How may objectives can be completed in either vanilla Skyrim or with mods by using nonviolent forms of magic against enemies (particularly humanoid characters who aren't draugr/daedra, etc.) to accomplish goals? Is t even possible?

One of the things I loved about Red Dead Redemption, despite being a morally ambiguous game, was that certain random encounters were able to be solved without killing. You could rope people up and bring them to the authorities.

Between the vanilla spells and things that are added by mods, there are so many inventive-sounding solutions to a problem, espeically those involving quest-specific NPCs. Illusions spells in particular, I think, under the right circumstances, should get the job done - especially if the quest itself merely requires the removal of a person or persons from a place or region.

Clearly this immersion would be aided by having random NPCs in these areas that must be cleared (Like the Forsworn camps) who surrender on site and don't attack (which is a staple of shoot-em-ups from the arcades in the 80s and pretty much every police training course ever), but even moreso by follower AI that doesn't kill until attacked.

Anyway, just thoughts. It makes me wonder exactly how helpful in quest progression learning illustion spells really is.