:wink_smile: hi to evrybody, you know it had to be fisher

so ive made this poll to see what YOU really think of arch-mage traven, please post a comment if you like, i await you vote

personally i think arch-mage traven is a bit of a coward, yet he does his best to try and stop mannimarco, though he sorta leans on you to do his errands, on the very last quest, when he kills himself with that little ring, i think its a waste of life, he oculd of at least came along to try and kill mannimarco rather than take the cowards way out and choose death...know what i mean?

As stated in many another post, my avatar found Traven a mediocrity whose policies were oft questionable if not wrong-headed. A good man not wholly up to the task at hand. Not that my avatar is any great shakes as arch-mage himself. Indeed, it is unlikely that a weaker magician has held the position, which he considers a totally political appointment. Boasting the Divine Crusader and Champion of Cyrodiil (amongst other honorifics) as leader has to be a feather in the cap of any legitimate organization.

-Decrepit-

My character also happens to be the leader, but I think he relies on the PC way too much. My character knows nothing of magic, except for a little illusion and conjuration, yet he is being relied on as the new Arch-Mage over Raminus Polus. Why? Arch-Mage is the 2nd most prestigous guild title, after only the Grey Fox. The Grey fox doesn't count because no one knows who he is. This males the Arch-Mage the most powerful known man in Cyrodil. There is no emporer. Yet Traven puts this guy who has been here for a week as the head of the mages guild. That is ridiculous. He should have sent a freaking army of mages to take out the entire cave, and after, raxe it to the ground with fire spells. Instead, he sends a young guy with 15 infamy, who possibly, could be working with the necromancer's, to attack their stronghold alone. Boy did he git lucky the Mannimarco is nothing but a wimpy high elf. Boy, did he get lucky. :no:

he's a bit boring so did vote ''he is an old man''

I think he used the Mages Guild to fuel his own agenda.

I think he was just using the guild to remove necromancy, for what reason, I don't know

His final act was brave and noble, but it only came after he realised that the agenda he'd tried to further through the MG was the cause of all the problems.

So I went for 'tries to do the right thing'; he tries to do what he think is best but is always a step behind.

I think he is a fool. Or actually a unwise zealot, who split the guild because of his silly agenda. If you try to enforce such strict rules in an area where rules are not that strict by definition (summoning skeletons and zombies in combat is okay, eh?), then you'd have the jolly good practise of blackmailing, witch-hunting, etc. There may be very well some truly evil necromancers in the guild, but they were maybe 10% or so. Since the guildhouses are nearly empty, yet there are hundreds of necromancers in the wilderness, Traven may have very well caused 90% of the members to abandon the guild. And now the necromancers want revenge, also for the witch-hunting, disgrace and blackmailing. Luckily for him, there's a hero who can save the day!
Well, the writing of the mages guild questline may be also the worst one (with only the MQ being even worse).

I voted for disorganized, but I think he's a moron. The guy can't even keep tabs on the council, which consists of only two other people. If he's such a high and mighty wizard, why doesn't he go around Cyrodiil and do some fetching? Any sensible leader would not send one mage to attack the Necromancers. He would rally every able wizard at the Arcane University and crush them in their little caves.

Or at the very least contract the Dark Brotherhood to assassinate Mannimarco. If that Altmer was the true King of Worms, believe me, it would not be hard to assassinate him.

I would have chosen several answers if I could have. But since I'm limited to just one, I chose he "relies too much on me". He's the frickin' arch mage. He can tell any of the countless apprentices, scholars, and named NPCs to help my character on his quests. But he never does. It's all up to ME.

Funny thing, he's actually one of the strongest NPCs in the game. He's a level 50, with a whole bunch of leveled spells. He could mop the floor with Mannimarco.

As I learned when I attacked him for 'fun'. A storm atronach, a massive lightning bolt, and lots of paralysis later, I realised how good he actually would be if he tried himself.