Skyrim Geography 101 or there is a pocket of Imperial sympathizers in that area that need to be rooted out.