The Drunken Huntsman: Social Commentary

[Evil-i]

So, The Drunken Huntsman is a place where you can buy liquor and weapons. A potentially dangerous combination, and Elrindir is himself a victim of a drunken hunting accident.

I'm wondering if this isn't Beth's commentary on the Joe six-pack type of "sport" hunting culture that is unfortunately an all too-common element of modern times in western society.

[SilentPsycho]

Or it could just be a tavern that the owners also sell weapons. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

[Evil-i]

And some cigars explode in your face.

[Avron the S'wit]

Hey, you've got to appeal to the greater market, don't cha? Booze and weapons - score! Besides, there's no fun in being a sober huntsman!

[FORKFARM]

And some cigars explode in your face.

touche! HAHA


With all the layers this game has -- I wouldn't be surprised if this was the case.

[Theificka]

Haha, this made my day, I have to agree with you completely.

[DikaSmausha]

They do make tiny references to the real world throughout their games.

[Abishpulu Shand]

Is drunkenly shooting people in the arse a common part of 'Western' society? Can't say I've ever seen such a thing myself.

How far West, exactly?

[Evil-i]

Spoiler:

[DikaSmausha]

You win.

[OblivionDuruza]

I think I recall Bethesda, specifically Todd Howard, stating 'officially' that Bethesda doesn't do 'political messages' in its games (may have been re: gender equality in Skyrim, I honestly can't remember exactly), but that's not to say that one or more developers haven't 'unofficially' slipped their own biases and opinions into their work. It'd be pretty hard to avoid doing so, imo.

[Evil-i]

Personally, I don't see it as a "political" thing. Social commentary/references are something quite different, at least for me.

Even though I don't hunt for sport, I personally know of several incidents of farmers being shot off their tractors or fishermen being shot in rowboats or canoes, and even one case of an "tree surgeon" being shot while being up in a tree. Apparently, after your sixth beer, it's possible to mistake a treed person for a deer sitting on its nest.

The stats on hunting accidents involving alcohol are truly staggering; there are more than a few people who shouldn't be allowed to wield anything more threatening than a plastic butter knife after they've opened a cold one. Although Beth isn't really known for much social commentary within the ES franchise, I can't help but think that they've given a nod to the issue in Skyrim. After all, Skyrim is portrayed as having a culture that embraces hard drinking and prolific hunting, and I find it interesting that Bethesda brought the two together inside the unique Drunken Huntsman, and included an NPC there who has suffered from the unfortunate combination of the two.

I find The Drunken Huntsman unique and interesting in another way too. The soundtrack selections that play there when indoors seem to be quite separate and distinct from Skyrim's usual offerings. I'm sure these tunes play in other locations as well, but I have to admit that I really haven't noticed them anywhere else that I remember.

[ConsoleWedding]

I just enjoy hearing Elrindir bashfully use the word "rump."

edit: To give some actual answer to this thread, I may not have immediately connected it to hunting culture (though I see it, and the spoilered image did make me laugh) but I thought of it as part of a general social commentary the game has on drinking - several NPCs are straight-up alcoholics, and Kharjo warns you not to gamble and drink!

"Once saw a krogan drink a liquefied turian on a dare six or seven centuries back. Nobody came out of that one looking pretty."

[Redguard_Master]

Considering I see armed people in taverns on a regular basis in skyrim I can't imagine selling them weapons is really crossing any new lines.

[dzio]

Don't forget you can hire an assassin there too.

[Pilaf The Defiler]

I think it's a joke, guys. Because butts are funny.