Perhaps one of the biggest names in the history of real time strategy games is the StarCraft series. Having been made made by Blizzard Entertainment, the same technological wizards and creators that brought you Warcraft, Diablo and World of Warcraft, it was one of the first games to incorporate their extensive BattleNet network into a game, allowing easier access to online play against human controlled opponents. While the graphics were very limited at the time (1998), they have upgraded dramatically since the release of StarCraft 2, utilizing more of a 3-D plane and models to the gameplay. This is the story of StarCraft.
It all started when long ago (which is actually some four hundred years into the future) four ships housing inhabitants of Earth crash landed in a remote region of space known as the Koprulu Sector. The three planets that were colonize were Tarsonis, Moria and Umoja. They quickly set up a government system known as the Terran Confederacy, but it was very oppressive with its power. A group rose up against it, later known as the Sons of Korhal, led by a former supporter by the name of Arcturus Mengsk. However, they'd soon learn that the Confederacy wasn't the only thing wrong with the area.
The Confederate colony on Chau Sara was suddenly incinerated by a fleet of warships that belonged to an advanced species called the protoss. While this was happening, a marshal named Jim Raynor on the nearby world Mar Sara was reporting strange alien creatures on the surface, eventually being called the zerg. The Sons of Korhal helped evacuate the citizens and liberate Raynor before the protoss did the same to the sister planet. As an official induction into the group, Jim Raynor and turned Confederate GHOST, Sarah Kerrigan, led an assault on the Confederate base on Antiga Prime. They planted psi emitters to lure the zerg to the base and destroy it before the protoss incinerated the planet as well, the rebel group zooming off before the fireworks began. This all turned sour, however, when Mengsk duplicated the act on the Confederate capital on Tarsonis. He left Kerrigan to take care of the overwhelming zerg presence and the protoss forces arriving, leaving her to die when she called for an evac. Mengsk had gained the support of many and had turned the Sons of Korhal rebellion group into the new Terran Dominion, declaring himself emperor and running on a campaign of combating the alien forces present. Jim on the other hand wanted no part and decided to run away, stealing Mengsk's flagship the Hyperion in the process and still grieving over the loss of Sarah. Little did he know, the zerg had other plans for Miss Kerrigan.
Kerrigan was actually reconstituted with the zerg virus that had corrupted so many other species into the alien species, transforming her into a being of psionic power that could be used as a puppet of the Overmind, the entity that controlled all parts of the Swarm. He did this through other beings called cerebrates, one of which was killed by a protoss dark templar known as Zeratul, causing its brood to run rampant and turn feral. The Overmind had no choice but to eradicate it entirely. But it was not a complete loss for the Overmind. It revealed the location of the protoss homeworld of Aiur, where they overtook the valiant efforts of protoss resistance and established their new base of operations.
Feeling desperate for help, Tassadar, executor of the protoss, teamed up with Jim Raynor to defeat the hulking mass of alien flesh. They rallied their troops and assaulted the Overmind, but their defensed proved too strong to defeat. In a last ditch effort, Tassadar gathered the energies of all Aiur and forbidden energies of dark templar into the hull of his ship, the Gantrithor, and crashed it into the Overmind ending the reign of both rulers. However, there was little time for celebration, as Aiur was still in ruins and having sensed the Overmind's death, it was now time for a new ruler to take command of the Swarm: the Queen of Blades.
To be continued....
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Put Down the F@#$%&g Phone!
One thing I've never understood even as a teen in the digital age of society is the constant obsession with social media. Yes it can be useful to keep in touch with family members and continue old friendships from not-so-long ago times in middle school. But by the same token, it can also have seriously detrimental effects on society and, a point easily arguable, already has. It's completely taken over the lives of the youth of America as a group with their noses buried in the latest and greatest smartphone perusing their Twitter account or sending random and pointless things through Snapchat. Because of this, there are numerous reasons why we need to put down the phone and get into the real world.
Firstly, cell phones, smart phones in particular, are a huge distraction everywhere we go. In school it distracts heavy users of it to ignore important lessons required to do assignments. But it doesn't just apply to scholarly institutions, but also public places. Has anyone ever had problems watching a movie at the theater because some inconsiderate person thinks their conversation is more important than other moviegoers? Being a kid with ADD, I find a brightly lit screen in a dark movie theater a huge distraction. Heck, my friend started texting someone in the middle of a movie once while they were sitting right next to me! But it's not just phones, it's also what they may be looking at on their phones. Social media sites can also be a huge distraction. Many of my classmates have admitted to having Twitter up and constantly checking updates during class and while doing homework.
Another thing that a lot of people don't think about is how social media and modern communication technology has killed social interaction. One example is how people have learned incorrectly that it's okay to stop and text someone in the middle of a conversation with another person. It's rude and disrespectful, essentially telling them that their text is more important than what you have to say. The digital age has been teaching youngsters that behaviors that should be viewed as socially unacceptable are actually acceptable. Another example is how most people text all the time so when they actually hang out with people they have nothing to talk about.
In the digital age, romance seems to be fading into a lost cause as well. One article from The New York Times discussed how a girl missed out on an opportunity with a guy because she was too engrossed complaining about how she couldn't find a nice guy to date over text message. There was another article we had to read for our AP Lang class that explained how this woman (the writer) had a sort of relationship with a guy, practically a polar opposite to her with no reason that they should have been friends. But she explained how they would always write to each other through letters and how they would completely open up to each other in these letters. Nowadays, we just hop on our phones and text away, leaving the anticipation, the flaws and the romantic aspects behind, presenting what is essentially a superior version of ourselves. Having had a similar experience myself, I can say without a doubt that waiting for a letter is far superior romantically than any text could ever convey.
So the next time you feel like texting in a movie theater or complaining about your love life, don't just sit there and text about it, do something. Sit back and enjoy the movie, your friend will be there afterwards. Listen to what other people have to say; you might just learn something interesting. Instead of getting your coffee and heading back home, sit down at the cafe and chat up some girl/guy you think looks hot. But most importantly, put down the f@#$%&g phone.
Firstly, cell phones, smart phones in particular, are a huge distraction everywhere we go. In school it distracts heavy users of it to ignore important lessons required to do assignments. But it doesn't just apply to scholarly institutions, but also public places. Has anyone ever had problems watching a movie at the theater because some inconsiderate person thinks their conversation is more important than other moviegoers? Being a kid with ADD, I find a brightly lit screen in a dark movie theater a huge distraction. Heck, my friend started texting someone in the middle of a movie once while they were sitting right next to me! But it's not just phones, it's also what they may be looking at on their phones. Social media sites can also be a huge distraction. Many of my classmates have admitted to having Twitter up and constantly checking updates during class and while doing homework.
Another thing that a lot of people don't think about is how social media and modern communication technology has killed social interaction. One example is how people have learned incorrectly that it's okay to stop and text someone in the middle of a conversation with another person. It's rude and disrespectful, essentially telling them that their text is more important than what you have to say. The digital age has been teaching youngsters that behaviors that should be viewed as socially unacceptable are actually acceptable. Another example is how most people text all the time so when they actually hang out with people they have nothing to talk about.
In the digital age, romance seems to be fading into a lost cause as well. One article from The New York Times discussed how a girl missed out on an opportunity with a guy because she was too engrossed complaining about how she couldn't find a nice guy to date over text message. There was another article we had to read for our AP Lang class that explained how this woman (the writer) had a sort of relationship with a guy, practically a polar opposite to her with no reason that they should have been friends. But she explained how they would always write to each other through letters and how they would completely open up to each other in these letters. Nowadays, we just hop on our phones and text away, leaving the anticipation, the flaws and the romantic aspects behind, presenting what is essentially a superior version of ourselves. Having had a similar experience myself, I can say without a doubt that waiting for a letter is far superior romantically than any text could ever convey.
So the next time you feel like texting in a movie theater or complaining about your love life, don't just sit there and text about it, do something. Sit back and enjoy the movie, your friend will be there afterwards. Listen to what other people have to say; you might just learn something interesting. Instead of getting your coffee and heading back home, sit down at the cafe and chat up some girl/guy you think looks hot. But most importantly, put down the f@#$%&g phone.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Hats Make the World Go 'Round
Perhaps one of the most successful first person shooters is the famed Call of Duty. However, if you're one of the "few" that prefer other such games, then you should try Team Fortress 2. The game is a fairly simple concept similar to many first person shooter games; choose the way to play, customize your character, shoot the opposition. However, there are obvious differences in the way the two games are played.
First of all, the class system is vastly different. Most games in the genre have preset classes that become more customizable as different weapons and items are unlocked or bought using in-game credits. Team Fortress 2 on the other hand has nine set classes that each have a specified weapon type that it can use. These classes are divided up into three groups. Offensive classes are mainly used for mobility and, well, offense. The subcategory is made up of the Scout, the Soldier and the Pyro. Defensive classes are best used to defend or block the movement of opposing forces and are made up of the Demoman, the Heavy and the Engineer. Supporting roles are there assist their fellow teammates through other means, unable to hold the line steadily themselves. Their makeup consists of the Medic, the Sniper and the Spy.
The second difference is the weapon system. As I mentioned in the above paragraph, most first person shooters use a leveling system to unlock weapons which are then available for purchase with credits. Also, while there are preset classes, they can usually be altered to fit any purpose the player desires. The weapons that are unlocked also tend to get stronger along the way. This is completely contradictory to the system incorporated into Team Fortress 2. The number of items received is based on a "time played" basis, receiving an item every thirty to seventy minutes with an average drop rate of one drop every fifty minutes. Also, most items are tied to a certain class, as each class serves its own individual purpose within the group. There's also no distinct tier of weapons system, as each is supposed to have its advantages and disadvantages for balance reasons.
The third main difference is the style of play. While games such as Call of Duty and Halo have other modes, the most played always seem to be kill the other guys or free for all. Team Fortress 2 doesn't have this. Instead, they have more goal-oriented modes. The most basic of these is King of the Hill. The goal of this is to capture and hold a main control point in the center of the map that is locked for one minute. After that, the first team that holds it for three minutes (non-consecutive minutes count) wins. The second mode is called Capture the Flag. Each team has a briefcase that they must protect and bring their opponent's briefcase back to their base. The third method of play consists of two different styles. In Standard Control Point, both teams start with two points and must claim all points, including the center point that locks at the beginning. In Attack/Defend, one team starts with all control points while the other attempts to reclaim them. The fourth game mode is also divided into two parts. Payload maps require one team to "push" a cart carrying a bomb along a track to the enemies' base while they try to stop you. Payload Race is a similar concept, but both teams are attempting to push a cart towards the opposing base.
The final and perhaps most important difference that separates this game from others is the requirement of teamwork. In order to win, you have to have the ability to know which class is needed when and be prepared to switch to that class even if it's not your best class. It offers an additional challenge that isn't found in many other first person shooter games.
First of all, the class system is vastly different. Most games in the genre have preset classes that become more customizable as different weapons and items are unlocked or bought using in-game credits. Team Fortress 2 on the other hand has nine set classes that each have a specified weapon type that it can use. These classes are divided up into three groups. Offensive classes are mainly used for mobility and, well, offense. The subcategory is made up of the Scout, the Soldier and the Pyro. Defensive classes are best used to defend or block the movement of opposing forces and are made up of the Demoman, the Heavy and the Engineer. Supporting roles are there assist their fellow teammates through other means, unable to hold the line steadily themselves. Their makeup consists of the Medic, the Sniper and the Spy.
The second difference is the weapon system. As I mentioned in the above paragraph, most first person shooters use a leveling system to unlock weapons which are then available for purchase with credits. Also, while there are preset classes, they can usually be altered to fit any purpose the player desires. The weapons that are unlocked also tend to get stronger along the way. This is completely contradictory to the system incorporated into Team Fortress 2. The number of items received is based on a "time played" basis, receiving an item every thirty to seventy minutes with an average drop rate of one drop every fifty minutes. Also, most items are tied to a certain class, as each class serves its own individual purpose within the group. There's also no distinct tier of weapons system, as each is supposed to have its advantages and disadvantages for balance reasons.
The third main difference is the style of play. While games such as Call of Duty and Halo have other modes, the most played always seem to be kill the other guys or free for all. Team Fortress 2 doesn't have this. Instead, they have more goal-oriented modes. The most basic of these is King of the Hill. The goal of this is to capture and hold a main control point in the center of the map that is locked for one minute. After that, the first team that holds it for three minutes (non-consecutive minutes count) wins. The second mode is called Capture the Flag. Each team has a briefcase that they must protect and bring their opponent's briefcase back to their base. The third method of play consists of two different styles. In Standard Control Point, both teams start with two points and must claim all points, including the center point that locks at the beginning. In Attack/Defend, one team starts with all control points while the other attempts to reclaim them. The fourth game mode is also divided into two parts. Payload maps require one team to "push" a cart carrying a bomb along a track to the enemies' base while they try to stop you. Payload Race is a similar concept, but both teams are attempting to push a cart towards the opposing base.
The final and perhaps most important difference that separates this game from others is the requirement of teamwork. In order to win, you have to have the ability to know which class is needed when and be prepared to switch to that class even if it's not your best class. It offers an additional challenge that isn't found in many other first person shooter games.
Oh Lord, I Like It
Last term, I said that I would try and keep you updated on the wonderful world of football every week. As you may have noticed, that didn't exactly work out very well as I found it incredibly taxing and found Ididn't have the proper knowledge to elaborate on the games. So from here on out, I think I'll stick to what I know best: gaming and music.
I'm sure everyone knows the band Queen, having written famous tunes such as "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We Are the Champions," or perhaps the most well known "We Will Rock You." While they are a fantastic band, they are not the main focus of this post. Rather, I'd like to bring the spotlight upon an artist that most people probably haven't heard of. They're called Foxy Shazam and they make a wonderful flashback to seventies-era rock. The reason I brought up Queen to introduce this band is because of one reason: the lead singer sounds so much like him. He even mimics similar mannerisms as Freddie Mercury did back in the day. However, don't take them as some copycat band as they have plenty of variety among their music. The first song I heard by them was called "Oh Lord" and is stark contrast to some of their other, more rock-oriented songs.
First of all, the song, and band in general, contains instruments that the average conventional band doesn't have. For instance, the typical band doesn't have a trumpet, yet the song opens with a trumpet solo. They utilize this unique trait to great effect in not only the song but their music in the general sense. The song also shows a bit of a softer side to some of its other material, being about the lead singer's son. Which brings the question forth of the meanings of their songs. While their meanings may not always be very clear, they are typically fairly simple meanings. Before one of their live performances of "Evil Thoughts," lead singer Eric Nally told the audience that it's about how everyone cries and it's okay to cry if you feel like it.While I'm not sure if the message gets across in the song, still a simple message that carries weight for most people. These are the things, I think, that make Foxy Shazam a band worth listening to.
I'm sure everyone knows the band Queen, having written famous tunes such as "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We Are the Champions," or perhaps the most well known "We Will Rock You." While they are a fantastic band, they are not the main focus of this post. Rather, I'd like to bring the spotlight upon an artist that most people probably haven't heard of. They're called Foxy Shazam and they make a wonderful flashback to seventies-era rock. The reason I brought up Queen to introduce this band is because of one reason: the lead singer sounds so much like him. He even mimics similar mannerisms as Freddie Mercury did back in the day. However, don't take them as some copycat band as they have plenty of variety among their music. The first song I heard by them was called "Oh Lord" and is stark contrast to some of their other, more rock-oriented songs.
First of all, the song, and band in general, contains instruments that the average conventional band doesn't have. For instance, the typical band doesn't have a trumpet, yet the song opens with a trumpet solo. They utilize this unique trait to great effect in not only the song but their music in the general sense. The song also shows a bit of a softer side to some of its other material, being about the lead singer's son. Which brings the question forth of the meanings of their songs. While their meanings may not always be very clear, they are typically fairly simple meanings. Before one of their live performances of "Evil Thoughts," lead singer Eric Nally told the audience that it's about how everyone cries and it's okay to cry if you feel like it.While I'm not sure if the message gets across in the song, still a simple message that carries weight for most people. These are the things, I think, that make Foxy Shazam a band worth listening to.
Book vs. Movie
When I was growing up, one of my favorite movie series was the Harry Potter series. It started with the renowned book by the author J.K. Rowling and snowballed into what is now a multi-million dollar movie franchise behind a national bestseller. But Harry Potter isn't the only book series that's done this. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and (as much as it pains me to use it as an example) the Twilight saga by Stephanie Meyer have been made into hit blockbusters among several others. But the primary question that underlies the hardcover to hard disc way of thinking can divide people into two categories: the movie lovers and the book lovers. That sole question is which one is better?
At the time all the Harry Potter movies were coming out, my sister, an avid reader of the author, seemed to get worked up at some of the inconsistencies between the story and the movie, such as the learning of the spell "levicorpus" too early on in the movie series. I couldn't understand how one could get upset over something so trivial. Then the movie Eragon came out, where friends of mine who had read it described how completely horrible it is when compared to the book. I could still relate somewhat, having heard about the blasphemous comparisons, yet still couldn't quite understand. You see, as a lad, I wasn't much of a reader. In fact, I barely read anything until about three or four years ago when I happened across a book called Brimstone by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.
The authors captured my attention and I soon found that it was actually book five in a series (the Pendergast series) and book one in a mini-series. Seeing this, I decided to pick up the first book in the series entitled Relic. It was about a string of grisly murders that happen at the Museum of Natural History in New York after the arrival of a supposedly cursed figurine for part of a new exhibit opening. A book or two in the series later, I found that they made a movie of the very same book; except the details I read of it made it look anything but the same as the book.
First of all, they altered the appearance of the beast from a simian-reptilian hybrid to more of an insectoid appearance. Secondly, key story elements were altered, such as characters carrying out actions in the movie that other characters in the book originally executed. Thirdly, and most importantly, they removed the main character of the series, Pendergast, and combined elements of his personality with the main character of the book, Vincent D'gosta, completely eliminating any chance of further continuation of the series. It was at this moment that I finally realized what my sister and my friends were talking about. At least in Harry Potter it was only as small as a spell. This is just one reason why I prefer books to movies.
Many people like watching movies because of the imagery and the attention to detail that they put into it, some more appealing than others. However, reading the book allows you to create your own image rather than have someone create it for you. It actually required imagination to synthesize the picture the author was trying to paint in your head. Sometimes, the movie rendition does a good job of meeting the description of the setting, such as the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory based on the Roald Dahl book. But other times, the setting doesn't always match up with what its portrayal is in a movie. If this is the case, then the movie can ruin the scene for the reader if the book is read after seeing the movie rendition. Yet another reason to choose books over movies.
One of the main things that bugs me about some of these books turned movies is that they can leave out key elements that aren't understood unless you've read the book. One such occasion is in the case of the Harry Potter series. In the seventh movie of the saga toward the beginning, Harry is seen turning a mirror shard over in his hands, looking into it. According to my sister, Sirius gave it to him in the fifth book, but it was never shown in the movie, despite being a key part to understanding the importance of the fragment.
So they next time you want to watch the movie rather than just read the book, I'd advise against it. Not only are you robbing yourself of the value of actually reading something worthwhile, but I've also yet to see a movie that quite lived up to its paper counterpart.
At the time all the Harry Potter movies were coming out, my sister, an avid reader of the author, seemed to get worked up at some of the inconsistencies between the story and the movie, such as the learning of the spell "levicorpus" too early on in the movie series. I couldn't understand how one could get upset over something so trivial. Then the movie Eragon came out, where friends of mine who had read it described how completely horrible it is when compared to the book. I could still relate somewhat, having heard about the blasphemous comparisons, yet still couldn't quite understand. You see, as a lad, I wasn't much of a reader. In fact, I barely read anything until about three or four years ago when I happened across a book called Brimstone by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child.
The authors captured my attention and I soon found that it was actually book five in a series (the Pendergast series) and book one in a mini-series. Seeing this, I decided to pick up the first book in the series entitled Relic. It was about a string of grisly murders that happen at the Museum of Natural History in New York after the arrival of a supposedly cursed figurine for part of a new exhibit opening. A book or two in the series later, I found that they made a movie of the very same book; except the details I read of it made it look anything but the same as the book.
First of all, they altered the appearance of the beast from a simian-reptilian hybrid to more of an insectoid appearance. Secondly, key story elements were altered, such as characters carrying out actions in the movie that other characters in the book originally executed. Thirdly, and most importantly, they removed the main character of the series, Pendergast, and combined elements of his personality with the main character of the book, Vincent D'gosta, completely eliminating any chance of further continuation of the series. It was at this moment that I finally realized what my sister and my friends were talking about. At least in Harry Potter it was only as small as a spell. This is just one reason why I prefer books to movies.
Many people like watching movies because of the imagery and the attention to detail that they put into it, some more appealing than others. However, reading the book allows you to create your own image rather than have someone create it for you. It actually required imagination to synthesize the picture the author was trying to paint in your head. Sometimes, the movie rendition does a good job of meeting the description of the setting, such as the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory based on the Roald Dahl book. But other times, the setting doesn't always match up with what its portrayal is in a movie. If this is the case, then the movie can ruin the scene for the reader if the book is read after seeing the movie rendition. Yet another reason to choose books over movies.
One of the main things that bugs me about some of these books turned movies is that they can leave out key elements that aren't understood unless you've read the book. One such occasion is in the case of the Harry Potter series. In the seventh movie of the saga toward the beginning, Harry is seen turning a mirror shard over in his hands, looking into it. According to my sister, Sirius gave it to him in the fifth book, but it was never shown in the movie, despite being a key part to understanding the importance of the fragment.
So they next time you want to watch the movie rather than just read the book, I'd advise against it. Not only are you robbing yourself of the value of actually reading something worthwhile, but I've also yet to see a movie that quite lived up to its paper counterpart.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
The Whispering Door
Mephala's sphere of influence is not quite known, the only common theme being interference with mortal affairs. She has a tendency to create intricate and intertwining plots between them, believing that all of their lives are also intertwined in some way. It is because of this that she is considered the sibling of the Daedric Prince of knowledge, Hermaeus Mora. She was essentially the prime founder of the secret group of assassins known as the Morag Tong before they changed loyalties to Vivec. It has also been suggested that the Night Mother the Dark Brotherhood follows is none other than Mephala herself. While she is generally known as female, Mephala may also take on the form of a male depending on her target. Her Daedric artifact is the Ebony Blade, which absorbs a portion of health from any wounds inflicted, starting at ten points and ending with thirty.
This quest is perhaps the shortest of the Daedric quests and one of the shortest in the game. It starts by hearing a rumor in the local inn, The Bannered Mare, about the Jarl's children. upon further investigation by talking with the Jarl, he will tell you how they have became somewhat estranged as of late, especially his youngest son Nelkir. He describes him as "brooding" and "violent" and wants you to talk to the lad. The boy will come straight forward and reveal secrets about his family, such as his father's hatred of the Thalmor, illegal worship of Talos and his own being born of a different mother than his brothers and sisters. When questioned about the source of his information, he tells of a whispering door in the basement that might talk to you as well.
Go down the stairs to what appears to be a servant's quarters to find what the bow spoke of. A voice will speak to you as if from behind the door, revealing herself to be the voice Mephala. She says that a piece of her power lies beyond the door she speaks through and was waiting for someone more worthy to than the boy to retrieve it for her. To access the area, talk to Nelkir. He shows his further knowledge of the castle by telling you only two people hold the key to the door: Jarl Balgruuf and the court mage, Farengar Secret-Fire. While he does not state it outright, he makes the implication that the court mage "would not be missed." Kill Farengar or pickpocket the key from him, then return to the door and open it. Grab the Ebony Blade and, if you want, read the warning text laid before it. Mephala will speak to you one last time. According to her, the blade must be recharged to full strength with the "blood of deceit" by killing those that you gain the trust of.
(Note: The original absorption is ten points. Each viable person killed will increase the absorption by two up to thirty points, upon which Mephala will inform you that the Blade is back at full strength.)
This quest is perhaps the shortest of the Daedric quests and one of the shortest in the game. It starts by hearing a rumor in the local inn, The Bannered Mare, about the Jarl's children. upon further investigation by talking with the Jarl, he will tell you how they have became somewhat estranged as of late, especially his youngest son Nelkir. He describes him as "brooding" and "violent" and wants you to talk to the lad. The boy will come straight forward and reveal secrets about his family, such as his father's hatred of the Thalmor, illegal worship of Talos and his own being born of a different mother than his brothers and sisters. When questioned about the source of his information, he tells of a whispering door in the basement that might talk to you as well.
Go down the stairs to what appears to be a servant's quarters to find what the bow spoke of. A voice will speak to you as if from behind the door, revealing herself to be the voice Mephala. She says that a piece of her power lies beyond the door she speaks through and was waiting for someone more worthy to than the boy to retrieve it for her. To access the area, talk to Nelkir. He shows his further knowledge of the castle by telling you only two people hold the key to the door: Jarl Balgruuf and the court mage, Farengar Secret-Fire. While he does not state it outright, he makes the implication that the court mage "would not be missed." Kill Farengar or pickpocket the key from him, then return to the door and open it. Grab the Ebony Blade and, if you want, read the warning text laid before it. Mephala will speak to you one last time. According to her, the blade must be recharged to full strength with the "blood of deceit" by killing those that you gain the trust of.
(Note: The original absorption is ten points. Each viable person killed will increase the absorption by two up to thirty points, upon which Mephala will inform you that the Blade is back at full strength.)
Pieces of the Past
Mehrunes Dagon is the Daedric Prince of destruction and is one of the most well-known Daedra in all of Tamriel. He is associated with all natural disasters and is known best for his role in the Oblivion crisis, having plotted the total annihilation of the Septim line and his ill-fated attempt to invade the entire realm and reclaim it, Nirn supposedly being his in the first place. His actual plane of Oblivion, the Dreadlands, fits his demeanor well in both name and appearance, as it is a giant sea of lava with isles of blackened land upon the surface. He commands a number of fearsome and dangerous minions, none more feared than the fabled Dremora. His appearance pertains to that of a giant, four-armed humanoid with several horns atop his head, wielding a large axe in one of his hands. His primary Daedric artifact is a dagger known as Mehrunes' Razor, having a one percent chance to kill anything in one hit.
This quest is easily started anytime after reaching level twenty when a courier delivers a message from Dawnstar about a new museum opening up. The museum is revealed to be about the Mythic Dawn, a cult that worships Mehrunes Dagon to an extreme, the original cult having assassinated the Emperor at the time to bring about their lord's coming. The owner of the museum, Silus Vesuius, will reveal that he had ancestors in the cult and offer a tour of the museum, showing you the robes pages from Dagon's book, Mysterium Xarxes, in the display cases. He will also reveal that the pieces of the Daedric Prince's artifact, Mehrunes' Razor, are scattered in various locations throughout Skyrim and would be very grateful if you'd return them, as they would be an invaluable addition to his museum.
There are three parts to the legendary dagger: the hilt, the pommel and the shards of the blade itself. The hilt is easily retrievable, only needing a speech check from Jorgen in Morthal to get the keys to his house. The other two require clearing two areas: Dead Crone Rock where a Hagraven holds the pommel, and Cracked Tusk Keep where the shards are on a pedestal guarded by a bandit chief. Return the pieces to Silus and travel with him to Dagon's shrine, where he will summon communication with his master. Mehrunes Daagon will order you to kill Silus, then reforges the blade when he is dead. As one final test, he summons two Dremora to kill you and ceases communication.
(Note: You may choose to spare Silus' life, but Dagon will still summon the Dremora and you will not receive his artifact.)
This quest is easily started anytime after reaching level twenty when a courier delivers a message from Dawnstar about a new museum opening up. The museum is revealed to be about the Mythic Dawn, a cult that worships Mehrunes Dagon to an extreme, the original cult having assassinated the Emperor at the time to bring about their lord's coming. The owner of the museum, Silus Vesuius, will reveal that he had ancestors in the cult and offer a tour of the museum, showing you the robes pages from Dagon's book, Mysterium Xarxes, in the display cases. He will also reveal that the pieces of the Daedric Prince's artifact, Mehrunes' Razor, are scattered in various locations throughout Skyrim and would be very grateful if you'd return them, as they would be an invaluable addition to his museum.
There are three parts to the legendary dagger: the hilt, the pommel and the shards of the blade itself. The hilt is easily retrievable, only needing a speech check from Jorgen in Morthal to get the keys to his house. The other two require clearing two areas: Dead Crone Rock where a Hagraven holds the pommel, and Cracked Tusk Keep where the shards are on a pedestal guarded by a bandit chief. Return the pieces to Silus and travel with him to Dagon's shrine, where he will summon communication with his master. Mehrunes Daagon will order you to kill Silus, then reforges the blade when he is dead. As one final test, he summons two Dremora to kill you and ceases communication.
(Note: You may choose to spare Silus' life, but Dagon will still summon the Dremora and you will not receive his artifact.)
Ill Met by Moonlight
Hircine is best known as the Daedric Prince of the Hunt and all things related. He is also closely associated with all those that contract "therianthropic diseases," or were-creatures, having been the one who created them in the first place. While he chooses to appear in many different aspects, his typical appearance is that of a man with the head or skull of a deer, wielding a large spear. His realm, as most realms do, reflect his title as it is mostly forests and open plains areas, perfect for a hunting ground. Hircine is one of the few Daedric Princes with more than one artifact and the only one that offers two in Skyrim. One is the Ring of Hircine, which allows werewolves to transform an unlimited number of times, as opposed to the original once per day. The other available artifact is a piece of light armor known as Savior's Hide with a fifteen percent resistance to magic and a fifty percent reduction of poison damage. Whichever one you receive is based on certain quest elements.
This quest may be started by talking to a man named Mathies in Falkreath, a farm owner whose child was killed by one of his laborers named Sinding. You will find him in his jail cell in the Falkreath hold where you will need to talk to him. He reveals that he is a werewolf and that in order to control his transformations better, he stole the Ring of Hircine. However, before he stole it, Hircine put a curse on it, making his transformations completely random and uncontrollable. He will proceed to inform you that he's been tracking a rare creature-a white stag-that he believes will win Hircine's favor if it is hunted and killed. He'll give you the ring, which is automatically equipped and cannot be removed, transforms and escapes out the top of his cell, leaving you to hunt for the stag.
To hunt for your trophy, search around Pinewatch bandit camp until it appears. After killing it, Hircine will appear in a similar form as what was just hunted and express his disapproval of Sinding's behavior. His will is that you track down the rogue werewolf to Bloated Man's Grotto and skin him. When you find him, he will ask your help to kill the group of hunters that are after him. If you choose to assist Sinding, Hircine will appear once more as the stag at the entrance of the cave and remove the curse from the ring, allowing unlimited transformations and the removal of the ring. If you choose to follow Hircine's will, he will manifest himself as a ghostly form of Sinding and turn his skinned hide into the Savior's Hide.
(Note: You can receive both artifacts by assisting Sinding first, receiving the first artifact, then returning to the area and killing Sinding to skin him.)
This quest may be started by talking to a man named Mathies in Falkreath, a farm owner whose child was killed by one of his laborers named Sinding. You will find him in his jail cell in the Falkreath hold where you will need to talk to him. He reveals that he is a werewolf and that in order to control his transformations better, he stole the Ring of Hircine. However, before he stole it, Hircine put a curse on it, making his transformations completely random and uncontrollable. He will proceed to inform you that he's been tracking a rare creature-a white stag-that he believes will win Hircine's favor if it is hunted and killed. He'll give you the ring, which is automatically equipped and cannot be removed, transforms and escapes out the top of his cell, leaving you to hunt for the stag.
To hunt for your trophy, search around Pinewatch bandit camp until it appears. After killing it, Hircine will appear in a similar form as what was just hunted and express his disapproval of Sinding's behavior. His will is that you track down the rogue werewolf to Bloated Man's Grotto and skin him. When you find him, he will ask your help to kill the group of hunters that are after him. If you choose to assist Sinding, Hircine will appear once more as the stag at the entrance of the cave and remove the curse from the ring, allowing unlimited transformations and the removal of the ring. If you choose to follow Hircine's will, he will manifest himself as a ghostly form of Sinding and turn his skinned hide into the Savior's Hide.
(Note: You can receive both artifacts by assisting Sinding first, receiving the first artifact, then returning to the area and killing Sinding to skin him.)
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