Aard looks so wrong as a chef! He's so angry and dark! Those clothes look ridiculous on him too!

That was really touching, that you showed each DB member individually like that. It sucks what happens to most of them.

This post has been edited by Renee: May 10 2015, 11:24 AM

It also should be noted that Talos/Tiber/Hjalti became Emperor after having the previous Emperor assassinated as well.

In the old days, (I'm talking Celtic, Scandinavian, Pictish, Germanic, etc) it was traditional to pass the kingship to the one who killed the old king.

So this is just more of the same old, same old . . .

So why don't they just make Ulfric High King and be done with it??

Ego, probably. And also there's all that pressure from the Aldmeri Dominion, who seems to have their [censored] together more than the Nords of Skyrim do.

Lopov, I had to grin at the sight of Aard in his chef’s hat being confronted by the soldiers. I like that you showed the fates of the dead DB members. In the heat of the moment I think I’ve always missed Festus. The Nazir shot is my favorite. I like how they look with their blades up against the smoke.

Here you go.


Here’s a giggle from Jerric’s game (that’s Valdi’s horse Tage in the background): The Vigilant of Stendarr’s Captain Oblivious.

I like to take a quick portrait of my characters in Bleak Falls Barrow right by the puzzle door because I like the light there. Here’s one I never thought I’d take: Abiene. With her Illusion spells for the bandits and frost troll and her Restoration spells for the undead she was actually pretty strong in that barrow. The whole time she was thinking, I am never ever going into a Falmer nest, forget it! You will not catch me in a Dwemer ruin, don’t even ask!!

And here’s Darnand in Treva’s Watch with his flame lady and their pile of bodies after things did not go at all according to the plan. Ishckrihk had shown up just in time to block the door after he let all of the bandits in with the mage. It was a while before Darnand put his hands down. He was in the mood to melt an ice atronach and then lightly toast just one more Nord.

High King Ulfric!

Oh, that oblivious Vigilant shot is priceless! Here’s a screenshot of Buffy’s similar experience.

You’re right, never thought I’d see Abiene in BFB. Hmm, must be an out of body experience to imaginer Dragons Lite into her game?

Darnand is wise to go with his flame lady. They don’t take up so much room, warm the area and even dance for you. Seriously, I just love Skyrim's flame atronachs. Itchycrick does suit our favorite big Nord though.

Lol, I love how she’s doing a backflip while the Vigilant preaches!

Dragons Lite indeed. Abiene was not pleased with any of her ‘dream,’ especially the part when she ran up to protect Lildereth with a Ward while she was shooting and Mirmulnir chomped the Whiterun guard standing right next to them!

Holy Cow, I'm really glad to have gotten the background on this; he seemed so honorable a man when you read about the assassination in the wiki - really turned me off the thought of doing the DB questline because I was correlating this Emperor with Uriel Septim.

Something I find really odd is that an order of assassins like the DB is murdering the real bad guys; but then they have a so-called "good" organization like the Companions going around beating up shopkeepers ... huh? What were they thinking?







Holy Cow! You go, Darnand !!!!

@Grits - Abiene looks so pretty in that pic, she is a natural beauty.

Uh oh, Darnand at work, and he got some help from frost & fire! What is the hat on the bandit closest to the screen?

--

The Emperor's assassination was foiled by Penitus Oculatos and the Dark Brotherhood was destroyed. Celebration was held at Castle Dour and a week later Commander Maro was notified by a letter from the Emperor himself that he will personally promote him to General when he arrives to Skyrim. Maro, though still deeply saddened because of his son's death, was looking forward to this act and already imagined his name to be written in several books and chronicles that would mention him as the man who destroyed the Dark Brotherhood.

It seemed like life in Skyrim became more peaceful now that everyone knew that the Dark Brotherhood was gone. Turned into an ash pile, quite literally. The ruined sanctuary became a place for children of Falkreath to prove their courage by spending a night inside of what used to be a hideout of assassins.

In Markarth, young Muiri was weeping inconsolably. She heard news of what happened at the sanctuary and this meant that her beloved Aard was gone.

Six months later...

The Emperor's visit to Skyrim was coming to an end. He spent almost two weeks in the land of the Nords and tried to resolve the civil war peacefully though unfortunately he wasn't very successful. On the very last night he was about to promote Commander Maro to General and offer him an honorary position in the Imperial City.

On that day, a few hours earlier, Amaund Motierre, a member of the Elder Council, was eating at the Bannered Mare. He was the man who wanted the Emperor killed but unfortunately his plan failed, obviously the Dark Brotherhood wasn't as capable as he presumed them to be.

"A pity but what can be done now?" he thought as he made a sip of wine. As he put the tankard down, door of his private room opened.

"I don't want to be dis..." as the man in black came to his room, Amaund was left speechless.

"We meet again, Motierre," said Aard and closed the door behind him.

"By the gods. You... you're alive! But I had heard... your Sanctuary... Please! You mustn't think I had anything to do with that! I wanted the Emperor dead! The true Emperor! I still do! It was Maro! He..."

"Shut up already! We have some unfinished business, don't we?"

"You mean, after all that's transpired, the Dark Brotherhood will still... honor the contract? Why, this is astounding news! Wonderful news! The Emperor is still in Skyrim, but not for long."

"So I've heard. Where can I find his majesty?"

"He's onboard his ship, the Katariah, moored offshore in the Solitude Inlet. But you must hurry! If you can get onboard that ship. Kill Titus Mede II, as contracted... I will reveal the location of the dead drop that holds your payment."

"Of course you will. How about Maro? Where can I find him?"

On the same night an ominous figure appeared on the opposite site of Solitude Docks. This figure, known as Aard, decided to wear something special for this occasion. You don't kill the Emperor every day, after all.

Man in shrouded armor
Behind Commander Maro

"Father, father! It's me, Gaius!" Maro heard someone saying behind him.

Commander was shocked. He knew that his son couldn't possibly be alive but who could be so twisted to joke with him like that? He turned around, not really knowing what to expect, and there He was standing...the assassin whose name he never knew, the man who killed his son and tried to kill the fake Emperor, and who obviously escaped the attack on the sanctuary.

Commander Maro
vs
Aard
Good vs Evil
Only one can survive
And this can't be Maro

A few hours later the black rider was approaching Katariah, the Emperor's ship.
It's time
To Katariah
Avoiding security
Face to face
"Say what you have to say, old man."
Emperor's final wish

"It shall be done," The Emperor believed him.

"Thank you. Now, on to the business at hand I suppose, hmm? I won't fight you, so we may as well get this over with."

"Fair enough. I usually don't talk to my victims but for you I made an exception. Now, old man, turn around. And close your eyes. You almost won't feel a thing. It'll be over in a second."

Aard stayed true to his word
He gave the Emperor a swift death
Leaving Katariah at dawn
Back on the ground
"We did it, shadow!"

Abiene is looking incredibly cute, with her curly Grits-hair. It sounds like those Vigilants might have been right about the Daedra after all. Look at how Izzy tried to kill Darnand by trapping him in that room...




Like Grits, I immediately noted how the Flame Lady is doing a backflip during the Vigilant's warning!




Not even the Penis Ocato can stop Aard!

Riders in black you say, crossed the River Isen just a fortnight ago?

So that is what the Katariah looks like. I never finished the DB questline, so I have never seen it in any of my games.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: May 13 2015, 10:12 PM

What a broad red swath Aard has painted with in Skryim! Now his wake includes the Emperor (including niece and fake), the DB and the PenOculites.

Like SubRosa, I've not seen the Katariah before - nice looking ship.

I wonder what Aard and Shadowmere will do now? I mean how to top killing the Emperor?

Gritsy: Hoy Abiene looks so damn cute in that puzzle door pic. Goodness. Darnand / Marcurio makes me smile. Because I can just hear him boast "See now THAT is how we get things done around here!"

Acadian: I can't see Buffy's face! (hint hint)

Lopov: Speechless. Wow, you did it! Aard did it! I can't believe it! And some of those pics give Mycharonna a run for her Septims!

It's cool how he finally put his formal DB armor on, after all this time. Very appropriate.

This post has been edited by Renee: May 14 2015, 12:13 AM

The entire ship except the Emperor's room is very dark but his room is extremely bright, maybe that's why the Emperor notices you immediately as you enter, there's no way to avoid it.


I guess Aard'll retire and serve as the Listener, just like it used to be two hundred years ago in Cyrodiil. He'll probably marry Muiri and they'll live happily ever after.


It was a good questline in general though I still prefer Oblivion's more. I think that in Oblivion the entire DB questline is very good while in Skyrim I found some quests prior to those involving the Emperor's assassination quite bland, especially the wedding one.

That being said, I'm not fully done with the questline yet, the new sanctuary at Dawnstar still waits to be furnished but right now I'm busy back in time in Cyrodiil.

--

With the Emperor dead, councilor Moteirre gladly told Aard where to find payment for the grand contract. However, what Motierre didn't know was, that the Emperor's final wish was to kill the very man who ordered his assassination. So after finding out where a stash of gold is located, Aard gladly shaved Amaund Motierre with Mehrunes Razor.

His faithful bodyguard faced the same fate, Saadia found his corpse by the time when Aard already left Whiterun. With Motierre and his guard dead, there wasn't anyone left alive to tell the tale of the Emperor's assassination. Except Aard, of course.

The reward was located in Volunruud, hidden amongst ash of an ordinary Draugr urn. Aard expected to find a lot of gold but still, not that MUCH gold. He hurried to the Dawnstar Sanctuary, gold happily tingling on Shadowmere's back.

The new Listener finally arrived home.

Take a look at the pics of Motierre. I am told he looks different the first time and second times he hires you. Implying that either Bethesda screwed up his face. Or that one or both is not the real Motierre and is instead a double.

Sounds like this closes the action chapters on Aard and sets him up for a nice rest. Oh well. If his career was too much longer Skyrim could get to be a very quiet and lonely place.

The picture of he and Shadowmere hurrying home over the snowy road under the night sky is beautiful!

Motiere's looks change during game? Perhaps he visited the face butcher down in Riften's Ratway?

I've got to love this screen the best, with Aard dropping out of the sky behind him.

Maro vs Aard - good vs evil - really hard to tell who was the good and who was the evil here, lol.

I liked the scenes with the Emperor here; and wondered how the Player finds out who ordered the murder - and does Aard follow up on it (does the game give the Player the option to follow up on it?)







Hey, I missed this one of Buffy and you never told me! I wouldn't have known if I hadn't seen Renee's comment! Grrrr! Buffy looks just as good from behind as from the front ... usually. In this screen I think it is Superian's butt I'm seeing and it reminds me of a song by Sir Mix-a-lot, lol.

Motierre - is this the same one from Oblivion? WOOOOT! Is that a 20,000 Septim piece? Holy Cow! Time for Misa to sneak up behind Aard and pickpocket him!

In the last screen, look at Aard's shadow ... is it ... Mickey Mouse? GAAAAAH! I'll never feel safe at Disney World again!

mALX - Thanks for the kind words on that Buffy shot. I didn't realize you had missed it. I'm glad you mentioned Mickey Mouse on Lopov's shot of Aard in front of that sanctuary - the same thought occurred to me!

Right?

Yeah, his face is definitely different, the 2nd Motierre looks very good compared to the first one. It's more likely that Beth screwed up his face.

Yes, you're probably right. With so much gold he might even officially buy Hjerim instead of living there as a vagrant.

In fact you know who wants to kill the Emperor immediately, you are told by the Night Mother to go and might Motierre and he reveals you his plans.

It's not the same Motierre but it's his descendant.

Lol about the Mickey Mouse shadow, I didn't even notice it. In fact it's not a shadow but a part of the door but it looks like a mousy shadow indeed.