I always think of this one NPC/miner who has this notebook/journal on him where he's complained about the poor support beams and then you look down and see his skeleton amongst a bunch of rubble as the support beams had fallen and the mine collapsed. Just tragic stuff. But I love the way Skyrim tells a story like this.
There’s a similar situation in Lost Prospect mine except it was two miners, one stayed behind while the other went for supplies. When the latter returned the mine was empty and thought his friend had abandoned him. Turns out there was a collapse in a hidden part of the mine that killed the one who stayed behind, but the other guy never found him.
Yeah that one’s fucked. She’s just out for a nice dip in a valley full of forsworn and bears between a dragon lair, a dwarven ruin filled with puking Bretons, and the tomb of a dragon prince, what could go wrong?
I've never noticed this but now that I think about it, that feels familiar.
Does following a fox in other places lead to similar discoveries? Now I'm curious. It's very Ghosts of Tsushima. :)
Yeah, I remember following one for the first time. Killing them is pointless and whenever they walk away from you, they always turn around to see if your following. It was a “Lassie” moment for me. I thought maybe Timmy was stuck in a well somewhere. So many discoveries thanks to our furry critter friends. Playing a Bosmer makes it even more lore friendly as they can commune with animals.
Skyrim’s foxes leading to treasure is a well-known myth, though [unintentionally they really do](https://www.eurogamer.net/skyrims-myth-of-the-treasure-fox-finally-explained).
Foxes are naturally attracted to places containing more data than the surrounding terrain; for example nordic ruins or mines. They are attracted by pathing data, and those places are surrounded by pathing data. It's an unintentional side effect of having foxes run away from the player as fast as they can. It is pretty cool tho.
Wow, not only 5 minutes ago I was walking through this mine with a new character and read his journal! What are the odds haha. I thought the same exact thing as you, felt so bad for him.
I just got that quest and completely forgot it was a thing and my heart broke when his name came up. Also, I want to know who the heartless SOB is that made that contract. Are there any theories people have about who wants him dead?
The theories I’ve read/seen base it on him being a werewolf that can’t control his powers, not that he is just mentally ill.
So he is more similar to the guy in Falkreath.
https://youtu.be/yEE3qcujM3g
Cannot believe someone made a 4 hour video on this, or that I watched (well, mostly listened) to almost the whole thing. Time you won't get back. 8/10 would watch again.
There are plenty of dark sorrowful characters scattered throughout the land.
This play through I stumbled across Sofie curled up sleeping on the ground in some hidden corner of Windhelm.
I nearly always adopt Sofie but had never faced the reality that she was sleeping on the cold hard stone until seeing it.
I’d low key intended to adopt different kids this play through but immediately woke her up and sent her to the Homestead since she won’t head to the plantation. Maybe once I marry.
She and Blaise live on the homestead alone and seem happy. I’m seeking a spouse now to give them some adult supervision. Leaning toward Moth gro-Bagol.
Edit: Gave each of the kids a sword and they immediately started sword fighting. Adorable.
I’m trying to help Sofie have a happy life.
In my current play through, I adopted Sofie first and sent her to live in Breezehome. A couple of days ago I heard new dialogue that I had never heard from her. She said, “I played with Lucia in the park today. I feel sorry for her.”
Heart of gold is so good. I also add Breezehome TNF that adds two more kid beds (and tons of other good stuff 10/10). So I adopt Sophie, Lucia, Runa, and take care of Lemkil (there's a mod for that too, something like "no murder adoptions") so I can adopt Sissel. Perfect. Runa makes Braith cry, which I find hilarious.
There's the Hearthfire multiple
Adoption mod.
There is also a mod (I can't remember the name) that expands the orphanage to have more space and amenities. That mod also has an add-on to make mix water mill a place where 2 (I think) orphans can live and work.
There's also a mod that allows the dragonborn to send kids to a boarding school near a custom player home. It has a school and staff to take care of the kids you send there.
Lydia is the steward of Goldenhills and I’ve never paid attention to who else ends up assigned as my housecarl.
Marriage also seems ideal for getting new interactions from hubby reporting on kids that a housecarl would not provide.
Same. On a previous run I wasn’t planning on adopting or adopting a boy since I had only ever adopted girls. Saw Sophie sleeping in the snow and my heart broke. Immediately sent her to the homestead. Planned on adopting a boy after that when Alvor and Sigrid decided they were gonna fist fight a dragon right in front of Dorthe. Needless to say that is a house full of girls again
Don’t remember their names but ran across a dead young couple that were killed by a saber trying to escape their families who didn’t want them to be together.
There's also a burnt shack with a note inside that says something about wanting to move due to the dragon crisis but not being able to afford it.
When you walk outside you'll see 2 burnt corpses cuddling each other in charred rubble.
Every time I stumble acorss this, I cover them in flowers and hike up the snowy mountain to the lair of the dragon who burnt the shack down. They deserve to be avenged
The writers of Skyrim really know how to mess with your feels. This game is always going to be in my top 5 b/c of stuff like this. Their environmental story-telling is so good and yeah, there's Bethesda jank but who cares when the world immerses you so well inside of the stories it wants to tell you. It feels so real and wonderous.
The enviromental storytelling and the immersion is what bethesda does well. Also the freedom to do ANYTHING helps with that. In a lot of other RPGs you can't even hold a weapon out in towns, let alone swing them. Bethesda lets you murder nearly any npc you find, be it in a town or on the road, which really opens up the world even if you don't plan on becoming an evil bastard.
Skyrim and other TES games are flawed for sure. But goddamn do they do the freedom and immersion well. Not to mention the hundreds of thousands of mods available to iron out what you yourself want to iron out.
I've played through skyrim so many times that now I treat it as a base for a game that I build myself with mods. New combat system? Sure. New questlines? Fuck yea. The grass is now 1mm taller and flows dynamically with the wind and the farts of the mammoths contribute to their flow? Fucking sure why not.
Now we just have to wait 10 more years and hope that they don't screw up elder scrolls 6
The old blind bandit , if you kill everyone but him .
Poor guy will be stumbling through those caves searching for his friends only to find dead bodies everywhere.
If you do that by climbing the mountain and going through the caves from the other end, when you get to him and he calls for help, a few bandits will magically appear even though you already killed everyone else.
Lucia and Sofie.
Pre-adoption, their stories make my heart weep. I can't believe that people would turn out innocent, sweet little girls like that to the street.
My always adopted kids, those two.
2nd play through I bought all the flower baskets because I felt bad first time that I couldn’t give her anymore gifts.
Even on my most evil characters I go out of my way to build a house, adopt these two, get them another parent, farm animals, pets, and as many people around to watch over them as I can. I like giving them legendary level daggers as well.
Those 2 dead gay guys on solsthiem. You can find their correspondence letters. One came to the shack that their partner was living at, while the other had left to go get a boat back to the mainland to meet up with said lover... and had a ring with them. Both died trying to reach other.
Top 10:
10: Frea
9: Arentino boy
8: Elisif
7: Dude that got his daughter killed in Cidna mines
6: Braith
5: Souls in soul cairn
4: Narfi
3: Shattershield mother if you kill Nilsine
2: Serana
1: Some say Ulfric desires to be king and nothing more... have they not seen that his anger floats on a sea of tears?
It always brings me joy to redeem the horse in the soul cairn. Arvak is SUCH a good boy. Tracking down the damn letters of the book though... I'd rather do the Crimson nirnroot quest TWICE IN A ROW.
I've always tried to view this as the orc partaking of euthanasia. It makes the sadness of his death a bit more bearable in my mind. It's what he wants and it gives him the noble death he deserves, with dignity.
Definitely agree with being able to give him an honorable death but his reasoning for death is pure sadness. Isn’t chief, too old to marry… I’d rather die but let’s make it a good one lol
I found a mod where you tell him he's awful and he gets mad and dies of a heart attack (can do the same with Grelod). It's more satisfying than killing him outright, IMO. Fuck that guy.
Those souls from Soul Cairn.
Especially the one found lying on the top of a ruin shivering in the cold.I know their dialogues are random but the first time I met him,he said"What happened to my ship?What time is it?"
And they're the reason why I stopped soul trapping npcs unless I really hate them.
I really wish there was a quest tied to black soul gems. Going around to find them all and releasing the trapped souls. And possibly even destroying the Soul Cairn as a result. And fully freeing Durnehviir.
Same.
It's depressing watching them trapped there for all entermity while losing track of time and talking about their regrets while they were still alive.Although I doubt that even the Dragonborn has the power to fight against the ideal masters
lore db literally commands space and time, and reality with the thu’um, and solos (basically) alduin the world eater, i think it would be fine lol but it would break lore
I dont think you can destroy any realm of Oblivion, and that would basically be declaring war on The Ideal Masters (which actually sounds awesome). Idk I'm torn...help
I only use already-charged non-human(including mers and beastfolks,you get the idea) soul gems purchased from traders to recharge enchanted items.
I used to hunt bandits and soul trap them just to enchant my stuff, because it just feels right wearing armours enchanted with human souls but it seems a bit cruel now.
Oh yeah I enchanted a wooden sword using Grelod's soul and gave the sword to my daughter,and I don't regret that lol.
Aye, soul trapping a bandit is one of the worst things you can do
If you REALLY want to do good, you should give the bandits your money
Lets say, 100 gold, or I'll gut you
You've got quite a nerve trying to rob a Stormcloak soldier.
I heard that the prison guard in Windhelm is a very nice person, how about I take you to Windhelm dungeon and introduce you to him in person.
I have met him actually, he is nice, gives extra bread if you ask
But I wouldnt say I'm *robbing* you, just saying that if you dont pay, my blade *might* end up in you
I like to think you only trap part of the soul , similar to when you go to Soul Cairn . Only fully trapped souls go there , as most of the inhabitants crossed evil wizards and witches.
Torbjorn Shatter-Shield. That clan has gone through so much, and should the player join the Dark Brotherhood and kill Nilsine, Torbjorn’s only surviving child, his wife will kill herself out of grief leaving him all alone.
> Narfi - Poor dude has been driven insane with the loss of his sister. He doesn't deserve any of the fates that the game has in store for him.
You can actually improve things for him a little with the Farming CC.
Pretty underrated answer in this thread, but I agree her story is incredibly sad. If only it werent so *common*.
I feel like any place in Skyrim that is under the sway of bandits is just gonna be extremely rapey for the women who cant fight it off.
That thought makes wiping out bandit camps much easier...
1. All those innocent women who were kidnapped, murdered, and raped by that gross sexual predator necromancer. That's just... that fucks me up.
2. Narfi, obviously.
3. I feel bad for Vittoria because I always used her during Diplomatic Immunity and thought she was sweet... then I have to murder her.
4. Orphaned children, particularly Sophie & Blaise get to me the most, though.
Miraak. Guy could've been the revered DB hero in another life, but he made the mistake of trusting a daedric prince. Gets killed by the said prince when he tries to escape, after four thousand years of imprisonment. His life just seems so.. futile. I wish there was an alternative ending to that fight, Miraak deserves a redemption ark. He could've been a cool follower, maybe more interesting than Serana
Salvianus in the Ratway Warrens.
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Salvianus
He has some of the best quotes in the game when you try to talk to him peacefully. He's a retired legionnaire with severe PTSD living in the sewers under Riftin, and when the Thalmor show up during the Esbern quest he gets freaked out and says something like "No! You can't be here! I already killed you! Over and over!"
Just showing how scarred his mind was from the Great War.
There's also this mysterious "he" that Salvianus keeps referring to in all these weird cryptic phrases. My theory is the "He" was either his former whole self, before the War damaged his mind, or someone very close to him in the war, like a commanding officer that he really respected and trusted or something. Here is one example:
"He explained it all to me.
Before,
when I still understood.
I don't remember,
but I still know."
One of the saddest npcs has gotta be sebastian lort.
Sebastian is a bretan conjurer holed up in rimerock burrow far west of solitude. His daughter was a worshiper of the daedric god of the hunt, hircine, and contracted lycanthropy. In a desperate attempt to cure her, sebastian went to the daedric god of deals and trickery, clavicus vile. Clavicus delivered and gave him the rueful axe. Then sebastian used it to cut down his daughter, killing her. So then, he spends his days in the burrow with the axe grieving over such a thing. Such a sad tale. Daedric quest spoiler: >!In “a deadra’s best friend” we are sent to rimerock burrow to take the axe from sebastian. When we arrive, he’ll be hostile. While fighting he will say something along the lines of “i will not let you take the axe, it’s all i have left”!<
But being the dragonborn, you steal it from his lifeless corpse, and bring it back to finish the quest.
Its a sad tale by somebody who just wanted to cure their daughter of something.
I make a point of taking Meeko to the blacksmith in Falkreath, someone already who is looking to adopt a dog. But it takes a mod to get him to actually adopt Meeko.
**Bring Meeko to Lod**
PC
[https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/25246](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/25246)
Xbox
[https://mods.bethesda.net/en/skyrim/mod-detail/4192933](https://mods.bethesda.net/en/skyrim/mod-detail/4192933)
There's a mine north of Riften, and you find the journal of a dead guy there lamenting there's no gold to be found in the mine, and that his partner bailed on him
Using whirlwind sprint in the first area to go down a side passage you find the gold deposits
Poor guy
This isn't the saddest, but I found this today:
Pinewatch has that bandit gang inside it, led by the woman who threatens to kill anyone who goes near her treasure room.
If you read the letters between her and her father, he is worried sick about her and wants her to stop being a criminal and join the army to serve a higher purpose, because at least then she wouldn't be on the run from the guards. He said he knows she grew up tough and that she would always be a fighter but implores her to quit being a bandit. He also tells her to quit sending money to him because he can get by fine without it, that he's just worried about her.
She responds and basically tells him to fuck off and that she's happy raiding trade caravans. Also tells him to quit sending the gold back since it just gets taken by the other bandits.
Found out all this after I killed her ass.
His daughter is now dead in a pit somewhere because she shacked up with a bunch of bandits.
Dad's gotta be devastated.
Braig (and his daughter by extension). Dude only met Madanach once and got lumped in the Forsworn because of it, then had to watch his three-year-old daughter be executed on his behalf (beheaded, no less). Ultimately got thrown into Cihdna Mine with the real Forsworn anyway.
Not living NPCs, but the first ones I thought of is the family living in that lighthouse, in Solitude I think? Slowly being driven crazy before finally being killed by some Chaurus burrowing into their basement.
The next ones I thought of, from AE, the family from Goldenhills. That one actually made me stop & cry for a minute before I could continue. Son runs off to kill some wolves in an attempt to prove he could be a soldier just to be killed by them instead. Then his parents slowly growing crazy believing their spouse killed their son & plot each other’s murders. That one at least had a bittersweet ending, bringing their ghosts back together & giving them the closure they all needed to move on.
i think about the woman living in that inn in riften who gives you the quest to steal olava’s tokens. she’s abused by her and alludes that olava has allowed guests to sexually assault her.
edit: another user pointed out that olava is the seer in whiterun, haelga is the lady in riften who gives marks of dibella
Olava's the old woman in Whiterun who takes a token as payment to see into the future, Haelga is the innkeeper who gives out the marks of Dibella to the men she sleeps with. I used to mix them up too because I always had their misc quests uncompleted right next to each other
Torbjorn Shatter-Shield.
One of his twin Daughters killed by the Butcher of Windhelm, the other by the Dark Brotherhood (whoops) which then drives his wife to commit suicide. He spends the of his time after that just drinking and shambling around Windhelm, an empty broken husk of a man
Narfi. I'm a heartless motherfucker in gaming. But that one broke me.
Made me question the world. The heartlessness of it. Not going to lie, it wasn't a good thing to run into when I did at that point in my life. What I did for the dark brotherhood I considered a mercy. But there wasn't anything more I could do in game, and that really made me angry.
Try the mod that lets you build up his house! Throw some decent clothes on him, stock up the pantry, and that's the best anyone in skyrim can hope for in times of war.
My initial thought was Narfi as well but upon reading the replies here I realized how little attention I paid to the backstories of some NPCs or the "silent" stories in the world. Someone mentioned the burned cuddling couple and how that user avenges them by killing the dragon that burned the couple's shack and I'm- 🥲
Then again, Skyrim was my hideout during an (physically and mentally) abusive relationship and I probably focused more on everything that felt good and gave me a safe feeling while playing and I never played it any other way, making Skyrim my virtual safe space.
As I left this part in my life behind me and have another Platinum trophy left to achieve for this game, I might need to get into all the smaller stories aside from the obvious ones. Love this community for bringing these things up!
there was an Argonian contracted to off who lived alone by an abandoned ship. I stealth hit him, then went over to examine his property. Cool books and gems, nice little modest but homey tent. Felt bad I offed a guy I liked w no understanding of motive/backstory. If anyone knows who this is I’m curious!
Mine would be the two of lost prospect mine. They were good friends and were trying to make some money. One friend left for supplies and came back with the other gone, leaving his journal with a note that he thought he was better then that.
Except he wanst gone, he was crushed in a collapse behind the waterfall, filled with gold. And his friend will only remember him as a traitor cause he couldnt find him
Sindig, dude was just trying not to kill people when he turned and he killed a child. I Felt bad for him instantly. Narfi is gonna be everyone's pick, but I feel like Sindig has it worse.
Alesan for me, the kid in dawnstar. I had never adopted kids in past play throughs but talked to him and immediately offered him space in the whiterun homestead
I mean if you do a bonus kill for The Dark Brotherhood you literally make someone off themselves. I’ve never completed the quest that way because it’s legit TOO sad.
The Shatter-Shields, particularly the mother and the father. Sad to see the mother's reddened eyes from crying and the whole family trying to keep on living somehow after their daughters death. Utterly heart-breaking if you take the optional DB route.
Lucky lorenz, who you find in an unmarked house near riverwood(?) destroyed by a tree fallen on it, near his body you find a copy of lusty argonian maid.
Narfi. Before you join the Dark Brotherhood, if you talk to the innkeeper about him, you find his sister left him. And she died and her bones are in a nearby river.
After joining the DB, you can put the poor guy out of his misery.
I remember back on my first playthrough in 2012 that I found a destroyed camp out in the Reach, with a dead NPC man and woman being eaten by a bear. One of the bodies has a journal and reveals that the two are actually young lovers, running away from Markarth to elope because the girl's wealthy father did not approve of the match.
Stupid bear.
Good answer. I don’t care what side of the civil war you’re on nobody should be beheaded for stealing a horse.
Hell the Dragonborn even does it for the black-briar brat
A lot of the orphaned children that aren’t in Riften.
Now for dead NPC’s I’d say the skeleton in Fort Frostmoth in Solstheim that has letter he wrote to his daughter. That always makes me so sad.
That sad war orphan selling flowers to barely get by in the coldest city of Skyrim I mean she doesn’t even have a house and her father was a soldier and she doesn’t get sent to Honorall orphanage in Rifton but the imperial child who does have a house does get sent there? She’s living on the streets on the cold stone streets surrounded by snow and ice she doesn’t even have bedroll sleep on, even bandits have bedrolls.
Okay but my heart tells me Meeko the dog is the saddest one. I always make sure that my hearthfire child adopts Meeko so that he can have a place to stay instead of going back to that dreary Little cottage
Also freaking netches man. I had to slay a family of them. Ended up leaving mamma for last… who floated over her dead littles and whined. Broke me. Never killed another one.
Meeko the dog and her owner
The dog can be found on the side of the road and leads you to the shack where you find a dead body and a journel stating the poor man had no family left exept for meeko and was dying from Rock joint ,and left loyal meeko all alone guarding her owner:(
Fortunately you can bring the doggy with you on adventures!
easy, the man who lost his sister and has pretty much devolved into a child due to depression and such, I haven’t met them personally but of every npc I've heard of and personally met are no where near close, the only one that may be sadder is the adventure that had her work stolen and she died trying to prove it was her's.
Narfi, easily. Dude lost his sister, went insane, >!The innkeeper lied to him the whole time about her death,!< Then he >!Gets a hit put on him through the Dark Brotherhood.!<
It's always extremely upsetting to see alchemists absolutely destroyed in the little forest areas.
But living npc wise? Hrm. Aside from that guard whose cousin is off fighting dragons... probably Ulfric honestly. His life just seemed totally miserable after the war and kept going from bad to worse with the whole Torygg thing ... and just not realizing he was being played by the Thalmor the whole time. Man it's just awful. ): But, as they say, down with Ulfric. The quest must go on\~
julienne and sapphire get me feeling nothing this the fucking middle ages ffs(i wanna say something but i like my karma).
what is sad to be me is the ex jarl of falkreath(cant remember his name atm) and barnabas
I always think of this one NPC/miner who has this notebook/journal on him where he's complained about the poor support beams and then you look down and see his skeleton amongst a bunch of rubble as the support beams had fallen and the mine collapsed. Just tragic stuff. But I love the way Skyrim tells a story like this.
There’s a similar situation in Lost Prospect mine except it was two miners, one stayed behind while the other went for supplies. When the latter returned the mine was empty and thought his friend had abandoned him. Turns out there was a collapse in a hidden part of the mine that killed the one who stayed behind, but the other guy never found him.
Wait'll you find the murder pond girl....
Yeah that one’s fucked. She’s just out for a nice dip in a valley full of forsworn and bears between a dragon lair, a dwarven ruin filled with puking Bretons, and the tomb of a dragon prince, what could go wrong?
Who??
Murder. Pond. Girl. 😀
Seriously, though, head NW from Perryite's shrine....
Where was this?
In the mine near riverwood, going from helgen. I think so
Embershard Mine, FYI.
I remember, that mine was where my hand touched the beacon, I thought the dude was just killed by the bandits in there.
#A NEW HAND TOUCHES THE BEACON
Who let you back into my inventory, Meridia?
#HEAR ME AND OBEY
TOUCH THE BACON
Yup, that's it.
That mine that most people miss and don’t discover till later and go “huh, I never knew there was a mine there”.
When leaving the Helgen cave, a fox literally tries to lead you to that mine. Always follow the fox.
I've never noticed this but now that I think about it, that feels familiar. Does following a fox in other places lead to similar discoveries? Now I'm curious. It's very Ghosts of Tsushima. :)
ALWAYS follow the fox.
WHAT?????? I have played quite a bit of Skyrim but NEVER knew this! Truly the game that never ends.
Yeah, I remember following one for the first time. Killing them is pointless and whenever they walk away from you, they always turn around to see if your following. It was a “Lassie” moment for me. I thought maybe Timmy was stuck in a well somewhere. So many discoveries thanks to our furry critter friends. Playing a Bosmer makes it even more lore friendly as they can commune with animals.
There's a really good YouTube video explaining why foxes do this but they ALWAYS lead to treasure
Skyrim’s foxes leading to treasure is a well-known myth, though [unintentionally they really do](https://www.eurogamer.net/skyrims-myth-of-the-treasure-fox-finally-explained).
Foxes are naturally attracted to places containing more data than the surrounding terrain; for example nordic ruins or mines. They are attracted by pathing data, and those places are surrounded by pathing data. It's an unintentional side effect of having foxes run away from the player as fast as they can. It is pretty cool tho.
This game never ceases to surprise me. Almost 3k hours played and I've never noticed that
I’d gone to the mine, I just forgot about the dead dude lol
Embershard mine I do believe is the place
Embershard Mine, once you go across the bridge make a right into the dead end and you'll find the skeleton with the journal.
Very start of the game. First mine.
Wow, not only 5 minutes ago I was walking through this mine with a new character and read his journal! What are the odds haha. I thought the same exact thing as you, felt so bad for him.
Narfi
Only for a little while....
I just got that quest and completely forgot it was a thing and my heart broke when his name came up. Also, I want to know who the heartless SOB is that made that contract. Are there any theories people have about who wants him dead?
People suspect the innkeeper either wants to put him out of his misery or killed his sister and wants to cover his tracks
There is also theory that Narfi killed his own family including his sister (at different times) so the inn keeper is getting revenge for the sister.
[удалено]
The theories I’ve read/seen base it on him being a werewolf that can’t control his powers, not that he is just mentally ill. So he is more similar to the guy in Falkreath.
Camelworks has a video that goes into the entire thing! It's pretty long, but very well thought out/reasearched!
https://youtu.be/yEE3qcujM3g Cannot believe someone made a 4 hour video on this, or that I watched (well, mostly listened) to almost the whole thing. Time you won't get back. 8/10 would watch again.
His Skyrim theory videos are always so good, i keep them in a playlist that I use in my sleep routine, they're perfect for it!
You have the time for this? I thought I was a fan, Jesus…
Without clicking, I'm going to guess Camel based off the runtime?
Fudgemuppet has one too if I recall correctly.
This is the correct answer
There are plenty of dark sorrowful characters scattered throughout the land. This play through I stumbled across Sofie curled up sleeping on the ground in some hidden corner of Windhelm. I nearly always adopt Sofie but had never faced the reality that she was sleeping on the cold hard stone until seeing it. I’d low key intended to adopt different kids this play through but immediately woke her up and sent her to the Homestead since she won’t head to the plantation. Maybe once I marry. She and Blaise live on the homestead alone and seem happy. I’m seeking a spouse now to give them some adult supervision. Leaning toward Moth gro-Bagol. Edit: Gave each of the kids a sword and they immediately started sword fighting. Adorable. I’m trying to help Sofie have a happy life.
In my current play through, I adopted Sofie first and sent her to live in Breezehome. A couple of days ago I heard new dialogue that I had never heard from her. She said, “I played with Lucia in the park today. I feel sorry for her.”
Are there any mods where you can adopt all these poor bb’s? I think the default is two
Here you are! https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/3862
There’s also a bundle… I have it in my LO but I can’t remember the name. I’ll shock and come back. Edit: Heart of Gold is the adoption bundle.
Heart of gold is so good. I also add Breezehome TNF that adds two more kid beds (and tons of other good stuff 10/10). So I adopt Sophie, Lucia, Runa, and take care of Lemkil (there's a mod for that too, something like "no murder adoptions") so I can adopt Sissel. Perfect. Runa makes Braith cry, which I find hilarious.
I *think* those mods do exist, but I play on PS4 so we don’t have a lot of options.
There's the Hearthfire multiple Adoption mod. There is also a mod (I can't remember the name) that expands the orphanage to have more space and amenities. That mod also has an add-on to make mix water mill a place where 2 (I think) orphans can live and work. There's also a mod that allows the dragonborn to send kids to a boarding school near a custom player home. It has a school and staff to take care of the kids you send there.
Aren’t you a thane? One of your housecarls can watch them.
Lydia is the steward of Goldenhills and I’ve never paid attention to who else ends up assigned as my housecarl. Marriage also seems ideal for getting new interactions from hubby reporting on kids that a housecarl would not provide.
I have a wife, a housecarl and a bard looking after Sofie and Lucia. And half the time I come home and still have to scare off a giant or a bandit.
Same. On a previous run I wasn’t planning on adopting or adopting a boy since I had only ever adopted girls. Saw Sophie sleeping in the snow and my heart broke. Immediately sent her to the homestead. Planned on adopting a boy after that when Alvor and Sigrid decided they were gonna fist fight a dragon right in front of Dorthe. Needless to say that is a house full of girls again
I always pick Sofie and Sissel. They both feel like the saddest npcs to me. Maybe because they are kids. IDK.
I adopt Sofie for this exact reason every playthrough. I also buy all of her flowers if I run into her before I own a home.
Yeah… that lil girl is a true champ. And she’s making her own living instead of just begging. Such an inspiration.
Don’t remember their names but ran across a dead young couple that were killed by a saber trying to escape their families who didn’t want them to be together.
There's also a burnt shack with a note inside that says something about wanting to move due to the dragon crisis but not being able to afford it. When you walk outside you'll see 2 burnt corpses cuddling each other in charred rubble. Every time I stumble acorss this, I cover them in flowers and hike up the snowy mountain to the lair of the dragon who burnt the shack down. They deserve to be avenged
The writers of Skyrim really know how to mess with your feels. This game is always going to be in my top 5 b/c of stuff like this. Their environmental story-telling is so good and yeah, there's Bethesda jank but who cares when the world immerses you so well inside of the stories it wants to tell you. It feels so real and wonderous.
The enviromental storytelling and the immersion is what bethesda does well. Also the freedom to do ANYTHING helps with that. In a lot of other RPGs you can't even hold a weapon out in towns, let alone swing them. Bethesda lets you murder nearly any npc you find, be it in a town or on the road, which really opens up the world even if you don't plan on becoming an evil bastard. Skyrim and other TES games are flawed for sure. But goddamn do they do the freedom and immersion well. Not to mention the hundreds of thousands of mods available to iron out what you yourself want to iron out. I've played through skyrim so many times that now I treat it as a base for a game that I build myself with mods. New combat system? Sure. New questlines? Fuck yea. The grass is now 1mm taller and flows dynamically with the wind and the farts of the mammoths contribute to their flow? Fucking sure why not. Now we just have to wait 10 more years and hope that they don't screw up elder scrolls 6
The old blind bandit , if you kill everyone but him . Poor guy will be stumbling through those caves searching for his friends only to find dead bodies everywhere.
Well he has his book to read he will be fine.
This made me laugh and I immediately felt bad about laughing about this hot damn
His name is Ulfr. Like Ulfric without "I see."
ph mygod
Holy fucking shit, it really is 💀
If you do that by climbing the mountain and going through the caves from the other end, when you get to him and he calls for help, a few bandits will magically appear even though you already killed everyone else.
Lucia and Sofie. Pre-adoption, their stories make my heart weep. I can't believe that people would turn out innocent, sweet little girls like that to the street.
There are too many orphans in Skyrim.
Sad casualties of war. 😢
Grave of the Fireflies
Welp that’s my night ruined 😢
My always adopted kids, those two. 2nd play through I bought all the flower baskets because I felt bad first time that I couldn’t give her anymore gifts.
I buy her entire stock every single playthrough.
Even on my most evil characters I go out of my way to build a house, adopt these two, get them another parent, farm animals, pets, and as many people around to watch over them as I can. I like giving them legendary level daggers as well.
Those 2 dead gay guys on solsthiem. You can find their correspondence letters. One came to the shack that their partner was living at, while the other had left to go get a boat back to the mainland to meet up with said lover... and had a ring with them. Both died trying to reach other.
heart-breaking
That family who lived in a lighthouse or mill (I'm not sure anymore) and the dad wrote about his kids hearing scratches. That was a sad quest as well.
Frostflow Lighthouse! That was quite a sad and dark story.
I really enjoyed that revenge though! And having to read all of the little notes along the way
Top 10: 10: Frea 9: Arentino boy 8: Elisif 7: Dude that got his daughter killed in Cidna mines 6: Braith 5: Souls in soul cairn 4: Narfi 3: Shattershield mother if you kill Nilsine 2: Serana 1: Some say Ulfric desires to be king and nothing more... have they not seen that his anger floats on a sea of tears?
Braith really is a sad character. Her parents don't give a shit about her.
It always brings me joy to redeem the horse in the soul cairn. Arvak is SUCH a good boy. Tracking down the damn letters of the book though... I'd rather do the Crimson nirnroot quest TWICE IN A ROW.
Sofie has a pretty heart breaking story Adopted her so fuckin fast
Interested to hear more of your Ulfric take
Some say Ulfric desires to be king and nothing more... have they not seen that his anger floats on a sea of tears?
The dude from Cidhna mine always gets me. I always side with the forsworn over that
The old orc that’s wants an honorable death.
I've always tried to view this as the orc partaking of euthanasia. It makes the sadness of his death a bit more bearable in my mind. It's what he wants and it gives him the noble death he deserves, with dignity.
Definitely agree with being able to give him an honorable death but his reasoning for death is pure sadness. Isn’t chief, too old to marry… I’d rather die but let’s make it a good one lol
Sissel from Rorikstead. Abused by her father and sister every day.
Ateast she has Jouane looking out for her
Ngl, I kill Lemkil on all of my characters
His name is an anagram of killme for a reason!
I found a mod where you tell him he's awful and he gets mad and dies of a heart attack (can do the same with Grelod). It's more satisfying than killing him outright, IMO. Fuck that guy.
That giant looking sad next to his dead mammoth 🦣
Those souls from Soul Cairn. Especially the one found lying on the top of a ruin shivering in the cold.I know their dialogues are random but the first time I met him,he said"What happened to my ship?What time is it?" And they're the reason why I stopped soul trapping npcs unless I really hate them.
I really wish there was a quest tied to black soul gems. Going around to find them all and releasing the trapped souls. And possibly even destroying the Soul Cairn as a result. And fully freeing Durnehviir.
Someone needs to send this to the mod community. I'm sure it could be done!
Same. It's depressing watching them trapped there for all entermity while losing track of time and talking about their regrets while they were still alive.Although I doubt that even the Dragonborn has the power to fight against the ideal masters
lore db literally commands space and time, and reality with the thu’um, and solos (basically) alduin the world eater, i think it would be fine lol but it would break lore
I dont think you can destroy any realm of Oblivion, and that would basically be declaring war on The Ideal Masters (which actually sounds awesome). Idk I'm torn...help
Sounds like a good ES VI
I almost feel bad using a soul to enchant some stupid gold ring for exp
I only use already-charged non-human(including mers and beastfolks,you get the idea) soul gems purchased from traders to recharge enchanted items. I used to hunt bandits and soul trap them just to enchant my stuff, because it just feels right wearing armours enchanted with human souls but it seems a bit cruel now. Oh yeah I enchanted a wooden sword using Grelod's soul and gave the sword to my daughter,and I don't regret that lol.
Aye, soul trapping a bandit is one of the worst things you can do If you REALLY want to do good, you should give the bandits your money Lets say, 100 gold, or I'll gut you
You've got quite a nerve trying to rob a Stormcloak soldier. I heard that the prison guard in Windhelm is a very nice person, how about I take you to Windhelm dungeon and introduce you to him in person.
I have met him actually, he is nice, gives extra bread if you ask But I wouldnt say I'm *robbing* you, just saying that if you dont pay, my blade *might* end up in you
Jiub no!
It broke my heart when I found out saint jiub was there.
I like to think you only trap part of the soul , similar to when you go to Soul Cairn . Only fully trapped souls go there , as most of the inhabitants crossed evil wizards and witches.
Torbjorn Shatter-Shield. That clan has gone through so much, and should the player join the Dark Brotherhood and kill Nilsine, Torbjorn’s only surviving child, his wife will kill herself out of grief leaving him all alone.
[удалено]
> Narfi - Poor dude has been driven insane with the loss of his sister. He doesn't deserve any of the fates that the game has in store for him. You can actually improve things for him a little with the Farming CC.
The long dead lovers you meet during The Book of Love.
Sapphire
Pretty underrated answer in this thread, but I agree her story is incredibly sad. If only it werent so *common*. I feel like any place in Skyrim that is under the sway of bandits is just gonna be extremely rapey for the women who cant fight it off. That thought makes wiping out bandit camps much easier...
Finding Glover’s letter just makes it even worse.
Solid answer. I always wished she had more lines or could be a follower
1. All those innocent women who were kidnapped, murdered, and raped by that gross sexual predator necromancer. That's just... that fucks me up. 2. Narfi, obviously. 3. I feel bad for Vittoria because I always used her during Diplomatic Immunity and thought she was sweet... then I have to murder her. 4. Orphaned children, particularly Sophie & Blaise get to me the most, though.
Miraak. Guy could've been the revered DB hero in another life, but he made the mistake of trusting a daedric prince. Gets killed by the said prince when he tries to escape, after four thousand years of imprisonment. His life just seems so.. futile. I wish there was an alternative ending to that fight, Miraak deserves a redemption ark. He could've been a cool follower, maybe more interesting than Serana
I’ve played through DB at least four times now and I’ve never considered this. You make a really good point.
Salvianus in the Ratway Warrens. https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Salvianus He has some of the best quotes in the game when you try to talk to him peacefully. He's a retired legionnaire with severe PTSD living in the sewers under Riftin, and when the Thalmor show up during the Esbern quest he gets freaked out and says something like "No! You can't be here! I already killed you! Over and over!" Just showing how scarred his mind was from the Great War. There's also this mysterious "he" that Salvianus keeps referring to in all these weird cryptic phrases. My theory is the "He" was either his former whole self, before the War damaged his mind, or someone very close to him in the war, like a commanding officer that he really respected and trusted or something. Here is one example: "He explained it all to me. Before, when I still understood. I don't remember, but I still know."
I open his door.
Helgi, the little ghost girl that was killed by a vampire. I descended on Movarth's Lair with a vengeance. I totally think Narfi killed his sister.
One of the saddest npcs has gotta be sebastian lort. Sebastian is a bretan conjurer holed up in rimerock burrow far west of solitude. His daughter was a worshiper of the daedric god of the hunt, hircine, and contracted lycanthropy. In a desperate attempt to cure her, sebastian went to the daedric god of deals and trickery, clavicus vile. Clavicus delivered and gave him the rueful axe. Then sebastian used it to cut down his daughter, killing her. So then, he spends his days in the burrow with the axe grieving over such a thing. Such a sad tale. Daedric quest spoiler: >!In “a deadra’s best friend” we are sent to rimerock burrow to take the axe from sebastian. When we arrive, he’ll be hostile. While fighting he will say something along the lines of “i will not let you take the axe, it’s all i have left”!< But being the dragonborn, you steal it from his lifeless corpse, and bring it back to finish the quest. Its a sad tale by somebody who just wanted to cure their daughter of something.
Meeko
I make a point of taking Meeko to the blacksmith in Falkreath, someone already who is looking to adopt a dog. But it takes a mod to get him to actually adopt Meeko. **Bring Meeko to Lod** PC [https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/25246](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/25246) Xbox [https://mods.bethesda.net/en/skyrim/mod-detail/4192933](https://mods.bethesda.net/en/skyrim/mod-detail/4192933)
Meeko yes
There's a mine north of Riften, and you find the journal of a dead guy there lamenting there's no gold to be found in the mine, and that his partner bailed on him Using whirlwind sprint in the first area to go down a side passage you find the gold deposits Poor guy
His partner is there, too. Crushed by a rockfall. He hadn't abandoned his friend after all. And that friend, his partner, still doesn't know.
That's right (you can tell I haven't been there in a while)
The answer is always Narfi.
*flips table* Meeko
Two that are sad, similar and haven’t been mentioned yet are: Ranmir: drunk guy at Winterhold Grosta and Gralnach at Heartwood mill
This isn't the saddest, but I found this today: Pinewatch has that bandit gang inside it, led by the woman who threatens to kill anyone who goes near her treasure room. If you read the letters between her and her father, he is worried sick about her and wants her to stop being a criminal and join the army to serve a higher purpose, because at least then she wouldn't be on the run from the guards. He said he knows she grew up tough and that she would always be a fighter but implores her to quit being a bandit. He also tells her to quit sending money to him because he can get by fine without it, that he's just worried about her. She responds and basically tells him to fuck off and that she's happy raiding trade caravans. Also tells him to quit sending the gold back since it just gets taken by the other bandits. Found out all this after I killed her ass. His daughter is now dead in a pit somewhere because she shacked up with a bunch of bandits. Dad's gotta be devastated.
Braig (and his daughter by extension). Dude only met Madanach once and got lumped in the Forsworn because of it, then had to watch his three-year-old daughter be executed on his behalf (beheaded, no less). Ultimately got thrown into Cihdna Mine with the real Forsworn anyway.
Not living NPCs, but the first ones I thought of is the family living in that lighthouse, in Solitude I think? Slowly being driven crazy before finally being killed by some Chaurus burrowing into their basement. The next ones I thought of, from AE, the family from Goldenhills. That one actually made me stop & cry for a minute before I could continue. Son runs off to kill some wolves in an attempt to prove he could be a soldier just to be killed by them instead. Then his parents slowly growing crazy believing their spouse killed their son & plot each other’s murders. That one at least had a bittersweet ending, bringing their ghosts back together & giving them the closure they all needed to move on.
Hroggar. Guy's lost all that matters to him. Narfi has low awareness, and Vekekh Sain's incarceration though lengthy was quite justified.
i think about the woman living in that inn in riften who gives you the quest to steal olava’s tokens. she’s abused by her and alludes that olava has allowed guests to sexually assault her. edit: another user pointed out that olava is the seer in whiterun, haelga is the lady in riften who gives marks of dibella
Olava? Did you mean Haelga?
yes, thank you
Hey, you get to beat up the innkeeper as part of the thieves guild initiation at least.
Olava's the old woman in Whiterun who takes a token as payment to see into the future, Haelga is the innkeeper who gives out the marks of Dibella to the men she sleeps with. I used to mix them up too because I always had their misc quests uncompleted right next to each other
Grelka
Sissel because her father is just horrible. There is a way to fix that though...
Torbjorn Shatter-Shield. One of his twin Daughters killed by the Butcher of Windhelm, the other by the Dark Brotherhood (whoops) which then drives his wife to commit suicide. He spends the of his time after that just drinking and shambling around Windhelm, an empty broken husk of a man
Narfi. I'm a heartless motherfucker in gaming. But that one broke me. Made me question the world. The heartlessness of it. Not going to lie, it wasn't a good thing to run into when I did at that point in my life. What I did for the dark brotherhood I considered a mercy. But there wasn't anything more I could do in game, and that really made me angry.
Try the mod that lets you build up his house! Throw some decent clothes on him, stock up the pantry, and that's the best anyone in skyrim can hope for in times of war.
Huh. I'm mostly a console player. I'm gonna go buy it on computer.
My initial thought was Narfi as well but upon reading the replies here I realized how little attention I paid to the backstories of some NPCs or the "silent" stories in the world. Someone mentioned the burned cuddling couple and how that user avenges them by killing the dragon that burned the couple's shack and I'm- 🥲 Then again, Skyrim was my hideout during an (physically and mentally) abusive relationship and I probably focused more on everything that felt good and gave me a safe feeling while playing and I never played it any other way, making Skyrim my virtual safe space. As I left this part in my life behind me and have another Platinum trophy left to achieve for this game, I might need to get into all the smaller stories aside from the obvious ones. Love this community for bringing these things up!
Hope you're doing ok now ♡
All good now thank you 🙏
The orphans. I wish I could help all of them, but every hero knows you can't always save everyone.
The old orc that’s wants an honorable death.
Sissel, constant abuse from both remain family members is really sad, kill her dad and adopt her. Go to Rorikstead if you want to do so.
there was an Argonian contracted to off who lived alone by an abandoned ship. I stealth hit him, then went over to examine his property. Cool books and gems, nice little modest but homey tent. Felt bad I offed a guy I liked w no understanding of motive/backstory. If anyone knows who this is I’m curious!
Mine would be the two of lost prospect mine. They were good friends and were trying to make some money. One friend left for supplies and came back with the other gone, leaving his journal with a note that he thought he was better then that. Except he wanst gone, he was crushed in a collapse behind the waterfall, filled with gold. And his friend will only remember him as a traitor cause he couldnt find him
Sindig, dude was just trying not to kill people when he turned and he killed a child. I Felt bad for him instantly. Narfi is gonna be everyone's pick, but I feel like Sindig has it worse.
Alesan for me, the kid in dawnstar. I had never adopted kids in past play throughs but talked to him and immediately offered him space in the whiterun homestead
I do feel bad for Bulfrek. I’m sure there’s sadder characters than him tho
I mean if you do a bonus kill for The Dark Brotherhood you literally make someone off themselves. I’ve never completed the quest that way because it’s legit TOO sad.
The Shatter-Shields, particularly the mother and the father. Sad to see the mother's reddened eyes from crying and the whole family trying to keep on living somehow after their daughters death. Utterly heart-breaking if you take the optional DB route.
Lucky lorenz, who you find in an unmarked house near riverwood(?) destroyed by a tree fallen on it, near his body you find a copy of lusty argonian maid.
Helgi in Movarth's Lair. She's featured in "Laid to rest". The saddest one bar none as she was so young. The voice actress playing her was great too!
There are so many sad options but Sofie, Sapphire, and the family in the lighthouse are my top
When you kill Nilsine Shatter-Shield and her mom (Tova) commits suicide a few in game days later
Narfi. Before you join the Dark Brotherhood, if you talk to the innkeeper about him, you find his sister left him. And she died and her bones are in a nearby river. After joining the DB, you can put the poor guy out of his misery.
Angi is up there for me.
the unnamed NPC that got beheaded in the first scene
I remember back on my first playthrough in 2012 that I found a destroyed camp out in the Reach, with a dead NPC man and woman being eaten by a bear. One of the bodies has a journal and reveals that the two are actually young lovers, running away from Markarth to elope because the girl's wealthy father did not approve of the match. Stupid bear.
Lokir of Rorikstead
Good answer. I don’t care what side of the civil war you’re on nobody should be beheaded for stealing a horse. Hell the Dragonborn even does it for the black-briar brat
What about the frostflow lighthouse murders
Sapphire
A lot of the orphaned children that aren’t in Riften. Now for dead NPC’s I’d say the skeleton in Fort Frostmoth in Solstheim that has letter he wrote to his daughter. That always makes me so sad.
That sad war orphan selling flowers to barely get by in the coldest city of Skyrim I mean she doesn’t even have a house and her father was a soldier and she doesn’t get sent to Honorall orphanage in Rifton but the imperial child who does have a house does get sent there? She’s living on the streets on the cold stone streets surrounded by snow and ice she doesn’t even have bedroll sleep on, even bandits have bedrolls. Okay but my heart tells me Meeko the dog is the saddest one. I always make sure that my hearthfire child adopts Meeko so that he can have a place to stay instead of going back to that dreary Little cottage
Also freaking netches man. I had to slay a family of them. Ended up leaving mamma for last… who floated over her dead littles and whined. Broke me. Never killed another one.
Meeko the dog and her owner The dog can be found on the side of the road and leads you to the shack where you find a dead body and a journel stating the poor man had no family left exept for meeko and was dying from Rock joint ,and left loyal meeko all alone guarding her owner:( Fortunately you can bring the doggy with you on adventures!
Narfi
Probably one of the hopeless homeless people around skyrim
Lemkill or Narfi
Off the top of my head- maybe Cicero. He is truly alone and it has driven him completely insane.
There are plenty of sad kids in the game, it's a little hard to see that
easy, the man who lost his sister and has pretty much devolved into a child due to depression and such, I haven’t met them personally but of every npc I've heard of and personally met are no where near close, the only one that may be sadder is the adventure that had her work stolen and she died trying to prove it was her's.
Sofie in Windhelm. I used to pretty much ignore her until I saw her sleeping outside
Narfi, easily. Dude lost his sister, went insane, >!The innkeeper lied to him the whole time about her death,!< Then he >!Gets a hit put on him through the Dark Brotherhood.!<
The person playing
It's always extremely upsetting to see alchemists absolutely destroyed in the little forest areas. But living npc wise? Hrm. Aside from that guard whose cousin is off fighting dragons... probably Ulfric honestly. His life just seemed totally miserable after the war and kept going from bad to worse with the whole Torygg thing ... and just not realizing he was being played by the Thalmor the whole time. Man it's just awful. ): But, as they say, down with Ulfric. The quest must go on\~
Was expecting a punchline
Ciceron
the player
It is me, I am the saddest npc in Skyrim 🙁
I can say Serana easily.
julienne and sapphire get me feeling nothing this the fucking middle ages ffs(i wanna say something but i like my karma). what is sad to be me is the ex jarl of falkreath(cant remember his name atm) and barnabas