I'm always entertained by the comments they are making, just prior to your sweeping them out of existence and into oblivion (get it
) with your latest overpowered sword. "I'll slit your belly like an old woman's purse", they cry as their last remaining sliver of health is struck away, "Think you can take me", as the graphic kicks in in which you pull their head forward with your battle axe and nut them three times in the face.Some are supercilious and condescending in their attitude (that guy in Whiterun, "Do you get to the Cloud District often? Oh, what am I thinking, of course you don't."), others plain strange (the old crazy woman who wants you to blast her with the wabajack- has anyone ever actually had the damn thing on them when they met her and done it? What happens if you do it? Her appearance is so intermittent - say once, maybe twice in a playthrough, that if you didn't have the staff on you at her first appearance you might as well forget it). There are ravishing beauties and desperate housewives (the wife of the shopkeeper in Rifton occasionally makes a suggestive comment in your direction) and those who are merely contemptuous of their husbands. I like the one in Whiterun that tells you that if you are looking for her husband, that you should check the Yarl's backside, because that's where he normally stuffs himself these days!
I'm actually finding as well, that the background talking between the npc's is pretty deep if you listen to them communicate between themselves without interfering. There is quite a lot of information about what is going on behind the scenes in the local life if you listen to it. You might find that the girl in Whiterun that likes the caravan trader lifestyle and dreams of owning her own caravan one day, is actually an underground skooma dealer for instance.
But my out in front npc is to be found in the huge stone edifice of Markarth. Not the stunning lady bard (is it) that you meet very often inside the gates, but another character, the disreputable and rude drunkard Degane, who hangs around there. No respecting the Doverkin's high status for him; he couldn't give a flying fig for it. What he wants is money for drink. "Alms, Alms you backbiter!", he demands. When you give him a gold piece, is he grateful? Not a bit of it. "About time!", he snaps, "Now get out of my way!" As you leave the dialogue and he turns away, you get your final comment from him. "Bring more gold next time.'' Classic. A thing of beauty. One day I hope to aspire to this level of beastliness. In my dreams!
