Are books more than stories? : V

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 11:36 pm

I'm curious about whether or not there are many books in Skyrim that actually reference real, tangible, things in the game world. And no, not just a city or a geography point, but a real treasure or person or dungeon. Morrowind had a lot of this - you could spend your game as a real "Indiana Jones", researching the lore for real artifacts. It seems to me that in Skyrim (and Oblivion) most books are just fairy tales or rumors of things that do not actually exist in the game (or existed a long time ago).

Have any of you found a book somewhere about some great treasure and you were able to follow the clues and lore and end up finding it?

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 2:33 pm

Have any of you found a book somewhere about some great treasure and you were able to follow the clues and lore and end up finding it?

Yes, several times. I also found a book that detailed the locations of every guardian stone in the game and they showed up on my map. Was pretty cool.

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 11:13 am

I'm curious about whether or not there are many books in Skyrim that actually reference real, tangible, things in the game world. And no, not just a city or a geography point, but a real treasure or person or dungeon. Morrowind had a lot of this - you could spend your game as a real "Indiana Jones", researching the lore for real artifacts. It seems to me that in Skyrim (and Oblivion) most books are just fairy tales or rumors of things that do not actually exist in the game (or existed a long time ago).

Have any of you found a book somewhere about some great treasure and you were able to follow the clues and lore and end up finding it?

Yes. Two books come to mind:

Spoiler

-Red eagle Blade
-Forbidden Legends.

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 1:13 pm

Yes, several times. I also found a book that detailed the locations of every guardian stone in the game and they showed up on my map. Was pretty cool.

Dude, they are marked with X's on the giant map that comes with the game.

Also at least 2 books so far have given me real quests. Both were in the castle in Whiterun if you feel like hunting them down everyone.

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 8:26 pm

They need books that describe treasures that DO exist in the game but aren't part of a quest so you have to actually use the books contents to find the treasure instead of quest markers.

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 2:55 pm

They need books that describe treasures that DO exist in the game but aren't part of a quest so you have to actually use the books contents to find the treasure instead of quest markers.

They have those, they are called treasure maps.

» Mon Dec 12, 2011 1:27 am

Yep I've found a lot of books that lead to treasure or new locations or quests. You'll know when you first read it and it says Map Updated in the top left corner. I stop and read every book I see that I know I haven't already read, mostly because some of them can give you free skill ups too.

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 10:22 pm

They have those, they are called treasure maps.

Wait, seriously? There are treasure maps?

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 6:55 pm

Spoiler

The Guide to Whiterun (amusing in and of itself) will help you find the Redguard female that the Alakir in town are looking for. There are many more examples.

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 9:12 pm

Yep I've found a lot of books that lead to treasure or new locations or quests. You'll know when you first read it and it says Map Updated in the top left corner. I stop and read every book I see that I know I haven't already read, mostly because some of them can give you free skill ups too.

But the question is, can you find these locations if you don't use your map or quest pointer?

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 11:09 pm

Dude, they are marked with X's on the giant map that comes with the game.

I downloaded the game from steam. I have no box and no paper map.

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 3:43 pm

Wait, seriously? There are treasure maps?

Yes at least 4. I found one, followed the images to the spot indicated and found treasure. Was pretty cool.

» Mon Dec 12, 2011 12:52 am

Yes at least 4. I found one, followed the images to the spot indicated and found treasure. Was pretty cool.

Awesome. That's the kind of stuff I like to hear about. Makes me happy that the designers still had the hardcoe gamers in mind.

» Mon Dec 12, 2011 12:15 am

Spoiler

The Guide to Whiterun (amusing in and of itself) will help you find the Redguard female that the Alakir in town are looking for. There are many more examples.

It can also lead you to a woman he talks about frequently in the book that will give you a small sidequest in the same vein of what he was going on about.

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 2:29 pm

All of the above, plus some books give you skills, and some will teach you how to deal with certain enemies more effectively, such as Trolls.

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 2:50 pm

I might have to start paying more attention to books now... I always thought they were just fictional stories

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 9:48 pm

But the question is, can you find these locations if you don't use your map or quest pointer?

Don't bother explaining it to the person, they're not going to appreciate it.

I might have to start paying more attention to books now... I always thought they were just fictional stories

Just opening some books will give you a skill up in your talent trees.

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 10:25 am

Very, very much so. "Yngol and the Sea-Ghosts" and "Of Fjori and Holgeir" so far have particularly pleased me in this respect for the way they're very old, traditional Nordic stories, yet both reference concrete places people and objects in the world that can be found.

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 4:01 pm

instead of quest markers.

You know, unlike Oblivion, Skyrim actually has the option to turn off a quest marker.

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 8:28 pm

Yep I've found a lot of books that lead to treasure or new locations or quests. You'll know when you first read it and it says Map Updated in the top left corner. I stop and read every book I see that I know I haven't already read, mostly because some of them can give you free skill ups too.

actually not all books will update on the map. I found one just yesterday I had to read and actually had to find the items by searching the clues in the book, no map updates or anything.

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 10:43 pm

You get to...

Spoiler

kill the subject of Immortal Blood.

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 12:47 pm

actually not all books will update on the map. I found one just yesterday I had to read and actually had to find the items by searching the clues in the book, no map updates or anything.

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about. As soon as I buy my first house, I'm going to build a library of books and sit down every day and study them like a real archaelogist.

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 10:21 am

But the question is, can you find these locations if you don't use your map or quest pointer?

I'm sure if you read the book it will tell you, or at least give you some kind of hint.

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 1:17 pm

the book on the oblivion crisis is obviously fake. like this

bliviongate: could really happen. :thumbsup:

» Sun Dec 11, 2011 6:24 pm

I have read two different books that allude to a ghostly, axe-wielding woman that wanders the pine Forrest.