(For suggested build music, click here.)
“Ladies and Gentlemen, Men and Mer, may I have your attention!” the lord of the manor announced over the chatter of the main hall. Standing on the small stage erected for just that occasion, he quickly caught the glances of the noblemen scattered around the room. The Nord's smile widened as he extended his hand towards them.“It is my great pleasure to introduce to you our entertainment for this evening: the charming Miss Harlequin!”
The name was not met with the eruption of cheer it was so rightfully due, but rather a few moments of subtle clapping. Nevertheless, the Khajiit strode across the stage, her shoes clicking in time with the sway of her hips. Her tail flicked back and forth beneath her low cut dress as she stood before the homogeneous sea of plutocrats, eyes twinkling like gemstones.
Her arms uncrossed themselves as she gave an over-exaggerated bow. Purple flames danced on either of her paws before flying out across the room and striking the doors that marked the exits. The entryways slammed shut immediately, barred by enormous figures that rose from from rifts in the floor. A woman screamed; an elf fainted. Finally, with their full attention, the cat began singing her song.
Her lute played unnatural chords, accompanied by instruments of other-worldly origin. The demons that guarded the doors pounded their greatswords in time with her melody. She danced as if she had no care in the world, like she took joy in the horror of the wealthy before her. Her sickening grin grew wider across her face as she reached the chorus of her song. A final pluck of the lute strings sent her Daedric guards into a frenzy.
Screams and cries filled the room in perfect harmony to the simple lyrics of her song. The Dremora cut down every breathing soul in their path without prejudice, spurred on by their master to keep in perfect rhythm. A few bright, red spells danced from her paws between strums, striking random patrons that tried to leave her concert early. Convinced to stay, they too turned against each other, adding to her chaotic composition.
Her terrified Nord host had the audacity to try and upstage her. Sword in hand, he bolted across the platform, placing the swaying Khajiit in his sights. The woman twirled out of his way without missing a step, her feet placing themselves at the edge of the chaos. Purrs accompanied her next verse as her amusement grew. Before the man even regained his footing, she leapt clear over the choir of death in the center of the room, hiding herself in the shadows of the dimly lit hall.
He searched for her, desperately seeking the cantabile cat. Her verse grew more and more intense with each syllable as she built to the chorus once more. He found her- with that final pluck of her lute string- staring him down with glowing blue eyes and a snarling smirk. It sent absolute terror through his bones as her lute was replaced with a bloodied, steel warhammer.
He backed away, whimpering and trembling, only to find himself blocked by her two minions. The Daedra continued chanting in humanoid chords to the music as she danced towards the Nord, the warhammer as much a prop as it was a weapon. Between the trio, he was left with nowhere to go, but into the cat's waiting claws. He mustered up all the strength he could, charging the twirling feline. Whatever shred of meaningless hope he held onto was torn from his hands as the swing of the weapon collided with his unarmored torso.
The satisfying crack fell in time with the last beat of her song, leaving the room in unholy silence. The hulking monsters clapped after a moment or two, spurring their master to encore. Grin unfaltered, the cat strode towards the Nord who struggled with his last breaths. She lingered over his bloodied broken form, purring loudly. “Khajiit thanks you for the opportunity,” she sang to him, raising the heavy hammer over her head, “even more so, for the gold.”
He raised an arm to defend himself, but there was nothing to stop the force of the impact. She studied the blood on the weapon. It shone almost as brilliantly as rubies in that light. With no one left to admire her show, she was forced to call it a night. Collecting her dues from her attendants was always time-consuming, but the payoff was quite the score.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Hey, y'all!
Kendrix here with yet another build! Rather that for an event or contest, I decided to make this build purely for my own enjoyment. With all the contests and events I was pushing myself to finish, it felt like Character Building was becoming a chore rather than a hobby. For that reason, I decided to step back and make something that I could enjoy without rules, grading, or deadlines. Rest assured, I will be participating in the next contest/ event, however. Haha.
This build idea came to me from a combination of sources, from songs to theater to even recent movies (bet you can't guess which ones). Regardless, I had a blast playing around with this chaotic cat and I hope you will to. Without further ado....
Alternate Start- Live Another Life: Allows player to start the game in a different location other than Helgen. For this build, I chose to start off as “A Patron at a Local Inn”, since it puts The Harlequin in a good position to hear gossip and start some mischief.
Classic Classes and Birthsigns: Allows player to choose a class and birthsign at the beginning of the game to help build the character early on.
Imperious- Races of Skyrim: Overhauls the racial perks and abilities of the characters in-game.
Ordinator- Perks of Skyrim: Overhauls the perk system to expand upon each skill tree in a more in-depth way.
The first mentions of “Harlequins” are found in the famous commedia dell'arte, or Italian comedy, of the 16th century. The Harlequins were often masked, comic relief characters, that sought their own interests-romantic and financial- over their masters'. They evolved in following centuries into various sub-types, the most prevalent of which is the “Clown” character. More recently, Harlequins have been brought back into the spotlight with similar goals yet different means as their predecessors. The villain Harley Quinn is a fantastic example of her namesake. While her means of getting what she wants are a little violent and over-the-top, her basic interests are the same as the first Harlequins of the 16th century. It was this modern version that I strived to transition into the Elder Scrolls Universe.
The Harlequin was fairly easy to blend into the Skyrim environment. I wanted her to be true to her roots by making her an entertainer, giving her an interest, and creating her a “cast” to work alongside- even if she is the one that ends up running the show. While the first two aspects are sated with some roleplaying, I struggled with finding her a perfect crew to work with. She needed followers she could call upon in times of need but get a hint when she wanted to be alone. With a little bit of tinkering, I came up with the perfect entourage: daedra.
In addition to the character traits above, I wanted to have a set of rules or main points to help guide my decisions of the build. Each one is listed below, but I will elaborate more on them in the “Gameplay and Roleplay” section.
- Cause mischief and chaos throughout Skyrim
- Collect all kinds of expensive, shiny items
- Let minions do the dirty work
- Become well-known across Skyrim
- Never under-estimate the power of sultry charm
(Screenshot by: Curse-Never-Dying)
Race:
Khajiit, Female. With appeal as hot as the sands of Elsweyr, it's no wonder why the Harlequin is a sly Khajiit. An entrancing voice and velvet fur are just two of the weapons this cat has in her arsenal. Her slender legs and nimble paws allow her to move faster and quieter than other races, slipping in and out of situations that otherwise would have been impossible. Further, her sharp claws deal surprising damage to those that wander too close. Pair that with Night Eye vision and an impressive Power Leap, and you have a tempting yet dangerous woman on your hands.
Standing Stone:
The Lover, The Lord. To steal hearts or to steal lives? There are two main stones The Harlequin uses while traveling the world of Skyrim. In addition to giving the cat a “reputation”, The Lover Stone allows all of her skills to level up a little faster- highly necessary for this woman of many talents. Contrarily, the use of The Lord Stone gives a nice boost to her armor rating and magicka resistance. She changes between these two stones quite frequently, matching the benefits to the whims of her heart. Don't worry about the distance between them; she'll be traveling much further in her pursuit of gold.
**Note: In place of The Lover Stone, you can substitute any of the Guardian Stones to help you level up certain skills even faster. I ended up using the Mage and Warrior Stones to give a boost to some of my harder to level skills.
Birthsign:
The Lady. Mama always said to act like a lady; let's make her proud. The Harlequin was born under the sign of the Lady, naturally making her a charismatic and sought after individual. Her birthsign grants her a boost to health and the ability to generate magicka more quickly than normal. With all the mischief she creates, this Khajiit will be sure to put her assets to good use.
**Note: The Birthsign is added by the Classic Classes and Birthsigns mod. The build is completely playable without it, however, but I chose to include it in my write-up.
Blessing:
Akatosh. The Dragon-God is one of the few deities of the Khajiiti Pantheon that are worshiped in Skyrim. While not at all religious, The Harlequin takes Alkosh's blessings whenever she kind find them. They offer a small boost to her magicka regeneration and a quick cure for any diseases and illnesses she might have picked up in her travels. It's not hypocritical if she drops a septim in the tithe box, right?
Factions:
Dark Brotherhood, College of Winterhold, Thieves' Guild, Bard's College. A Khajiit of many talents requires many different outlets to hone her crafts. The Harlequin travels far and wide in her search for treasure and fame, leading her to different people that can help her get what she wants.
Archetype:
Rogue, Arcane Trickster. A master of deceit and arcane, The Harlequin falls into a very unique class. The Khajiit's love of mischief, magic, and stealth makes her a dangerous character. When she's seen, she steals the show; when she's not, others be wary. This rogue is extremely unpredictable, and when she has her sights set on something, nothing and no one will be able to stand in her way.
Class:
Custom.
Specialization Bonus: Magicka
Combat Skills: Two-Handed
Stealth Skills: Sneak, Alchemy, Speech
Mage Skills: Illusion, Conjuration, Alteration
Secondary Skill: Unarmored
Along with her unique archetype, The Harlequin falls into a unique class. Drawing strength from combat, stealth, and mage skills alike, she promises a deadly cocktail of arcane mischief and brutal bludgeoning- one sure to prove deadly for those who have mistakenly made themselves an enemy. A bonus to magicka ensures she has enough on hand to summon a minion to do her bidding, while unarmored training helps give her an armor boost without the hassle and weight of the real thing. An entertainer such as herself as to be ready to adapt to her audience, and these skills are sure to bring down the house.
**Note: The Class is added by the Classic Classes and Birthsigns mod. The build is completely playable without it, but I chose to include it in my write-up.
(Screenshot by: Curse-Never-Dying)
Weapons:
Leveled Warhammer, Sanguine Rose. What's more fitting than a rose for such a lovely lady? A gift from the Daedric Prince Sanguine, The Sanguine Rose plays a crucial part in The Harlequin's weapon load out. While not directly a weapon itself, this staff summons a daedra that is ready to fight at the Khajiit's side, giving her time to slip away, or ready herself to join the fray. The only other weapon she chooses to use is a warhammer. There's something about the breaking of bones and crushing of heads that leaves this cat cackling. She's not particularly fond of any longhammer type either; if her weapon gets too bloody or she finds a stronger one among her audience, she has not issue trading them out. Who's going to stop her? It's hard to protest with a broken jaw.
Armor:
Leveled Robes of Illusion, Leveled Robes of Conjuration, Jester's Outfit/Cicero's Outfit. How beautiful are the Jester's Clothes! You can barely even see the blood! Other than the “shapely” tavern clothes, The Harlequin's favorite outfit belongs to Cicero. Ever since she saw them, the colors, the shapes, the patterns, she knew she needed to have them. Upon gaining entrance into the Dawnstar Sanctuary, there's a similar pair, but that's nothing compared to the real thing. Until she has a moment to rip them from the Fool's corpse, she'll settle for the strongest Robes of Illusion or Conjuration the College has to offer. They aren't nearly as stylish, but at least they offer a needed boost to her magic and summonings.
Spells/Scrolls:
Illusion, Conjuration, Alteration. The Harlequin has mastered the greatest forms of magic- the ones that wreak havoc and allow her to sit back and collect the spoils.Combining the best parts of Illusion, Conjuration, and Alteration, it's no wonder she doesn't get an encore.
**Note: While there are quite a few spells listed, it isn't required to use them all at one time. As I discovered stronger spells, I began drifting away from their weaker versions. By the end of the playthrough, I was only using Mayhem, Flame/Storm Atronach, Dremora Lord (on rare occasions), and Ebonyflesh. The spells you choose to use can be tailored to each situation, following the combat style listed in the “Special Tactics and Powers” section.
Illusion Spells:
- Fury/Frenzy/Mayhem
Conjuration Spells:
- Familiar/Flaming Familiar
- Flame/Frost/Storm Atronach
- Dremora Lord
- Banish Daedra
Alteration Spells:
- Oakflesh/Stoneflesh/Ironflesh/Ebonyflesh
- Paralyze
Powers:
Khajiit Racial Abilities, Birthsign Abilities, The Alchemist's Cookbook Abilities. A sweet voice and a pretty face are nothing compared to the powers this cat has hidden within. Drawing from the Divines, her racial abilities, and a little bit of Alchemy training, The Harlequin has just as many secret talents as the ones she has on display for the world. As a Khajiit, she has the ability to see in dark places and move much more silently. Her speed is increased as well, and her slender, long legs allow her to jump a great distance when she's ready to pounce. Combined blessings from Alkosh and the Lady grant her a fantastic magicka regeneration rate, in addition to a quick health boost. Finally, The Harlequin is able to plant traps- giant pools of oil- at various locations and detonate them with a spell to burn or enrage her enemies from afar. Men and mer beware: there is far more to this cat than meets the eye.
**Note: Active Powers are readily active and don't have to be toggled on and off. Passive Powers require activation by certain conditions or by the “Powers/Shout” button.
Active Powers:
- Feline Ability- Able to move faster and deal more damage when unarmed.
- Prowl- Able to sneak more silently.
- Lady's Favor/Lady's Grace- Allows for faster magicka regeneration and more health points.
Passive Powers:
- Prowl- Able to perform a power jump when sneaking and unarmed.
- Flame Oil- places a highly explosive oil on the ground that erupts when struck by spell or projectile and burns all surrounding targets.
- Frenzy Oil- places a highly explosive oil on the ground that erupts when struck by a spell or projectile and enrages all surrounding targets.
Shouts:
None. Shouting? Why should she risk straining her voice with such an ugly thing? Leave the Dragon Tongue to the Nords; there's more important things to learn about.
Accessories:
Lute, Flute, Drum. These are the basic instruments of a bard, but it's amazing how beautiful they sound in The Harlequin's hands. While readily available throughout Skyrim, not just any instruments will work. The Bard's college tells of old, expensive treasures waiting to be taken- perfect pieces for this elegant feline.
**Note: These items are purely for a roleplaying aspect, and do not have to be carried around the entire game. If you would like to make use of them and actually sing/play music in game, I recommend using a bard mod like “Become a Bard” which you can download here.
Stat Placement: 2:1:0
In the early levels, The Harlequin's main focus is raising her magicka. Most of the spells used require a massive amount of points to cast, let alone dual cast for a stronger effect. For this reason, stats should be placed on magicka and health at a 2 to 1 ratio, until Magicka reaches around level 350. From there, I switched over to focusing on my health and stamina, leveling 1 stamina for every two health. The Harlequin needs enough stamina to keep herself alive if stronger enemies manage to get past her Fury spells and minions until her magicka regenerates again. All perks become available around Level 40.
(Original image by shalizeh7 at: https://shalizeh7.tumblr.com/ )
Major Perks:
Illusion- Twisting thoughts and sowing chaos are two of The Harlequin's favorite things. Despite only using one spell type from this school of magic, Illusion is one of the most important skills to master. Kicking off her combat style, Illusion allows her to take out enemies without killing them herself. Perks like “Master of the Mind” allow Illusion spells to be cast on all enemies, not just living. “Fickle Fate” allows each Illusion spell to become 1 to 40 points stronger, a testament to her Trickster personality. By far, the most essential perk is “Quiet Before the Storm”, which allows her Conjuration and Alteration spells to be cast just as quietly as Illusion.
Conjuration- When tricking enemies to tear each other apart doesn't work, it's time to send minions into battle. Daedra make for excellent company: they never complain, they never argue, and best of all, a simple spell sends them away. Who could ask for a better companion? The “Elemental Potency” perk allows The Harlequin's minions to enter the world much stronger, which is necessary when fighting large groups of enemies that aren't tearing each other apart fast enough. Additionally, “Edge of Oblivion” allows two minions to be summoned rather than one, but at a great cost. When she doesn't have a bodyguard at her side, The Harlequin's armor and magicka resistance drop tremendously. She likes to play with fate, however. For every high risk, there has to be a high reward.
Two-Handed- It's peculiar how well the smashing of skulls sounds like the pounding of a drum. The warhammer is The Harlequin's favorite weapon and as such it has made it into her top skills. As the final part of her combat strategy, she uses a Two-Handed weapon as a last resort. Although slow, the warhammer delivers major damage, especially buffed with the perks of “Batter”. The double-damage and critical strike increase leaves opponents astonished, not expecting the Trickster to be such a heavy hitter. Further, “Crushing Bows” completely ignores the armor resistance of anyone unfortunate enough to be in her hammer's path. She takes a big risk with “Death or Glory”, which forces her to get closer to her enemies but deals more damage the lower their health drops. Each hit drains some of her health, but puts a little more power into her swings. She doesn't like to dirty her paws often, but a girl can't be too prepared.
Minor Perks:
Sneak- Sometimes it's better to remain unseen and sing a eulogy from the shadows. While she takes quite a delight in locking eyes with her victim, The Harlequin knows some situations require a more subtle approach. Sticking to the shadows, she can dispatch enemies with spells and summons alike, all while staying a safe distance away to behold her chaos. “Fog of War” grants a higher sneaking ability as she moves around the battle to watch her minions engage and rip apart her adversaries. Paired with “Clean Escape” even if she is spotted or suspected, all targets will stop searching for her after a short while, so long as she can silence her excited purrs. “Right Behind You” is yet another risk she likes to take. She can crawl directly behind any target and her sneak skills increase for every move she makes. Any attack made from that close is sure to catch her victim off-guard- and fill her purse just a little bit more.
Alteration- A minor skill, but majorly important, Alteration helps make up for what the Harlequin lacks in defense. When enemies break through her minion defenses and wake themselves up from her trances, there is very little that will stop their advance upon her. Her skills with the warhammer are helpful, but cuts and bruises still hurt her slender body. Perks like “Mage Armor” help boost the strength of flesh spells, granting her even stronger armor than before. Yet, in true Harlequin fashion, flesh spells serve another purpose. “Distorted Shape” allows her to take on the form of a ghost for a short amount of time when using an arcane armor in combat. Unable to be touched, she can escape or plan out her attacks until time runs out or she herself goes to attack.
Alchemy- The Harlequin doesn't go out of her way to discover cures and potions, but she's learned that throwing a few foul ingredients together usually makes a terrible, potent brew. In addition to providing a little extra income, the Trickster has found that coating her warhammer with a couple deadly poisons is a quick and easy way to dispatch her enemies. Brews of Damage Stamina, Damage Magicka, and Paralysis are among her favorites, but she also has a fondness for “traps”. “Elemental Oil” allows her to place down explosive oil slick traps, that burn her enemies with ignited. Additionally, “The Alchemist's Cookbook” lets her place down “Frenzy” slicks, which send targets in the explosion radius into a rage. If her looks ever fail her, at least poison never will.
**Note: I chose the “Flame Oil” from “Elemental Oil” and the “Frenzy Oil” from “The Alchemist's Cookbook”. There are “Shock” and “Frost” options for “Elemental Oil” as well, so feel free to choose whichever one suits you best.
Unlike my other builds that explain combat with Magic, Melee, and Range descriptions, The Harlequin is a unique build that blends Magic and Melee together in three different phases. This three-part combat style can be explained in three words: “Paranoia”, “Terror”, and “Hopelessness”.
Paranoia: The beginning phase of combat involves using stealth and frenzy to cause targets to attack on another. For single or small groups, The Harlequin can use her “Fury” spell to strike a single opponent causing them at attack any of his allies he may see. Similarly, detonating a “Frenzy Oil” or hitting a group with “Frenzy” or “Mayhem” affects all targets in a surrounding area, causing much more chaos and paranoia between them. After all, if you can't trust your friends, who can you trust?
Terror: Though the effects of widespread paranoia are fun, it always leaves at least one or two victors alive. It would be easy to pick them off, but it's much more enjoyable to watch the terror in their expressions with the second phase of combat. Summoning an appropriate minion, The Harlequin can send a daedra into combat for her, eliminating the need for her to get involved. During this time, she can periodically plant “Flame Oil” and wait for it to detonate by her minion's or the targets spells and projectiles. Rarely are any left standing after the horrors of a daedra attack, but in the event she is spotted or has to finish her victims off herself, she will move to the last phase.
Hopelessness: A laughing, grinning Khajiit who watches from the shadows is maddening enough; when she charges with a warhammer however, that is a new feeling of fear. The Harlequin would rather not get her paws bloody if she can help it, but she's not afraid to snap femurs when the need arises. When an enemy takes notice of her or slips past her daedric bodyguards, she turns to a combination of a flesh spell and a warhammer. With “Distorted Shape”, the moment she applies a flesh spell in combat, her body becomes ethereal. The cackling cat becomes an untouchable ghost for a short amount of time, readying her warhammer for a power strike or poison blow. Her strike breaks the ghostly form, but it is sure to turn the battle before it even begins. Through every phase of the combat, there is no hope for The Harlequin's victims.
(Screenshot by: Curse-Never-Dying)
Power Attacks:
- Laughing Cat- “Flesh Spell”+ “Distorted Shape”+ “Warhammer”. Oh, how suffering brings a smile to her face. Applying a flesh spell in combat activates The Harlequin's “Distorted Shape” allowing her to avoid all incoming damage from projectiles, hits, and spells. She can take all the time she wants to ready her warhammer, crushing the skulls of the poor, unfortunate souls that catch her gaze. The looks on their faces; she can't help but laugh!
- Slip and Slide- “Frenzy”+ “Flame Oil”. Fun and games are this cat's forte, but it's time to up the danger. Watching unsuspecting victims, The Harlequin can plot out the most highly traveled areas. She can plant a flammable oil slick at that location and quickly retreat to observe her trap. Then a group gets close, a “Frenzy” spell to the slick will ignite the mixture. Any targets who aren't killed by the explosion immediately become enraged, turning on each other in a state of confusion. Maybe it's not so fun to play on, but it's sure fun to watch.
- Security and Entourage- “Edge of Oblivion”+ “Sanguine Rose”+ “Clean Escape”. The world's a dangerous place for a lady, and every entertainer needs a bodyguard. In moments where she needs a quick get away, The Harlequin can summon her entourage of daedra with help from “Edge of Oblivion” and the “Sanguine Rose”. While they deal with the rabble, the cat can simply disappear into the shadows once more with “Clean Escape”, marveling at the beautiful carnage her security creates.
The Harlequin was one of the most chaotic, intense builds I have ever created, simply because there were so many variables and risks that this cat created for herself. Playing on Legendary, I found myself dying quite often, mostly because of the “high risk, high reward” situations I was tempted to get into. When all went well, I was blessed with amazing battles and hilarious situations in which most enemies obliterated themselves or fell prey to one of my summoned minions. When things went poorly, however, I found myself quick-saving often. This build was created as a fun challenge for myself, so I set a couple different goals that I wanted to accomplish by the end of the playthrough.
First off, I wanted The Harlequin to cause as much “mischief” as possible wherever she went. Whether it was fighting bandits or conversing with city-folk, I wanted this cat to have her fury spell on hand. There was something about watching others fight each other and standing idly by that made my day. In addition to providing entertainment, I found that giving the guards something to distract them made it much easier to steal items in broad daylight. The fury spell and its variations were my most used spells by the end of the playthrough and for good reason. Their uses seemed inexhaustible.
I also made it a point to collect as many shiny and/or expensive things as possible. This cat has an eye for quality, so nothing but the best would suit her. If she saw anything that caught her eye, she took it- right then. It didn't matter if it was on display at a stand in the middle of Markarth. She always got what she wanted. She purchased whatever houses she wanted as well, making sure to store her goods soundly. Still, there were some things that others carried that she wanted. Pickpocketing, while easy, wasn't nearly as fun as causing a fight and looting the corpses of the dead. This option potentially can cause some quests to fail or become incomplete, however, so use it sparingly.
A big challenge I had for myself was to try and keep my personal kill count low. I learned that as long as you do not directly engage in combat, kills will not count against you (as viewed in the “Stats” section of the menu). I used this exploit to become an indirect mass murderer. Fury once again proved to be useful, forcing otherwise allies to turn against each other. My summoned minions were also willing to kill for me, further increasing my hands-off homicide count. The few kills I did rack up were those that made it past my minions or were unavoidable.
Another goal I had set was to become well-known across Skyrim. After all, a Khajiit such as The Harlequin needs to make a name for herself. With little to go on as far as singing and dancing for the masses, I decided to take on a more hostile notoriety. I wanted to have a bounty in every single hold, and see just how high I could push it. This was a challenge for me personally, as I rarely take on a bounty in my games. Avoiding guards as much as I could and grab-and-going items as I saw fit, I was surprised to see just how well-known the cat had become.
Finally, I wanted to stress the power of The Harlequin's charm. While her reputation grew, I didn't want everyone to be terrified of her. After all, the Khajiit's history of being an entertainer painted her in an almost beautiful light. Every evening, when possible, she spent her nights in the taverns, drinking and singing, talking and dancing, with the local patrons. She would even pick up local missions if there was a promise of gold in return. Her sultry charm and charismatic nature, while a sharp contrast to her heartless actions, was one of the most appealing factors of this build. It gave personality and a sense of humanity, to this otherwise chaotic temptress.
(Screenshot by: Curse-Never-Dying)
Throughout the playthrough, there were many different quests I ended up taking part in. Any job that required trouble-making or mischief were right up The Harlequin's alley. Her nose for gold leads her to carry out almost kind actions, but don't be fooled. If she knows she's getting the short end of a deal, she won't hesitate in claiming what is rightfully hers.
Below are some specific quests that I played to help you get started:
The Dark Brotherhood. What could be better than causing mischief and getting paid? The Dark Brotherhood serves as the closest thing The Harlequin as to family. They seem to understand just how fun it can be to see the terror in a weaker man's face as the light leaves his eyes. She can't stand that other entertainer, Cicero, one bit. As soon as she's able, she'll be rid of him- and take that beautiful outfit of his.
The College of Winterhold (Gain Entrance). While wanting nothing to do with “study of the arcane” and “solving mysteries of the past” The Harlequin knows the College of Winterhold is a powerful asset. Joining their ranks, she can get access to stronger spells as they become available, and train with some of the masters to hone her skills. Any missions that help raise her Illusion, Conjuration, or Alteration are sure to be of help, but she could really care less about what the Nords have “Under Saarthal”.
The Thieves' Guild (A Chance Arrangement to Loud and Clear). Once you get past the stench of sewage, The Ragged Flagon almost smells like gold., The Harlequin honestly couldn't care less about Nocturnal and Nightingales, but she's willing to chase whatever lead she has on gold. With the Thieves' Guild having tabs on everyone, she knows exactly who to hit with missions given by Vex and Delvin. While they may not agree with some of her methods, they can't deny the cat always gets what she wants.
Bard's College. Every entertainer has to have their roots somewhere. While a fairly useless lot, the Bard's College promises to reveal the location of some ancient, valuable instruments- something this cat is very excited to get her paws on. They also may point her in the right direction for a show or two. She's heard the Thalmor Embassy is full of the wealthy and ignorant.
**Note: The Bard's College quests are purely for roleplay purposes, so they don't have to be completed.
A Night to Remember. Sanguine, the Daedric Prince of Debauchery, Corruption, and Sinners... The Harlequin can't imagine a more fun god. His quest leads her to rediscover the night she can't remember: the most fun night of her life. Pleased with her, he even grants her his staff to aid her mischief making. Maybe they'll go drinking again soon…
And so it's curtain call for The Harlequin!
I had so much fun making this build. It was different that my usual style as everything was a lot more high risk. I hope some of you find this as fun as I did!
I would like to thank Ponty for helping me with the editing and proofreading process of my write-up, Lee for helping me create this beautiful nightmare, Curse for taking these AMAZING screenshots, and all of you for taking the time to read this build. This community is like my home away from home, and I am so grateful the kind and encouraging members and admins that I get to come across every day. Let me know what you thought in the comments below and maybe leave a like if you liked her?
As always, Talos Guide You!
Replies
Great to see this one finally posted, Kendrix! All the screenshots, titles and little symbols really tie this one together.
Unlike the presentation, the playstyle certainly sounds very chaotic! The whole writeup is oozing with excitement and the distinctive flavour and flair I think you're so well known for.
Looking forward to more and I hope to work with you again in the future!
seconded, excellent work with this Madcap Cat
Thank you so much for your help in editing and proofreading! It was wonderful to work with you, Ponty! And I'm glad you enjoyed the Build! :D
Very nice job on this one, Kendrix. I especially appreciate the font you chose for your section titles. To me, it is the character’s personality that makes this build fantastic. I’ll definitely be trying this one in the near future.
I hope you do! Let me know what you think when you give it test!
As usual, you've got me hooked with the intro alone. This build really resonates with my love for causing chaos, and it's obvious in every sentence that you had a ton of fun with it. I'm really glad to see that you're still enjoying building characters, on your own terms and on your own time. Outstanding work, and I'm looking forward to what you've got next!
Thank you Shadon! I'm glad my little short stories are being enjoyed and much as the build. The song I linked at the beginning I listened to while writing, so it just added even more chaos. Haha.
I'm it turned out as well as it did too. I'm being a bit ambitious with my next build idea, so I hope I don't disappoint!
She's like a sinister combination of Jam's Oblivion Bard and my Shadowcaster, and I love it.
She's absolutely insane. I'm glad other people are enjoying her chaos vibes as well! Thank you so much for the screenshots. They look absolutely beautiful and blend perfectly with the build.
UPDATE: Fixed minor grammar errors and replaced the some images with Curse's STUNNING screenshots. Thank you again, Curse!!!
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