I know the soul gems in Morrowind definitely showed the NPC name because some characters would build collections of grand soul gems with the named sixth house priests. I really wish the feature wasn't removed in Skyrim.

My characters usually go with white since I often take the route that they are compelled by the daedra to do the quests when they come across them, so it wouldn't make sense in such cases for the character to be under a compulsion and then somehow give the artifact to someone else. Plus, I like Azura.

It was a fun, albeit dark RP.

That's the best kind.

White every time. But it's those damn Dremoras that pelt you with fire bolts inside the star that make me not get it until quite a while into the game when I can use ebony or Daedric swords and armour to slay them without being fireballed to death.

Oh man! That first time in for me... It was an "OK. Let's reload and do this one later!" moment

Almost all white. A lot of that is to make Areana available as a follower, but I also find that enchanting is not a major factor with my characters. The White version is enough, especially as it can hold just as large a soul, just being more restrictive in the source. Several characters have used a Fiery Soul Trap weapon with Azura's Star as their ongoing weapon, as it feeds its own needs nicely that way with small souls but frequent ones.

Used the Black variety with an Assassin character who felt that just killing people was wasteful.

Funny, my Dunmer didn't have much trouble with...oh, yeah.

For me, it's generally White, because for most characters it's appropriate, and Aranea is the better reward. Black is for those characters who are active Enchanters, especially those who engage in the Necromantic Arts.

Most of my characters find little use for the Star, but do the quest to do the quest. There are plenty of soul gems in the game, so it's not as if you actually need the Star for its function.

I went for Black as its extremely useful but to be honest I wish I had gone for White my conscience is bugging me even though White is almost useless. If there was anything I could go back and change it'd be that.

Although my current character chose Azura, it doesn't stop him from carrying around a few black soul gems just in case he comes across some exceptionally annoying people who really need to be turned into a new set of armor.

Yup. Exactly. Works for me!

I went for the Black version because...black soul gems are a bit harder to come by than the regular Grand gems and since 99% of my characters don't murder people I found having the Black star enough to hold any human-type souls that I would trap.I use the regular soul gems through most all of my games and don't find the need for multiple black gems.

Only Birgitte and Orandir have gotten the Star so far and it's 50/50. Birgitte, as morally good as I'd like to think she is, took the Black Star because she does a lot of enchanting and it's just more practical. Orandir took the White Star because of Aranea.

I don't see the black/white thing as a moral choice, since something (innocent animal, nasty monster, evil bandit) must die to fill the gem either way. Nelacar pleads with you not to return the artifact to Azura. The morality comes down to whether you choose Azura over Nelacar, and whether you think Azura is a benevolent force or not. In my view, Azura's "benevolence" comes from what is best for Azura. It's pretty easy to find arguments on either side, to play it either way.

That's been my experience as well. Azura's Star may fill up on a lesser soul, but that is about it

If black soul gems were easier to come by, I wouldn't have had to betray Azura.

Sorry, Azura.

Always black. I love to repurpose the souls of the wicked into something useful.

Honestly speaking, I think that was the hardest conflict I had in all of Skyrim. That and my first encounter with Krosis at level 15. That battle raged for about 20 minutes at least, I'd spent all of my health potions, arrows, everything, and only managed to finally kill him after several retreats and regroupings and my last ounce of life. But at least I could retreat from Krosis. In the star you're confined.

You don't have murder to fill a black soul gem... unless defending yourself and those you care about from bandits counts as murder.

Yes I know about the Soul Carin but frankly where bandits are concerned I don't care.

If I play a good Dunmer then white. If I play a non Dunmer necromancer then black.

I usually do not have too much trouble getting enough Black Soul Gems for my purposes. I wait until I am 100 Enchanting before ever using them in my creations. And I think Grand Souls give the same magnitude? Maybe not. I'll have to check it the next I go to enchant.

Come to think if it, Grand Souls are the hardest for me to find. You have Mammoths, and... Mammoths. Maybe some Draugr Lords?

My characters go for white, but the star is rarely used for the ones that do get it.

Mammoths, top level draugr, top level falmer, dragon priests, betty netches, and some Dragonborn ash monsters.

You don't need black souls for the best enchants - only grand souls (because the souls in black gems ARE grand souls - just human ones instead of from mammoths and dragon priests etc.) I have a little problem really with "harvesting" human souls. Would I want MY soul harvested? Oh HELL no. So - grand souls are the way I go.

They are the same enchantment level as black souls, only far less common. So rare infact I almost never get them filled.

Also, the Shades in Kilkreath are all Grand (White) souls. Orandir went in there with his suped up Soul Trapping bow, Reaper, and came out with like 30 filled grand soul gems.