The Elder Scrolls series is full of surprises. These characters are some of the most interesting, but few players have found them.
Random encounters can happen almost anywhere in The Elder Scrolls games. The fifth in the series, Skyrim, is especially full of these unexpected occurrences. Sometimes, they can take the form of ambushes by vampires, wizards or even Daedra. However, not all involve sudden combat.
Some are just parts of the story that unfolds in front of the player. Amusing or boring, they have a wide range However, some are not seen often due to certain criteria not being met in most cases. There are plenty of planned random encounters that take place in towns and cities, although those found in the Tamriel wilderness are the most difficult to find, as well as the most interesting.
10 Snack Babbette
If the player has joined the Dark Brotherhood and has the Dawnguard DLC installed, there is a chance that they can see a familiar face on the streets at night. Babette, the vampire child who finds herself in the Falkreath sanctuary of the infamous killer’s guild, can be found beside a corpse between sunset and sunrise. When asked what she is doing, she greets the Dragonborn pleasantly before saying that she just left for a snack.
9 The Drunken Dare
If someone has completed the daedric mission ‘A Night to Remember’, there is a small chance that, when entering a new area, an Argon will approach and say that the Dragonborn owes him 10,000 gold. If the player calls, he will leave in peace, but if not, he will attack, with the intention of giving back. This scaly tundra citizen was apparently dared by the player, while drunk, to break into a bandit camp and steal his leader’s hat.
8 Flight of Mage
While traveling across the icy shores of Solstheim, players can encounter an elf mage apparently practicing magic. However, after a few moments of grumbling, they launch themselves incredibly high in the air, only to return to the sandy beach and die on impact. In his remains, his diary can be found. As you might expect, it is full of ramblings from someone obsessed with flying.
7 Wedding guests
Another occurrence linked to the Dark Brotherhood questline can be found before the ‘Bound until Death’ quest when the player will be tasked with killing Vittoria Vici, the emperor’s cousin, in his own wedding. A noble couple will be on their way to the event with a bodyguard.
However, they never get there. After ‘Bound Until Death’ is completed, this same couple can be found on one of Skyrim’s many roads, however, this time they are significantly less regal in appearance. They were apparently stolen after meeting Dragonborn for the first time.
6 Wanderer AND Wabbajack
If the quest ‘The Mind of Madness’ has been completed and Dragonborn has the Wabbajack staff in his possession, it is possible to find an elderly woman by the side of the road. She will recognize the player through her negotiations with Prince Daedric Sheogorath and will repeatedly ask to be hit by the staff spell. If someone agrees and releases Wabbajack on this woman, she will temporarily turn into a rabbit. However, upon returning to her human form, she will not recognize the player unless attacked or stolen.
5 A big fan
Although Balbus, a culinary enthusiast, can be found at any point in the game, there is a special dialogue option available if someone has completed the ‘Recipe for Disaster’ mission. In this quest for Dark Brotherhood, Dragonborn personified the famous chef known as The Gourmet and at one point got a written ID saying that. When talking to Balbus, the player can see this as a third option below the standard two and involve Balbus about cooking.
4 A special contract
Being part of the Dark Brotherhood has many benefits, as there is access to very interesting missions and exclusive equipment, although there are some disadvantages.
If the Dragonborn DLC is installed and the player has completed the ‘Served Cold’ mission, it is possible to be ambushed by Morag Tong’s assassins while exploring Solstheim. This group of rival killers probably wanted to wipe out some of their competitors.
3 Roadside meal
Sigar can be found near a corpse found in Skyrim’s jungle, although his dialogue is different depending on whether the Dragonborn completed the ‘Taste of Death’ mission or not. If someone ate meat from humans during this mission, Sigar will recognize the player and offer them “a bite” from the corpse. However, if the player has not become a cannibal, he will pretend to just bury the body out of respect. Maybe he and Babbette will meet someday.
two Skyrim’s many thieves
Thieves approaching someone on the road are relatively common when it comes to random encounters, although the way they treat the player differs in how deep someone is in the main Thieves’ Guild missions. If the Dragonborn is wearing the Nightingale armor after completing the final leg on the questline, instead of trying to take his money, the thief will give the player a “take part” in the form of some septins.
1 M’aiq The Liar
Probably the most famous of the random encounters, though rarely seen, is M’aiq the Lair. This khajiit wanders around Tamriel spreading humorous misinformation and appears as a kind of Easter egg in multiple Elder Scrolls games. His first appearance was in The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind and he’s been in every title in the series ever since. He often shares his witty remarks and comical falsehoods with the player when they run into him, although when it may be a mystery. There is nothing that seems to correlate between all the sightings of M’aiq, so the player will only have to rely on luck if he wants to chat with this cat.
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