General:Douglas Goodall's Posts

Douglas Goodall's Posts
Medium/Format	Online Forum
Interviewee(s)	Douglas Goodall
Hosted By	TES Forum Discord

These are a few notable comments from Douglas Goodall on The Elder Scrolls setting. Goodall is known as Affamu, Jobasha, Western Knight of the Sandy Mane and sometimes Kier-Jo on the forums, and AFFA on Discord. These comments were originally archived by The Imperial Library.

Undated

Jobasha's note on The Dreadful Theft of the Sun's Dusk Ale (after the previous note)

Jobasha tells you before that a Breton came to Jobasha's shop. Very nervous this Breton. As Jobasha said, the Breton sells Jobasha the minutes to a historical society. But this Breton also sells much fiction. Most of it very sadly autobiographical. Maybe this one is a good example.

2001

Anyone knowns who writes the stories for the elderscrolls series ? (2001-01-30)

The Daggerfall books weren't all written by one person...

It's a complicated and confusing story, and I'm not sure I actually understand it. Why not ask this on the chat?

On Morrowind being translated into different languages (2001-02-10)

Zahb Ta'agra'iss vabazeri.
(fusohzay)
And, hey Mark, in answer to your question:

"Zwinthodurrarr rabi."
Or:
"Ahziss zwinthodurr vaba."

Mea Culpa: Errors in this post are entirely the fault of the author and should not be interpreted as a flaw in Bethesda Softworks or its parent company Zenimax Media.

AFFAMU! TA'AGRA FOR THE UNCLAWED had [b]better appear in the game dude!

Does vabazeri mean best or good or something? Maybe Vaba = goodp and Vabazeri = best!?!?! (2001-06-08)

The book may or may not be in. Dunno. I haven't had time to work on the language enough. Publishing an incomplete, error-filled language would be bad, since I would then have to make up silly explanations for the errors (which I will probably have to do anyway). If you want to get a head start, learn Finnish (and a little Turkish and Bantu) which I don't speak myself...

Zahb Ta'agra'iss vabazeri. (fusozay)
Game (nominative) words-of-the-people ("translative") to be (first person singular future tense). (just kidding)
I.e. "The game will be translated into the Khajiti language. (that's a joke, son)"

For the rest, watch Sabrina (the original):

Zwinthodurrarr rabi.

Ahziss liter ajo'iiliten rabiba.

Ahziss aaliter vakasash.

Incidentally, I'm surprised that the Khajiit lovers have not mentioned the book that Kier-Jo the Chorvak wrote or his famous ancestor... (Yeah, it's spelled a little different. Sue me.)

On the difficulty of keeping lore consistent between games (2001-04-08)

You have no idea. NO idea.

Seriously, I have re-learned the necessity of GREP. I only wish Arena and Daggerfall had left more documents for me to search... Redguard and the early Morrowind stuff is all easily searchable for contradictions. Still, I fear several are inevitable.

AND I should note that I was a big fan of the series, which makes this much easier... I only THOUGHT I knew everything about Tamriel... I can't imagine coming to work here without already being something of an Elder Scrolls loremaster.

On Dwemer trivia (pre-Morrowind) (2001-04-19)

"I never told you or have been told myself that House Dagoth was not *linked* to Dwarves. It's just that House Dagoth *was not* Dwarves. See the difference?"

Right. The Dwemer didn't divide themselves into "Houses" anyway.

"Actually, according to "The Songs of King Wulfharth", some dude called Dagoth Ur killed Dumac the Dwarfking during the Battle of the Red Mountain. The Songs controverse each other, so take it with a grain of salt. After all, it's a legend, and a Nordic one. Nords, after all, might not have a clue as to what was going on."

Well, the Nords *were* there... Only the combined might of the Dunmer and Dwemer could drive the foreigners out to found Resdayn. After the Battle of Red Mountain and the mysterious disappearance, the Dunmer no longer needed Dwemer technology for defense -- by then, they had the Tribunal.

"On a side note, Dunmer traditionally place family name first and given name second, as in "Indoril Nerevar" and "Hlaalu Brevur"."

Um. I suppose you're referring to the Morrowind Denizens Interview here: http://www.m0use.net/~skelm/page.cgi?Coming/Morrowind/Interviews&inter1.html

If they place the family name first, how do you explain that the quote about Brevur the Betrayer was spoken by Paulus Hlaalu?

Your first guess was a good one, but it is not the right one. Not that it matters in the larger scheme of things.

For instance, Indoril Nerevar's full and formal name would be Serjo Indoril Nerevar Mora.

I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't just made it up.

Raptormeat: Lakene had a good point, but not many people ever thought that way. Certainly not enough to destroy a whole race... Unless, of course, a whole race can be destroyed by the actions of one person...

Xachariah II: The Dwemer did not use solar panels. Good guess, though.

"Only Boethiah can change a race's skin. Only the Dwarves can cover it in tin foil."

Carry on.

check this out. Modern-day Hlaalu have imperialized enough to place family name second, man-fashion.

Darn. Got it on guess #2.

Clarifying some Khajiit information (2001-04-19)

"It has got something to do with Khajiit Culture ..."

YM: Biology

Their culture came from their odd biology. They missed out on Y'ferr's decree, so Lorkhaj played a little trick on them...

"Depending on WHEN a Khajiit is born , she looks more human or feline. The most humanoid breed , looks almost like elves , but with tails and soft fur covering parts of the torso."

One of the "humanoid" breeds looks like that.

"Depending on their Khajiit Breed they have different duties to do in Khajiit society..."

This is more a practical matter than some kind of caste-system. Obviously there are jobs you cannot do without opposable thumbs, etc.

If you ever move to Tamriel, keep in mind that there is a whole province just waiting to be introduced to the tasty fishy stick.

On the mortality of gods (2001-04-20)

Arkay and the King of Worms were once mortal...

And what about Tosh Raka?

On the Khajiit breeds as seen in the games (2001-04-20)

The breeds of Khajiit in the various games:

Arena: Ohmes
Daggerfall: censored>
Morrowind: suthay-Raht

There are no Ohmes or in Morrowind.

The "jaguar men" are cathay-Raht... a little different from the suthay-Raht. The screenshot Khajiit (see the above link or the screenshots section) are suthay-Raht. S'rathra and Joto were also suthay-Raht.

On the meaning of "Khajiit" (2001-04-22)

You'll have to wait for the game. Or later. You need to read "Ta'agra for the Unclawed."

I'll give you some hints, though.

khaj = desert

-iit (when applied to places) = "one who lives/walks in"

On what the Ta'Agra (2001-04-22)

A "beta version" of it.

Back when I had time to do that sort of thing, I set up grammar rules, etc. The vocabulary is limited, and it doesn't *sound* as cool as the pseudo-english of S'rathra in Redguard. It needs more work, but I no longer have time to do that sort of thing. I'm only on the forums now while waiting for my computer to... Oh. It's done now. Excuse me.

On Khajiit phalic barbs (2001-04-22)

"There's no accounting for taste."

I don't know who wrote/said that. I suspect it is a "modern" and anonymous quote. In any case, my profile will disprove this notion.

And, in the spirit of tastelessness, only some breeds of Khajiit have the... traits that Therris had in Real Barenziah. While all Terran felines have this trait (and many carnivorae have something similar), it makes no biological sense for the Khajiit to have it... unless Khajiit women are not sexually receptive year-round like human women or always ovulate during intercourse... The fiction from Daggerfall somewhat disproves that notion as well, thus the dilemna.

I thought of a couple explanations for this and eventually settled on one which I should save for later revelation.

I retroactively removed this trait from most of the Khajiit. I'm allowed to do that because I said so. So there. Therris was obviously a cathay-Raht, since he clearly wasn't a Senche, [censored], [censored], or [haven't made up a name yet]. Ohmes don't have this trait at all and suthay-Raht (like the Khajiit in Morrowind) have it only to a slight degree.

So far, this is the only "design" topic I've brought up that even Ken was unwilling to comment on...

Perhaps if I get around to writing the other volumes of Khajiit Physiology, the game itself will have a more lucid explanation.

Answering some questions about Bretons and Knights (2001-04-26)

1.What is the stereotype on the breton knights? (are they seen as the most chivalric?, mystic?, or what?)

2.Which of the eight divines is held in the most accord by the bretons?

3.Any ideas on what the breton unique ability will be for Morrowind?

4.Is the bretons penchant for magic tied in with them being a particularly relgious group of people?

1. There's more than one order of Breton Knights... Why not make up one you like playing?
2. Like most of the Empire, Bretons worship all of the Eight Divines (and there's a strong Emperor Cult in a few places), but they are not generally devout. The Bretons used to be ruled by witch-kings and High Rock has more witch covens than many provinces... Alas, this is not relevant for a Knight. If you're looking at playing a Breton religious crusader, feel free. Each of the Divines supports a Knightly Order, in addition to the other Knightly Orders (Bretons are a Knightly people, if not a particularly religious one).
3. Yes.
4. Their talent for magic comes from their history. There's a clue in the link Raptormeat posted.

Perhaps you should read Heroic Achievements of the Bretons... That's a joke, btw.

Is that joke too obscure?

On whether "the Daedra were created by the 'intelligent races' of Tamriel" (2001-04-28)

A similar argument was made by the opponents of the Allesian heresy. Might I direct the interested scholar once more to volume XI of Marobar Sul's Ancient Tales of the Dwemer... which doesn't exactly answer your question, but is quite interesting.

More on the Hist (2001-04-30)

1) i wonder, will the Hist will be modeled as an NPC??? one gets killed, and has Argonian Eggs when you search it.

2) are the Hist related to Spriggans?

No comment on the exact relationship between the Hist and the Argonian reproductive cycle, but it's cool. As for egg-laying, this is an interesting question. While the majority of reptiles do lay eggs, there are a number that have live births (basically, the eggs hatch internally). I guess I had pictured the Argonians going more the live birth route, because they are so humanoid, but the concept of them laying eggs is an interesting one. Have to think more on that.

As for your questions:
1) Nope, no Hist NPCs to be found, although I think it's a really cool idea. Remember, we're gonna be in Morrowind this time around, and won't be delving into murky Black Marsh quite yet. The Argonians are pretty touchy when it comes to crossing their borders.
2) Nah. Hist are much cooler.

On Ebonheart(s) (2001-05-11)

There is a city of Vivec and a Castle Ebonheart and a city of Ebonheart. 2 of the 3 are in the game Morrowind. The third may or may not exist, but it would help explain some gaps, etc.

On the Oaths of Khajiit (2001-06-29)

Da aqqa dween.

Sun and water is all northern Khajiit know.

Do not mock the oaths of the Khajiit. Have you fought the followers of the rat god? The sand devils?

Take time to visit Alizahad. Then Jobasha thinks you will understand.

On Argonia (2001-06-29)

You speak of Argonia?

Argonia is across the Topal Sea! Not near at all! Jobasha invites those of you from the windward lands to visit the infamous ports of Senchal. Jobasha invites you to look across the sea... and see only water. No, Argonia does not truly border Elsweyr. Even the Nibenay River is too wide to see across.

(AFFA MU's note: The windward lands... The wind blows west to east mostly in Elsweyr. All the water the sun sucks up in the Topal Sea end up over Black Marsh most of the year. Storms from further west usually die not far from Valenwood. Look at the PGE map. There are mountains north of the Tenmar forest. The storms that blow up from the ocean to the south usually drop their rain in the mountains or before... See! I've done my homework! And so did the people who made the PGE!)

On books with info on Khajiit (2001-06-29)

Tell Jobasha what you wish to know.

The lands Imperials call Anaquina are desert, yes, but Pellitine is forest and marshes.

Come to Jobasha's Rare Books in Vivec. Jobasha knows the book you are looking for. Myths told to Jobasha by a Clan Mother.

Jobasha's Rare Books lies in what some call the Foreign Quarter. Once you are there, ask. They tell you where to go.

Jobasha talks about the price once you are here.

On Khajiits of the Illiac bay (2001-06-30)

Khajiit in the Iliac Bay

You have not seen a Khajiit? ((surprise)) Khajiit travel throughout the Empire, even the Iliac bay. The unclawed see mostly Ohmes, Ohmes-raht, and Suthay-raht.

Tails

Jobasha does not answer your question about tails.

Senche-Tigers

The Senche and Senche-raht are forms of Khajiit. Imperials call them "tigers," as their fur appears striped like a "tiger." Imperials who served in the Legions call them "Battlecats." A poor name, but Jobasha does not deny the Senche's use in battle.

Senche stand taller than a man and can weigh as much as twenty men. The Senche-raht, naturally, are larger still and stand taller than two men and can weigh more than than fifty men. They are not built like "tigers," what Jobasha would call an Alfiq or Alfiq-raht. Nor do Senche move like "tigers." They walk on their heels, not their toes as do other Khajiit. They can outrun Jobasha, but they cannot turn quickly like an Alfiq or Pahmar.

Imperial Simulacrum

Jobasha also arrived in Tamriel after/during the "Simulacrum." Jobasha's elder colleague, Kier-Jo, suggests the period of the "Imperial Simulacrum" has not ended. Between you and Jobasha, Kier-Jo aquired an unfortunate skooma habit and you should not trust his words.

Jagar Tharn Despised

Tharn hid himself well. Few knew Jagar Tharn's treachery, so few despised him. Jobasha is too young to truly answer your question. Perhaps you should speak with a Clan Mother.

Five Years War

Jobasha was not in western Elsweyr. Jobasha cannot answer your question.

For the Imperial perspective on the Five Years War with Valenwood, perhaps you should speak with Jobasha's colleague in Ald'ruhn. Codus Callonus served in the Imperial Legions and wrote a book called Mixed-Unit Tactics in the Five Years War.

Argonia(ns)

Jobasha knows little of Argonians. Those you have met adopted Imperial ways and cause little trouble or fear. Here in Vvardenfell, Jobasa very rarely meets Argonians who have not adopted Imperial ways. Jobasha shudders. Jobasha thanks the moons that the Five Years War was not with Argonia.

Da aqqa dween, Jobasha Bookseller of Vivec City

...

AFFA MU, however, will answer your question about tails. Sort of. Did the Khajiit in TES: Arena have tails? Do all felidae here on Earth have tails? And yes, there *were* Khajiit in the Iliac Bay... Two kinds.

2002

On musical Argonians (2002-01-31)

I thought they should use the marsh itself as their primary musical instrument like the Baka Forest People use rivers. And play lots of odd percussion instruments like water drums and bohdans and djimbes and udus. And make slowed-down bird-call noises.

I wanted the Khajiit to be arrhythmic jazz musicians.

On Dreugh Lore and the Dwemer (2002-02-07)

Now just passing on a few comments from Dorisa Darvel in Balmora:

I've seen dreugh in the waters around Vvardenfell, but I have never studied them in detail. From what I've heard, dreugh are not only semi-human in appearance, but also semi-aquatic. I believe they go through a land-dwelling phase, much like the Sload.

They are an old race, as old as the races of men, but of course they do not predate the anticipations of the Tribunal.

Castles of coral? Perhaps such things already exist, much like Skar in Ald'ruhn. I do not believe the dreugh are capable of building castles under the water. That sounds like a child's fable.

I do not believe that "Altmer of the sea" refers to the dreugh... Perhaps it is a reference to the Maormer? But I am no priest. There are many things in the Sermons of Vivec that are confusing to me.

The last battle with the Dwemer occured long ago in the first era. I do not know the exact year. After the fall of the Allessian Heresy and the Dirennis, but before the Redguards arrived and fall of Orsinium.

Another heresy you should avoid is the one of "Alandro Sul." There are no reliable records of such a man, and no man could ever claim to be descended from Azura the way all Dunmer are. This is simply not true.

If you wish to learn more, you should make the Pilgrimage of the Ruddy Man to the Koal Cave just south of Gnisis. Speak with a priest at one of the temples. The Temple is open to foreigners, though few choose to join. If you are sincere, they will help you.

The statue you have seen paintings of is probably the one near the High Fane in Vivec City. This is a statue of Vivec killing the last of the N'chorbal, the terrible rock-skin bugs of Vvardenfell, not Vivec's battle with the Ruddy Man.

On the Akaviri invasion of Morrowind (2002-03-07)

Jobasha has not heard that. Jobasha heard the Akaviri were driven from Morrowind by the spirit of King Wulfharth in the battle with Ada'Soom and not defeated until they met Reman Cyrodiil's army. But all that was in the First Era so who can say? If Vivec caused the drowning, it would explain the difference in maps from the First Era.

On the climate of Tamriel (2002-03-09)

Jobasha has a slightly less abridged volume of Ffoulke's Firmament in Jobasha's Rare Books, though it is not quite as accurate as Jobasha would like.

Jobasha must say the Tenmar forest is much more what you might call "temperate" than the forests of Valenwood. Rain is quite common in northern Valenwood and the deserts of Elsweyr are hotter than the forests (and there is more desert than forest in Jobasha's homeland).

A scholar once told Jobasha that Morrowind and High Rock were not as cold as Skyrim because of all the bays and islands and water. Jobasha cannot say if this is true.

Kier-jo on the Elven Lie (2002-03-09)

Kier-jo thinks it is very much like a thing an Elder Way-warder would say.

"The Weakest Souls, called Men, will bring Sithis into every Quarter."

"The Worshippers of the Unnamed Lord, know as 'Argonians' on Nirni, are the Descendents of Boethiah and the Serpent-men."

"The Khajiit, created as Servants by the Aldmer, Rebelled against the Natural Order and Conspired with the Doom Drum to End the Merethic Era."

Kier-jo hears it all before.

Tiber Septim was seen in more than one part of Tamriel at the same time and you are content. Stormcrown was a Breton, no a Nord, no an Atmoran, and you sit and play in the sand. A numidium rises in the West and does Eight Things for the Psijics and you do not question. Your monkeys dance on the Tower and the stars change and you do not remember. You read the words of the Sermon, but you are blind to the truths between them. The darkness is reborn, crowned and conquering, and you pull the covers tighter and sleep.

When will you realize what happened to the Dwarves?

When will you Wake from the Elven Lie that all Men believe?

On the the legitamacy of Sermon Zero (2002-03-18)

Poor Jobasha would never make up such an important thing. You can trust Jobasha.

Some wish to silence this Sermon. Is that not proof of its veracity? Jobasha will say only that there are truths and lies and perhaps even types of Zero in the Sermon that remain undiscovered.

Visit Jobasha's Rare Books in Vivec City

2004

A sample of Ta'agra in response to an attempt to crack Morrowind's cyphers (2004-07-17)

Pleased is Jobasha at your work. Very good for smooth skins and blunt ears. The Imperial and Telavanni ciphers broken? Oh, but Redoran is easiest of all! A Sermon here, a Sermon there... But so many sermons hide their secrets like naughty children. Jobasha would suggest a study of Sermon Zero if Jobasha were not so kind and wise. And the fine tapestries of my close friend your kind calls "Cherim."

Of course, Jobasha could ruin this game for you, but where would Jobasha be then? No, the big secrets are for the ja-Kha'jay.

But Jobasha is so pleased, he forgets himself. Jobasha tells you three truths, gives you three gifts, like the eighth keeper on the road to the western lands...

Ahziss zwinthodurrarr rabi.
"I have a yellow writing utensil.
Ahziss liter ajo'iiliten rabiba.
"My brother has a wonderful girl."
Ahziss aaliter vakasash.
"I wish I was my brother."

Is the Cherim of Sermon Zero the same Cherim as the famous tapestrist? (2004-07-18)

A common misunderstanding. Cherim is Jobasha's good friend, shared much sugar, many sands. Cherim is famous tapestry maker, puts the ja'Kha'Jay in every one. White Gold is one of his best, one of the least often seen. It shows the White Tower, a dragon spirals around it, a moth priest at the top. Very famous moment, but few men remember.

Have you not heard of Muzariah and her death at the hands of the Three Angry Men? Muzariah was Indoril by birth and a painter by choice. Her best painting lies in the cellars of the Imperial Palace by Imperial decree. No one wishes to destroy such beauty, but no one wishes it to be seen. A dilemna.

But Jobasha says too much.

On the original TES: Oblivion (2004-09-11)

While TES4 may be called Oblivion, it's not the same as the TES: Oblivion that was planned way back when. Battlespire used parts of the original TES: Oblivion, but TES4 probably will not. This is a good thing. I mean, would you really want to play a game that was designed in 1994? Nostalgia only goes so far.

2005

Codus on the cyphers used in Morrowind and the Empire (2005-12-25)

I have not heard of this work. I do not believe I have a copy here in my shop. If you could bring me one, I might tell you more about Sermon Zero.

I'm also looking for an old Dwemer Lullaby called, "A Type of Zero Yet to be Discovered." If you can find me a copy of that, I'd be grateful.

Business has been slow today. So few want to read books anymore. Most of you youngsters are going to that new play by Crassius Curio... So take a seat, and I'll tell you how the Empire and the Houses code their messages.

These Redorans here in Ald'ruhn are the most honorable of the Dunmer, but sometimes they're too direct. They lack subtlety. They use simple ciphers like replacing every A with a Z and every B with a Y or they rotate the alphabet by a few letters.

Imperials and Hlaalu both use an old cipher invented by a Breton near the beginning of the Third Era. This is kind of like the Redoran Ciphers, but the alphabet is rotated differently for each letter based on a keyword. This is hard to explain, so let me find some paper here, and I'll show you how it's done. If I wanted to say, "Drink your Valenwood Wine" with the key "key" it would come out like this:

DRINKYOURVALENWOODWINE + KEYKEYKEYKEYKEYKEYKEYK = NVGXOWYYPFEJORUYSBGMLO

Often, you'll find that Imperial messages use keys like "Emperor" or "Cyrodil." The Hlaalu are a bit more clever with their keys.

I am not sure exactly how the Telvanni code their messages, but they may, indeed, be "as bad as Godel, Escher, Bach." I've heard, and this is just rumor--and this goes no further, mind you--that it has something to do with what they call "prime" numbers and the fact that the Daedric alphabet has only 24 letters. I don't quite know what that means. Perhaps Divayth Fyr could explain more? I hear you've spoken with him and lived.

Well, that's enough talk for one day, so I'll say just one more thing. These "secret" messages you've found in Sermon Zero and the 36 Sermons of Vivec are child's play. They should tell you one thing and one thing only: look deeper.

More from Codus on the cyphers used in Morrowind and the Empire (2005-12-25)

The Sermons are attributed to Vivec, but I've never heard any priest say anything about it. I don't know who wrote them, and I don't know anybody who does. If not Vivec, who?

Sermon Zero is not one of the Sermons, at least according to the Temple. Considering it was "discovered" by Jobasha, I'd be cautious. I'd be extra cautious when it starts out by saying it isn't true, "This is the truth of Sermon Zero, which is neither one." Maybe it's supposed to be read backwards, like those monkey rants from the fools in Temple Zero.

Remember, the best place to hide something is in plain sight. None of these "secret" messages which scholars run after like a dog chasing his tail. Maybe you should take some time studying Cherim's tapestries.

Jobasha's note on the Lusty Argonian Society (2005-12-25)

Most of Jobasha's books are still in boxes, still unpacked. But here comes a young Breton to Jobasha's new shop, desperate to sell. Among the Breton's books (most of them, sadly, autobiographical) is this unusual item. It is heavily stained and, as we booksellers say, "slightly foxed." It appears to be notes from a historical society meeting.

Jobasha shares it with you here, for it talks of protonymics and perhaps of neonymbiosis. If you want, Jobasha sells it cheap, for it amuses Jobasha, but Jobasha believes none of it.

2006

Jobasha On the Elven Lie (2006-01-02)

Jobasha says don't you fall for the Elven Lie. The Tower is older than the elves, as old as music. For it is the Word and the start of words and the end (and the end of ALMSIVI as Vivec may say or not say).

The Tower of today is not The Tower of yesterday. Jobasha's heresy lies in knowing even Ahnurr changes, as do all stars when they can walk.

Where do you go when Alkosh breaks? So where are you now as Alkosh holds the stars to their courses? Speak, if you know the words. Keep silent, if you remember.

Wise Azurah gives us the Lattice... But the moons, in death, are distillers only. As glass moves light, but requires a flame.

The Lattice breaks before. The monkeys dance. Lorkhaj sends a star. That star, chained and unchained, pokes holes in the moons once, twice, three times.

We Khajiit must climb, then, in a way men and mer cannot. And with us we carry the sugar of a star or a bone or a watery king. For if sugar is not worthy of a Walker, is it worthy of Ja-Kha'jay?

So Jobasha does not fear. All "et'Ada" have laws, customs, weakness. Even if they "cannot be spelled, pronounced, ennumerated in the Mundus" (and there is another weakness of the Elven Lie).

"The Dragon is bound with noble sighs.
The Serpent is bound with shifting tones.
The Sun is bound with metal flames.
The Earth is bound with secret knots."
-- The Soft Doctrines of Magnus Invisible

But perhaps Jobasha should give an even more famous example:

"Daedroth, do you keep the faith?"
"Bide, and we abide. Turn, and we return."

Who knows, survives.

On the fate of Kier-jo (2006-01-02)

Kier-jo very sad case, very poor Khajiit. Kier-jo has many new ideas, some of them not so good ideas. Then Kier-jo looks for wild elves and nymphs. Kier-jo has great weakness for elven beauty. Elves maybe not like Kier-jo so much. Scholarship suffers. Very sad story. No one hears from Kier-jo for many years.

On Wulf being Talos (2006-01-03)

If you were the ghost of a god, how would you know?

On Mankar's Claims (2006-03-27)

Proweler gets a Gold Star for discovering one of two big lore changes/contradictions.

Alot of the lore in Oblivion is as new to me as anyone, which is kind of a relief, as I feel I can talk about it again without breaking any contract with Bethesda.

I will say that the idea of Nirn being just another Daedric realm was not a surprise to me. I don't recall if it was ever Secret Official Lore, and I kind of doubt that anything Mankar says is true. But I heard that theory before... I don't know if it was just a crazy idea tossed off in conversation or if it has a long history, maybe even dating back to Battlespire and the original Morrowind design. It wasn't hinted at much in the published material, if so. It does make sense in a way, but I can think of just as many arguments against it.

Besides, everyone knows that Nirn is really Jyggalag's realm...

I liked you Towers theory. That was my own theory at one point, and I may expand on something similar unofficially.

I think "the dragon was Lorkhan" theory makes sense, too. But I doubt that's what was intended.

Also, there is an explanation for the Amulet being bound to Tiber Septim and his heirs, but not bound before that time. I don't recall seeing it in Oblivion yet, but there is (or was) an explanation. And if there isn't one anymore, I could make up a few.

Anyway, it's great game (except for the faces), regardless of the lore changes.

And maybe now people will stop asking "Whut R teh Elder srcolls?" every other day. At least those who play the TG questline to the end.

Wow, the forums are slow. I hope that's a good sign, and that this isn't double or triple posted.

2023

What are the roots of the Morrowind engine? (2023-02-28)

I was hired in January 2000, so this was all before I arrived. THIS IS ALL STUFF I HEARD, INTERPRETED VIA TWENTY YEARS OF LOST MEMORY. I.e. this might not be true.

Morrowind started development after Daggerfall was released using Xngine. For reasons unknown to me, they decided to pause Morrowind development and do the two ES-related games, Battlespire and Redguard, instead.

Battlespire was finished on a very tight budget and schedule. When it was released, some of the Battlespire team restarted Morrowind development. They originally planned on using Xngine (Redguard-updated-with-more-3D-version) again but soon realized this would involve a great deal of engine re-work. So they started shopping for an engine. NetImmerse was chosen partly because it handled large numbers of rendered objects better, and some of the devs wanted players to interact with lots of objects. This turned out to be a good choice as there still aren't many 3D games, even today, that let you do that.

It wouldn't surprise me if a little bit of Xngine code made it into Morrowind. The most likely are data structures, helper functions, etc. Are the BSA formats of Daggerfall and Morrowind radically different? If not, that was probably reworked instead of written from scratch. I don't know about audio processing.

AFAIK, those particular screenshots were not in-engine.

A friendly visit to the Morrowind Modding Community discord (2023-04-28)

I haven't done the modathon before, nor have I actually released a mod before. But I've been assuming you can start work before the modathon begins. If not, that will be one less thing I need to do this month.

Which brings up another question... How do people feel about mods that are, let's say, not entirely well tested? I've had some loose ends I wanted to tie up for 20 years and thought I'd finally do it this year since I no longer have any legal restrictions or conflicts in doing so. But I had a baby. Then a tree destroyed my house. Now I have to work really long hours all next month and I'm being audited. So I am no longer confident that I can actually finish and test stuff.

People will only care about the books anyway.

not well tested is fine as long as your mod is "finished"

Thanks!

You started work on your mod 20 years ago but legal issues prevented its release?!

I worked on the original game. And then I signed a bunch of those things that say you can't do work that competes with your employer. And a few of those things that say any work done in your free time belongs to your employer. The last of those expired just a few years ago.

So, indeed, I wanted to finish some books series 20 years ago. And I wanted to do some things (such as a Twin Lamps faction) that at least two other people did better than I probably would. So can happily scratch that off my list.

Around 3 or 4 years ago, I started playing OpenMW and began to think more seriously about making some mods for it and when I could actually do so. I began working on some mods in earnest in February, post baby, post house destruction, etc.

I also have a couple extremely unfinished mods for Oblivion which I will happily cannibalize. Some stuff can't go in a MW mod because of the timeline (the remaining Minutes of the LAHS, Journal of the Red Year, etc), but some of it can just be copy pasted, basically.

So I'm in an unusual situation. I remember the CS and MWScript pretty well. People have foolishly paid me to write words or code, so I have some "experience". But I have no experience in uploading mods, cleaning mods, resolving conflicts, best practices, all kinds of community etiquette, etc.

Woah, which part of game you worked on?

Quests, scripts, a few interiors.

the real question, do you miss the green forums?

I miss The Essential Site forums and alt.games.daggerfall.

Do you remember what quests and interiors you worked on?

Quests: fighters, mages, thieves guilds, three houses, tribunal temple. Interiors: mostly Redoran ones.

Okay, this just begs the question... why was the Redoran tileset made so tough to work with? LOL

I didn't make the tileset. I just put the pieces together, cluttered them, and put in really bad lighting that an artist had to go and fix later. I don't remember who made that particular tileset, either.

The only time I recall having real trouble with the tileset was the council hall

Lots of my interiors were just the one or two-piece huts.

Another Morrowind Modding Community conversation (2023-05-01)

I'm sure people would like to finally read the rest of Mixed Unit Tactics and Soft Doctrines, but the only mod that is actually kind of ready is a Fargoth mod.

So what you're saying is people need to save up their mods at least 3 years in advance and release all at once

Depends on the size of the mod, though. Like, I wanted to release at least one thing for certain and was looking at the ones I had in progress and thinking there's no way I can get them out in a month, much less a few days. But Fargoth Says Hello was one I hadn't started yet and I thought I could do it in ~2 hours. Of course it took more like 5 hours, because it is always like that, but I can see doing a bunch of small mods like that in a month.

The only other short one I have on my list I'm not sure how to implement. Especially without learning the MWSE and OpenMW APIs, which I'd rather do later than during this month.

Like, you could do the nice and responsible thing and release a giant compilation of tattoos in a single mod...or you could release five individual tattoo mods for the achievement. You can always make a compilation later, right?

A friendly visit to the Tamriel Rebuilt discord (2023-05-02)

Hey, I wrote the original Mixed Unit Tactics, and I finally worked up the energy to finish the series. I am hoping to release a mod containing that during the modathon or perhaps a few weeks after.
HOWEVER there is a volume 2 of Mixed Unit Tactics in Tamriel Data. I like the book. It fits really well.
So I just have a quick question: is there a volume 3 in the works? If not, I can easily do some minor edits and make my new parts 3,4,5 instead of 2,3,4.

Doesn't seem to be anything on the asset browser with "Mixed" in the title

Thanks!

Also what do you mean "I wrote the original Mixed Unit Tactics", what

Yes, that is the one. I wrote volume 1 of Mixed Unit Tactics.

As in, you worked on Morrowind?

Yes.

Anything else of yours ingame?

I did most of the faction quests.

---

Todd did a lot, maybe the majority, of the Legion. Bill Burcham did about 1/3 of the Fighters Guild. Rolston did the Imperial Cult. And it really was because I didn't have time to finish it, had an overly ambitious design, and wanted to save it for Tribunal.

Your style has greatly influenced not only me but all of us here. We all try to keep in mind the way you give players directions, the tone in which you write dialogue, the pacing of questlines...

Well, I hope you don't do directions the way I did.

I wonder if you have any ideas for how you thought the various factions of Morrowind would extend to the mainland

Not really. It wasn't an option. I had thoughts on Dres and Indoril and how they worked, but too the extent there is official lore, it isn't the same.

I did think it was odd that the headquarters for so much were on this little island. There was some dicsussion about officially making the local guilds minor off-shoots vs giving reasons everyone would move it.

Thank you for the word "Archmagister" w.r.t. the Mages Guild, that saved us a lot of headache

I think Rolston named the ranks. For the most part.

[Image of Tamriel Rebuilt Mages Guild locations]

Baan Malur is Blacklight? I mean, that makes sense.

The interview with three booksellers was used as evidence on both sides of the rename debate, hah

So I was once again arguing with myself. Huh.

What were your thoughts on Dres and Indoril regardless? We've run into snags on the "very little official lore" thing too

Well, that's a long topic. If I ever release AFFresh, the mod with Mixed Unit Tactics, it also contains Cunning, Contempt, and Confusion: A Guide for the Conservators of House Dres. But it says in the quest it's an old book, out of date.

Very briefly, it is a bit of Arthashastra practicality and reverse legalism, like an anti-Han Fei sort of ideal.

Out of curiosity, what other TES3 books were yours? I know Mixed Unit Tactics, and I've always suspected at least Arkay the Enemy, Hanging Gardens of Wasten Coridale, Words of Clan Mother Ahnissi, and Corpse Preparation

Yes, those. Probably a few more.

Other question from me -- I've always thought Hrundi's Fighter's Guild quests (and Wolverine Hall stuff in general) were probably added later in development. That's the Nord in Sadrith Mora. Is that right?

I don't think so. Most of Hrundi's quests were Bill Burcham. I think. It's been 22 years, after all. But the first one with the extra voice acting I never even thought to ask for was definitely his.

How would you want to handle Mixed Unit Tactics vol. 2/3/4 (or 3/4/5) with regards to TR integration?

However. Feel free to add it once I put the mod up.

Did you ever get around to playing Tribunal or Bloodmoon 😂

Visited both, never finished either. After the modathon, I need to update my modlist and I will try to include one of the rebalancers and try to finish it.

Tribunal has been a blessing and a curse for TR. On the one hand, it gave us the MH set and tied up the plotline for the Tribunal. On the other, it helped make the development of Almalexia very nearly kill the project and have the city be a bit of a hassle in general

Yeah, I understand why they made the city a fake interior, but it would make creating stuff near it difficult. Especially in pre-grounded Morrowind.

Could we ask about the "unrest in Cyrodiil City" that Sjoring mentions toward the end of the Fighters Guild questline? The doppelganger heirs and the looming succession crisis always intrigued me, and it's a direction we're looking into for Cyrodiil

Oh boy. That is a very long answer.

Are you going to ignore Oblivion, basically? Make Cyrodiil part swamp? Glass bridges? Caius?

I'll have to think of how to carefully phrase a response later

Like, separate me headcanon from anything I might or might not know about the original idea.

Now that begs the question, have you even heard of Shadowkey? 😄

Heard of it, not played it. I tried to talk Todd into making a creature that was only shadow and collision geometry, though.

Cicero has likewise been getting a lot of Battlespire lore into TR

Battlespire has some interesting hints about how Daedra work. And some decent dialog.

Also the politics

Rolston wrote most of the dialogue for Battlespire, right? How much was Julian?

That was before I worked there, but my vague impression is that Rolston did most of the dialog.

Ajira's quests were one of the first things I did in Morrowind and they were a great introduction. Probably should've stuck around Seyda Neen though lol

Assuming I finish it at some point, AFFiliates lets you see Galbedir's side.

And you have to fight Baltham Greyman again. And again.

Was Bribanne Erien one of your characters?

IIRC, Bribanne was a removed rival to the player.

AFFargoth is out and just something I thought I could do really quick.
AFFresh I might actually finish in the modathon is some low-level quests in Seyda Neen, Balmora, Blades Trainers, etc. Partly to try and give new characters more opportunities to use skills. Partly as an excuse to include stuff like the rest of Mixed Unit Tactics.
AFFiliates_TG, _MG, _FG, _HH, etc. is probably not coming out in a month, as it adds quests and re-orders them, and adds some options to a few of them. And is turning out to be kind of a nightmare to actually get working and test fully.

Also, AFField, AFFairs, AFFter, etc.

really super curious to learn what changes you have in mind to the mages guild questline(s)

Taking more quests simultaneously, adding quests to Galbedir and Procyon

Also you get to attend a conference about the Egg of Time.

are you the one who wrote the book with the mages guild in gnisis (that doesn't exist ingame)

I don't recall anything about a Mages Guild in Gnisis. If there's a skillbook with that, it's probably Peterson as he was the least in the loop about what the actual game was like.

yeah, Four Suitors was Peterson.

Added to this, we've had some drama about the island "Gorne" from Poison Song (written by Peterson). That book puts it in the Inner Sea, and Cicero said there was some internal map that would've had Gorne on it

I don't recall any island marked as Gorne.

Obviously I don't have any internal maps. There were some a little more detailed, but not tremendously so.

If I had to bet, I would bet Peterson made it up.

CLEARLY Gorne is a backup island for the Psijics.

someone in like three years is going to discord search this conversation and insist this is now canon

Tell them I said I am an infamous troll and should never be taken seriously.

While Discussing His Mod (2023-06-11)

And of course anything I do is 100% unofficial. So feel free to steal parts of it and ignore others.

Early Tribunal/Bloodmoon designs (2023-06-13)

Kirkbride left over a year before Morrowind was released. He wasn't there when I was hired. He wrote the Sermons after I was hired, but he wasn't at the studio. Todd asked Mark Nelson and I to come up with expansion ideas a couple months before Morrowind went gold. I pitched Tribunal and Mark pitched Bloodmoon. The actual expansions weren't much like either of our original concepts. I left a week or two after launch, so I wasn't around for the expansions. Rolston only left after Oblivion's launch.

[...]

There wasn't any serious development on Tribunal or Bloodmoon when Morrowind launched.

[...]

The title and a bit of plot for Oblivion existed. Rolston put in some hints about what it would be in Morrowind. But the actual Oblivion plot wasn't that.

[...]

I don't recall a ton about my original Tribunal pitch. I thought Mark's idea was better. It had werewolves, sload airships, a bunch of argonian stuff. Only the werewolves made it in. Solstheim wasn't in the pitch, IIRC. My Tribunal pitch was focused on the Tribunal and what happened to them on the Temple after they lost their power. It didn't have Almalexia going insane, for instance. But it wasn't particularly interesting.

On who Tohan from the Adamantium Helm of Tohan is (2023-11-04)

There's literally a Tohan Kim in the credits. Under character and creature art.

Yes. He made it.

I mean, it could and should also be a lore figure.

2024

It was cool to see (in the Curio Folio) Gambolpuddy's powers of tricking whoever touches the glove into thinking they have the race of whoever last touched the glove right before them (2024-02-23)

I put that in there as no one figured it out from Ra'Gruzgob's dialogue.

Did you write The Lusty Argonian Maid? (2024-02-23)

No, Mark Nelson did that, sort if. IIRC, it was based on a lunchroom conversation.

I did write all(?) of Crassius' dialogue though.

So you are responsible for me having to strip to get his recommendation.

Yes, although that might have been Ken's idea originally. I don't remember. One of the things I wanted to do, and will I do a Hlally mod, is to provide an alternate way of dealing with him.

When you wrote The Dreadful Theft of the Sun's Dusk Ale what did you picture flipbacks and tree-hoppers as looking like? (2024-06-18)

I don't remember if I had anything in particular in mind for tree-hoppers. From the name, I suspect flipbacks might be based on the click beetles I grew up with, but I'd make them weirder for ES. They already glow in the dark and have weird eyespots, so they just need a little extra weirdness, not too much.

Giant hind legs? For flipping

They flip over (and make a loud click sound) by... you know. I'll just find a video.

Did the Hoarvors in ESO end up looking like what you pictured them as, as well? Or in your mind did you picture them looking differently back then?

Those were originally in A Dance in Fire, which isn't one of mine.

On the Bosmer and Dunmer languages (2024-09-11)

If the Aldmer & Dwemer called their languages Aldmeris and Dwemeris, would the Bosmer call theirs "Bosmeris", and the Dunmer call theirs "Dunmeris" formally? Or would it be something else?

That would make sense. That is how I'd refer to them.