This build was inspired by the phrase, "I'm sworn to carry your burdens". Instead of playing a character that has followers sworn to carry their burdens, what if my character was a follower sworn to carry the burdens of someone else? And what if that character carried the burdens of someone else not because of a decry or an oath, but due to deep friendship, love, and compassion? Finally, I was further inspired by the Alternate Start mod option of being Erik the Slayer's childhood friend. I present:

Liam the Fair

The Beginning

Ma died the other day. She got sick all of the sudden. I tried my best to care for her. There didn't seem to be much I could do. I had planned to head out to Whiterun to see if one of the priests their could help her. I took a short rest before setting out, and when I woke, she had passed. I buried her out near the house. I said what prayers I know to ask the Gods to look over her. Da was no help. He's held up in the house and will barely say a word. Erik came by. He helped me build a cairn for her. I think she would have liked that. I'm not sure what to do now. I already miss her so much.

I can't stay in Rorikstead. Da wont leave the house. He barely eats. He wont speak, except to lash out at me. I can't stay at the house with him like that. Mralki has been letting me stay in a spare bed at the inn, when there is one. I've been helping Ennis and Reldith on the farm. They give me some food and a place to sleep for the help. Sometimes I stay out by the chicken coop when the weather is good. I can lay out and gaze up at the stars, imagining where I can go from here. Lokir stopped into down. He'll be heading out soon and he said I could travel with him. I'm not sure where we'll go or what we'll do, but I know I can't stay here any longer. It has to be better than this.

I'm home again. Well, at least to Rorikstead. I'm not sure how I made it home. Let alone how I'm even alive. Lokir got us into a real mess trying to steal a horse. We were captured by some soldiers who insisted we were Stormcloaks. We ended up in Helgen. Lokir tried to make a run for it, but the soldiers cut him down before he could escape. They started executing the prisoners. Then it was my turn. All I could think about was home. And Ma. And Pa. And Erik. I saw the plains. Clear as day in my eye. The sun, just as it peaks over the horizon, bathing the landscape in a soft, golden light. The grass, swaying in the breeze, as if it was alive, breathing. The dew, kissing the tops of the grass and spreading the light of the sun out in a million dazzling directions. And then. Well, really, it's more than I can comprehend. Let alone explain. Somehow I made it out of Helgen. I came home as quickly as I could. I used some of the shortcuts Erik and I have found between Whiterun and Rorikstead. Home is all I could think of along the way. When I finally made it to the house, Da was dead. The house was a mess and infested with skeevers. Da was on the bed, it looked like he hadn't eaten in days. His wedding band was gone. I found it out by Ma's grave. I don't know what happened to him. It pains me to even imagine. I should have never left. I could have been there for him. I know he missed Ma as much as I did, maybe even more. But we had each other, if only I had stayed. We were still a family. It was selfish and stupid to leave with Lokir. I wish to the heavens that I hadn't left him. Why did I ever leave? I buried him next to Ma with his wedding band. Erik asked if he could help, but I had to do this alone. It's my fault he's gone, so it's my burden to lay him to rest. Mralki is letting me bunk at the inn. There is no way I can ever go back to that house. I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't think I can stay here. But I don't want to leave, not again. I'm so lost. At least I have Erik.

Erik wont stop talking about leaving Rorikstead. He has visions of great adventures in his head. I try to explain to him what is really waiting for him out in the world. I try to tell him the things I have seen. The pain and fear I've lived through. But he doesn't seem to listen or care. Or maybe I'm just not capable of explaing to him what the world is really like. I try to tell him that we can be together and explore the countryside around Roristead, just like we did as kids. Plus, he has is father here. This is home. He needs to know that Rorikstead is the best place for him. And I need to be the one to help him see that.

I've failed. I don't think I can keep Erik here much longer. It would break my heart if he left. The thought of him out in the world, alone. I can't bare it. It would be hard enough if he lest. But if something awful happened to him, I couldn't survive that. I've convinced him to wait a little longer. I'm going to head to Whiterun, try to find some work and make a little gold. Hopefully I can scrounge up enough to get him some proper armor. I'll have to make a list of the things we'll need. I'm going to head back to the house first. That axe and sheild from Helgen are still there. Hopefully that's enough for me. I also need to find that old spell tome I read as a kid. I tried to use it with Ma, when she was sick. I couldn't make it work. I'll have to figure it out now. For Erik. He just doesn't know what's out there. If he's going to find out what the world is really like, I can't let him do it alone. He's all I have left.

The Friendship

Roleplay dynamic

Dual roleplay
You are the follower
Best gear

The Conflict

Inevitably, one of two things will happen. Erik will die, or, your character will embrace being Dragonborn.

The Climax

The Resolution

Build Essentials

Race, Stats, Perks, & Stone

Heavy Armor
Block
One-Handed
Illusion
Resortation
Alteration

Shouts, Powers, & Abilities

Agent of Mara
Eternal Spirit
Sailor's Repose

Equipment

Quests

Gameplay

Mods (none are essential)

Console commands

Follower mods that allow for follower death

Follower dialogue enchancement mods (RDO)

Needs, Frostfall, Campfire, Survival Mode

Alternate Start (not recommended)

-- Starting to get some thoughts down for a character I've been kicking around for a long time. I don't get too heavy into modding, so any input on mods that could enhance this build would be greatly appreciated. I'll start truly fleshing out this character after I complete the current build I'm working on.

Okay, really interested in just the core concept of the build and what it represents at the moment. It just seems like a really, really interesting support build that delves pretty deep into the roleplaying side of things (which is awesome) and, yeah I just like the story layout you've presented so far for the character. Seems like  genuinelly engaging build. 

I'd probably say that if you don't feel the mods are needed don't feel forced to add them, I think that, the build is definitely better with a few which can be recommended but that can be a little section for only ones you think enhance the build. Don't think it needs tany personally, but could be wrong. 

[blockquote][b][url=/profile/Dragonborn2121]Dragonborn2121[/url] said:[/b]

I'd probably say that if you don't feel the mods are needed don't feel forced to add them, I think that, the build is definitely better with a few which can be recommended but that can be a little section for only ones you think enhance the build. Don't think it needs tany personally, but could be wrong. 

[/blockquote]

Glad you like the concept and thanks for the feedback. I've literally been kicking this idea around for years. I started it once. I didn't like the way I built the character, so I'm going to give it another go. Hopefully sometime soon. I originally ran it straight vanilla. I had two observations from that build that I feel mods can enhance. (1) Erik could not die. It made it a little less intense knowing only I could kill him. (2) His dialogue was blah. It was hard to connect with him when he had very little and very basic dialogue. I think RDO or other similar mods can enhance the RP by making Erik come alive a little bit more.

Glad you like the concept and thanks for the feedback. I've literally been kicking this idea around for years. I started it once. I didn't like the way I built the character, so I'm going to give it another go. Hopefully sometime soon. I originally ran it straight vanilla. I had two observations from that build that I feel mods can enhance. (1) Erik could not die. It made it a little less intense knowing only I could kill him. (2) His dialogue was blah. It was hard to connect with him when he had very little and very basic dialogue. I think RDO or other similar mods can enhance the RP by making Erik come alive a little bit more.

That's true, it's why I always struggle with any follower excpet maybe Serana, she's the closest we get to an actual proper follower with more unique dialogue and all that but even then, I grew up on Bioware RPG's and that so even she's really dissapointing. I was thinking about suggesting the concept of one of the top-tier modded followers (the ones that are incredibly detailed as character, with voice actors and scripts and all that) but after looking at RDO then I think it might change Erik to be...better, don't know just because I've never used it.

It's still something to consider maybe? I think it could be pretty interesting to get one of those well written followers and form the core of a build around them, but then again, the idea of Erik being a young upcoming adventurer being guided by your character is equally interesting and I like the potential split between how the character could change with Erik dying or living.