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Lore Discussion: Nords, Mercenaries of Skyrim

• Justiciar Thorien

  

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  April 7, 2016

  It's not that they are hostile, that's actually perfectly logical. The reason why they are slightly more than bandits is who they work for. You know as perfectly as I do, that Maven thinks that she stands higher than the law. That means whoever agrees to work for her are like that too.

  It's not that they are hostile, that's actually perfectly logical. The reason why they are slightly more than bandits is who they work for. You know as perfectly as I do, that Maven thinks that she stands higher than the law. That means whoever agrees to work for her are like that too.

• Chris

  

  Member
   

  April 7, 2016

  She´s basically a mob boss, who has the government, or at least the local one, in her pocket, since Jarl Laila is a bit...easily coecered

  She´s basically a mob boss, who has the government, or at least the local one, in her pocket, since Jarl Laila is a bit...easily coecered

• Justiciar Thorien

  

  Member
   

  April 7, 2016

  Exactly. What does is make those mercs?....

  Exactly. What does is make those mercs?....

• Karver the Lorc

  

  Member
   

  April 7, 2016

  And? Aringoth is just owner of beekeeping estate and he has mercs there too. So does that make them slightly better bandits too? 

  It's a work like any other. Is Hadvar bad because he obeyed orders of that captain that sends you to the block? Mercenary world isn't black and white, it's grey.

  And? Aringoth is just owner of beekeeping estate and he has mercs there too. So does that make them slightly better bandits too? 

  It's a work like any other. Is Hadvar bad because he obeyed orders of that captain that sends you to the block? Mercenary world isn't black and white, it's grey.

• Justiciar Thorien

  

  Member
   

  April 7, 2016

  That's true, and that's why I don't think it's a job respected by Nords. Because it often means putting aside what you believe in solely for gold. Unless you only work for people who share your beliefs, but in that case you'll probably sit at an inn forever.

  That's true, and that's why I don't think it's a job respected by Nords. Because it often means putting aside what you believe in solely for gold. Unless you only work for people who share your beliefs, but in that case you'll probably sit at an inn forever.

• A-Pocky-Hah!

  

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  April 7, 2016

  Well there's probably some cases where the  sellsword would ask for extra coin if he was told to do something despicable or hated. Let say, kill a woman and her child or desecrating a temple.

  Well there's probably some cases where the  sellsword would ask for extra coin if he was told to do something despicable or hated. Let say, kill a woman and her child or desecrating a temple.

• Karver the Lorc

  

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  April 7, 2016

  With that I completely agree. You're not a merc because of goodnes of your heart, right? You do it for the money. 

  So we came to the conclusion that it just depends what kind of merc you are. Honorable warrior like Companions who does it for fame, takes only honorable contracts, or you're just a merc doing it for money. 

  So we might have Companions and then only these mercs. Because if you have code of honor, why not join the Companions, right?

  With that I completely agree. You're not a merc because of goodnes of your heart, right? You do it for the money. 

  So we came to the conclusion that it just depends what kind of merc you are. Honorable warrior like Companions who does it for fame, takes only honorable contracts, or you're just a merc doing it for money. 

  So we might have Companions and then only these mercs. Because if you have code of honor, why not join the Companions, right?

• Justiciar Thorien

  

  Member
   

  April 7, 2016

  If a dude is willing to do that for extra coin, that tells a lot about him. What do you think would common Nords say about this guy if they were told about this?

  If a dude is willing to do that for extra coin, that tells a lot about him. What do you think would common Nords say about this guy if they were told about this?

• Justiciar Thorien

  

  Member
   

  April 7, 2016

  Right) Or you join the Imperial legion, that's why, IMO, there always have been so many Nords in its ranks.

  Right) Or you join the Imperial legion, that's why, IMO, there always have been so many Nords in its ranks.

• Paws

  

  Member
   

  April 7, 2016

  Vikings or any Norse raiders who were sailing south to plunder, become rich and thus become famous when they return home.

  Aye, and we can compare that to Ysgramor and his 500. The morality of their actions never factored in, they thought themselves perfectly justified. The Nords can justify a lot of their actions, provided personal honour remains intact and they act with bravery and prowess. There is nothing to outright say a mercenary cannot be that ideal. I guess it largely depends on the nature of the job they agree to.

  So after Red Mountain, after Tiber Septim´s Empire, Nords went kinda...soft, in your opinion?

  I very much do and see it as central to the Song of Skyrim. The first empire, the conquests of the Nords as they invaded Morrowind and put the eastern devils to the sword, or how important the thu'um was to this culture. Then how they aided Alessia in overthrowing the Ayleids, heavily influencing the fecund Imperial culture,

  Then the dark elves and dwemer get their shit together, kick the Nords out of Morrowind and it's all over. Jurgen comes home, decides that it is a lesson from the gods and that the thu'um should not be used for war but simply for worship. That is the end of old Skyrim, of the Nords who overthrew the Dragon Cult and became their own masters.

  The old Nord ways blaze again for a while as Wulfharth leads an army to claim the Heart of their God, Shor, but even that was a defeat. After that the Nords are silent, their Voices hushed. Thousands of years pass, the mantle of conquest and empire is passed to Cyrodiil and the Nords are a massive contributor to the Legions.

  So these Nords we meet in 4E 201 go on about "sacred traditions that go back to the founding of the first empire" and they are right, but those traditions haven't been practiced in millennia. The new traditions of Way of the Voice have replaced them.

  So in terms of that theme, that Song of Skyrim, what Ulfric is doing is harkening back to something ancient and primal, something deep within the Nords. So yeah, I reckon the Nords did go soft and it is Jurgen's fault - and Paarthurnax's.

  Vikings or any Norse raiders who were sailing south to plunder, become rich and thus become famous when they return home.

  Aye, and we can compare that to Ysgramor and his 500. The morality of their actions never factored in, they thought themselves perfectly justified. The Nords can justify a lot of their actions, provided personal honour remains intact and they act with bravery and prowess. There is nothing to outright say a mercenary cannot be that ideal. I guess it largely depends on the nature of the job they agree to.

  So after Red Mountain, after Tiber Septim´s Empire, Nords went kinda...soft, in your opinion?

  I very much do and see it as central to the Song of Skyrim. The first empire, the conquests of the Nords as they invaded Morrowind and put the eastern devils to the sword, or how important the thu'um was to this culture. Then how they aided Alessia in overthrowing the Ayleids, heavily influencing the fecund Imperial culture,

  Then the dark elves and dwemer get their shit together, kick the Nords out of Morrowind and it's all over. Jurgen comes home, decides that it is a lesson from the gods and that the thu'um should not be used for war but simply for worship. That is the end of old Skyrim, of the Nords who overthrew the Dragon Cult and became their own masters.

  The old Nord ways blaze again for a while as Wulfharth leads an army to claim the Heart of their God, Shor, but even that was a defeat. After that the Nords are silent, their Voices hushed. Thousands of years pass, the mantle of conquest and empire is passed to Cyrodiil and the Nords are a massive contributor to the Legions.

  So these Nords we meet in 4E 201 go on about "sacred traditions that go back to the founding of the first empire" and they are right, but those traditions haven't been practiced in millennia. The new traditions of Way of the Voice have replaced them.

  So in terms of that theme, that Song of Skyrim, what Ulfric is doing is harkening back to something ancient and primal, something deep within the Nords. So yeah, I reckon the Nords did go soft and it is Jurgen's fault - and Paarthurnax's.