Help! Hugh Hefner took over my house!

[godsmack ●]

Okay, maybe a little background info is in order here. First, I wasn't sure whether to post this under the "General" or "Help" section, but since it's not technically a "bug" or "glitch", I opted for "General" discussion.

Second, my character is female. Don't ask me why. I just thought it would be fun, plus, I don't have to deal with Olfina Gray-Mane's condescending attitude. Finally, and I guess, inevitably, we made it to Riften and the whole "marriage" thing came up.

By now, maybe you have some idea where this is going. So now I'm left with a couple options, and a couple factors went into this decision.

First, the idea of a male NPC addressing my character romantically didn't appeal to me, and since the game doesn't discriminate, I decided to exercise my second option.

Maybe I'm just a freak on the inside, or maybe I'm just a lesbian trapped in a man's body. Dunno, and trying not to over think this. It's a game, so any way, my choices boiled down to Aela or Mjoll.

I married Lydia once before, and having her constantly refer to my character as "My Thane" was intolerable so as the new Harbinger of the Companions having Aela constantly refer to my character by formal title would be equally unbearable.

From an RP perspective and standpoint, I decided she would follow Kodlak's example after helping to bring peace to the old man's spirit. It appealed to her humanity to find peace, as the beast-blood made her restless, literally.

She hadn't rested or slept since becoming a beast. She didn't need to since the beast-blood gave her supernatural strength and endurance, but the empty unused bed in Breezehome was a constant reminder of what she had lost and sacrificed.

She wanted to rest and sleep again. To be human again so she decided to cure herself and trade in the "Ring of Hircine" for the "The Bond of Matrimony". I knew that Mjoll came with a certain amount of "baggage", but having a female character made it seem less intrusive somehow.

I thought at worst, Lydia could keep Aerin company while Mjoll and I were off adventuring together, but apparently I didn't think this all the way through. It certainly didn't help that I screwed up Mjoll's default gear while messing around trying to get her to equip something else.

Turns out that if you trade her better armor and she equips it, that her default gear goes into the "store" inventory and can be purchased for sale, which I did. Again, I didn't think this through very well, or realize that when she's not actively following that she unequips anything traded to her and tries to equip her default gear, which she no longer has in her inventory.

So now I have three women under one roof, one of which, Mjoll, lounges around in her birthday suit while Aerin stands around in his housecoat. The only thing he seems to be missing is a pipe, and my character suddenly feels rather cheap.

Here I am, the Dragonborn, and I can't even keep this love-sick puppy from following my "spouse" home with us, or kick this playboy out of my house. "Excuse me, but what exactly are you doing here in my home? Don't you have a house of your own back in Riften to go to?"

So now, I'm debating an annulment (reload), keeping my beast blood and foregoing the ball and chain of wedding bells. At least Hircine only shows up when we go hunting for him. So, anybody else have any experience with this they'd like to share? Is there any "up-side" to why I should continue down the present road I'm on that I've missed?

Is there any actual benefit beside the resting bonuses and options because I can visit the Lover Stone just as easily even with the beast blood. The only real downside I can see is losing out on some bonus experience and a few home cooked meals.

[Jabberdave ●]

Simple. Kill him. He usually sleeps with the fishes in Riften on the few characters that I've had that married Mjoll.

Unless, you know....you girls enjoy having a play thing around. But for some odd reason, he ends up having an unfortunate accident on my play throughs where I've married her.

[Crusader's Amour ●]

I think it's SOP for people who marry Mjoll to discreetly kill Aerin. You need to do it without her knowing, though, or she'll get upset. The recommended way to do this is apparently to recruit her as a follower while in your home, which should cause Aerin to start walking back to Riften. Then, tell Mjoll to wait (don't dismiss her), and follow Aerin until he's alone, do the deed, then go back to Mjoll and either tell her to follow or dismiss her.

[godsmack ●]

See, but here's the thing. I actually like Aerin. He's a good guy from an NPC perspective and standpoint and I have no desire to kill him, which effectively takes that option off the table so it's either live with the status quo or reload since there's no way I can legitimately justify or rationalize killing him off. I don't even have the beast blood to use as an excuse any more.

[Jabberdave ●]

A man messing around with your wife while you are away seems like plenty of justification to me. But I get your situation. Only you can make that call. Remain married to Mjoll or reload and get hitched to someone else. I've always thought that girl that works in the general goods store in Riverwood could be a good one. Never tried it, though. She wouldn't make a worthy follower, I'm sure.

How about Jenassa? She's got some good dialogue and is solid as a follower.

[Crusader's Amour ●]

What about setting up a situation where Aerin gets killed by wildlife or something so technically your hands are clean?

[godsmack ●]

A man messing around with your wife while you are away seems like plenty of justification to me. But I get your situation. Only you can make that call. Remain married to Mjoll or reload and get hitched to someone else. I've always thought that girl that works in the general goods store in Riverwood could be a good one. Never tried it, though. She wouldn't make a worthy follower, I'm sure.

How about Jenassa? She's got some good dialogue and is solid as a follower.

I don't find any of the Mer races attractive in the least, male or female. Actually, my third option besides Aela or Mjoll was a spell caster like either Marcurio or Onmund, but I just can't seem to get past my own inability to RP a romantic attraction or relationship with a male NPC. My mind just isn't wired to work that way. I tried it once and married Balimund. The first time he called my character "love" reality set in and it completely broke my immersion in the game. Sorry, that's just one thing I can't RP. I can RP an attraction or romance to female NPCs regardless of my character's gender, but that's as far as my imagination will stretch.

Last edited by godsmack on Mon Oct 14, 2013 6:05 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[Hrolf Alfblod ●]

With my current play through. He made a nice, final meal for a sabre cat.

[godsmack ●]

Besides, I think I'm just about over the romance with the idea of in-game matrimony unless there's some benefit I've forgotten or overlooked. If my character is going to get married, it has to be a follower, and so far there's nothing major that I can't live without which having a follower as a spouse provides over just having a follower. In other words, both in-game and IRL, marriage seems to be overrated.

[Jabberdave ●]

The only real benefit, other than the RP factor, is the Lover's Comfort bonus for resting in the house with your spouse. This is most beneficial when you're going to be doing a bunch of crafting and unloading loot after a journey. Everything gets a boost. Otherwise, meh.

Also, if you choose to remain married or you want a wife that is also a follower, Mjoll is great because she's essential and won't die. Aela may be as well, but I've seen some posts that indicate her dialogue isn't very good once you're married to her.

I play an Orc that likes being alone. At least for now. Marriage, if it happens, will likely be something for down the road prior to retirement. I'll go get that Steel Heart chick out of one of the Orc strongholds and have her polish my tusks. Until then, just me and ole Ghorbash running around killing bad guys and drinking all of their ale.

[godsmack ●]

Yeah, I guess I just underestimated the level of intrusion that Mjoll's baggage would bring into the RP aspect. Even with a female character Aerin brings a certain amount of discomfort and leaves an unpleasant impression. He's like a lost puppy that wets everywhere it goes marking it's territory. You feel sorry for it, but wish it was housebroken at least, or would find some other territory.

[Jabberdave ●]

Have Mjoll wait in your house as a follower and then follow Aerin back to Riften. Something will happen and you won't have to do anything but be there to cause the random encounter. Bandits, bears, sabre cats.......Skyrim is hazardous to your health. Accidents happen.

[godsmack ●]

No, guilt is best left to the guilty, and I have no desire to be guilty of causing Aerin's death, either directly or indirectly, either by way of inaction or mere presence. I'll either learn to live with my choices and sleep in the bed I made for my character, or I'll simply reload. Aerin isn't causing any real disruption. I think what bothers me most is the lack of an option of simply being able to tell him to leave like other NPCs in the game have told my character. "Um, Mr. Whiterun Guard? This man is trespassing and as Thane I'd appreciate it if you'd kindly remove him from my property if he refuses to leave."

[Jabberdave ●]

Dang morals always getting in the way.

[godsmack ●]

Meh, Tamriel could use a few more good Samaritans like Aerin. What happens if we go killing them all off? Who'll be there to save our heroes like Mjoll? Who knows? Maybe one day my character might get mauled by some menace and some wandering NPC will save her sorry skin with a random act of kindness.

[Hrolf Alfblod ●]

Good samaritans is one thing, but crazy ass stalkers? Aerin needs to go home.

[godsmack ●]

Well, there is that.

[Hrolf Alfblod ●]

Apperently, If you live in Riften, he won't stay at Honeyside, but will walk around Riften, talking too himself (as if she was still there) like a crazy person. You could always try that approach.

[CBR JGWRR ●]

Resetinventory on Mjoll and disable on Aerin shirley?

[godsmack ●]

I'm on a 360 console. As for Riften and Honeyside, that was a wash. I just finished the skooma den quest line and got named Thane of Riften, which required me to buy Honeyside for the first time ever having seen the place. A bit of a run down dump, but very spacious. It feels easily twice the side of Breezehome back in Whiterun. A quick trip back to the Steward got it completely furnished and outfitted befitting a Thane as I have nothing better to spend over 55k gold I've managed to collect on, and was very impressed by the furnishings. Very nice indeed. Unfortunately, when Mjoll's not in follower mode, Aerin does indeed show up, and with the addition of yet another housecarl it was just another repeat of Breezehome in Whiterun. If only I could get the exhibitionist tramp to put some bloody clothes on, maybe having Aerin standing over her oogling her as she sleeps in her skivvies wouldn't be so creepy. I might actually have a solution to that problem though. According to the wiki, I screwed up by not getting ALL her default gear, which includes a ring. If I take all her gear, her default gear is supposed to reset so I need to get that ring off her. I was wondering why she wouldn't equip the wedding ring or other enchanted rings I gave her. It appears that the one she's wearing must be of the highest quality, but if I can manage to get it, I'm hoping her inventory will reset. Then I just have the stalker problem to deal with. I wish there were a way to run him off that didn't involve actually hurting the lad.

[CBR JGWRR ●]

Sorry, I just got the impression you were on PC. The ring should be displayed on her finger, which will help with working out what you'll need to trade her to get it off her.

[godsmack ●]

Yeah, that's what clued me is was seeing it on her finger, but checking her follower inventory showed no rings were equipped.

[Jabberdave ●]

I'm guessing since you're on the straight and narrow that picking her pocket to get the ring is out of the question.

[CBR JGWRR ●]

Won't display it in her inventory.

[godsmack ●]

Yeah, without the relevant perks, equipped items don't show up and my Pickpocket skill is still at 15, I think. I have yet to actually pickpocket a single NPC. The only way it might be higher is if I inadvertently read one of the Pickpocketing skill books.