"The little topics" are several topics that are used by Bethesda to give NPCs generic, location-focused dialogue. These are rather formulaic, with a general gist of topics they cover. Tamriel Rebuilt adds another two.
In order to be a resource for future locations, this page is intended to list these (Morrowind first, Tamriel Rebuilt second), decipher the questions that the NPCs actually answers, then give two to three examples.
Someone in particular
- Who are the rulers?
- Who are the local faction leaders?
- Who are the shopkeepers?
None of the Hlaalu counselors live in Balmora. Nileno Dorvayn at the Council Hall is the ranking Hlaalu local. At the Fighters Guild, Eydis Fire-Eye is the steward. Ethasi Rilvayn is the Morag Tong steward. Feldrelo Sadri is the steward for the Balmora Tribunal Temple. Sugar Lips Habasi is the local Thieves Guild boss. Who am I missing? Oh. Mages Guild. Ranis Athrys is their steward.
Fryfnhild is the publican and proprietor of the End of the World tradehouse. Sarnir the Clerk is an Imperial agent, here to investigate the disappearance of a scholar. A Nord wizard, Sorkvild the Raven, has occupied an old wizard's tower east of town.
Specific place
- Where is this settlement located (region)?
- What are the defining locations of the settlement?
- Where are the shops?
- What travel services are there and where do they lead?
- Where do the roads lead?
Our village is on the Ouada Samsi gorge in the West Gash. The Gnisis Temple is the village center. The Gnisis eggmine lies to the east. The Legion barracks, Fort Darius, the Deathshead Legion garrison, and the Imperial shrine lie to the southeast. Madach Tradehouse and the silt strider platform are south of the Temple. Hetman Abelmawia's hut is southwest, close to the Temple. An Old Velothi tower lies under a natural arch to the northwest, built into the bluff.
Fat Leg's Drop-Off is the only tradehouse in the village. That's where everyone hangs out. See a couple shacks and a ship or two, and you've seen all of Hla Oad. Baleni Salavel at the docks offers passage to Gnaar Mok, Vivec, and Ebonheart.
TR: Local economy
- Why does this city exist?
- How do the people earn their living?
- What do they trade?
Firewatch is primarily a garrison town. Many of its residents are involved with the operations of the Legion or with the administrative services based here. Not only that, but merchant ships are forever passing through the port. Also, many crafts are to be found here. A reasonable living can be made here, but who knows for how long?
Don't let the fancy manor houses fool you. Akamora is first and foremost a mining town. While you'll find quite a bit of commerce going on at the Underground Bazaar, it's the Kwama eggs that are the town's main source of wealth. Nobles own and finance the mines while slaves and the poor work in them. Everyone else finds their own niche in between.
TR: Local area
- Where is this settlement located (region & geography)?
- Where do the roads lead?
- What areas of interest are nearby?
Bahrammu is alone on its island. A trail leads east to the short swim to Bal Oyra. There are no other settlements nearby. We are isolated here on the tip of Morrowind. We are far from the hustle of the main cities here.
These lands are really flat, that's why they call them the Helnim Fields. There are roads going in all directions, to Helnim and Marog in the west, and Alt Bosara and Necrom in the east.
Little advice (location-specific replies)
- Which NPCs should the player talk to for quests, training, or factions?
- What local area would interest the player?
- What is designed around this settlement that the player would find unusual?
- What should the player know about the game mechanics?
Looking for work in Sadrith Mora? Start with the Fighters Guild and the Mages Guild at Wolverine Hall. If you're thinking of trying to serve House Telvanni, go talk to the Telvanni Mouths over at the Council Hall.
You may have heard people refer to the Bitter Coast as the Smuggler's Coast. There's a reason for that. A lot of islands and coastline, with plenty of caves and hidey-holes, and few people around. Perfect for men with boats who want to keep their business private.
Little secret (location-specific replies)
- What dungeons are nearby that are of interest to the player?
- Which NPCs should the player talk to for quests or flavor?
Are you interested in seeing the old places of the Daedra worshippers? Look upon Esutanamus. It sits upon an island east of the mainland beaches, southeast of the Telvanni town of Tel Mora. Sometimes a champion will enter there in search of ancient weapons and treasures.
Do you know where Telasero is? The old Dunmer stronghold between Suran and Molag Mar? The Temple just sent three Ordinators from the Order of War up there. Some trader reported seeing corprus monsters there.
Morrowind lore
- What defines province factions?
- How do the province political entities interact?
Let me tell you how the Morag Tong feels about killing. According to the codes and customs of the Morag Tong, killing civilians is scandalous, and grounds for expulsion. Killing anyone but a victim marked by writ is dishonorable, a sign of incompetence and disrespect for the Tong, and grounds for sanction or expulsion. Killing a victim marked by a writ is sacred and honorable.
Let me tell you about the Camonna Tong. The Camonna Tong is Morrowind's native criminal syndicate. They're grown powerful and ruthless since the Imperial occupation, and have great influence in the higher ranks of House Hlaalu. The Camonna Tong are in direct competition with the Thieves Guild for control of illegal trade, and they have sworn to exterminate the upstart outlander newcomers. The Camonna Tong are known for their brutal disregard for human life.
Of Morrowind's five Great Houses, three are represented on Vvardenfell. House Redoran is an aristocratic house of noble warriors, strong supporters of the Temple. House Hlaalu is an enterprising house of traders and merchant princes, strong supporters of the Empire. House Telvanni is an independent association of wizard-lords, equally hostile to the Empire, the Temple, and the other houses. House Indoril and House Dres are the two Great Houses not represented on Vvardenfell.
TR: Local shops (should not be used, listed for historical purpose only)
- What does the NPC the player is currently talking to trade in?
- Where are the shops?
Green-Eyes is the local Apothecary. Chatal Mendor sells armor and weapons. Iron-Grip the Nord also deals in the equipment of war. Fedrin Adlan trades in quality clothing. A dunmer named Brandir Zabaal will sell various everyday items. If you're hungry, head to Beleth's Bakery; the cooking is excellent.
I sell some food and have rooms available. Seris Athyon is an enchantress, but she sells all kind of magick supplies. Llothis Dralor sells some potions, and he has a shrine where you can be cured of any ailment.
2015-08-10 20:50
3 weeks 15 hours ago
Adding this as a reply so that it doesn't get lost on Discord. After taking a quick glance at location topics (Balmora and Suran specifically), this is how they appear to operate in vanilla Morrowind:
At 30 disposition, NPCs in the location in question will tell you about it in detail. This entry is at the top, aside from ID specific ones.
At 0 disposition, savants anywhere (for TR's purposes in the given district) will mention relevant points about the location.
At 0 disposition, scouts in that location or in certain nearby locations will tell you a very basic line about it.
So scout-specific entries should generally be filtered to a cell, savant to a map, and the classless entry only to the location the topic is about.
2014-01-02 23:58
2 months 3 days ago
And for all our sakes don't forget that practically all replies that tell the player anything significant at all about a town have ShowMap <townname> in the result box. This is something we have, historically, handled very inconsistently, and we need to get better at, as it's one of the main ways of giving the player a sense of scale and geography as well as of navigating to new towns beyond paying for fast travel or blindly following signposts.
Case in point, all Suran entries result in a ShowMap Suran, and all but two (Meril Hlaalo's "My family is quite important here in Balmora, now if you'll excuse me..." and Fast Eddie's "I'm just waiting here in Balmora until things cool off a bit in House Telvanni.") ShowMap Balmora.