Skyrim talk:Easter Eggs/Archive 4

This is an archive of past Skyrim talk:Easter Eggs discussions. Do not edit the contents of this page, except for maintenance such as updating links.

Army of Darkness?

I would submit that the line that Lucien Lachance says "I live...again!" Would probably be seen as a reference to the raising of Evil Ash in the movie Army of Darkness. If you watch the movie and then listen to the line in here... They're both even read the same way with the pause. — Unsigned comment by 67.61.187.68 (talk) at 15:07 on December 17, 2011

Mudcrab Religion?

While riding to Rorikstead from Whiterun along the path closest to the mountains, I came across Gjukar's Monument. I went to go have a look. While I was making my way over from the south west, I wandered past a group of mudcrabs, or rather over them, causing them to attack me. After killing them, I noticed what appeared to be a GIANT Mudcrab embedded in the ground. It occured to me that the mudcrabs MIGHT have been worshipping it and that I maaay have killed off an entire religion by accident.

Anybody else found this? --Shade743 12:04, 13 December 2011 (UTC)

Bethesda likes to mess with size scaling (Eddie The Head 12:08, 13 December 2011 (UTC))

I remember those two, but they weren't static models embedded halfway in the ground, with smaller versions of themselves surrounding it. --Shade743 12:48, 13 December 2011 (UTC)

Seems like a reference to the giant Mudcrab from Oblivion to me. In any case, it definitely classifies as an easter egg - Bethesda intentionally "hid" it there to amuse the player. Narzul 15:37, 17 December 2011 (UTC)

I agree with Narzul. Also, apparently there's something in the strategy guide about a "King Mudcrab"; this might be what it's referring to. Minor Edits 01:36, 18 December 2011 (UTC)

Then again, if it's an Oblivion reference, it belongs on the historical references page, not here. And Oblivion did have a giant mud crab. I don't think whether it's alive or dead distinguishes it enough for it to be here.Minor Edits 01:41, 18 December 2011 (UTC)

I found this too. There's a quest where you find a ghost mudcrab there.76.240.192.240 09:54, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Standing Stones = Norse Runestones

I think it's obvious the devs had Norse Runestones in mind when they created the Standing Stones. [1] Maybe it should be included under the "Norse Mythology" section. Thoughts?

There are also standing 'doomstones' or whatever in TES IV, which would probably be the first reference in the series if this was considered an egg. Even those ones kinda looked like Stonehenge. It might be a little too obvious to be considered an easter egg Hope 04:08, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

Similar standing stones are (a) in older TES games and (b) exist in other real cultures as well (stroll the coast of Bretagne without falling over 27 menhirs, I dare you). So this comes in handy but it would have taken a lot of planning to be a direct reference. --Ulkomaalainen 06:32, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

standing stones are the replacements of Birthsigns in the other games, no references, they made it so that new players could adapt better, even though im sure most the veterans prefered all the systems before they got replaced... (Eddie The Head 06:36, 14 December 2011 (UTC))

The whole game is a reference to Norse mythology. References aren't easter eggs. I'd say this one is out.

^yes. the words Nordic is even a reference to the real life word Nordic, and much of their culture is also. Interestingly, i read vikings never actually wore horned helmets lol...

Off Topic: no they did not (except for some ceremonial helmets). It's just not practical at all. --Ulkomaalainen 02:37, 1 January 2012 (UTC)

Love Potion Number 9?

There's a quest in Dragonsreach in which Farengar asks you to deliver salt to Arcadia. Arcadia then thanks you and says that she'll use it to craft a special love potion. This may be a reference to the movie "Love Potion Number 9". The love potion is later revealed to be water with extremely high concentration of salt in it. I have no idea why I remember weird crap like this from my childhood - the movie wasn't particularly good. 77.237.14.251 02:07, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

You say the potion turns out to be water with a lot of salt in it. Is this true for both the quest and the movie? Minor Edits 02:14, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

This is true for the movie. In the game she never creates the love elixir, she only states what she wants to do with all the salt you gave to her. I'll try to get the exact wording after I get back from work. 77.237.14.251 09:59, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

Ah, now I see; you're talking about Salt for Arcadia. She does indeed say she needs the salt (frost salts) to make a "love elixir". And they do say that the love potion is salt in the movie. Nice catch. Minor Edits 04:45, 16 December 2011 (UTC)

Inception

There's a lot of loose Inception references in the quest Waking Nightmare. Direct references aren't truly there, but there seems to be a lot of nods.

• Approaching the fort Erandur refers to the novelty of Nightcaller Temple being a "ruin within a ruin" - seems a riff on the "dream within a dream"
• Part of the quest involves Dreamstriding in which you're put into a dream while Erandur watches over you.
  • Erandur remains outside of the dream to shock you back into reality if something goes amiss. Referred to as "Kicking" in Inception.
  • Both Dreamstriding and entering dreams first involves a chemical to induce torpor.
  • Both are stated to be realistic, but different.
  • Both are described as dangerous in that you can go crazy and become lost forever within the dream.

Its not full on, but I was cued in on there being Inception elements. Two things make a coincidence, three make a pattern, seem to be at least four nods here. --Bwross 06:20, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

No direct easter egg present, however. Doesn't deserve a mention on this page but might be worth including on the Waking Nightmare page itself as a small note. Narzul 15:40, 17 December 2011 (UTC)

Just... wow

The article itself is an absolute trainwreck, I may go through and clean it up tomorrow. It's not an easter egg if you have to make a HUGE jump in reasoning to consider it a reference. See the Star Wars section. --70.145.76.243 06:58, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

The Matrix - Dodge This

Karliah from the Thieves guild questline often shouts "Dodge this!" in combat, probably referencing Trinity's line in The Matrix, just before shooting an agent in the head.

No, that is the most vague line ever, and you can find something to that effect in every cliche action movie ever made. Definitely not Easter Egg material. Eric Snowmane^Questions?_{Send an Email} 20:28, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

Would highly disagree about your vague and generic statement. Its an iconic quote from the Matrix. Type "Dodge this" into Google and see how many pages before it stops being direct links to the Matrix and Trinity. The sheer number of unique images and fan art of that particular scene further lend support of its iconic nature. Just for sake of argument, since its so generic and cliche - Name some other movies that actually use this line.--Bwross 06:31, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

I seem to recall about 3 or 4 movies with Jean Claude Van Dam having this phrase used in them. I know Arnold says them in at least 4 movies hes in that are action movies. All these came out before the Matrix. It can also be associated to sports games like dodgeball. And there are numerous other video games that came out before the Matrix that have used it.--Dro'Bakha 06:49, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

The Google test actually is quite interesting. And a reference does not have to be to the only nor original quote (which with these words would be probably impossibly old) but to the think you have in mind, which could be the most iconic, even codifying example. The question is not "who invented the quote first?" but "whom were the designers thinking of when they put it in?". Like when in some American Idol type show some singer (and when I say "singer" I'm misusing a perfectly innocent word) presents "Without You". They (and the judges) will probably compare it to Mariah Carey's version, older ones maybe (at least I hope) to Harry Nilsson's. Never mind that the original song was by a group called "Badfinger" - and yes, it *is* forgettable, the song was first codified by Harry Nilsson and any reference to it should be probably credited to him.

That being said, this sentence is indeed quite generic in itself in "posing during a fight", like most of the others are, and can easily be come up with without thinking of any source at all. I'm on the fence here. --Ulkomaalainen 07:24, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

Interview with a Vampire

I can't say I agree with Babette being a reference to the above book. Though the facts aren't incorrect, it's a bit vague; plus, the concept of child vampires is not exactly unheard of. In addition, Babette is a Breton, who have French names. If I can get a consensus, I'd like to remove it from the page. Gideon Dragontongue 21:00, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

It is an accurate Easter Egg, as discussed in the archives. The names are the same, Claudia, in the books, would pretend to be a lost child and play with her victim before feeding, and Louisiana was colonized by the french, so a Breton makes sense, as that was Babette's ancestry. Eric Snowmane^Questions?_{Send an Email} 21:04, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

Mighty Tree

How come I can't edit this page?? Well then, if someone cares. In the entrance to Korvanjund, the top of the entrance is an Arch of Rock, and there's a tree on top of it, right in the middle of the arch. This is weir considering all that part is sorrounded by rocks. I don't know if this was intentional but it looks strange.

How is this tree an Easter Egg exactly? And the reason you can't edit the page is because it has been semi-protected and only registered users can edit the page. Eric Snowmane^Questions?_{Send an Email} 23:54, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

Bleach (Anime) Character possible reference?

In the first Bleach movie, 'Memories of nobody', there is a character named Senna. Is this just a coincidence or do both the Bleach Senna, and the Skyrim Senna have something in common? The Skyrim Senna: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Senna The Bleach Senna: http://bleach.wikia.com/wiki/Senna

Senna is just a name that while not exactly common isn't too far off. Only this name is not a coincidence. --Ulkomaalainen 03:47, 15 December 2011 (UTC)

Can you back this up? Just a name isn't enough to go on, and they don't really look anything alike from the two images posted. 205.133.162.67 17:50, 15 December 2011 (UTC)

Senna could also be a reference to the legendary Formula One driver, Ayrton Senna, who was killed in 1994.

To be honest I think it is just a name.RIM 11:40, 31 December 2011 (UTC)

Poet

One of the main characters names it the dark brotherhood is Cicero. A seemingly mad jester slash poet. There was a man called Cicero in the 1700s who was also a mad poet and has come up with many famous quotes — Unsigned comment by 24.138.26.167‎ (talk • contribs)

I haven't been able to find any Cicero that matches this description on the internet, or at least wikipedia. I feel as though its more likely to be a reference to the Cicero indirectly involved with the assassination of Caesar (see http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim_talk:Easter_Eggs#Caesar_and_Cicero ), but that's my opinion. Could you give us some links to this Cicero? Or maybe some more evidence? Like a near identical or similar quote? VivaLaColdplaya 03:07, 15 December 2011 (UTC)

I haven't seen the 1700s guy either, the current easter egg should remain.--Br3admax 03:11, 15 December 2011 (UTC)

The person who contributed this added it to the top of the page, and seemed to have done so as cover, so patrollers might overlook the minor acts of sabotage to the rest of the page. Perhaps I'm just being paranoid, which is why I moved this down the page instead of deleting it outright, but still, you probably shouldn't waste your time trying to corroborate this. Minor Edits 03:25, 15 December 2011 (UTC)

Don Quixote Easter egg?

Near the beginning of the game when you first approach Whiterun some people (companions if I remember right) are fighting a giant near a windmill; does this seem like a Don Quixote reference to you guys? Just joined so I thought I'd ask before editing, thanks Paxomnibus 20:11, 15 December 2011 (UTC)

Not at all a reference to me. Sounds like a local faction out in the wild fighting some local creatures. Nothing at all remarkable. Eric Snowmane^Questions?_{Send an Email} 20:30, 15 December 2011 (UTC)

I think Paxomnibus is talking about your first meeting with Aela the Huntress when venturing towards Whiterun, where she and two other companions are indeed killing a Giant (unless you are quick and do it for them) thus introducing the companions into the game. This is scripted to happen in every playthrough. Sceptical on it being a reference though. --Ulkomaalainen 02:58, 16 December 2011 (UTC)

It COULD be, but it may be a bit farfetched. I think a more clear reference to Cervantes (the author of Quixote) is the mission with Bargas, the talking dog. Seems to me like a reference to 'El coloquio de los perros' (the conversation of the dogs) from his Exemplary Novels. Although, again, I could be overanalysing.Onge_Bakstra

The Under Ground chest of the Under Croft in White run

So there is A chest that contains almost 1 of everything so go to a place and empty out all you inventory which slows you down yes run in underwear now fast travel or RE-fast travel to Whiterun as soon as you load take off running aka the whiterun cause your nude lol but go straight and up the stair past the market place as soon as you reach the top use your Whirlewind sprint lvl 2 or higher towards the skyforge by the undercroft

if fast enough the mountain terrain of the sky forge will disappear and let you walk through you see a chest there which will contain almost 1 of every item in the game.

will post a vid on Youtube sooner or later — Unsigned comment by Kyuubi Fox 9 (talk • contribs) at 21:33 on 15 December 2011 (UTC)

And this an easter egg, how? What is it referencing? Is there anything secret in the chest, besides the items? I'm going to assume this isn't an Easter Egg, and is just a merchant chest. --AKB ^{Talk Cont Mail} 21:33, 15 December 2011 (UTC)

I'm gonna go ahead and say it's non-existent. Take Morrowind and Oblivion for example. Bethesda almost always has a cell separated from the rest of the world dedicated specifically for testing items. That way there is absolutely zero chance of getting there without cheats. Delete. VivaLaColdplaya 01:26, 16 December 2011 (UTC)

this isnt a easter egg, but bethesda seems to have made merchants chests invisible and lying around for the public to find on this, instead of underground like on oblivion, several people have found merchants chests (just look on youtube), including a few of my mates, but again defiantly not a egg. and this one doesnt seem likely. (Eddie The Head 03:49, 16 December 2011 (UTC))

Not sure how to indent here, when I try it turns into one of the quotes small italics font so I'll continue here. I amended the original poster's method by whirl-winding from the Companions' roof past the right side of the eagle over the Skyforge and ended up outside Whiterun seeing partially complete scenery and some gaps not needed for normal viewing. There was indeed a chest underneath the Skyforge but it had far from "Every" item in the game, more like just Gray-mane's shop inventory. So it's there, yes but an Easter Egg? Nah.... The Source 01:02, 31 December 2011 (UTC)

You can indent by adding a colon before your post, the more you add, the further it indents. ES^T•E•C 01:06, 31 December 2011 (UTC)

The Oathbreakers

In the Companion quest line, within the Tomb of Ysgromar, the companion ghosts say lines quite similar to the Oath breakers in LOTR. Some examples are "You are not welcome here!", and "We will not suffer the living to pass!"

Augster 101

I've never heard the second line, and the first is too vague. Even if the second one is in there, you need more proof for it to be listed. ThuumofReason 00:33, 16 December 2011 (UTC)

The Mask of Clavicus Vile

After completing "A Daedra's Best Friend" you get the "Masque of Clavicus Vile".While the mask looks nothing like the mask from the movie, I think this might be a reference to 1994's "The Mask" featuring Jim Carrey. And her are the reasons: 1. The mask originates from the Daedric Prince of granting power and wishes, Clasicus Vile, who himself is kind of like the Norse God Loki. The mask in the Movie originates from Loki. 2. The attributes added by the mask increases Speechcraft, gives better 20% better Prices (+ Magicka regenrates 5% faster) and just everybody seems to like you a little bit better, much like when Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey) puts on the mask and becomes this crazy chameur most people just love. 3. Due to the enchanments the mask has this green glow, just like the mask in the movie. And thats why I am pretty sure its an Easter Egg.

The Masque of Clavicus Vile has already premiered in earlier games (Oblivion, for sure.) If this is an Easter Egg, then it is best that you refer to that using the Oblivion Easter Egg page. Commentaholic 17:01, 16 December 2011 (UTC)

Incorrect, the mask makes it debut appearance in Daggerfall:Artifacts befrore being in MW, OB, and SR. Any Easter Egg related to the mask itself would be most appropriate in the Daggerfall namespace. Eric Snowmane^{Talk•Email•Contributions} 17:09, 16 December 2011 (UTC)

Well, I DID say earlier games including (but not limited to) Oblivion. I meant that it didn't belong here Commentaholic 02:03, 17 December 2011 (UTC)

Another potential Song of Ice and Fire reference

This is something I chanced upon due to an accidental opening of a book..It might be a bit of a stretch, seeing as the rest of the book is in no way relevant, but thought I'd bring it up anyway.

After getting the stone tablet for Ferengar form Bleak Falls Barrow, you return to see Ferengar discussing things with Delphine, who is leaning on the table. Seems to be she is looking at the book(Survey of the Holdings of Jarl Gjalund) directly under her. In the book, there is the small paragraph "As witnessed by Slafknir the Scribe, so Sworn by the Old Gods and the New".

To those familiar with the book series Song of Ice and Fire, the portion "by the Old Gods and the New" is regularly used by members of House Stark, who generally worship the Old Gods, but must also pay homage to the New Gods. — Unsigned comment by Ruoska (talk • contribs) at 01:16 on December 17, 2011

The Ugly Truth (Movie)

Heimskr, the Priest of Talos in Whiterun. If you stand around and listen to him talk, after his little speech he says, "And there it is, friends! The ugly truth! We are the children of man! Talos is the true god of man! Ascended from flesh, to rule the realm of spirit!" which is an obvious reference from the movie "The Ugly Truth"

Abaddon3567 02:17, 17 December 2011 (UTC)

What is obvious about that? Does anyone say something like that in the movie? Are you basing this supposed reference based on him saying "The ugly truth"? That's not a reference. "The ugly truth" is a rather common phrase. --AKB ^{Talk Cont Mail} 02:20, 17 December 2011 (UTC)

He's just trolling. The Ugly Truth is an awful romantic comedy based. The speech is directly linked to the one from GTA already.--Bwross 03:38, 17 December 2011 (UTC)

Cicero's comment = Refer?

During the quest where you gotta kill Cicero; he asks you to let him live and lie to Astrid.

He said to tell her "You strangled him with his own intestines." (Bad speller; spellcheck me please?)

This is refering to Sheogorath's quote (In the Shivering Isles) "I'm so happy that I could pull out your intestines and strangled you with them." (Something like that.)

This has already been suggested. I can't remember if it was approved or not, but it was already put forth. Commentaholic 02:50, 17 December 2011 (UTC)

Harry Potter Aragog and Nagini reference

Surely you all have heard the line spoken by hadvar that says something along the lines of Oh great giant spiders whats next giant snakes the giant spider refers to Aragog(the giant spider in the forbidden forest)and the giant snake is the basillisk so this is an obvious easter egg refering to Harry Potter right?

It was removed from the egg page I think, but personally I have to say it probably is, because everyone (myself included) thought that on hearing it. Harry Potter is certainly not the first series to feature giant spiders or basilisks, but as it is the most popular series to use it, I am going to side with its inclusion, unless I can be given a solid argument against it. Eric Snowmane^{Talk•Email•Contributions} 03:38, 17 December 2011 (UTC)

I think the idea behind removing was that giant spiders and giant snakes (or more generally: giant "any animal some people are afraid of" like rats) are a staple of Fantasy and especially Fantasy RPGs. Of course HP is the most popular series to use it (and if I'm not mistaken, even within the same book, the Chamber of Secrets) but I think that's still not a strong case for an egg, which would need the authors to deliberately allude to it, which they may do, but it is quite probable as well that this line just came up. A point for "deliberate allusion" would of course be that there is no such thing as "giant snakes" (unless you count dragons) in the game. --Ulkomaalainen 08:22, 17 December 2011 (UTC)

I agree with Ulko, unless you can come up with more arguments to show that it's an intentional reference, it's not an egg. ThuumofReason 20:01, 18 December 2011 (UTC)

Blood (Game)

Using the ' Spectral Assassin ' power summons a ghost in the form of Lucien Lachance who will utter, among other comments, "I live...Again." This phrase is the first line spoken by Caleb, the protagonist of the PC game Blood.

Or it could be Bad Ash in Army of Darkness. Which is what I immediately think of when I hear this.

Or it could be uttered line by Oblivion:Lorgren Benirus (lends to genericness)

Really would have to play it back and see if the style perfectly matches any of them perfectly to find the right homage.--Bwross 09:07, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

This is a common phrase, it isn't a reference to anything. Unless, of course, there's something else to suggest a connection? ThuumofReason 17:46, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

Reference to Oblivion And one to Fallout 3

When doing Sheogorath's Daedric quest, there are several references to Oblivion. Some of which are said by Sheogorath himself, insinuating that He is in fact the Champion of Cyrodiil (as you could become in Shivering Isles).

Also, when you are using the Wabbajack on Pelagius' Confidence and Pelagius' Anger, Pelagius' Anger will say a common line NPCs said in Oblivion: "This is the part where you fall down and bleed to death!" (At least I think that is what he said, it might have been "Why won't you die?!")

And why is the fact that the guards saying "What's wrong, someone stole your sweetroll?" not up as a reference to the beginning of Fallout 3 when Butch tries to take your sweetroll? — Unsigned comment by 24.118.21.186 (talk)

For oblivion, see Elder Scrolls Historical References and as for the fallout one, the fallout sweetroll is a reference to the start of morrowind, and i think daggerfall too, making the sweetroll one a historical reference too. (Eddie The Head 06:58, 18 December 2011 (UTC))

Sweetroll been around since Arean (1994). In Arena, one of the questions, that was used to make your character, was something about you coming out of the bakery with a Sweetroll then two kids (Maybe 3?) wanted to steal it from you and there was 3 choices (One Might, Magic, and Stealth) — Unsigned comment by 172.162.34.68 (talk) at 02:03 on December 19, 2011

Deltora Quest

I think Endon might be a reference to a character of the same name from Deltora Quest. Though only similarities are their names, both are smiths at one point (DQ Endon being a blacksmith as a disguise from being king, SR Endon being a silversmith). What does everyone else think?--Dro'Bakha 08:11, 18 December 2011 (UTC)

Well, that's more evidence than most people give for their suggestions. Is there anything else that suggests a connection? ThuumofReason 20:58, 18 December 2011 (UTC)

None more then what I posted above that I can tell.--Dro'Bakha 07:20, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

I've read all the deltora quests when i was younger, but I can't recall Endon, what book(s) was he in? (Eddie The Head 07:23, 19 December 2011 (UTC))

Not the books, I'm meaning the anime.--Dro'Bakha 06:26, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

Dexter

For the quest Blood on the ice there is a serial killer on the loose, you follow a trail of blood evidence,you're working with the local law, but you're not one of them, and you kill the serial killer. That's exactly what takes place on Dexter. It could be a coincidence but it's awfully similar. Erinn Teeter 09:31, 18 December 2011 (UTC)

I would love to see a Dexter reference, but based on that info, this is a small coincidence at best. Literally countless stories can match that same description. You need something more uniquely "Dexter" for a reference. I'm not familiar with this quest, but if I was looking for a Dexter reference, I would look for game dialogue mirroring show dialogue, sacks of human remains in the bay outside Winterhold, ritualistic blood splatter fetishism from the killer, a journal where the killer talks to dead people, or maybe a Dexter-like appearance attributable to the killer. Even just the involvement of a foul-mouthed female guard and/or sister character would be a start. If you find something more distinguishing like that, you might have a shot. Minor Edits 10:00, 18 December 2011 (UTC)

I'll start by saying I'm a HUGE Dexter fan. Unfortunately, I have to agree with Minor. I played the quest, but I never thought of Dexter when playing it. Elder Scrolls always had weird serial killers in their stories. But I do see what you're talking about. Skysky 22:22, 18 December 2011 (UTC)

I thought this quest was already established as an easter egg referring to Jack the Ripper? Commentaholic 23:40, 18 December 2011 (UTC)

You know, I think you're right. I think I read a couple of books about it and it does seem familiar to each other. Unless I missed it, I don't think it's on there. Skysky 02:08, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

There hasn't been a discussion on this; this is the first I'm hearing about a possible Jack the Ripper reference. From what I can tell, similarities include that the victims are young females killed during the night, the killer leaves behind gory remains, the victims were apparently not robbed, and the killer used a specialized instrument on them post-mortem. The sophistication of the killer in the quest also somewhat matches the profile typically attributed to Jack the Ripper. Anything I'm missing? Because I'm not really sold on this. Hunting at night, targeting females, etc; these are pretty generic habits for serial killers nowadays. The Ripper was a trendsetter, and that's the problem: I don't think we can reasonably infer that there's an intentional nod to Jack the Ripper here without something more. The possibility that these connections are merely coincidental is too great in my opinion. Minor Edits 08:05, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

Besides all the reasons you said, I was thinking on more of the lines of how the girl in the quest was killed. Skysky 17:02, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

I remember seeing this quest and having Jack pop straight into mind. Jack the ripper was famous for gutting his victims in the abdomen and slitting the throat, leaving the body to be found (i.e. example) From what I remember from of the body, it look very similar to this. He may not be the only killer whos killed in this style, but he's certainly one of the most famous for doing so. Also, Jack was famous for being the Whitechapel killer. The Butcher is the Whiterun killer. Similar named areas. VivaLaColdplaya 18:29, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

There are times when coincidences just happen. Whiterun-Whitechapel is by all means one unless one can find a deeper connection. As for this quest: it takes place in Windhelm, not Whiterun... --Ulkomaalainen 19:06, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

But when there's many coincidences, then it's suspicious of being a reference. You cannot deny that the real murders and the way Helgrid describes the body is terribly similar. Since it's a small quest, and a buggy one at that, I think we have to look at the body evidence and small details (like 'ripper' and 'butcher'). Ripper is MAJOR influence in culture such as horror films and books, so it's not 'going above and beyond' to believe this is a reference.Skysky 20:32, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

My apologies, I tend to get Windhelm and Whiterun confused name-wise. Throwing that out, I have to agree with Skysky here. Its too many coincidences for it not to be a reference. I say we add it, unless someone can give a point that would throw this out completely. VivaLaColdplaya 01:40, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

(Moving it to the left before the discussion does an "exit stage right") I see where you're coming from, I mix up Morthal and Markarth on the one hand, Windhelm and Winterhold on the other, so I can understand it. Still about being "too many coincidences": nope, there ain't such a thing as "too many coincidences" (to put it in layman's terms). Since I used to make a living working with coincidences and people's perception of them as a stochastician (is that a word? Anyway: I worked in the field of stochastic) I've come across quite a few common misconceptions.

For the general issue: most importantly we are struggling with a conformation bias, which is natural, since mankind is "trained" to seek patterns within the random, since this often gathers knowledge. But it also leads to seeing connections where there are none. So we do not only need to take into account similarities but also differences and then weigh it up. Because secondly: there are literally thousands of things that can be compared about these two topics and there will always be quite a number which will show similarities. And there will be a near infinite number of non similarities (which we will often ignore, see "confirmation bias" above). For two notorious examples touring the internet see the Kennedy-Nixon similarities and the many elevens pertaining to 9/11 (in the latter case there's more on the page, just ignore it for this discussion).

Actually while I personally think that this might be a genuine JtR reference, I do not think we can really make a strong case for it with what we've gathered so far - and I would like to see examples on the front page to hold up to some scrutiny. --Ulkomaalainen 06:21, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

I think there is such a thing as "too many coincidences", but the threshold of coincidences necessarily varies with the context. Just to expound on my previous comment, the problem for me is that Jack the Ripper has become a serial killer archetype. He's the epitome of an entire style of serial killer. It poses a serious dilemma when you're trying to conclude, with a reasonable amount of certainty, that something is a reference. Look at this way: it's possible that Bethesda employees stated at one point, "Let's make a serial killer quest in the style of Jack the Ripper." It's more or less equally possible that they their intention was simply, "Let's make a serial killer quest." Either one of these goals could've resulted in the quest as we know it. The general Jack the Ripper style was definitely being used for the serial killer in the quest, but I for one cannot say with certainty that Bethesda intended a Jack the Ripper reference without more to go on. There have not yet been enough coincidences established here. Minor Edits 07:03, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

Yes, admittedly I was oversimplifying. But there is the problem of confirmation bias mentioned above: you cannot prove something just by looking for confirmation (i.e. finding new coincidences) without at the same time either trying and failing to "falsify" your statement and looking for contradiction or alternatively give a good reason for why this should systematically work. A group of 4 or 5 coincidences could certainly be found linking some stuff within Skyrim to Monday Night Football or the O'Reilly Show (take Colbert Report if you prefer that). Some of course are easier to find than others. But that is mostly semantics, I don't think we're really in disagreement here.

Your other point is good, though. Something, a work or a character, can become so iconic that it is hard not to think about it when having even something remotely similar in front of you (actually now I'm thinking "Criminal Minds" will most certainly have an episode which would be really close to this - but it's less iconic than JtR). Or it can even shape the genre around itself, the most obvious example being The Lord of the Rings which somewhat codified fantasy as we know it. So "Elves with pointy ears and magic abilities" or more specifically "Orcs" are not obvious references, they're just part of the genre by now, even though TES borrows heavily from Tolkien, this is just "part of how it is". --Ulkomaalainen 07:16, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

*Looks back up* Well, gosh darn. I didn't realize it wasn't yet on the list :P I saw it and thought JtR as well... Dunno why it's taken so long for the JtR reference to be noticed here, amid all these obviously clever people :P But yes, there are lots of things that could be labeled as being the inspiration behind this, but Jack the Ripper was definitely the most iconic. Glad I could at least bring it into the public conversation Commentaholic 16:13, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

LOTR

The plummet through the ruins of Kagrenzel is very similar to the beginning of the LOTR: The Two Towers. Gandalf and Balrog falling for a long time through the earth and landing in a lake in a big cavern. Admittedly you fall alone, but the feeling was very similar. Maks

I don't know how you got from A to B, there. ThuumofReason 20:07, 18 December 2011 (UTC)

Star Wars

Calcelmo can be overheard saying "next season, next season for sure" to his assistant Aicantar. Could be a reference to Star Wars episode 4, when Luke's uncle is telling him to stay on the farm for another year. It's not a quote from the movie however.

Not really enough to suggest a connection. ThuumofReason 20:01, 18 December 2011 (UTC)

This is the first time you meet Paarthurnax in the video[2] at the time 2:21 Paarthurnax says "Aaah Yes! Sossadov los mul. The Dragon Blood runs Strong in You." This a direct reference to Darth Vader in Episode 4 A New Hope were he says "the force is strong with this one".

Again, I kind of doubt it. ThuumofReason 17:04, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Can someone remove the "Street fighter" section?

For obvious reasons, as well as a discussion in the last archive which was against adding it in the first place? ThuumofReason 20:02, 18 December 2011 (UTC)

Frailty

The sunlight shining down on the axe in the Ratway is a reference to the Bill Paxton movie Frailty.

I'm verifying it's always an axe. Started 3 different saves and it always is there. And I wouldn't be surprised if it is an easter egg, because if not, it's awfully suspicious. I'm just not sure if we can attribute it to this movie alone, anyone have a pic from the movie of this scene? VivaLaColdplaya 05:54, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

There are hundreds of movies where the light shines down on a weapon, if there is nothing else you can say to back it up, then I vote no, its not Eric Snowmane^{Talk•Email•Contributions} 07:15, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

There may be hundreds of movies in which light shines down on a weapon, but not many with light shining down on an axe in the manor seen in the rataways. I wouldn't shrug off this as nothing yet. After all, you must admit there is little to no purpose for that weapon to be there in that manor in a sewer, and its pretty suspicious. VivaLaColdplaya 17:36, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

That's still not enough to go on. ThuumofReason 17:44, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

never said it was, i never said i was verifing it. I was saying this is probably an easter egg of some sort. It just needs someone to find its reference. VivaLaColdplaya 02:14, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

If someone can get me a screenshot on what you're talking about (the axe in the game), I'll be happy to find the movie, watch it, and screenshot the scene. I don't have Skyrim for PC or I would. Skysky 22:13, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

Here you go, odd little setup: The Axe. VivaLaColdplaya 02:29, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

Now I'm even less convinced. The way the axe is lodged in the stump suggests to me that it was used for some activity involving cutting wood with an axe. ThuumofReason 02:31, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

But underground in a sewer? Theres blood under the axe as well. Its odd. Its gotta be an easter egg of some sort. VivaLaColdplaya 02:43, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

Oh, I know what you're talking about now. I'll watch the movie and take a screenshot tomorrow. Hold off the debate till I post it and you guys can make your own judgements when it's side by side. Deal? Thanks Vivalacoldplay Skysky 02:48, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

First, let me say that I didn't see the movie, but when I walked into that room in the Ratway, I immediately took it to be the site of a beheading. I based this on the blood on the stump, the fact that this was not a woodsman's axe and the position of the basket. It is very similar to the scene where the player is nearly executed at the beginning of the game. I'm not sure if this is for or against the reference, but this was clearly a carefully composed scene by Bethesda. DeeLow 22:57, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Sorry it took so long, guys. It took a bit to get my hands on the movie and then find time to watch it. I think this is the scene you're talking about? [3] and a closeup [4]. If not, I'll keep watching. And remember, it's compared to The Axe thanks to viva. (Also, keep in mind I have no opinion on this, just trying to help out)

As for DeeLow, I thought the same thing, but I think it's just an on-going thing throughout the game. Apparently beheading is common in Skyrim time. Skysky 21:00, 22 December 2011 (UTC)

After seeing this I gotta say it's not one, thanks Skysky for verification. They'res no blood in the photo, no nearby basket, and no nearby forest life. Its such an odd location for a tree and wildlife though, maybe someone will find a more likely reference for it. VivaLaColdplaya 00:46, 24 December 2011 (UTC)

Fallout 3 reference

Hi guys, recently I walked past a whiterun guard who said to me "Let me guess. Someone stole your sweetroll", which is a reference to Fallout 3 where you were given a sweetroll for your birthday and a boy called Butch tries to steal it from you. — Unsigned comment by Jimbobtim (talk • contribs) at 13:42 on 19 December 2011

no, the sweetroll originated in arena which came out before fallout, the sweetroll was also in the other elder scrolls games, the fallout one is a reference to the one in TES games. (Eddie The Head 13:46, 19 December 2011 (UTC))

Remove William Wallace Easter egg

I believe the easter eggs to William Wallace and Braveheart are a mere coincidence. This entire game is based primarily on celtic and norse history and fokelore. Braveheart and Skyrim armor are simalar not because the latter is based on the former but because they both take insperation from the same source. I think the appropriate artice should be removed.--Zar Pof 18:27, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

Any evidence to back it up? I haven't seen a single pic showing other people besides that of William Wallace wearing leather armor with a cloth cloak covering the armor in a way identical to that. Not to mention the skirt added, the bracers, and virtually everything else similar. To take from the same source is one thing, but to make a nearly identical design from a very vague and hard to find source is certainly more than mere coincidence. VivaLaColdplaya 18:37, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

The Stormcloaks armor itself does not remarkably resemble Braveheart depiction of William Wallace, however, how it is drapped about the wearer does. I do not think it is worthy of an easter egg reference because all armor in the game must have drawn from some insperation; sighting them all as easter eggs would be ridicouls, perhaps noted on the Stormcloaks page.--Zar Pof 19:38, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

I have to disagree. Though I've never watched the movie, this [5] looks pretty similar to the loading screen and optional face paint. You have to remember that the people that made the game are human and love to put in pop culture references (captain obvious over here). The first thing I think of when I played Skyrim's Stormcloak quest (where they rebelled) and saw that loading screen was Braveheart. I'm sure they put in those little references, too, especially when Skyrim is so close to the real Old Norse. EDIT: Also, what makes you think Braveheart is Old Norse??Skysky 20:25, 19 December 2011 (UTC)

WHOA! I never said William Wallace was Norse, he was deffinetly Christian. When Constantine turned Christian in 313 AD it spelled the end of most of the "pagan" religions in Europe there after, Braveheart was set over a thousand years latter long after the fall of polytheism the area. Skyrim, if not the stormcloaks then the rest, is based largely in the norse history and mythos. What I mean by the armor not being remarkably simalar to Braveheart is that facepaint and armor of the era all wouldn't have been unique to just William Wallace. To reiterate, I think the stormcloak armor is based on Mel Gibson's portrayal of William Wallace, I don't think it is worthy of an easter egg note. --Zar Pof 00:14, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

I actually had a typo, I meant what makes you think he isn't norse, but you answered anyway. As for the second part, it looks pretty damn close, and for even you thinking that it's a reference, well, if it looks like an egg and smells like an egg, it's an egg (sorry, bad joke). But really, how many people actually wear that face paint that isn't referencing Braveheart? I've never seen that face paint before besides Gibson. Skysky 00:50, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

We're getting some things mixed up here. WW certainly wasn't Norse at all since Norse is a culture from another part of the world. Still, while religion is a major aspect of culture, being Norse and being Christian are not mutually exclusive. However, this has little to do with this being an egg or not (I've said before that all references have to be "norse-ified" somehow due to the setting), so if it is clear that the general design of Stormcloak armor or Ulfric's armor is shaped after Mel Gibsheart, I'd say it eggs enough. I am not convinced yet that it isn't more generic but until someone shows an unrelated image of similar armor I'd say it could stay in. --Ulkomaalainen 06:01, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

(←) I've removed this because it's gibberish. The stereotypical Scottish/Norse warrior was well established before Braveheart's release in 1995. rpeh •T•C•E• 00:23, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

That's all well and good, but do you have any evidence to back it up? Obviously, for so many people to disagree over its origins, the scottish/norse warrior was not "well established". And a quick google search of "norse armor" and "scottish armor" shows no armor even close to that of which was worn by Mel Gibson in Braveheart or the Stormcloak Armor. If you can find a single picture of an armor identical to the Braveheart armor, I will more than willingly agree with you, but to remove it over what you believe is stereotypical without any evidence seems unneeded. It's also a good idea to be respectful of other's opinions, and not to call their opinions "gibberish". VivaLaColdplaya 01:54, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

I second it's removal. Nordic culture obviously imitates northern European culture (Celts, Norse, what have you) in a huge variety of ways. We shouldn't (and in practice can't) catalog each societal reflection as an egg. If there's a reference here, it's an obtuse one, not hidden at all, thus this whole argument that has dragged on above is moot. General rule of thumb that people should probably take away from this and the kratos discussion: loading screens are not sources for easter eggs. There's literally nothing that could be less hidden than a loading screen, except perhaps the main menu. Minor Edits 02:11, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Since when did easter eggs have to be outside of the loading screens? If you took the Bleakcoast Cave Star Wars easter egg and put it into a loading screen, does that invalidate it as an easter egg? Its still a pop culture reference. Its a randomly chosen picture, so from a technical standpoint, it is mildly hidden. Look at this: Loading Screen compared to Braveheart. Its identical. We aren't talking about a similar stance here, this is an identical paint. It's an iconic paint too, basically the most well-known part of the movie. VivaLaColdplaya 05:13, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

You're kind of highlighting the mentality we should be avoiding. "Easter egg" should not be conflated to refer to all pop culture references. Easter eggs, whether it's a joke or reference involved, are by definition hidden. The randomized order of appearance of the loading screens is irrelevant given that they all were designed to be (and are) shoved right in the player's face on a regular basis. You need to have both elements, joke/reference and some measure of concealment. Debating one element is usually pointless if you have no chance in hell on the other. General rules of thumbs are not hard and fast rules capable of covering every situation no matter how extreme, just the vast majority of them. And this is not an extreme situation. Simply calling two pictures identical does not make them so. But the prospect of further discussing the merits of this as a reference is just aggravating. Minor Edits 06:20, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

VivaLaColdplaya, you can't provide evidence to prove a lack of a connection. Apart from that, how about this picture from Highlander, which came out years before Braveheart - search around and you'll find many others. The point about loading screens is also an important one: easter eggs are supposed to be hidden. Read the definition. rpeh •T•C•E• 07:39, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

The Matrix - "Not Like This"

I have had Lydia the Housecarl following me pretty much the whole game. She doesn't die...unless you accidentally hit her when she's down. When she's at the end of her "life" against an enemy, she'll say: "No. ....Not like this..." in EXACTLY the same way Switch says it when Cypher is killing the crew. Maybe just me...I just laugh every time she says it.

She'll also say a Mercutio line: "'Tis but a scratch!" when she's nearly out of life. 04:45, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

The latter line is generic (not as a line, but not only Lydia uses it but many NPCs) and has as of now been attributed to Monty Python's Holy Grail (especially because of the diction "'tis"). The first line also looks somewhat generic to me, "I did not want to die like this" or similar are quite common expressions in movies. --Ulkomaalainen 05:56, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

If Cypher actually said "No.... not like this" you might have a point, but she actually says "Not like this. Not like this". Just coincidence. rpeh •T•C•E• 00:15, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Norse Mythology

With how chaotic this page is I'm not sure where we're at with editing, but the last note under Norse Mythology caught my attention; "Tsur is an obvious wordplay on Sutr, an Elder Giant from Norse Mythology." I'd love to know who Tsur is, I'm assuming Tsun was the intended name? I just want to check before I go deleting. The Invisible Chocobo 12:32, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

Good catch. That seems to be the most likely explanation. ThuumofReason 13:21, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

The word "draugr" can mean any kind of a living dead-person, and the definition includes ghosts and vampires, but mostly it refers to zombies. "The Draug" (or "Draugen") are taken from old fishermen's stories from the coast of Norway. Danpapua 22:37, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Earthsee

• The lore about Shouts has some elements of similarity to the way magic works in Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea novels and stories. Both of them depend on the language of dragons, where speaking the name of something in that language gives you control over it. The general concept of the dragons' long absence and return is also reminiscent of the plot of "The Farthest Shore," the third book in Le Guin's famous Earthsea quadrilogy. Further, the fourth book in the quadrilogy, "Tehanu," includes a character named Therru, a young woman who is said to be "a double being, half human, half dragon."

I've removed this from the article. I'm sure these sort of similarities are coincidental and unintended. Even if the lore is based off these novels, it doesn't count as an Easter egg. --Legoless 20:00, 20 December 2011 (UTC)

Fallout 3

During the quest Elder Knowledge, a Khajit named J'darr calls the Player Character a "Smoothskin" which is a term the Ghouls from Fallout 3 use to refer to non-radiated humans.

They are not referencing anything. In Morrowind, there are argonians that call the non-Argonians "soft skin", its just like when they are called Lizards or when the Khajiit are called cats. It means noting. Eric Snowmane^{Talk•Email•Contributions} 00:45, 17 December 2011 (UTC)

But Bethesda made both games, so it is vary likely to be a reference. there are probably many references between the 2 game. RedArchon1 Jan. 1,2012

The Lord of the Rings

Although possibly not based upon it, the WHOLE of Whiterun hold is extremely similar to Rohan. Wide open flat land bordered by mountains, The Capital on a hill that can be seen from very far away. Even Whiterun is almost exactly the same as Edoras. The architecture is virtually identical, the city is built in levels and Dragonsreach (Meduseld/The Golden Hall) is the highest point in the city with steep steeps climbing up to it. It also has farms around the city itself. Lastly, Bleak Falls Barrow is roughly geographically in the same place as Helms Deep when compared to Middle Earth.

So you're saying that Helms Deep is on a mountain? Commentaholic 00:52, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Just stop this before it goes any further. It's not an easter egg, it's not going on the page. Look at a map of Skyrim then look at a map of Middle Earth. There is no similarity between Rohan and Whiterun. End of discussion. rpeh •T•C•E• 00:54, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Ouch, rpeh. How about a little love and tolerance, huh? No, it isn't an easter egg. Yes, he was foolish to suggest it. But we don't need to assault someone because they think poorly. Commentaholic 00:59, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Has already been discussed which is now in the archives. I quote: "I think that's a stretch. Rohan/Edoras is all about Horses (with a capital H for them), true, and Edoras is a multi-layered city too. But to be a nod, I think some obvious similarities are missing. Edoras is way more barren than Whiterun, there's no waters flowing through it, the palace, while at the highest point, is way less impressive in LotR compared to other buildings, there are no bridges in Edoras nor are there walls within the city, the fortification of Edoras is wooden, there is no "third part", just the town and the palace. I think the differences far outweigh the similarities." About the additional points: no, Bleak Falls Barrow is not in a similar point to Helm's Deep (the latter actually being WNW of Edoras while BFB is SSW of Whiterun), but even if it were, there's nothing connecting the two (Helm's Deep/BFB) story wise. "Wide open flat land bordered by mountains" - well, that happens. Germany is this. Morocco is this. India is this. (and Rohan only has mountains to the south and a bit to the west). "Farms close to Whiterun" - yes. Also: Farms close to Riften, to Windhelm, to Markarth. Or in medieval terms: farms close to Hamburg, to London, to Rome. This is what they did: people in cities eat food, so you need farms to provide that food. And you need them nearby because there wasn't any real cooling back then so food could not be transported vast amounts of distances. --Ulkomaalainen 09:42, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

I gotta say that the first thing I thought when I first saw whiterun in the distance was Edoras from LOTR

Somehow this discussion seems to be a bit strange. Suppose you find a statue in Skyrim, similar to the Statue of Liberty, but made of granite and with an Elder Scrolls in its hand. Would you doubt that this is a reference to the Statue of Liberty? Probably not. This discussion what materiel the walls of Edoras and Whiterun are made of seems similar to me.

Whiterun is clearly a reference or nod towards Edoras. Todd Howard himself has said so (found a source in an interview in the Spanish MicroMania magazine: The architecture of Whiterun was inspired by Rohan in Lord of the Rings, but there are probably other sources of this statement).

Stays the question if this is an easter egg. It is not hidden in any way nor funny. It is an intended major design choice. I don't think this qualifies as the classical easter egg but it is clearly a reference. --Killfetzer 10:25, 1 January 2012 (UTC)

Well, the question is "what constitutes similar?" (e.g. to the Statue of Liberty you mentioned). Of course, details like granite instead of copper as a material would not matter if the general look was completely similar, on the other hand would not every statue of a woman automatically remind others of the Statue of Liberty if there weren't more similarities. So you do have to check whether it's similar but you also have to check what's dissimilar and how much the similarities can be put down to them being generic features.

Going back to Edorun/Whiteras: for me it does not feel similar at all. The different materials used seem to indicate vast differences in wealth. Water within a city is, at least for me, very important as a measure of life in this city, and Edoras has none. Defined quarters with a "better" part (which I am thankfully reminded of by Nazim every time I travel to Breezehome) would not suit Edoras as mentioned in the films as well. So for me the similarities do not make the "feel" of a similar thing. And I did not see this similarity as established as you do.

If however there is an interview where it is outright stated, that would change a lot, if you can give a link that would be great. Although we would still have to decide whether this is a reference (should intentionally remind players of Edoras) or an inspiration (which can leave no discernable connection in the end), a little bit like the William Wallace discussion elsewhere. --Ulkomaalainen 21:38, 1 January 2012 (UTC)

high elves

high elves, a reacurring playable race in the elder scrolls games, bears the nick name "altimer". The "alt" in "altimer" could be a possible reference to the word altitude. Altitude is a word used to describe hieght above sea level, hence "altmer", and "high" elves. — Unsigned comment by 75.192.38.13 (talk)

Your point? Eric Snowmane^{Talk•Email•Contributions} 00:42, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Nothing here. Don't remove or revise other people's posts besides for formatting. Minor Edits 00:45, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

This is not an easter egg. This is a word root. An easter egg requires a specific reference. Commentaholic 00:58, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Congratulations anon, you understand basic latin. ThuumofReason 01:32, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Legend of Zelda (Chicken)

While in a town, when you kill a chicken, everyone that is outside, guard or random citizen, will attack you and will not accept yeilds. This could be a reference to LoZ, where when you kill a chicken, a whole mob of chickens will attack and kill you. While this is not exactly the same, it is simmilar enough to be considered a reference in my mind.— Unsigned comment by 24.18.98.189 (talk)

no, it is no reference, if you commit a crime and there are no guards nearby the citizens will attack you. (Eddie The Head 05:29, 21 December 2011 (UTC))

There were guards around and they attcked as well. Killing a chicken is only a 5 gold bounty, and higher level crimes, such as killing a person, a 1000 gold bounty, has only ended in an arrest, not a full out attack by everyone outside, citizens and guards.

If you attack ANY friendly creature or person, the guards and any bystanders will attack. That is not exclusive to chickens. Eric Snowmane^{Talk•Email•Contributions} 06:16, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Could have sworn I read about this as a bug that the dev team left in because it didn't really affect gameplay but people found it funny. It was the same as the issue that caused chickens to be able to report you for committing a crime, but they fixed that because it did have a major impact on gameplay. UnknownLurker 15:13, 27 December 2011 (UTC)

References vs. eggs

"During the quest Tending the Flames, the player is required to find a poem, a part of the "Poetic Edda", which is a reference to the book of Norse mythology by the same name."

"Sovngarde is clearly a reference to the Norse "Asgård" and the great building/hall at the "end" would be "Valhalla" or "Valaskjalf", so called "Hall of Valor" (in-game) would be Shor's hall , a reference to that "Valaskjalf" would be Odin's residence in Nordic Mythology."

Can I remove these from the page and place them in the "notes" sections on the relevant pages? Neither of them seem to be particularly "hidden", so that makes them more like references than eggs, right? ThuumofReason 19:47, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Well, were avoiding putting things like this on the relevant pages. If we do that we end up with Eggs and Etymologies everywhere, better to keep it in one place --Kiz ^{·•· Talk ·•· Contribs ·•· Mail ·•·} 19:51, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Alright, if you say so. I just thought rpeh wanted to draw the line between references and eggs, I guess I misunderstood. ThuumofReason 19:54, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

The line definitely needs drawing, my point was more to do with your comment of what to do with them. I wouldn't object to some of the "references" being deleted all together, but putting them on the relevant page(s), for me, is the wrong solution --Kiz ^{·•· Talk ·•· Contribs ·•· Mail ·•·} 19:59, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

Hell, if that's the case, is everyone cool with me removing those? ThuumofReason 20:19, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

I'd say go ahead, if some disagrees they just be re-added :) --Kiz ^{·•· Talk ·•· Contribs ·•· Mail ·•·} 20:25, 21 December 2011 (UTC)

---

A New Page Solution? Perhaps a second page for humourous references? It is clear that people want a place to put reference that do not necessarily belong on the main page for the item/place for multiple reasons, but also do not really meet the common definition of an easter egg. What would people think of a humorous reference page in order to keep the distinction of the more clear easter eggs? It might even be worth going back to the oblivion and mirrowind pages to clean them up. --UnknownLurker 00:56, 27 December 2011 (UTC)

Being an emotional response, humor is in the eye of the beholder. But it could work, if we can get a general consensus on it. I say we wait until skyrim is in its adolesence before we do any massive organization changes, so we have a much larger number of references and we can decide from there common categories based on their similarites. Besides, that way the rush of eggs would come down a bit and our organizational plans won't be in vain because of those who ignore the categories. VivaLaColdplaya 04:02, 28 December 2011 (UTC)

American Psycho

During the Dark Brotherhood mission "The Cure for Madness", when giving the answer to the Dawnstar Sanctuary Door's question, "What is life's greatest illusion?", a possible choice is "Umm... the one where you saw a lady in half?". I believe this to be an easter egg alluding to the Bret Easton Ellis novel "American Psycho", in which the main character, a psychopathic serial killer, at one point saws a woman in half. However (possible spoiler if you have not read the novel), the events of the novel are strongly hinted to be constructs of the main character's psychotic episodes, i.e. illusions. I've posted this here, in case anyone objects to its inclusion. --203.221.95.39 11:43, 22 December 2011 (UTC)

Don't see how that book makes it an Easter egg. You could just as easily attribute sawing a woman in half to when Criss Angel and many other magicians did it. Eric Snowmane^{Talk•Email•Contributions} 11:46, 22 December 2011 (UTC)

Strong support for not including it. Sawing "virgins" into two pieces is a staple of any magic show. Probably a bit old by now. --Ulkomaalainen 12:21, 22 December 2011 (UTC)

I would definitely vote that it isn't an Easter Egg. "Greatest illusion" - "saw a lady in half" - Definitely just a magician joke.

The Trollbane

There's a War-Hammer called Trollsbane (Note: It IS a unique weapon because it has a unique look and effect; the effect is that it deals 15 burn damage on trolls; someone might wanna list it if it isn't. I found it SE of Markarth is a unmarked den where two trolls are fighting.)

The weapon's name might be refering to Chats/Forums where people may use the phrase "Use the Banhammer on the troll!"

The weapon is a hammer and 'bane' can easily be 'ban' so there's the Banhammer. Then, 'Trolls' is refering to what the weapon is used on.

I, personally, am on chatrooms and I do use the phrase about using Banhammer on trolls in my chats.

I wont be surprise if this is an Easter Egg because Morrowind had a 'Banhammer' as well.

If it originated in Morrowind, then the reference was originally made in Morrowind and not in Skyrim. If this is so, then it would count as a Morrowind easter egg and not a Skyrim easter egg. Recurring Eggs do not count separately. Commentaholic 02:14, 23 December 2011 (UTC)

It's a different egg. Skyrim's Trollsbane and Morrowind's Banhammer are two completely different things but both are refering to a chat thing. Personally, I'm counting it as an Easter Egg no matter what others say.

It's too common to put "bane" after something, even in game their is a dragonsbane.--Br3admax 05:54, 23 December 2011 (UTC)

Nettlebane, Aegisbane... However, there is a lack of information on "Trollbane" on this Wiki. Are you sure you do not have installed some early mod? --Ulkomaalainen 09:07, 23 December 2011 (UTC)

It does exist in-game it's called Trollsbane. Anyway it doesn't seem to be a banhammer reference to me, it seems to be a reference to internet trolls and their love of flame wars. (Eddie The Head 09:24, 23 December 2011 (UTC))

I think that is what the original poster wanted to say, that "Troll" refers to the internet phenomenon of the same name. On the other hand, as much as I'd like to have a "Trollsbane" on the forums I'm moderating, there's also this little issue with "Troll" also describing a standard creature within the game. Which I guess refers to the "Trolls" of lore, the same as the name for internet trolls. --Ulkomaalainen 11:15, 23 December 2011 (UTC)

You guys aren't thinking out of the box. Bethesda prolly named it TrollsBANE to confuse us. To make use think it's part of the Bane-Set, which it prolly is in-game but it is still an Easter Egg at the same time. It is a smart trick, no? Another thing is why call all these weapons 'bane'? Why not something more fitting? They prolly called them 'bane' to help hide this Egg even more!

Another thing you guys need to think about is Trollsbane is well hidden. It's on a dead body in a troll den that is up in the mountains and is unmarked. In other words, people will rarely bump into it and, if they do, they may not even bother searching the body and they wont be able to fast travel back so easily. All the other banes are easy to get because of 1: Quest or 2: They are in a dungeon/town that you can easily go back and get it, if you missed it.

Nettlebane - Quest. Dragonbane - Just go back to where the Blades are hiding, really. Aegisbane - I had that for a long time but can't remember from where. I think it was a quest?

Anyways. My point is this, the weapon is well hidden. It's a hammer and name is Trollsbane. It being a hammer and the name bane can easily mean Banhammer and 'Trolls' is what you use it on.

I agree, this looks like an Easter egg to me. It may not be intentional, but it's enough of a reference to warrant a section on the article. --Legoless 17:23, 23 December 2011 (UTC)

I agree that the weapon is well hidden and there is definitely a joke here, but I don't think it is a banhammer. The joke is simply that some intrepid adventurer picked up the magical Trollbane, went off to find some trolls and was promptly slaughtered by them and dragged back to their den to be eaten. I laughed out loud when I saw the name of the weapon and the setting where I found it. This doesn't have to be a pop-culture reference to be worthy of our appreciation. I think it is awesome that someone at Bethesda went to the trouble of composing this little scene, including the creation of a unique weapon. It is the kind of thing that I love about Bethesda games - the incredible attention to detail. Think: the Board of Education from Fallout 3, or the Ratslayer from New Vegas DeeLow 18:52, 23 December 2011 (UTC)

I really don't think this is referring to anything, it's just another in the creature bane series of weapons. And with all due respect Lego, aren't references supposed to be intentional? In any case, there's no clear connection to internet trolls, so if it is referring to something (which, again, I doubt), I don't think it's that. Eggs have to be both hidden AND an established reference to something. Maybe at this point we should just revamp the page to be more like the Oblivion egg page is designed, at least that way we won't have to worry about the difference between references and eggs. ThuumofReason 20:49, 23 December 2011 (UTC)

In fact, can we just remove the first paragraph in the article? It contradicts the template at the top. ThuumofReason 20:53, 23 December 2011 (UTC)

Definition of Bane. Seeing as it damages trolls in specific, it makes sense that it means a poison towards trolls, rather than a reference to the word "ban". VivaLaColdplaya 01:59, 24 December 2011 (UTC)

Yes, "bane" is a normal English word but has a somewhat medieval sound, and its use as a name for unique items in Fantasy goes back at least to Tolkien ("Isildur's Bane" aka "The One Ring", btw itself the name of a Swedish Metal band...). Of course this is an easter egg in the classical meaning of the word (something hidden within the game for the avid gamer to find and enjoy) but it certainly does not show any references intended (not to say there is none, I just do not see any). I am quite sure that the first and main association people have with the word "Troll" in a fantasy setting is the classic mythical creature (although not standardized like others in appearance), not the internet phenomenon. --Ulkomaalainen 08:56, 24 December 2011 (UTC)

(Insult removed) the weapon is a hammer.. Calling it Trollsbane means it has poison that is deadly to trolls, right? Well that makes no sense.. It is a stupid thing to do if you add poison to a Blunt Weapon, such as a hammer, because the poison will NEVER get inside of your victim. Blunt Weapons are meant to do damage to the bones without cutting through, therefore, the poison will never get inside of your victim because you will never cut into them, like a blade does. You need some sort of blade, or arrow, to add poison on. Can't do it to hammers. It's common sense! (indirect insult removed) If this wasn't meant to be an Easter Egg, like OP had said, then the weapon should be a Sword to make sense but it's not! It's a hammer and it makes no sense! Only reason why it is a hammer is to fit the Easter Egg that is clearly shown right here!

<move to left, so the discussion does not go too far to the right> Sorry, your reasoning is off here (apart from the insults to other editors). "Trollsbane" does not mean "poison", it means "especially dangerous to trolls" (gameplay wise: fire damage, which would be magical), second: poison can be applied to any blunt weapons in TES games, third: poison can be applied in real life via skin contact, fourth: the meaning of "Troll" in a fantasy context and "bane" in a fantasy context had long been established before the internet started and anyone could use a "Banhammer". --Ulkomaalainen 09:00, 27 December 2011 (UTC)

Bane = Poison. Warhammer = Crushing, NOT stabbing.

You need to stab someone to inject the poison into them, correct? This means the weapon's name doesn't go well with the weapon itself. If Bethesda wanted this to be a normal weapon then they should've made it a Blade to make sense but they didn't, it's a Warhammer. So they decided to give a name to this Warhammer that will get people to think of a 'banhammer' and decided to name it Trollsbane because 'bane' sounds just like 'ban'. I'm counting it's an Easter Egg because this is exactly how I'll make this Easter Egg, and the Science says you can't inject poison with certain Blunt Weapon, such as a Warhammer... Maybe with a Mace, but not a Warhammer. Makes complete sense to me. (Unsigned comment by 172.163.46.237)

Again, "Bane" can mean poison but it is not the only meaning of the word (see Merriam-Webster's definition) and in the context of named items like "Isildur's Bane" or "Aegisbane" it usually refers more to "woe" or "curse". Especially when you consider that the "Trollsbane" does not do poison damage but magical fire damage. And again it is technically still incorrect that you need to stab someone to insert poison, there are poisons which will work already when touching your skin (never mind that a blunt weapon will usually open blood vessels when applied), think poison ivy, think certain kinds of jellyfish which will poison you when touched. So both your premises are wrong. As is the idea that "bane" would make all people think of "ban" since the naming system "character/race bane" really is older than the technique of banning people on the internet. --Ulkomaalainen 01:05, 28 December 2011 (UTC)

Also, with enough bashing, you're bound to break the skin eventually. Especially with a warhammer that has extruded curved edges. And a large, pointed backside. You may also notice that dragons don't exist, and cat's don't stand up on two legs and sniff sugar from the moon like it's cocaine. Surprise! Some things in the Elder Scrolls universe don't make sense. A poison that causes fire, or a Warhammer that can poison, nevertheless, bane is bane, and bane isn't ban. Sorry for the thick sarcasm, but something as ridiculous as this should of ended a long time ago. Case Closed. VivaLaColdplaya 05:20, 28 December 2011 (UTC)

Pieces of the past

During the daedric quest pieces of the past you find a page of the Mysterious Xarcem (Oblivion) in a display case in silus's house/museum. Unlock the case(Adept-expert) and you notice you can't pick it up. Then go to magic-destruction-flames then use flames on the paper and it turns into a bucket with cojuration/oblivion symbol

The Mysterium Xarxes would have to go on SR:Elder Scrolls Historical References. Any references to people, places, objects, etc. from past games or the books go on that page. ES^T•E•C 00:17, 24 December 2011 (UTC)

I've seen a youtube video of this, but it doesn't count as an easter egg unless it references something outside of the Elder Scrolls universe. Only thing this should be is a note on the page for this item. VivaLaColdplaya 00:20, 24 December 2011 (UTC)

{edit conflict) I've heard of this bucket transformation before, but wasn't sure I believed it. It's possible I'm misinterpreting the scope of the historical references page, but if this bucket thing is true, I think it belongs here. What's underlying this proposed egg is a joke, not a reference, and that joke is, as far as I know, unique to Skyrim. The Mysterium Xarxes, while it did appear in Oblivion, was just the prop for the joke. Minor Edits 00:29, 24 December 2011 (UTC)

I feel like the transformation belongs as a note on the Mysterium Xarxes page, and the existance of the Mysterium Xarxes in skyrim should be a historical reference. If we include every little joke Bethesda throws into the game on this page, it'd be more polluted than the gulf of mexico after BP's oil spill. Besides, for all we know this could be a bug. VivaLaColdplaya 00:37, 24 December 2011 (UTC)

Every little joke, no. Hidden jokes, yes. Minor Edits 00:47, 24 December 2011 (UTC)

Well call me crazy, but this seems more unusual than funny. What is the connection between the Xarxes and buckets? I played through oblivion and never saw any tie between the two. VivaLaColdplaya 01:46, 24 December 2011 (UTC

Many of the "jokes" that have made it on to egg pages in the past have been more unusual than funny. Could be an inside joke here, I don't know. The point is, while the existence of the books would be an historical reference, their transformation into buckets do not seem to be, and that's what under consideration here. Minor Edits 02:26, 24 December 2011 (UTC)

Minor Edits is right easter eggs only mean that it is hidden to the degree that you could miss it while having a complete play through. We have also taken it to mean that it breaks the 4th wall (aka references something outside the game universe), but it isn't required. Some things on this page might be removable because even though they break the 4th wall they aren't even slightly hidden. However, in an open sandbox game like Skyrim, you could say that anything that isn't part of a scripted quest is hidden to some degree. --50.135.108.162 22:27, 26 December 2011 (UTC) Uknown Lurker --UnknownLurker 22:35, 26 December 2011 (UTC)

Alas, it seems you have gotten far off topic here. I never argued the hidden status of this. Feel free to reread my comments and check. my point is that this seems more note-worthy than egg worthy. The oddity of this seems unlike bethesda. Usually their jokes make some sense, have some connection. This just seems bug worthy. Apparently, all destruction spells work to do this, not just flames. So it's not bethesda's way of showing you the effects of burning a powerful artifact like the Xarxes. And the bucket doesn't pop up properly, it's stuck in between the mesh of the display case. Seems unprofessional of Bethesda, they could have easily fixed that if they wanted to. And assuming Bethesda took the time and effort to do this, why not go all the way and give some animations to it instead of having the awkward pop up? At least they could've thrown some smoke, blood, or fade or something. I say until we have certainty on it not being a bug, we should keep it out, or at least put it on the appropriate quest's page. Once the creation kit comes out, maybe someone can take a closer look at the scripting to see if this was intentional or not. VivaLaColdplaya 03:46, 28 December 2011 (UTC)

Troll Slaying

I found the a book called "Troll Slaying", and I noticed that the author was someone named "Finn". I think this is a reference to the popular children's show "Adventure Time With Finn and Jake", which involves a boy named Finn who is somewhat obsessed with slaying monsters, saving damsels, and doing other "heroic" things. Based by the energetic and excitable nature of Finn, and the content of the book, it could be quite possible that he would write a similar book.75.137.146.180 02:27, 24 December 2011 (UTC)

Or the Metal band 'Finntroll', which seems more likely given the Norsk/Nordic setting. Or maybe the kid's name was just Finn. http://www.finntroll.net/ Needs more verification- did he write a book on how to slay monsters, or trolls in particular? It needs to be CLEAR what the reference is referencing, if you have to reach for it, it's not; This may be worth a minor mention on the book's page itself, but is not an egg. 207.119.6.140 18:56, 24 December 2011 (UTC)

Mushrooms?

Almost due east of Bilegulch mine--close by to it--and south and west of Fort Sungard, there is a beautiful mushroom circle maybe 12-15 feet across, made up of various kinds of mushrooms. It is almost on top of one of the "dragon craters". Oshaugm 23:04, 24 December 2011 (UTC)

I found it as well, in the real world these are common formations called "Fairy/Pixie/Elf Rings/Circles." --Bwross 00:42, 25 December 2011 (UTC)

Blackreach/Underdark(from D&D universe)

Both are a vast network of underground caves filled with giant mushrooms and fluorescent fungi. Both are home to hostile elves, and many other dangers, like dragons, giant insects and other creatures. Besides the artwork illustrating some of Underdark's landscapes and the images of Blackreach are, in many prespectives, very similar. What do you think? — Unsigned comment by 94.132.130.180 (talk) at 17:47 on December 25, 2011

Wheel of Time Easter Egg

The Captain of the Sea Squall in Dawnstar is Captain Wayfinder who inherited his boat from his mother. In the Wheel of Time series, there is a people called the Atha'an Miere or Sea Folk. Leadership of vessels among them is always female, and the navigators on the ships are called Windfinders. 190.213.219.222 00:10, 26 December 2011 (UTC)

This isn't a reference. --AKB ^{Talk Cont Mail} 00:56, 26 December 2011 (UTC)

Concur. The very comment made by the suggestor negated it as leadership is no longer female, but male. Wayfinder is a common sailing motif. --Bwross 01:54, 26 December 2011 (UTC)

Finally...thunder!!!

Not sure if this counts as an Easter egg, but I don't see anywhere else to put it, and I've never seen it in Skyrim outside of the shout in over 230 hours of gameplay. I ran into an actual thunderstorm!!! I was in Shor's Stone at the time. Oshaugm 16:23, 26 December 2011 (UTC)

You mean a thunderstorm as in a weather effect?RIM 16:25, 26 December 2011 (UTC)

Yes, thunder during a rain storm. Oshaugm 17:47, 26 December 2011 (UTC)

The weather is hardly an Easter Egg. I am sure like every other game there is a percent chance of certain weather happening and you have just never been in the right place at the right time. ES^T•E•C 18:52, 26 December 2011 (UTC)

Arrow to the knee

While exploring matrkank (corret if wrong) a guard talked me" I used to be an adventure like you until I took an arrow to the knee" this phase is really starting to get famous and it should be an Easter egg.— Unsigned comment by JoeyC66 (talk • contribs) at 10:53 on 28 December 2011

You probably mean Markarth, but it could be heard by any kind of guard everywhere. But it's most definitely not an easter egg, neither is it hidden nor is it any kind of reference to anything before. If anything, it is a meme started by Skyrim (and my guess is on "a short lived one", but who knows?), which is a totally different thing. --Ulkomaalainen 11:54, 28 December 2011 (UTC)

Possible reference to Fawlty towers when Basil clutches his leg mentioning shrapnel from the war. Far-fetched I know.

Far-fetched to say the least. The game inspired the meme, not the other way around. Thank you, 4chan. SkoomaManiac 17:45, 29 December 2011 (UTC)

Legend Of Zelda ("Alduin is Real" book)

I have found that within the game of skyrim there is a book called "Alduin Is Real" which has too much incorrect grammar is proof that incorrect grammar is not the correct reasoning. --TheUnlivingDead-27/12/2011--

What are you trying to say? Michael 10:20, 27 December 2011 (UTC)

Yes, the book contains multiple misspellings and grammar abuses (intentional from the developer's point of view, of course), but how would this be a reference to Zelda? --Ulkomaalainen 01:07, 28 December 2011 (UTC)

Wild Hunt

Seeing as we have a Norse mythology section, I though I'd mention this. During the loading screens, the description of Hircine mentions that this Daedric god of hunt calls the Wild Hunt upon all those who dare defy him. This is a very clear reference to Wodan/Odin's Wild Hunt myth from Northern-European folclore. --Onge_Bakstra

Hircine's hunts are not unique to just Skyrim, I don't think this can make for an Easter Egg. ES^T•E•C 18:27, 28 December 2011 (UTC)

Unicorn

In the dark brotherhood sanctuary, one of the assassons sais 'I once saw a unicorn, then proceeded to stab it in the throat' This may be a refference to the quest in Oblivion wher the PC must kill a unicorn for its horn.

References to other Elder Scrolls games need to be put on this page SR:Elder Scrolls Historical References. ES^T•E•C 07:12, 29 December 2011 (UTC)

Alice in Wonderland: Wabbajack

In addition to the crazy tea party, the weapon you receive is called the Wabbajack. Probably a reference to the Jabbawocky in Alice in Wonderland.

The Wabbajack has been in previous Elder Scrolls games, so it doesn't belong on this page. ThuumofReason 21:09, 29 December 2011 (UTC)

Minecraft

Is the Notched Pickaxe really an Easter Egg? It may be a notable item, but I see nothing remarkable that makes it an Easter Egg. --Velyanthe 23:04, 29 December 2011 (UTC)

The definition of an Easter Egg that is used, which is stated at the top of the page, is "Easter Eggs include inside jokes, pop culture references, and any similar reference to something outside the Elder Scrolls games". The Notched Pickaxe satisfies this requirements, since it is clearly a joke that references something outside the Elder Scrolls games. -CoolGamer 23:14, 29 December 2011 (UTC)

That's the point - I do not think it was intended as such. A pickaxe could very easily be notched, and giving it an enchantment may make it notable, but I fail to see it as a reference. It seems like very little information to base it off of. --Velyanthe 23:26, 29 December 2011 (UTC)

Considering how there's only one of these (one would assume if they literally meant notched, they'red be more of this variation than one hidden in such a difficult to find place), the fame that Minecraft has received during Skyrim's production, and the close relationship of the two (Bethesda's Game Director Todd Howard and Notch have met and conversed at E3 2011), one can safely assume it's homage. Besides, do u see any notches that distinguish it from the normal pickaxe? VivaLaColdplaya 00:12, 30 December 2011 (UTC)

Oblivion reference

There is a quest in the Dark Brotherhood titled "Where you hang your enemies head". This is most likely a reference to dialogue in Oblivion said by Oblivion:Gogron gro-Bolmog. 69.140.36.69 04:51, 30 December 2011 (UTC)

New egg requests belong at the bottom of the page, and if you read the notice at the top of the page it says references to the other games belong on SR:Elder Scrolls Historical References. ES^T•E•C 04:57, 30 December 2011 (UTC)

Not to mention this is already listed on the historical references page. ThuumofReason 14:18, 30 December 2011 (UTC)

The Headless Horseman / Ghost Horse Rider

I saw a ghostly rider with a notable lack of head riding an equally ghostly horse at full canter down the road south of Dawnstar, just outside of Fort Fellhammer. Only time that I've seen him, so I'm not sure whether or not he is linked to that road.

I just left a shop that is a little bit north of Pelogia Farm and I saw a ghost rider on a ghost horse and I'm fairly certain that the rider didn't have a head either. Has anyone else seen this?

Already mentioned on the random encounters page, so it happens often (I had him between Ivarstead and Riften). Possibly a reference to Sleepy Hollow, I thought we had already covered this but apparently not. --Ulkomaalainen 03:37, 31 December 2011 (UTC)

More specifically, mentioned on the Easter Egg page under the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Already added. VivaLaColdplaya 18:15, 31 December 2011 (UTC)

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