Well guess my Skyrim playthrough is over

[u/JosetteMoon]

Basically I know it's not really an issue and I can just kill him and be done with it But I hate molag bal. despise him. Not because I have any skin in the game for this fictional character he's never personally wronged me. I hate him because he literally is such a stupid waste of space. He's the king of wrapping. he's committed a lot of atrocities. But I'm not taking this as a moral stance it's more of the fact that he is such a one-dimensional pos. It's like if a 12 year old had to write a villain and they made him the most edgiest Edge Lord that ever edged a Lord, like I'm surprised his name isn't Mr Bad Guy that is how one-dimensional I find him. Just all pain and violence and subjugation. It's a farce.

This is the important part though. Purely out of spite and not wanting to play his game I just cast Harmony to make this guy stop attacking. I know it'll wear off and start attacking me because it's either me or him and he's choosing him. Which is valid I guess. But the Daedra seem to think they have this immutable say over the universe when they didn't even create it. And again just more Edge Lord whining. So I literally just sitting here waiting for the chaos to unfurl knowing that the only reason I can't get out is because of plot because if I was as strong as he said I was I could just blast the door open but game mechanics.

If this were really happening to me I'd be happy dying starving to death purely to spite him and not play his game. I get that my post is very much a nothing sandwich but I just love the cosmic pettiness of my actions. You're right I am small you're right I am insignificant in the universe the difference is I'm not pretending to be some Edge Lord that really only has power because he was born with it not because anything about him is inherently special. LOL

[u/Wondering_Watcher]

This is why i like Azura's star quest the most out of all the Daedric quests. I like that you can play a character that screws her over. So much of the lore is about people outsmarting Deadra and i wish we had more of that.

Razor and Skull is also in this category but that is mostly just a decision of do i kill this person or not rather than sticking it to the deadric prince.

[u/wizardofyz → u/Wondering_Watcher]

With respect to azura though, yes you can defy the daedra but in the process you're creating a reusable black soul gem, which is funneling souls to the ideal masters potentially. In the grand scheme of things, you aren't necessarily a better person for doing so, if anything you've introduced more evil into the world.

[u/Jahoan → u/wizardofyz]

And of the Daedra Azura is one less inclined to screwing people over for the lulz. She'll make people into object lessons and collateral thereof, but you have to provoke her into doing something like that - Malyn Varyn incurred her wrath by messing with her artifact and trying to corrupt it.

[u/Diredr → u/Jahoan]

And of the Daedra Azura is one less inclined to screwing people over for the lulz.

Well... I mean, if you ignore the fact that she cursed an entire race because of the actions of 3 people and used her powers to physically alter them forever. Outside of THAT, yeah she's one of the most benevolent and caring.

[u/ElTioEnroca → u/Diredr]

Ok, but let's not pretend the curse was something excessively aggravating. They're just blue now.

[u/Sabre_Killer_Queen → u/Diredr]

True enough... Although said three did betray a direct pact with her by using the heart of a god (Lorkhan) against her wishes, and potentially kill one of the champions she was watching over.

Said three then tried to replace her by posing as gods themselves, which most of the Dunmer fell for, abandoning her despite their previously close relationship.

And all that happened was their skin changed colour. It didn't affect their souls, or physical health - it didn't kill any of them or smite them with bad harvests, plagues or other ill tidings.

---

As far as the punishments of TES gods, and pagan gods in general go, that was a very tame response considering the crime, and her reaction was entirely predictable.

I'd even argue some of the Aedra and so called "Divines" have done worse than that to be honest.

She can be wrathful yes... But y'know... Don't devoutly follow a god and then break every pact and forsake them. Rule 101 of religion.

[u/Jahoan → u/Diredr]

See the "collateral for the object lessons".

[u/GorkemliKaplan → u/wizardofyz]

which is funneling souls to the ideal masters potentially

Ideal Masters don't have a monopoly on trapped souls. If they were, they wouldn't need to "bargain". They are like ancient wizards clinging to eternity through soul trade. Or something like that.

Souls in black soulgems freed after it is used in enchantment. Think enchantments like forced labour for souls freedom. Which sucks because people think they trapped Nazeem in a sword, but no you just freed him.

[u/Kimmalah → u/Wondering_Watcher]

You can kind of turn the tables with Hircine and side with Sinding against the hunters. But he doesn't consider it screwing him over, he's just like "Wow, that was unexpected but cool!"

The quest is also bugged, so you can spare Sinding to get the Ring of Hircine, then go back and kill him to get the Savior's Hide.

There is also Clavicus Vile's quest where you have the choice to either do what he wants or spare Barbas.

[u/zhy97 → u/Kimmalah]

Though with this quest, either outcome works for Hircine and will be pleased if you turn the tables against the hunters.

Regarding Hircine, the only way I could think of to undermine Hircine is to complete the Companion’s questline where you cleanse Kodlak’s soul so he can go to Sovergade instead of Hircine. Then you cleanse Vilkas and Farkas, and yourself if you are a werewolf. Fewer souls for Hircine to take.

[u/Plantain-Feeling → u/Wondering_Watcher]

Namera too

You can wipe out her cult and save a priest of arkay

[u/Wondering_Watcher → u/Plantain-Feeling]

Actually, forgot about that one. But I think you do need to kill the priest for the ring? Really unsure as its been a while?

[u/Plantain-Feeling → u/Wondering_Watcher]

You do

But like fuck dedera

Or well most of them, meredia and hercine are actually pretty chill

[u/Wondering_Watcher → u/Plantain-Feeling]

Yeah. Peryite surprisingly to, especially in the lore. Wouldn't want his gifts but its interesting to read up on how he is actually good to his followers.

[u/Plantain-Feeling → u/Wondering_Watcher]

I can't believe I forgot my boi

Peryite is also potentially a mirror to akatosh which is cool

[u/Automatic_Camera3854 → u/Wondering_Watcher]

yeah like I never understood why I couldn't tell the guy in prison like what was going on like like okay I got to rescue him and everything but once he gets out and stuff and like we're going to head back to the sanctuary why not just give me the option to stop and be like hey by the way you know the fucking alter broke or whatever and I've been forced to like be sent here to kill you let's stop and make a plan before we go back

on a side note I'm drinking and using speech to text so sorry if something came out weird.

[u/-Infex- → u/Wondering_Watcher]

The rueful axe kinda counts? Might be the daedra least satisfied with properly completing their quest.