For anyone who's ever fancied having a rather dry and sassy follower when out and about in Skyrim, a mod now fulfills that dream by adding in a custom-voiced Thalmor companion with a sardonic take on the world. As RPGs go, The Elder Scrolls series certainly has deep lore that spans across the several entries that have been released over the years. Such an immense history has given fans an immersive experience, and it's one of the reasons TES5 is still going strong today.
Of course, it's not the only explanations for why the 2011 Bethesda epic is still popular. Much of its continued success can be attributed to the modding community, which has sought to bring a ton of new content to the already expansive game. There are even Skyrim mods that implement fully voiced followers, each with their own unique dialog that sets them apart from the other denizens of the land.
There's now another mod for Skyrim fans to add to their collection. As spotted by PC Gamer, Nexus Mods user Vanessa M brings the world "The Thalmor's Shadow - Taliesin," which is essentially a Thalmor companion for the Dragonborn to employ. The character, called Taliesin, has been voiced by Pat Mahoney, an actor and narrator, and features more than 1,000 new lines, written by both the voice actor and mod creator. A video on the download page shows the NPC in action, during which he frequently spits out some rather snarky comments in a rather deadpan manner.
The Thalmor are a brutal political force in the Elder Scrolls series, especially in Skyrim, so it seems surprising that someone would want to have one as a follower. However, according to Vanessa M, Taliesin "wants a clean start" and his travels with the Dragonborn are a way for him to make up for his past. As well as being somewhat sarcastic, the NPC is described as being both graceful and passionate, but also can be "terribly flirty and inappropriate." In short, it sounds like Taliesin could be a rather entertaining fellow to have along while adventuring across this cold province of Tamriel.
Mods are a fantastic way to keep the fires of Skyrim stoked, but many fans are now ready to move on. There's still no word on when The Elder Scrolls 6 will actually launch, and it's been years since the E3 2018 teaser footage. Hopefully, once Starfield releases in September, Bethesda will be ready to give an update on the next entry in the studio's long-running fantasy IP.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - Anniversary Edition is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: PC Gamer, Nexus Mods