Discussion: Companions Part 2
Some have expressed concern with the chain-mail's curse of "obey any man." If chapter 4 made you uneasy until the climax then I have done my job. I went in with these new items taking the Cursed Ring of Hircine or the Rusty Mace as an inspiration, that is starting off with some negative effect or low stats and then eventually it's real power is revealed. Final Fantasy fans might also be reminded of the Cursed Ring/Armor that becomes the Hero's Ring/Paladin Armor after a hard trial like 255 battles. That the heart of things like Wolf's Cloak, Chain-mail, Gendermancy, Polymorph, et. all. And I hope that the resolution with the bandit showed how she s not totally helpless (and also shows just how much fire Seguri is playing with! Right now Nala tolerates his machinations because despite everything all he is really doing is sleeping with her and she is using him as much as he is using her for her own tension release, but if he goes to far she has now just shown to the audience the means by which to enact a very painful vengeance, and it may not be as simple as a knife in the chest. Remember this is Skyrim, there are much worse things in the world one can do to follower then a sneak attack...)
Now for a bit of insight on the Companion 4, because once finishing the Whiterun arc we will no longer follow JUST Nala and instead each of the 4 will have a story to tell and we will follow them all to some degree. So let's start with some hypothetical delving into each character with how they would deal with the Daedric Artifact Quests, now obviously Nala got the Ebony Blade so don't take this as spoilers, I will be covering some of the artifacts, including how the boys would handle the Ebony Blade. And what the hell why don't we start there.
Seguri: After getting the rumor and talking to Nelkir he wouldn't really have the skill for pickpocketing (or would do it right away), and would instead slip a sleeping potion into Farengar's drink to get the key that way. Once in possession of the blade he would leave it at that, instead of trying to repair the damage he would leave things to sort themselves out.
Vilann: Once he learns it's Mephala pulling the strings and why he's set the storeroom on fire hopping to burn the entire cursed room to the ground, it would be somewhat effective with the blade buried in the rubble but eventually someone would find it.
Guaron: After hearing Hulga's warning to leave the issue alone he would do just that. But barring that he's even less a thief and if he couldn't break the lock he might look to hire a thief to do and recover the blade then have a similar plan to Nala dropping into Prigrim's Trench or the Red Mountain.
The Black Star
Nala: This is one of the few quests she really has no qualms with, in fact most of the 4 would be the same, Depending on how their relationship with the wizard develops, will determine weather they take his word and turn the star over to him or not.
Ebony Mail
Nala: Nala is not the sort to premeditate kill an ally, if one betrays her she might kill them depending on the crime, but if someone angers her enough she might feed them to Boeeth.
Guaron: Similar to Nala.
Vilann: Similar to Nala
Seguri: Might if he feels there's something worth the cost of an ally.
Thus I thought some might be interested in the Companion 4's equipment by the start of chapter 2.008 since it's a big upgrade for them.
Nala
(New) Cloak of the Wolf (Daedric Artifact – Hircine)
Base Armor: 2, Weight 2, Base Value: 15000, Light Armor
Effect: Take the form of a wolf and fight with tooth and claw, can summon and command wolves, wolves may turn hostile if you end the effect and turn back to a human.
Note: the cloak provides full exposure protection from snow, less so for rain
Padded Armor (Unique product of Warmaiden's):
(With Steel Plates) Base Armor: 12, Weight 4, Base Value: 220, Clothing
Steel Half Plate (Unique product of Warmaiden's):
Base Armor: 15 (half of Hide Armor), Weight 17, Base Value: 140, Heavy Armor
Mechanical Claws: Uses same stats as 3 Daggers and has same material types (Steel Daggers)
Base Damage: 15 (Steel x3), Weight: 9 (Dagger x3 + housing [1.5]), Value: 80
Mechanical Shield: Uses same stats as normal shields and has same material types (Steel Shield)
Base Armor: 24, Weight 13.5 (steel + housing [1.5]), Base Value: 180, Heavy Armor
Mechanical Bow: Uses half stats as normal crossbows and has same material types, is also twice as fast
Base Damage: 19 (crossbow), Weight: 15.5 (crossbow + housing [1.5]), Value: 160
(Steel Bolts) Base Damage: 10, Value 1
Ebony Blade (Daedric Artifact – Mephala)
Base Damage: 11, Weight 10, Base Value: 0/Can not be sold, Two-Handed Sword
Effect: 10 Point Absorb Life on strike, +4 for every ally slain with it (no max but takes progressively more kills), Victim does not treat attack with this weapon as assault. (Witnesses do though, so be wary of prying eyes).
Amulet of Dibella: +15 Speachcraft
Amulet of Talos: Time between shouts is reduced 20%.
Dwarven Gauntlets
Base Armor: 13, Weight 8, Base Value: 85, Heavy Armor
Fur Boots
Base Armor: 5, Weight 2, Base Value: 5, Light Armor
Hide Helmet (Fine)
Base Armor: 12.5, Weight 2, Base Value: 25, Light Armor
Gold and Ruby Circlet of Minor Archery
Weight 2, Base Value: 450, Circlet, +7% Archery
Khajiit Tail: +20% to dodge and evasion, superior balance
Khajiit Hand Claws: Khajiit Claws, +10 Lockpick and Pickpocket
Khajiit Foot Claws: Muffles sound (and long as no boots cover them), +20% to speed/jumping/falling
(loaned out) Khajiit Ears: Acute Hearing, night vision and sense of smell
Cloak of the Khajiit: Male Khajiit Transformation, enhances the effects of the other items
Chain-mail Bikini
Base Armor: 31 (Same as Steel Armor), Weight 0.5, Base Value: 3000, Light Armor
Effects: Halves Intimidation, triples Persuasion, triples difficulty to resist persuasion from men, changes the body to an ideal female shape (can not be removed by males short of death), Prevents pregnancy
Steel Half Plate provides Limited exposure protection but the Padded armor provides full, the chain-mail offers standard, plus she's a Nord.
Dragons fought: 4
Shouts Activated: Whirlwind Sprint (3/3), Unrelenting Force (3/3), Ice Form (1/1), Storm Call (1/1), Become Ethereal (1/1), Steed Stone (skyRe): Carry weight increased and frost resistance, but fire weakness.
Seguri
Padded Armor (Unique product of Warmaiden's):
(With Iron Plates) Base Armor: 10 (half of Hide Armor), Weight 3, Base Value: 200, Clothing
(Iron Armor) Base Armor: 25, Weight: 30, Value: 125, Heavy Armor
(Iron Boots) Base Armor: 10, Weight: 6, Value: 25, Heavy Armor
(Iron Gauntlets) Base Armor: 10, Weight: 5, Value: 25, Heavy Armor
(Iron Helmet) Base Armor: 15, Weight: 5, Value: 60, Heavy Armor
(Imperial Sword) Base Damage: 8, Weight: 10, Value: 23
(Imperial Bow) Base Damage: 9, Weight: 8, Value: 90
(Steel Arrows) Base Damage: 10, Value 2
Iron provides Limited exposure protection but the Padded armor provides full.
Seguri infested the rest of his money in things like tents and hunting gear
Vilann
(Imperial Sword) Base Damage: 8, Weight: 10, Value: 23
(Imperial Bow) Base Damage: 9, Weight: 8, Value: 90
(Steel Arrows) Base Damage: 10, Value 2
(Leather Armor) Base Armor: 26, Weight: 6, Value: 125, Light Armor
(Leather Boots) Base Armor: 7, Weight: 2, Value: 29, Light Armor
(Leather Bracers) Base Armor: 7, Weight: 2, Value: 25, Light Armor
(Leather Helmet) Base Armor: 12, Weight: 2, Value: 60, Light Armor
Gloves: Weight: 0.5, Value 1, Clothing
Fur Cloak of Frost: +15 Frost Resistance, full cold protection
Leather Provides Standard Exposure protection
Vilann invested the rest of his money in LOTS of Magicka Potions and Potions of Alteration and Destruction.
Abilities of Note: Gendermancy (Master Alteration), Polymorph (Master Alteration), Firebolt
Guaron
(Steel Armor) Base Armor: 31, Weight: 35, Value: 275, Heavy Armor
(Steel Cuffed Boots) Base Armor: 12, Weight: 8, Value: 55, Heavy Armor
(Steel Nordic Gauntlets) Base Armor: 12, Weight: 4, Value: 55, Heavy Armor
(Steel Helmet) Base Armor: 17, Weight: 5, Value: 125, Heavy Armor
(Steel War Axe [x2]) Base Damage: 9, Weight: 12, Value: 55
(Orcish Bow) Base Damage: 10, Weight: 9, Value: 150
(Steel Arrows) Base Damage: 10, Value 2
Steel Provides Standard Exposure protection
Guaron invested the rest of his money in a mix of various potions and some training in one handed and heavy armor.