Roleplaying » Discussions

Quirks, Ticks and Habits

• Chronicler

  

  Member
   

  November 29, 2014

  My Altmer Alcarien was a scholar, and not native to Skyrim, so he spent a lot of time getting to know the land. He would explore cities, talk to most storekeepers, see the sights... Also, he liked to collect books and, once he found a safe home to live in, would keep them organized and read before bed most nights.

  My Altmer Alcarien was a scholar, and not native to Skyrim, so he spent a lot of time getting to know the land. He would explore cities, talk to most storekeepers, see the sights... Also, he liked to collect books and, once he found a safe home to live in, would keep them organized and read before bed most nights.

• Big Blind Max

  

  Member
   

  November 29, 2014

  My Nord assassin always dropped a flower on the bodies of bandit chiefs and assassination targets as a calling card and a way of saying "sorry, nothing personal sir/ma'am." On the other hand, my 'feral Orc' has taken to collecting the enemy helmets. 0_o

  My Nord assassin always dropped a flower on the bodies of bandit chiefs and assassination targets as a calling card and a way of saying "sorry, nothing personal sir/ma'am." On the other hand, my 'feral Orc' has taken to collecting the enemy helmets. 0_o
• Andy M

  

  Member
   

  December 9, 2014

  Quite a few quirks I can think of that I've used, here's some:

  - A crusader who...

  • burns (=throws into a bonfire) or throws into a lake all conjuration and illusion spelltomes he happens to discover
  • brings all filled black soul gems to priests of Arkay, so they can release the poor souls in them
  • chugs all empty black soul gems into lakes or rivers

  - A necromancer whose field of study resulted of her losing a baby at young age --> always has time to play with the children in the streets, gives them coin and chats with them whenever possible

  - A knight who...

  • does not kill enemies that surrender (walks away until enemies lose her)
  • puts his (and the opponents') weapons away when an enemy has been disarmed --> fistfight and hilarity ensues

  - Other quirks not particularly related to character types include:

  • mortal fear of magic potions (cures diseases by chewing hawk feathers)
  • crippled left hand; cannot block or wield a weapon in the off-hand
  • agoraphobia; has to skirt around the edges of really large clearings or, as is the case with most of the area around Whiterun, either have a friend along or some Alto Wine for comfort and/or distraction
  • drops a wheel of cheese on the doorstep of every single successfully burglared house and/or reverse-pickpockets some cheese on most people from whom he pickpockets something (#hailsheogorath)
  • Appendage assimilation; has to wear full cover of either hands or feet when in view of others - otherwise they might discover that one of their appendages has become cheese as a result of sheogorath worship (actually the one I have used was that a hand had become badly scarred during the reconstruction of mehrunes razor, forcing the character to hide it, but the sheogorath example is way more amusing)

  Seriously, every single character I have ever played has had at least one quirk or something like it. So, if someone lacks inspiration on how to come up with quirks for their character, feel free to elaborate on the character - I can definitely find something weird for them to do!

  Quite a few quirks I can think of that I've used, here's some:

  - A crusader who...

  • burns (=throws into a bonfire) or throws into a lake all conjuration and illusion spelltomes he happens to discover
  • brings all filled black soul gems to priests of Arkay, so they can release the poor souls in them
  • chugs all empty black soul gems into lakes or rivers

  - A necromancer whose field of study resulted of her losing a baby at young age --> always has time to play with the children in the streets, gives them coin and chats with them whenever possible

  - A knight who...

  • does not kill enemies that surrender (walks away until enemies lose her)
  • puts his (and the opponents') weapons away when an enemy has been disarmed --> fistfight and hilarity ensues

  - Other quirks not particularly related to character types include:

  • mortal fear of magic potions (cures diseases by chewing hawk feathers)
  • crippled left hand; cannot block or wield a weapon in the off-hand
  • agoraphobia; has to skirt around the edges of really large clearings or, as is the case with most of the area around Whiterun, either have a friend along or some Alto Wine for comfort and/or distraction
  • drops a wheel of cheese on the doorstep of every single successfully burglared house and/or reverse-pickpockets some cheese on most people from whom he pickpockets something (#hailsheogorath)
  • Appendage assimilation; has to wear full cover of either hands or feet when in view of others - otherwise they might discover that one of their appendages has become cheese as a result of sheogorath worship (actually the one I have used was that a hand had become badly scarred during the reconstruction of mehrunes razor, forcing the character to hide it, but the sheogorath example is way more amusing)

  Seriously, every single character I have ever played has had at least one quirk or something like it. So, if someone lacks inspiration on how to come up with quirks for their character, feel free to elaborate on the character - I can definitely find something weird for them to do!

• Borommakot

  

  Member
   

  December 9, 2014

  Great list!

  Great list!
• Andy M

  

  Member
   

  December 10, 2014

  Great that you liked it Tell me if you want more examples Like I said, when it comes to roleplaying I tend to emphasize quirks a little.

  Great that you liked it Tell me if you want more examples Like I said, when it comes to roleplaying I tend to emphasize quirks a little.

• Steve Underwood

  

  Member
   

  April 21, 2015

  I have an orc that started first as a joke character but quickly became one of my favorites. "Bluud gro-Krush" has the habit of using the blood of his defeated enemies to dye his hair and beard, a habit he started as a brigand in the mountains between Hammerfell and Cyrodil. Later he continued to do so when he became an arena fighter to help keep up the 'savage' image and dishearten his foes. A joke Imperial I had in Oblivion would steal pants and nothing else.

  Several of my characters over the games have taken a theme from their race and fine tuned it, such as a thieving Khajiit who only steals from high-profile places like palaces and upper-class homes, or a Breton who specializes in summoning. You can also try this for their regional origins, especially if they are a traveler which would bring a certain bit of outside perspective to the overall experience, i.e. the Redguard's who are searching for one of their own side quest.

  I have an orc that started first as a joke character but quickly became one of my favorites. "Bluud gro-Krush" has the habit of using the blood of his defeated enemies to dye his hair and beard, a habit he started as a brigand in the mountains between Hammerfell and Cyrodil. Later he continued to do so when he became an arena fighter to help keep up the 'savage' image and dishearten his foes. A joke Imperial I had in Oblivion would steal pants and nothing else.

  Several of my characters over the games have taken a theme from their race and fine tuned it, such as a thieving Khajiit who only steals from high-profile places like palaces and upper-class homes, or a Breton who specializes in summoning. You can also try this for their regional origins, especially if they are a traveler which would bring a certain bit of outside perspective to the overall experience, i.e. the Redguard's who are searching for one of their own side quest.

• Steve Underwood

  

  Member
   

  April 21, 2015

  You can also look for roleplay mods. I like immersive mods, such as one which make auroras give off light, and therefore makes sneaking more difficult. A few examples follow, though I'm afraid I don't remember the names. They should all be on the Steam workshop.

  Another I have effects werewolf characters. When you gain lycnthropy, normal wolves and werewolves won't attack you.

  There are also mods which add lanterns at bridges, which not only makes them easier to see, but adds the feel of regular patrols by guards as they would be lit at dusk and snuffed at dawn.

  Mods for armor apearances, such as 'dark thalmor armor' makes Thalmor troops' elven armor take on the coloration of Thalmor robes, setting them apart from standard elven armor. Others change The Companions' armor into a non-rusted variant of the draugr armor, showing their ties to their ancient Nord roots.

  You can also look for roleplay mods. I like immersive mods, such as one which make auroras give off light, and therefore makes sneaking more difficult. A few examples follow, though I'm afraid I don't remember the names. They should all be on the Steam workshop.

  Another I have effects werewolf characters. When you gain lycnthropy, normal wolves and werewolves won't attack you.

  There are also mods which add lanterns at bridges, which not only makes them easier to see, but adds the feel of regular patrols by guards as they would be lit at dusk and snuffed at dawn.

  Mods for armor apearances, such as 'dark thalmor armor' makes Thalmor troops' elven armor take on the coloration of Thalmor robes, setting them apart from standard elven armor. Others change The Companions' armor into a non-rusted variant of the draugr armor, showing their ties to their ancient Nord roots.

• Kagrenac

  

  Member
   

  June 17, 2015

  I have had Bosmer who always honored the Green Pact, never using or consuming anything containing plant products. I had one who made a habit of razing and massacring farms.

  I have had another character who, whenever he came across and killed an enemy whom he absolutely loathed, he would take off all of their clothes and leave them in a public place for shame.

  I have also had many characters who are compulsive about having a complete collection of books.

  I have had Bosmer who always honored the Green Pact, never using or consuming anything containing plant products. I had one who made a habit of razing and massacring farms.

  I have had another character who, whenever he came across and killed an enemy whom he absolutely loathed, he would take off all of their clothes and leave them in a public place for shame.

  I have also had many characters who are compulsive about having a complete collection of books.

• Delidas

  

  Member
   

  June 18, 2015

  You could try playing a character with a disability of some sort. A deaf character could be played by muting your TV, or you could cover half of the screen to play a character with only one eye. You could even roll a one-handed character by neglecting to use one arm, so two-handed weapons, shields and bows would be out of the question.

  You could try playing a character with a disability of some sort. A deaf character could be played by muting your TV, or you could cover half of the screen to play a character with only one eye. You could even roll a one-handed character by neglecting to use one arm, so two-handed weapons, shields and bows would be out of the question.

• Drifa Skir

  

  Member
   

  September 9, 2015

  My namesake character, Drifa, is a Nord born outside of Skyrim to Nord legionnaires. She feels a little bit inadequate in her Nordiness in returning to Skyrim as an adult but not growing up there, so she reads and collects all of the Nordic lore - Fjori and Holgeir, Songs of the Askelde Men, Songs of Wulfharth, all of those. She also dedicates pelts and flowers to Kyne at her altars, as her patron goddess.  She collects horker & mammoth tusks and snow fox and snow bear pelts and makes scrimshaw bows out of them. (Immersive Armors mod - so many cool toys!)

  My Imperial Julian is the son of a vintner, and is supposedly a wine merchant, although in truth his father shipped him off to Skyrim after he brutalized a young woman.  He always has some of the nicer alcohols on his person, and will only drink Alto wine, never plain wine. He is a connoisseur of the finer things in life, a kind of Hannibal Lecter - he doesn't camp, he only sleeps in beds in houses or inns, he always has fine clothes and jewelry on his person, but he has no problems with slicing human beings to ribbons.

  My Breton agent/nightblade Cheren is very vain, and has an extensive wardrobe of fine clothes and jewelry. She refuses to wear armor, as it makes her look too manly. She also will not camp or sleep rough by choice, though she will do it if she must. She also bathes frequently, and loves gems. I'm playing her in Morrowind, where Speechcraft is a real skill, and she flirts with every man she meets. 

  My namesake character, Drifa, is a Nord born outside of Skyrim to Nord legionnaires. She feels a little bit inadequate in her Nordiness in returning to Skyrim as an adult but not growing up there, so she reads and collects all of the Nordic lore - Fjori and Holgeir, Songs of the Askelde Men, Songs of Wulfharth, all of those. She also dedicates pelts and flowers to Kyne at her altars, as her patron goddess.  She collects horker & mammoth tusks and snow fox and snow bear pelts and makes scrimshaw bows out of them. (Immersive Armors mod - so many cool toys!)

  My Imperial Julian is the son of a vintner, and is supposedly a wine merchant, although in truth his father shipped him off to Skyrim after he brutalized a young woman.  He always has some of the nicer alcohols on his person, and will only drink Alto wine, never plain wine. He is a connoisseur of the finer things in life, a kind of Hannibal Lecter - he doesn't camp, he only sleeps in beds in houses or inns, he always has fine clothes and jewelry on his person, but he has no problems with slicing human beings to ribbons.

  My Breton agent/nightblade Cheren is very vain, and has an extensive wardrobe of fine clothes and jewelry. She refuses to wear armor, as it makes her look too manly. She also will not camp or sleep rough by choice, though she will do it if she must. She also bathes frequently, and loves gems. I'm playing her in Morrowind, where Speechcraft is a real skill, and she flirts with every man she meets.