Bloodmoon

[Shipgate]

Very unrelated stuff here, but I just finished Morrowind: Bloodmoon and was kind of disappointed in the ending. None of it had to do with any of the actually Morrowind story. And you hardly learned about who that was that was hunting you only that he was supposedly a mad god.

And it was really cheesy how when I chose to fight his aspect of strength he turned into a cuddly bear with antlers.

I love the original Morrowind and Tribunal, but this Bloodmoon was way too out of place I thought. Uh, and those pigs! So annoying. What really disappointed me too was the lack of literature found in Bloodmoon. Oh well. It was still fun and worth playing.

 

[Ghost]

I have Tribunal and Bloodmoon too.
when i read the story of Bloodmoon with those werewolves and other stupid thing i dumped the CD.

Tribunal was great.

 

[Haesslich]

I have Tribunal and Bloodmoon too.
when i read the story of Bloodmoon with those werewolves and other stupid thing i dumped the CD.

Tribunal was great.

Pity - it's fun to become the chief of a Nord tribe. Besides, wandering around the island's not too bad - and you don't have to do the main quest at all. Also, one must remember that one of the cures (to talk to a Witch) is direct from previous games... well, minus all the bloody sacrifice parts.

 

[Eder]

Tribunal had the better story, but I always thought it was pretty cheap that Mournhold and Sotha Sil and whatever other places you went to never showed up on the map, and that you couldn't levitate in Mournhold... that was *the* obvious cheap trick.
As for Bloodmoon, I liked the setting better than Tribunal's, but they made poor use of it by making a story that was unrelated to everything else (except of course the come-back of lycantrophy from previous games) and a few quests felt like they had some loose ends that were just ignored. I haven't beaten it yet so I can't comment on the ending.

Edit: And man, Tribunal had those Royal Guard armors that looked just freaking great... that beats a bear costume any day.

 

[Haesslich]

Tribunal had the better story, but I always thought it was pretty cheap that Mournhold and Sotha Sil and whatever other places you went to never showed up on the map, and that you couldn't levitate in Mournhold... that was *the* obvious cheap trick.
As for Bloodmoon, I liked the setting better than Tribunal's, but they made poor use of it by making a story that was unrelated to everything else (except of course the come-back of lycantrophy from previous games) and a few quests felt like they had some loose ends that were just ignored. I haven't beaten it yet so I can't comment on the ending.

Edit: And man, Tribunal had those Royal Guard armors that looked just freaking great... that beats a bear costume any day.

I have beat the main quest there - it's forgettable, really. Half the quests you do for the Skaal Village don't do anything except prove you to them, which is more like an extended version of the Ashlander 'prove yourself' quests than anything which really advances the plot a lot. Being honest, I'm having more fun with the East Empire Company right now and building up Raven's Rock than I ever did with the main quest. The only good thing out of that was getting The Bloodskaal's House (which you obtained by proving someone's infidelity), and maybe one of the end-game items.

Then again, from what I've read, if you become the leader of Raven's Rock, you get a house anyways. Heck, you can use Thirsk as a house if you follow up with one or two quick quests... which is two houses more than you get in the main quest (not counting the one you inherit in Balmora) or in Tribunal if you do a Misc Quest there.

However, the Stahlrim armor does look pretty good - and as I said, the ability to get three houses is rather nice.

 

[Indoril Nerevar]

Hehehe, I always killed whoever's house I wanted. My favorite was a two story one next to the mages guild in Caldera. It's really cool, I've got all the armor and weapons I'm not using on display on all the tables.

As for Bloodmoon, I wanted a little more closure to the story. Like when you talk to people after it's done it just seems like the whole thing never happened. Captain Carius doesn't even want to talk about it...wuss

 

[Quarto]

I like the two add-ons pretty much equally (less than the original game, however), but I reserve the right to change my mind after I finish Tribunal (so far, I've finished the original game and Bloodmoon) .

Things I like about Bloodmoon...
1. The setting. Solstheim is relatively small, but has just enough variety in terrain to be interesting (for a while). All that reddish wasteland and duststorms on Vvardenfell get boring after a while (though the snowstorms probably would too...).
2. The ice. I dunno, it's just kinda neat to have ice, even if it's cheap permanent-ice.
3. The East Empire Trading Company quests. It's neat to see the colony grow, even if some of the later quests are buggy and easy to break entirely.

Things I don't like about Bloodmoon...
1. The main storyline. Well, it's not terrible, but it is kinda lame.
2. The repeatedly-generated smugglers and reavers. It's fine to randomly generate enemies in the world, but always generating the exact same set of people in the same spot gets old very quickly - like, immediately. Plus, it's a really cheap way of handling the whole lycanthropy thing - you don't have to feel bad about having to kill people as a werewolf, because there's always a ready supply of people whose only job in life is to die.
3. The balancing. Bloodmoon is poorly balanced - obviously, the difficulty is balanced towards players who have already finished the original game. Unfortunately, however, the quests are more appropriate for beginner players. There's not much fun being a werewolf, because your uncontrollable bloodlust is perfectly controllable - your character has enough hitpoints to ignore the hitpoint-loss incurred if you don't eat people. Furthermore, the Thirsk mead-hall thing is silly, because the money you can earn from it is peanuts - what's a few extra coins when you've already bought everything you could ever need? Similarly, only an obsessive (like me) would bother to loot every barrow in the game, because the items you can find are not good enough to use, and there's no point selling them for money (since you've got so much already).
4. The setting. While I like the terrain and such, there's simply too many bothersome enemies around (especially those to-be-killed-thrice things). After a while, I simply stopped bothering with them, and resorted to a constant diet of levitation potions (but hey, look on the bright side - at least there's none of those annoying cliff racers out on Solstheim).
5. All the new items. They're all ugly, and the special snow wolf/bear armour most of all. Gimme one of those royal guard armours from Mournhold any day.
6. The weather. I like having cold weather in the game. I like the snowstorms and such... but it bothers me that I can swim from Vvardenfell to Solstheim, then run around on the island for several days in constant snowfall, and never even catch a cold. They should have implemented some sort of cold-related disease.

 

[Dyret]

6. The weather. I like having cold weather in the game. I like the snowstorms and such... but it bothers me that I can swim from Vvardenfell to Solstheim, then run around on the island for several days in constant snowfall, and never even catch a cold. They should have implemented some sort of cold-related disease.

In ultima 7p2 cold areas would eventually kill you.

 

[Shipgate]

I agree that those animal armor sets looked pretty horrible. But you gotta admit that the Nordic armor, the ones the Skaal Honor Guards wear is pretty cool. Me, I just played the whole thing wearing the Dark Brotherhood armor. I used to be into the heavy kind, but I like being as light as I can be and jumping really high and far.

And Quarto's definately right about the Reavers and Smugglers who keep reappearing. Beacuse that one part when I was looking for those guys who you're supposed to start the hunt with, I couldn't find them anywhere and I just kept coming across those guys over and over who attack me. What annoyed me more than those tree women though were the bristleback pig things. And they were simply everywhere! I think I actually hate them more now than the Cliff Racers.

Since the game kind of stands on its own as far as plot goes, they should've really tried to develop it more I think. Because I was disappointed as it was it not having to do with the other two, but I was hopeful it would still give me something good. I was even a little disappointed that being a Nord myself, I didn't get any recognition from the Skaal tribes. Like in Diablo 2 when you're a Barbarian and you go to Harrogath and everyone is like, "Welcome home brother."

And I was wondering something. Indoril and I were discussing the other night who actually killed Neravar. Because everything you read about it gives a slightly different account of what happened. For a long time I thought it was Vivec, but even he admits to not having done it and I believed him. Although he did betray Nerevar and I'm convinced that the moment Nerevar told Vivec, Almalexia, and Sotha Sil about the artifacts, that they were already convinced at that moment that they would betray Nerevar and use the Kragnec's tools to become gods.

So I figured that just left Dagoth Ur. It seems likely he would've killed him, but for some reason I believe that he didn't. Even though Dagoth betrays him too. Was he merely killed during battle at the Red Mountain? I'm quite confused on that part.

 

[Ghost]

Yes, i think too that he died at the battle of Red Mountain (or he was fatally wounded there).

What is the deal with those shiny armors in Tribunal, the Royal Guards and the high Ordinators are padded armors compared with the Daedric one.

 

[Haesslich]

Yes, i think too that he died at the battle of Red Mountain (or he was fatally wounded there).

What is the deal with those shiny armors in Tribunal, the Royal Guards and the high Ordinators are padded armors compared with the Daedric one.

The main problem with the Daedric armor is that it's bloody heavy compared to the Her Hand's or Royal Guards equipment, though it has only a marginally better rating than the Hand's equipment.

Royal Guard armor uses the Medium skill and has protection better than the Indoril armors, while the Hand's gear affords slightly less protection than Daedric (10 points on average) but the best of it (which is taken off a rogue Hand) has Fortify Skill and Attribute enchantments out the wazoo... which isn't bad to have, at least if you don't have better armor.

My personal theory is that the Tribunal may have let Nerevar die, though he may have already been mortally wounded, but either refused to use Kagrenac's tools to make himself a god, or else was not allowed to go that route. Only Azura and Nerevar know what happened to him precisely, though I don't think Dagoth Ur actually went out and dealt the death-blow.

As far as dealing with the wildlife on Solstheim, I've learned to use Chameleon-enchanted items along with Levitation artifacts.

 

[Indoril Nerevar]

See Shipgate? I told you chameleon was great! By the way, Haesslich is a great name, hehehehe!

I made a fatal (well not fatal, more annoying) error when I decided to go with the Daedric armor. Therana of the Telvanni gives you a feather enchanted Daedric Cuirass for one of her missions, too bad I joined house Hlaalu instead of Telvanni.

 

[Shipgate]

That's another thing I don't understand. What is Nerevar's relationship to Azura. Why is it that she looks over him? I mean, there are plenty of Daedra gods. What is it about her that is so unique. I'm sure they probably explained this somewhere in the game, but I did not understand it.

I also wished that after the end of the Morrowind game after you kill Dagoth Ur, shouldn't by then you have maybe a journal entry that says something like, "I remember who I am now. I am Nerevar and I've come back." It just seems like you go on with no feeling of importance after that.

Don't read on if you don't want any spoilers, Jim.

One other thing I want to bring up is that at one point in your conversation with Vivec, he mentions that eventually he too will die or be killed and he says that it may be by your hand. I've always felt that Vivec would have to be killed by Nerevar and that the whole Tribunal would have to be brought down by him. Since they too are being corrupted by Kragnec's tools and have been for a long time. Almalexia was obviously wacked, and she killed Sotha Sil as far as I understand. Vivec just seems naturally the next one to go.

 

[Ghost]

Hehehe.

At first (after finishing Morrowind) i thought: ''Let the poor Vivec lives, he cares about the peopleblah,blah,blah''.

After finshing Tribunal: i went an whackd his ass from Morrowind, After watching the mad Almalexia going Go-Go, i finished him.

 

[Haesslich]

Hehehe.

At first (after finishing Morrowind) i thought: ''Let the poor Vivec lives, he cares about the peopleblah,blah,blah''.

After finshing Tribunal: i went an whackd his ass from Morrowind, After watching the mad Almalexia going Go-Go, i finished him.

Eh, I let him live after that - I figure that he'll die later, anyhow, so I don't need to get crowned God-Killer.

As far as Azura, from what I can tell, she's one of the few really 'good' Daedra that are neither psychotic (like Hircine) or crazy (like Sheogorath, Malacar, etc). In other words, she's about the closest thing the Dunmer have to a Mother Goddess, especially since the Dunmer were once the Chimmer (sp). Most of the other Daedra are either neutral at best.. or actively hostile.

 

[Quarto]

That's another thing I don't understand. What is Nerevar's relationship to Azura. Why is it that she looks over him? I mean, there are plenty of Daedra gods. What is it about her that is so unique. I'm sure they probably explained this somewhere in the game, but I did not understand it.

Azura seems to have a special relationship with the Dunmer in general - and the Nerevarine was acting on behalf of all the Dunmer, so it's reasonable for her to look out for him in particular.

I also wished that after the end of the Morrowind game after you kill Dagoth Ur, shouldn't by then you have maybe a journal entry that says something like, "I remember who I am now. I am Nerevar and I've come back." It just seems like you go on with no feeling of importance after that.

That wouldn't have been right, though - you're not Nerevar, you're the Nerevarine. You're Nerevar reincarnated, but you're also yourself. It's kind of a weird and subtle difference, I know - but it kinda makes sense when you think about that scene where you meet all the previous Nerevarines (which for some reason strikes me as one of the best video game narrative scenes I've ever seen; I can't quite work out what it is that impresses me so much about it, though). Each of them was Nerevar reincarnated, but each of them was an entirely different person, with his/her own life and memories.

Easier still, just think of 'Nerevarine' as a title, which brings certain special abilities to the person upon whom it is bestowed, and which happens to be originally derived from a real person.

That having been said, whether you're Nerevar or Nerevarine may be an irrelevant distinction, because your point is correct - in spite of Tribunal's storyline, the game in general does not give you the feeling that the world considers the Nerevarine to be of any importance.

About the death of Nerevar... it's been several months since I finished Morrowind, so I don't recall all those conversations too well anymore. However, one thing I'm pretty certain about is that Dagoth Ur most definitely did not do it - ironically, he really was faithful to Nerevar, and got screwed over (well, accidentally). Indeed, one thing I thought should have been present in Morrowind is an alternative path or at least ending where Dagoth Ur gets treated as more than just a bad guy to be knocked off. Anyway, maybe Nerevar's death was just an accident, or maybe nobody even remembers what exactly happened. In any case, Vivec seems to be a pretty honest guy (if only because at this stage, he no longer even seems to see the point of lying), so his version may be relatively correct.

 

[Indoril Nerevar]

I still think it would make sense being able to remember being Nerevar, and even remembering being all of those failed Nerevarines. It would be like retrieving your memory of being a baby, only much much earlier...

And thanks for that spoiler warning Shipgate, I think I'm going to start Trubunal soon so we'll be able to talk about it.

 

[Shipgate]

I understand now the difference between Nerevar and being the Nerevarine. However, I think you may be wrong about the other Nerevarines in the cave. As far as I understand it, there was only one time that Nerevar was truly reincarnated. And that is in your character. Those ghosts in the cave were people who were very certain that they were the one. Several of them even say when you talk to them that they thought they were the one but know now that they were not. Which is why they all give you that cool stuff because they know you are and they want to give you their blessing. I even remember some telling you why they thought they fit the prophecy, but they were mistaken.

I think now when I think of the Nerevarine, I will picture it as like a symbiotic thing where you are you and you share your life and memories with that of Nerevar.

And as far as you walking around with people not seeming to care that much that you are the Nerevarine, I'm going to assume because many people don't actually have that much faith that you are. And that they're just too used to the ideas of the Tribunal and that anyone claiming to be Nerevar would just be killed by the Ordinators anyway.

And I think as far as how Nerevar died, I'm also going to conclude that he was mortally wounded at the Battle of Red Mountain. And that the three soon to be gods didn't choose not to help him, but once they saw he was out of the way, were secretly relieved that now they would use Kragnec's tools without feeling any shame or guilt. Though I think later they would go on to feel guilty anyway.

 

[Indoril Nerevar]

Well there are certain people who get nervous when you talk to them, but of them I think it's only been the silt strider drivers or boatman that give you rides to places. That's about it for the entire populous though.

 

[Haesslich]

From what I recall of the story (which I'm still playing through, for a third time), the failed Nerevarines were people who thought they fit the prophecy of the Nerevarine... but who failed, once they found the Cavern of the Incarnates. When they went there, they apparently couldn't pick up Nerevar's Moon-And-Star ring, which was bound in a way so it could only be worn by Nerevar himself... and died there. Therefore, when they met you (the player), who was truly Nerevar reborn, they offered you what wisdom they had and their items, to help you in your quest to protect the Dunmer people.

Most people who were Temple-aligned would refuse to speak to you after the declaration of Nerevarine, unless you were cleared by Vivec. People who were neutral to the Temple were more open-minded, however - they'd talk about miracles, or how the Temple has cleared your name, or some-such.

As far as being Nerevar goes - you may be him reborn, but you aren't Nerevar. You're the same spirit and soul, but your memories and life are your own; you're Nerevar incarnate, but his mind and your mind are quite different... which means you can act however you want to, and be as ignoble as you want. It's not like you're Jesus returned - it's more like a reincarnation along the Buddhist line of thought than anything, but with prophecy involved. One more thing to note about Nerevar's importance is that it's limited to the province of Vvardenfell, the Dunmer homeland - outside of it, he's just another race-hero or legend. Even in there, he's mostly treated as a returned hero... but at the same time, what else are they supposed to do? Nerevar didn't return to rule the Dunmer - just to save them.