After the first time playing Thieve Guild, i realize a pattern here in Skyrim, all factions are not really in good shape and most of the factions are not really the real faction at all. It makes somewhat pointless

i. The Thieve Guild actually have been destroyed/cursed, should the player not joining it that guild will be out of business, and it is a Daedric quest in which makes the character have to sell his/her soul to a Daedra for the sake of the guild, why bother joining it? I mean, the character being recruited in an nearly destroyed guild, a nobody who suddenly getting involved in the guild politic and doing a sacrifice for the guild he/she just join in, and sacrifice for members he/she don't really know, sacrifice to rebuilt the really bad shape guild....it is not worth it. It is better just to leave the Thieve Guild to rot. They are not really thieves anyway but more to a mafia wannabes. Maven Black Briar doing better job without Daedric worship

ii. Dark Brotherhood isn't really Dark Brotherhood, it is just a band of assassin doing bounties. There is no Listener for a very long time, they doing their jobs killing peoples without honor, It is a fake Dark Brotherhood. Furthermore, they do take contract to kill the main character many times, the main character will never know who want to kill him/her and why, It is better just destroying them.

iii. The Blades are not really the Blades, it's only Esbern and Delphine.

iv. The Bard College isn't really make the character a bard, but a mercenary doing fetch quests

iv. The Companions are werewolves, they are not really good guys. The Silver Hand is the good guys hunting werewolves but they attacked everyone who pass by their base/fort like bandits, it is a contradiction. The Silver Hand hunting werewolves supposed to be protecting innocents from that abomination, but conversely The Companions is shown as good guys even though they are really bad and evil.

v. The Mage Guild is the only one that is okay, but the quest is bad. No one in Skyrim like the college, the Nords hate magic. The quest is actually "discover the weapon of mass destruction, then [censored] happen, clean up the [censored]". The guild didn't really helping the people with their magic, but actually making problem and fix the problem they cause. It is good if the quests making peoples trust the college and bring good name

vi. The Grey Beards are just bunch of guys who get boring in their live shouting at the sky and doing nothing. They protecting a dragon all these time.....

vii. Vigilant of Strendar don't give any meaning in the game

Joining factions don't really give satisfaction for me, because the factions are either nearly destroyed, fake one or in really bad shape. Unlike in Oblivion

And now you understand why I am underwhelmed by the factions in Skyrim, lackluster and unappealing. The only one I might, and I very pointedly say MIGHT join is the Companions with my Nord and that is only because he is a pure warrior. TBH I'd rather just skip them but time will tell. For sure he will NOT be doing any of the other factions and I'm going the Season Unending route to skip the CW quests.

This is actually a thing that I find interesting about most of Skyrim's guilds. The guilds have obstacles to overcome. I liked that and mostly found it to be dramatic and engaging. Although, I agree, they did go overboard with it. One or two struggling guilds would have been enough.

I just wish the guilds were more fleshed out and were longer.

I just wish there was guild warfare.

Like you assassinate the head of the Companions as part of a Dark Brotherhood quest.

I agree that the factions are all debased from what they were 200 years ago. And I think that's the point. The empire is in big trouble. Morrowind was nearly destroyed. Skyrim is a harsh land being torn apart by a civil war. Everything is falling apart, and that's before the dragons and vampires and daedric cultists. And then you come along. Whether you follow your dragonborn destiny or not, you can make a positive impact on most of the factions. Well, not really in the game, since you can't actually do anything except the same old radiant quests even after becoming the head of the faction. You can't actually guide any of them in a more positive direction. Well, that would have been a different game.

There should have at least been "guildmaster quests." You know, "Hey boss, there's this really tricky job, we really need you to lead us personally" kind of thing.

But it is not an excuse, it maybe justified for the Blades in a bad shape because they are directly involved in the war. But the rest?

Thieve Guild questline is actually good, i don't deny it, but it just feel like misshapen....you see, you are the newest member of the dying guild, everyone treat you like dirt. That is the first one, they treat you like dirt. But yet you do everything for the guild, even it is not your job requirement as a thief such as blackmailing, sabotaging, doing a whim of super villain Maven Black Briar, then get involved in high rank guild member politic, suddenly becoming a secret member of a secret society, selling your soul to a Daedra to save the guild...you have no option to say "I don't want to get involved, sorry" or simply "No"....and there is no option to rebuilt the guild by piss offing Nocturnal in some way. We can directly ignore other Daedra lords such as Mehrune Dagon by refusing to kill and in Dawnstar Nightmare quest we can let the priest finish his job...but in Thieve Guild quest there is no option for saying "No" and doing things in other way

At first time playing Dark brotherhood, i don't even know that i can destroy them, because there is no dialogue option to say "No" when asked to kill the hostages. I can justify killing for the kid sake because i see myself the condition of the orphanage, but forcing me to kill hostages because of so called "debt" to Dark Brotherhood that turn out to be don't really exist anymore and just a bunch of bounty hunters..? That just bad...So the first few killing quests are unjustified because it is not Dark Brotherhood practice, the quest should be made in better way, for example if after refusing to kill the hostages by saying "No" then Astrid will attack, later the real Dark Brotherhood come to you because of got a message from the Mother or something about you, then going to eliminate the fake one or merging with them or something.

The Companions for example, The Silver Hand know they are werewolves but no one else know, how come? It is fine if The Companions is actually corrupted, then you clean them up but it is no such thing in the game, the game force to make enemy with The Silver Hand and going through genocide missions. And no one know the truth about the Companions being werewolves, being cursed because there is no option to expose them in any way, no one will ever know that they are corrupted and then clean again

There is only TWO Blades member in the game, it is good if one of the quest is to GATHER all Blades members that scattered in Skyrim, re-establish the order, have confrontation with the Thalmor in some way, assisting the empire or stormcloak in some way, or something....it is fine if the Blades no longer secret society or become dragon hunter mainly but the way the quest being executed is bad. In the game there is just Esbern and Delphine with 3 stooges we recruit by force. The order not really established, it didn't look that way and is not satisfying

I agree the Blades are few and quite pathetic. (never actually sided with them and If I do it'll be solely for RP or to say I'vee done it

The College is a decent guild (quite essential for mages as far as the spell vendors and such) though I've done its questline the most and I do find it rather dull.

The DB I finally finished through it, not bad... though the way it all started to go definantly changed my views on some characters, as well as made me happy in some of my end choices (eg. Cicero) It is definantly good for money and if you are a murder... but otherwise kind of short, though I found it somewhat creative.

The Thieves... I join for the sole purpose of the Ragged Flagon and the shortcut entrance. I completed it once... and was disappointed a bit. I mean I liked the obvious plot twist (I over think plots too much) though the whole Forcing of Nocturnal and stuff... The Skeleton Key is a nice replacement for putting any perks into the Lockpicking skill though. ( which I am currently doing on a full completionist char)

Personally I disagree with the OPs opinion of the Companions being "evil" The Circle (part of the companions) are werewolves, sure. Though half of them want to NOT be werewolves (Aela one of the few exceptions) though they aren't hostile Werewolves. They see it as a gift of Hircine and don't go murdering innocents with it. The Silver Hand has been stated as an enemy to the existance of the Werewolf blood in the circle, therefore hating the Companions as a whole.

The General idea of the Companions however is a well known band of mercenaries (as I see the term best fits) as they are warriors who do jobs and defense for money (usually atleast) The Quests are pretty dull, essentially fetch the pieces of the puzzle (more dragged out version of Merune's Razor quest IMO) though as a guild I believe them to have a good story to them, they have a decent history that is actually made aware (Whiterun founded around Jorvasskr)

I agrre with ^.i don't think the companions are evil

Unless you have a typo and "didn't" turned into "don't" you can actually kill the Dark Brotherhood. Just attack Astrid, go to the leader of the Emperor's Secret Service, then say, "I know where the DB are" and then after you kill them off he gives you like a crapton of gold.

But I didn't even know about that until I read it up a couple weeks later after the game came out.

English is not my language, i learn English enough for making me understand English and hope English speakers understand what i am saying, truly i am bad in conversation in English, but i can write.

Yes that is what i am talking about, we will never know we can actually kill Astrid, there is no dialogue option saying "No, i don't want to kill them, i kill you instead" or something like that, so the playerr may assume there is no such quest to destroy dark Brotherhood. Too bad destroying dark Brotherhood is not as rewarding as joining them.

Edit : Ad i thought i can destroy them from within after joining them, but there is no way, and they all protected, the same with Thieve Guild and the rest

That is the point, Silver Hand know, how come no one else know? The Silver Hand is an establish faction, being hunting werewolves for a long time, surely they recruit members from Skyrim resident, unless they have swore to keep a secret about the Companions in which they don't need to and illogical, surely everybody know the Companions are werewolves.

Hircine is a Daedra, now we see that guilds have related with Daedras now, why? It is like the writers intentionally making the main character will involve in Daedra worship always, it is like being promoted/encouraged to worship Daedra or involved with Daedra. There is a quest in Falkreah involving Hircine, but it isn't enough, the fighter guild must be related with Hircine too. Why not the Companion quest is fighting werewolevs that is from rival fiction who is Daedra worshiper or conversely joining that faction to destroy Companions? But no, the writers intentionally making the Companions who are werewolves and fighting the one who hunt werewolevs are the bad one

Thieve Guild suddenly related to Daedra becoming daedra worshipper. Helping Vigilant of Strendar suddenly turn out to be doing Molag Bal quest. Helping a priest suddenly become Daedric quest of cannibalism and if stop it there, there is no further quest to hunt down cannibals, the quest fail and it FAIL, no further investigations or something. Helping a blacksmith to find a dog turn out to be Daedric quest.

I don't see why the Companion must be werewolves and serve Hircine, but thats it, the guild is in bad shape with werewolves problem in which it doesn't make any sense

You are quite right, the Guild factions are pathetic, not a shadow of Oblivions and before but who is to say they have not always been that way, Skyrim is after all a backwoods wasteland with nothing to recommend it to Thieves Assassins Mages or anyone else, its not happening there apart from the MQ and a minor CW

The Companions semi-worship Hircine becasue he is the Daedric Prince of the hunt, who created werewolves.

The problem I have with that is that they are pretty much all going through the same motions, pretty much reading the cliffnotes of the same basic plot.

Some guilds should be in better shape than others. Some should seem like all's well, but there's something wrong under the surface. They should not all be going down the road of:

1. Things are bad

2. You join

3. Do a handful of quests

4. The leader's dead!

5. Do a quest

6. You're the leader!

7. Yay!

Regarding the OP: I think you have a very childish (for lack of a better word, not trying to insult you) idea of good and evil. If the Silver Hand were the good guys, they wouldn't be attacking everybody they meet. The contradiction is in your head: You seem to assume that anyone who is a werewolf must be a bad guy, not because of what they do but because of what they are, and that must mean that those who oppose them are good guys. Unfortunately, that argument falls apart when the guys labeled as de facto good guys are the ones butchering people.

As an aside, I think there should have been more writing regarding the philosophy and history of the Greybeards, and information regarding major members besides Jurgen. Similarly, I think the Dragon Cult should have had much more elaboration on. I still think it was one of the greatest missed opportunities narrative/lore wise in the game.

I see what the OP is saying and to a pint agree a out their status and stability alog with motives to even join.

I'm only going to touch on the Thievs guild as I disagree the most with his view on them.

Yes they are indeed not in great shape, but is not like its common knowledge to you before you join. You may get a hint at what's up but don't fully know what's happening. I actually like how you need to sort of decide the fate of the TG in Skyrim. I don't think it would be nearly as interesting if you walked in and people were wiping their ass with hundred dollar bills and spilling 1000$ bottles of champagne all over the place.
Really, what kind of entriuging story could you pull from the TG if they were set on cash and really didn't need your assistance. I believe a good and main reason they even give you a shot is because they are in such dire straights.... Otherwise why risk allowing an outsider to come in. In short I think it makes for a better story(and one that I actually enjoy playing numerous times).

Then they actually mix it up with basically a whole new story with the Nightingales. I literally am on a pause screen after beating Mr.X in the Falmer cave(no spoilers... ) so this quest line is extremely fresh to me. I love what they did with Nocturna(spelling?) and thought it added a nice change of pace from the standard "go here n steal item x without being caught".

All in all I thought this was overall a good choice by BGS and I SURELY don't say that often.

All the other crap the OP said.... Sure, wut evs bra. Crap is screwy in Skyrim. It's to be expected when ever Todd n the gang get together and try to make a game. Just deal with it or go play something else. New Vegas is an amazing game(1000x better IMO), go give that a try if you want a game where the right people are attacking you and the world generally makes sense.

In response to SublimeWander'5432

As a guild that is in a really bad shape, a new member join in should be appreciated, not to treat like a dirt. It is a Thieve Guild, not gangsters or Mafia. The concept about "thieves" have been changed into back alley gangsters who extort peoples for money, having under table deals with a super villain that control the city from high to low. Maven Black Briar is a successful one, no need for Thieve Guild doing the same thing. What disappoint me is Maven can order Thieve Guild doing her bidding and no way to destroy her. Thieve Guild have become a group of thugs that desperately need to butt lick VIPs, that is not honorable.

Then the Nightingales, i don't see any significance of this secret group other than the belief that the guild is cursed by Nocturnal so they are out of luck, it is a religious cultist talk. Luck have nothing to do with anything and never shown in the game, everything is depended on how the main player skill to beat the game, and it shown like that. The main character who bring more golds into the guild by doing radiant quests even BEFORE dealing with Nocturnal, it means the claim that the guild is running out of luck is moot, the main character doing a better job than a Daedra Lord. Even Maven Black Briar is better than Nocturnal

It is like that the writer want to add some mystical sense behind the storyline, but i don't see any significant in it that i need to become Nightingales and sold my soul for the guild sake. The story could be done in other way, such as breaking the so called curse by defying Nocturnal or something that make us question if the curse is true or not, and it will be interesting to debate about, and making our choice matters. Furthermore, if the player is a Dragonborn, i mean already doing the main quest, as a mystical person who is chosen by Akatosh, gifted by Kinareth, surely could make things differently than being a slave of a Daedra Lord. There should be options, and up to the player.

But the point is, most of the guilds are in really bad shape, the main character who doing things to relive them, but the way it is executed is really bad. It is like..."another desperate group need me to help them..."