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Roleplay discussion: Mage roleplay

  • Member
    November 25, 2013

                  

     

                             A Role playing mage guide.

    So we all have played a mage at one point or another, wandering Skyrim learning new spells and questing, but there is more to being a practitioner of the Arcane arts than that. So this will be showing you some of the ways to rp as a wizard

     

    LEARNING SPELLS.

    First off learning spells isn’t as simple as skimming over the pages of a spell tome. It takes hours of study, it takes peace and quiet, thus it would be impossible to buy the spell tome and just learn how to conjure a powerful Deadra by speed reading the tome. So when I buy a new spell tome I first head either to The college of Winterhold, or another place where I can be alone to study. I then wait a day or two to study the book, then I learn the spell and begin practicing the spell by casting it until running out of Magicka, and then I can say I have mastered the spell.

     

    PICKING FIELD OF STUDY.

    Mages are like today’s scientist in the way that they pick something to study, say Biology, and then they study it and learn all they can about it.

    So the way this translates to Skyrim is simple, you choose a field of study (ex: Dwemer), then you find any and all in game books on the subject, visit any ruins or location according to you’re field (ex: Dwemer ruins, or the museum in Markarth if you choose to study Dwemer.), then you would collect all if any artifacts pertaining to the subject and examining them. Essentialy learning as much about said subject in game without the use of any outside sources. It is very interesting to study things in game, and it is one of my favorite ways in which to role play. Some good subjects to study being:

    Dwemer (of course)

    Nordic ruins.

    Falmer.

    Vampires.

    Lycanthropes,

    Alchemy.

    Necromancy.

    Deadra.

    (You can also sometimes find in game characters who show the same interests such as Calcelmo).

    NEEDED FACILITIES AND EQUIPTMENT.

    The College of Winterhold can provide most things you need early on such as the Arcaneum for books, teachers to learn spells from, ect. But as you’re studies become more and more advanced you need more specific falicities, if you have hearth fire you’re house should show what you’re study is, if it’s Dwemer you should have a study (Trophy room) where you have Dwemer automatons displayed and weapons on display to study, a library full of resources to learn of you’re chosen subject, and anything else relating to you’re field of study. Other things I chose to have for role play purposes were quills, inkwells, and paper rolls to take notes on.

     

     

    This is just a rough draft, so there is room for improvement. Make sure to check the comments for more ideas, ask questions, and add you're own ideas.

  • November 25, 2013
    I would trade the rolls of paper for either the Book of Fate (http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Book_of_Fate) or Ulfr's Book (http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Ulfr%27s_Book) given the fact that both are blank books and could replace the burden of carrying multiple rolls of paper since they have multiple pages(although you see two)
  • Member
    November 25, 2013

    That's a good idea. I wish the game had paper or books you could write in.

  • November 25, 2013
    You can still "create" books in the Atronach forge, although mostly conjuration tomes
  • Member
    November 25, 2013

    This is very good! As I'm playing a mage right now, this will be interesting to try. He's a vigilant, and I always carry around rolls of paper, an inkwell and a quill for him to write notes on any new types of Deadra, undead or other nasty things he sees. He also carrys arounds bits and pieces from creatures he slays and never uses them otherwise like Daedra hearts, Fire, Frost and Void Salts, Werewolf pelts, Vampires dust and Hagraven Claws and Feathers. I have a mod on called Bags and Pouches that lets me increase my carry weight but others could do something similar?

    I also always carry gloves, a simple dagger (usually Iron, Steel or Orchish, cause my guy's an Orc) to harvest the study items from the slain beasts with being contaminated, a cure disease potion or Hawk Feathers, and gloves. 

  • Member
    November 25, 2013
    One of my current characters is a telvanni mage type character who`s main subject for study is ashmancy and has interests in certain daedra (Hermaus Mora and Azura)
  • Member
    November 25, 2013

    Thanks I really appreciate it.

  • Member
    November 26, 2013

    Also, I just thought of this -- Using charcoal instead of inkwell and quill, for out in the field

  • Member
    November 26, 2013

    What exactly do you do to practice/study ashmancy?

  • Member
    April 25, 2014

    This is very relevant to my current playthrough, a spinoff build of the Nemesis with a different, even more cliche, backstory.  AMNESIA (the only way I could think of to explain his lack of skill in everything)

    So, having literally hung up his Thalmor Robes (in his college provided wardrobe), my Nemesis dons his humble new Novice mage attire.  MG questline needs to be complete up until you return the books to the Arcaneum.  This is about as normal as the college will get, considering finishing the quest line results in several untimely deaths.

    Using Turn Lesser Undead and Lesser Ward+Flames (I was level 2 or 3) I conquered Saarthal, while thoroughly investigating every nook and cranny.  Upon returning to the college and after informing the Arch-Mage, I milled around the campus for several days, attending lectures and slowly learning a few new spells before starting the Hitting the Books quest. 

    During that time I also helped J'zargo and Brelyna (on seperate days).  J'zargo's flame cloak scrolls were negated by my dual-casting Lesser Ward, so clearing The Midden was a cake walk.  Little did I know all of the valuable loot that can be found in The Midden if you explore hard enough (torch is helpful).  I now use the midden for study sessions and learning less family-friendly spells (soul trap).  I sit at the table just outside of the Atronach Forge and munch on Eidar Cheese and Alto Wine while learning. 

    After I learn a spell and practice on my own, I make it a point to purchase at least 1 training session with the appropriate trainer, more if it's a higher level spell and my stats are low.  Example: Picked up the Fire Cloak Tome west of the college.  I waited until after I had returned, and since my destruction stat was at 25 or so and the spell is Adept level, I trained with Feralda  3 times before I allowed myself to use Flame Cloak in battle.

    So I'm currently level 13, with all perk points put into various magic schools.  I haven't fast traveled once but I have used carriages.  I did place a restriction on my carriage use that I haven't seen others do.  For instance, if I was in Markarth, I wouldn't return directly to Winterhold, I would go to Whiterun-->Windhelm-->Winterhold and stop and eat/sleep at each city.  I do not intend to advance the college questline any further at the moment since that would open up a whole new can of worms that my fellow just isn't ready for.

    I will start to "map" the surrounding region of Winterhold, and attempt to discover the cause of the Great Collapse as my next research project.   Since level 1, I have role-played as someone interested in architecture (analyzing the aqueduct system in Whiterun, admiring the structural integrity of Dragonsreach cross-beams and the intricate designs on the support columns, stopping to inspect any bridge you come across, etc..)  Upon the completion of my "thesis", I will graduate to adept level mage and consider continuing the questline.

    Great topic btw, would love to see some more feedback here.