In My Time Of Need.

[MichaelTh1rte3n]

Who did you choose to help in this quest and why?

I am utterly stuck!

Spoiler:

if you hand Saadia over you could be condemning and innocent woman to her death no doubt. if you kill the warriors you could be killing men who just want justice! I have searched for her journal or any sort of indication of the truth but can find nothing!

Things that do not add up:

Spoiler:

Saadia claims that these men are just assassins and mercs yet they want to take her alive back to hammerfell, seems odd to me that assassins would want to bother with all that... hints more towards justice.

Spoiler:

The warriors harass countless women in their quest for her, if she is the traitor who sold hammerfell surely they would be able to recognise her if they were more than cut throats. also they broke the city laws in whiterun and abandoned their comrade for being caught... leads more to cut throat to me.

[Avron the S'wit]

Oh man, this quest was so hard for me due to the decision at the end. But it came down to this:

Spoiler:

I waltzed into that cave and fearlessly battled to the end, but once I emerged from the waterfall and found myself surrounded by dozens of men, each significantly more powerful than me, and I listened to their story, I decided it would be less miserable for me to just hand Saadia over than to die myself (which I had, thrice, before reloading - too many men for me at that level). Besides, this is a case of he said, she said. In reality any of the two sides could be correct - there really is no way to tell given what you know.

In any case, on my next playthrough I shall certainly do the opposite.

[MichaelTh1rte3n]

Oh man, this quest was so hard for me due to the decision at the end. But it came down to this:

Spoiler:

I waltzed into that cave and fearlessly battled to the end, but once I emerged from the waterfall and found myself surrounded by dozens of men, each significantly more powerful than me, and I listened to their story, I decided it would be less miserable for me to just hand Saadia over than to die myself (which I had, thrice, before reloading - too many men for me at that level). Besides, this is a case of he said, she said. In reality any of the two sides could be correct - there really is no way to tell given what you know.

In any case, on my next playthrough I shall certainly do the opposite.

Yes I had a change of tactics too when I noticed I was surrounded... tends to lead a man to listen and act logically xD

I am sure there are some subtle hints in what was said that adds a little more weight to one sides argument though.

[Avron the S'wit]

Really? What is your opinion on who was right and who was wrong? I honestly couldn't make up my mind. And either way, my character isn't excessively golden-hearted to mind either way, really. But I did just start over, so maybe I will pay more attention to that quest and see for myself! I'll get back in a day or two and tell you what I think, but I'd love to hear your opinion!

[Argonanza]

After listening to both sides, I chose to hand over Saadia. Twas a tough decision.

[MichaelTh1rte3n]

I will spoiler this for people still playing through it but here goes.

Spoiler:

I sort of galloped off with throat cutting in my heart to save this pretty woman but after a moment of well... cowardice in the face of several stronger cut throats I thought back at what had actually been said.

Saadia immediately asks us to kill the leader of the group, she was also going to kill us just for finding her, I know she is scared of these men but jeeze! straight to KILL THEM, KILL THEM ALL NOW! demands makes her seem like she will do anything to save her own skin... including selling out her homeland.

As said in my first post (post edit lol) the "assassins" do not want to kill her but take her back... it seems a little more than her speaking out of the Thalmor if they want to parade her back home before killing her... and if I recall Hammerfell is not pro Elf so why would they want to take her back there for speaking out against their invaders. it is all very suspicious.

Lastly it is usually the prettier face that does the deceiving lol and there seems to be more at odds with Saadia than these men looking for a traitor to drag back home in chains.

[Giordano]

Hammerfell is not pro Elf so why would they want to take her back there for speaking out against their invaders.

Exactly. If the Thalmor want her, they have much better agents than a band of mercenaries. Saadia sold out Taneth to the Dominion and the people of Hammerfell wants justice.

It was a simple decision for me. Don't mess with my redguards.

[MichaelTh1rte3n]

Hammerfell is not pro Elf so why would they want to take her back there for speaking out against their invaders.

Exactly. If the Thalmor want her, they have much better agents than a band of mercenaries. Saadia sold out Taneth to the Dominion and the people of Hammerfell wants justice.

It was a simple decision for me. Don't mess with my redguards.

That is actually a really good point! if they wanted her they could just go in and take her... they do that to Talos worshippers and I would imagine they would care more about her than them. Her story sooo does not add up!

[GhostOfNumenor]

I think the truth lies somewhere inbetween. I don't believe either side.

[NLN]

I did not like her story either, though I didn't actually think through to this extent. I was going to save her, but... she seemed VERY hostile for one, then when I went to the cave, the others seemed just too... calm and reasonable to be cutthroats. I agreed to help them, not because I couldn't kill them (I probably would have succeeded at that point, AND had a follower with some destructive double wielded staves), but because I trusted them more. Also, what they say at the end, it points to them being right. What does Saadia say if you save her?

Could we get a poll too?

[SAMIAM]

I turned her over at first. Second time around I painted the cave red...with redguard blood lol.

Tactic: Fall back into the waterfall with a bow and arrow, they can't sorround you with numbers and have to fight one by one. Just be sure your block skill is high, I don't see a way to do this without a shield unless you're super awesome with a bow or two handed.

[MichaelTh1rte3n]

I did not like her story either, though I didn't actually think through to this extent. I was going to save her, but... she seemed VERY hostile for one, then when I went to the cave, the others seemed just too... calm and reasonable to be cutthroats. I agreed to help them, not because I couldn't kill them (I probably would have succeeded at that point, AND had a follower with some destructive double wielded staves), but because I trusted them more. Also, what they say at the end, it points to them being right. What does Saadia say if you save her?

Could we get a poll too?

Done, I am about decided, although there are some suspect things on Kematu there is so much more wrong with Saadia's story.

[legoless]

If there was even a chance that Saadia had anything to do with the Thalmor, I would have turned on her in an instant. Plus, those big Redguard guys have curved swords. Curved. Swords.

[Alchemist]

I play a Pro-Thalmor character *gasp* so I knew my choice as soon as I reached the end of the cave. Killing the mercenary wasn't so much out of anger, but more out of necessity. They had located her in her home city, where they were bound to pass through the inn eventually. Saadia would never be safe if I didn't fight. The only thing I regret was actually finishing the quest, because the Alik'r Warriors invaded my hangout at the entrance of the city just to stand still and get in my way. Might be a glitch. I had to defeat the warriors in the cave by hiding in a thin cavern and lighting them up, so the corpses of 2 warriors blocked the other 4 whilst also lighting them on fire. Brutal.

If I were a neutral character, I would have sided with Saadia again just to save an NPC within a city, of which there are still not enough.

[MichaelTh1rte3n]

I play a Pro-Thalmor character *gasp* so I knew my choice as soon as I reached the end of the cave. Killing the mercenary wasn't so much out of anger, but more out of necessity. They had located her in her home city, where they were bound to pass through the inn eventually. Saadia would never be safe if I didn't fight. The only thing I regret was actually finishing the quest, because the Alik'r Warriors invaded my hangout at the entrance of the city just to stand still and get in my way. Might be a glitch. I had to defeat the warriors in the cave by hiding in a thin cavern and lighting them up, so the corpses of 2 warriors blocked the other 4 whilst also lighting them on fire. Brutal.

If I were a neutral character, I would have sided with Saadia again just to save an NPC within a city, of which there are still not enough.

So you accept Saadia is a liar and she aided the Thalmor?

[Lord Cattow]

Saadia is a woman. I needed no further arguments to decide to side with her.

[Giordano]

I play a Pro-Thalmor character *gasp* so I knew my choice as soon as I reached the end of the cave. Killing the mercenary wasn't so much out of anger, but more out of necessity. They had located her in her home city, where they were bound to pass through the inn eventually. Saadia would never be safe if I didn't fight. The only thing I regret was actually finishing the quest, because the Alik'r Warriors invaded my hangout at the entrance of the city just to stand still and get in my way. Might be a glitch. I had to defeat the warriors in the cave by hiding in a thin cavern and lighting them up, so the corpses of 2 warriors blocked the other 4 whilst also lighting them on fire. Brutal.

If I were a neutral character, I would have sided with Saadia again just to save an NPC within a city, of which there are still not enough.

So you accept Saadia is a liar and she aided the Thalmor?

Well, she assumes the player is a neutral or Imperial/Stormcloak leaning. If a pro-Thalmor player pulls out his "Thalmor - KGB" badge, she wouldn't have to lie.

[Breton Wind]

Originally, I was all for the woman alone and I was going to help her. After hearing the other side, I couldn't decide so I ignore them and let them sort it out themselves. Of course, the game being what it is, I keep running into them. I think it's ok not to take a side and stay out of it in certain situations.

[MichaelTh1rte3n]

What does Saadia say if you save her?

Spoiler:

I just tried it both ways out of curiosity, she quickly thanks you and says you are always welcome in the Bannered Mare, she actually came off as less relieved as expected for a women being hounded down by cruel mercs... her voice is so... stiff and well rehearsed in comparison to Kematu although that could just be poor acting... in any event I chalk another point to Kematu and cast my vote to him. tough quest dilemma! I really enjoyed this one being so open to interpretation.

Just to wrap my take on events up this is what I think went down:

Spoiler:

Saadia betrays her people to the Thalmor for self preservation or greed however her treason backfires when Hammerfell remains strong, after her treason is discovered she flees to Skyrim where she adopts at least two false identities (Kematu hints at this when he successfully guesses her false identity) as she hides in various holds, during this time she uses her beauty to her advantage (do not be fooled by a pretty face, your better than that - Kematu) and manipulates some male warriors into trying to kill Kematu but they fail and she is forced to flee each time. Eventually she ends up in Whiterun with Kematu's men closing in fast, she puts her manipulation skills to use again with us but by then Kematu knows what to expect (he knew she had sent us to kill him despite her not uttering who she is in whiterun meaning it had to be from experience) and is waiting for her boy toy to come and try to kill him. He sees a chance to turn her own plan against her which is why he did not attempt to kill us on sight.

[NLN]

Saadia is a woman. I needed no further arguments to decide to side with her.

LOL!

Ever played Morrowind/Tribunal?
But I agree, a pretty girl could talk almost any man into going to great lengths to help her, just by appearing lost and helpless. It's called expert manipulation. Not that it means she's actually done anything wrong, but it doesn't excuse her either.

Michael: thanks, this really seems to point to her being guilty...

[The Sexy Stableman]

I would paralyze and drag her to Hammerfell myself if that would be possible. OK, Kharjo would drag her.

[Psychlone]

She had a pretty face and I wanted a collection of curved swords so that was my reason for taking her side even though she seemed like she was lier. Me and Lyndia gutted them

[MichaelTh1rte3n]

It seems the people who side with her seem to do so because she is pretty or another reason not because she is innocent LOL I thought the question of her innocence would be more up for debate!

[Lord Cattow]

It seems the people who side with her seem to do so because she is pretty or another reason not because she is innocent LOL I thought the question of her innocence would be more up for debate!

It's a woman. None of them are innocent, but if they are pretty, they are well worth defending!

[Anderband]

I have only finished this quest with my initial character, a Khajiit assassin.

I admit I did think about it for a bit. However, this character is all about the septims, so I ended up

Spoiler:

leading the mercenaries to the woman and killing them both outside of Whiterun. I recieved the gold from the woman, then put an arrow in the back of her head as she began to stroll off into the night. I looted the body of the man, and called it a day.