[Quest Idea] - Misc. - The Ugly Mug

[Tondollari]

At a cornerclub/inn, a Dunmer has had just about enough of the Orc at the other end of the bar.

Every time the Dunmer comes in, the Orc is there, wet and getting wetter. He doesn't make a big ruckus so he's never thrown out to dry. But, quite frankly, the Dunmer is sick of looking at his face.

The frightening teeth, the massive underbite, the sloped forehead.... every aspect of the Orc's head clashes with the nuanced atmosphere this Dunmer has come to expect from the establishment.

The Dunmer asks the player to convince the beast to wear a helmet. He even has one to spare (he was thinking of doing it himself). There should be multiple methods for accomplishing this, such as:

1.) Forcibly putting the helmet on the Orc's head (dangerous)
2.) Buying him a few drinks, making him more receptive to putting the helmet on for some stupid reason.
3.) Speechcrafting the Orc into wearing the helmet.

Once the Orc has the helmet on, the Dunmer will reward the player with some expensive booze. Alternatively, The questgiver could be the publican and give the player better deals.

[rot]

Love it!

Alternatively, The questgiver could be the publican and give the player better deals.

Makes most sense (and besides, it's traditional for publicans to be cleaning mugs)

Possible excuses (esp. bonus if PC has standard helms on them?),
- something with the light, don't you know these tire your eyes, and using goggles? (ashlander dark-goggled headgear), if light comes from above a gondolier hat could also do the trick
- protection against mind readers! - tin helm (iron/steel)

[Gnomey]

I like the original idea as well as rot's additions. I could see how it would be especially straining for a publican to have a regular whose face he can't stand, as the mug would be looming over from across the counter and the publican would hardly have the option of just up and leaving, or turning his back on his establishment. It also makes a lot of sense that the publican would want the player to find a solution that doesn't lose him a reliable customer.

[Tondollari]

To bypass the awkwardness of the publican having a "spare helmet" and also keep the player from using random helmets, could the helmet belong to the Orc? Either he has it on his person (but not equipped), or the publican snuck it out of his room to give to the player ("It just so happens I have your helmet right here. To protect from mind readers. I knew you'd need it.")

[Gnomey]

Hm. The Orc having the helmet on his person seems like a good way of doing it, but I sort of like the idea of the player handing it over better, as it makes the player seem more involved. It also works better for the tin-foil hat solution, I think. What if the publican used to be an adventurer or something of the sort? (And please no mention of arrows to knees). It could illustrate how much the matter has been bugging him, that he's willing to part with a memento of his youth.

[Haplo]

Why not just have the player go out and buy a helmet? Makes the quest longer and forces the player out into the world as well as less work for us.

[rot]

Why not just have the player go out and buy a helmet? Makes the quest longer and forces the player out into the world as well as less work for us.

Because the main stream of the quest calling for the player to provide one themselves might lead them to believe any helmet would do - you can't possibly account for all types, especially not enchanted ones, and conveying these limitations is always awkward.
- providing a ready one as a main option (but allowing certain intuitive choices if the player happens or tries to meet the conditions) I think is overall more reasonable.

[Terrifying Daedric Foe]

Perhaps the Orc lost his helmet and the PC has to go and find it? The Orc won't accept anything else.

[Tondollari]

That is a sweet idea TDF! Sounds perfect.

[Ironed Maidens]

What about a unique and especially ugly head for the orc? Battle-scared with a broken tusk?

EDIT: Also maybe a small note on the publican that the player can pick-pocket from him that states just how ugly and annoying the publican thinks the orc's face is?

[Gnomey]

Don't see why the publican would bother writing his impressions down; I think that could probably be best conveyed through dialogue. (eg. if disposition to player is high the publican might be more frank, unless the player is an Orc, in which case he'd probably be more careful with his wording).

I also don't think the Orc needs an uglier head; Orcs are supposed to be ugly as it is. That being said, I'd naturally be all for more Orc head models, though if we get a new one I don't think it should be unique. Unique heads for Dunmer are fine; they've got loads of them. Orcs men have five with TR, Orc women just three.