User:Sergio Morozov/Sandbox Persistent Items

Persistent Items

Most items in Skyrim may be easily lost if placed into a respawning container, left on a body of an NPC or sold to a vendor. Still, some rare items persist in the world of Skyrim, and may even prevent corpses from disappearing. The latter quality is actually useful - for it allows accumulating a decent number of corpses for reanimation via Skyrim:Dead Thrall spell.

Persistent items are of several distinct types:

Type 1 - Permanent

1. keep their RefID number, when dropped into the world
2. remain in respawning containers
3. prevent non-respawning dead bodies from being deleted
4. do not lose any of above traits when dropped into the world

Type 2 - (Partially) Persistent

1. may keep or lose their RefID number, when dropped into the world
2. remain in respawning containers
3. prevent non-respawning dead bodies from being deleted
4. lose any or all of the above traits when first dropped into the world.

Sources of persistent items

Permanent qualities of items are caused by those items filling an alias in game's quest system. Thus, all quest items are permanent, until their quest is finished and they are removed from alias by quest system. Unfortunately, most of such items can not be placed into most containers (except those related to the same quest), and are of limited use.

Some quest-related items are droppable and are never removed from alias, usually because they are related to infinitely running (and in most times hidden from player) quest. Such items are permanent.

When a quest item is removed from alias (usually after its quest ends), it is no longer a permanent item. However it may become partially persistent. Also some items existing at the beginning of the game are also partially persistent. Furthermore, sometimes seemingly common items gain partially persistent properties due to undefined circumstances

Identifying persistent items

1. Executing "sv" console command on with the reference of the item selected. If it shows that it has an alias - the item is permanent (at least until its quest is running);
2. Placing an item onto a non-respawning corpse and leaving its area for an extended period of time, if the corpse persists, then the item is probably persistent (unless "sv" command on the corpse reveals the corpse to have an alias, in which case the corpse persists on its own.)

List of permanent and persistent items

If persistent items are found worthy of their own article or section, then this list needs to be organised somehow.

The following items were found to be permanent:

1. Aetherial Crown;
2. Ebony Blade - at least until fully upgraded
3. Letter from a Friend - all instances, at least until all possible locations with Word Walls are visited

The following items were found to be at least partially persistent:

1. The Aetherium Wars - Only the first copy, obtained by the player before or during associated quest.
2. Ironhand Gauntlets looted from Hajvarr Iron-Hand
3. Klimmek's Supplies
4. Whiterun guard's armor, shield, helmet, gloves and boots looted from Mirmulnir
5. Radiant Raiment Fine Clothes unless dropped or enchanted.(This set of clothes is not the same as the ones you can purchase and do not stack)

Weapons: The Skull of Corruption, the Rueful Axe, the Blade of Woe, Ghostblade, Okin (but not Eduj) and the Poacher's Axe, Halldir's Staff
Clothing: The Gauldur Amulet, Calcelmo's Ring and Fjola's Wedding Band, Helm of Winterhold, Ogmund's Amulet of Talos, Radiant Raiment Fine Clothes
Books and Notes: Aicantar's Lab Journal, Alva's Journal, all four of Arondil's Journals, Butcher's Jounral n°2 (not the two others), Cicero's Journal - Final Volume, Daynas Valen's Journal, Habd's Journal, Hajvarr's Journal, Krag's Journal, Kyr's Log, Skorm Snow-Strider's Journal, Staubin's Diary, Stromm's Diary, Erj's Notes, Heddic's Volunruud Notes, Bandit's Journal (Fort Neugrad), Bandit's Journal (Orotheim), The Dreamstride, Isabelle's Letter, Mani's Letter, Roras's Letter, Letter from Quintus Navale, Letter to Beem-Ja, Letter to Salma, Ysolda's Message, Note to Rodulf, Alethius's Notes, Mysterious Note (Delphine), Mysterious Note (Dark Brotherhood), Note (corpse), Small Note, Valmir's Orders, Frost's Identity Papers, Kyr's Bounty and Thalmor Orders, Gaius Maro's Schedule, Beware the Butcher!, Ancien Edict, Goldenglow Bill of Sale from Gulum-Ei as well as Malyn Varen's Grimoire, Merchant's Journal, Oghma Infinium, Ruminations on the Elder Scrolls, Repair Supplies, Torn Note and Corpse Note
Other items: The White Phial, Stallion's Potion, the Essence Extractor, the Glenmoril Witches Heads, both Eyes of the Falmer, Torygg's War Horn, all Treasure Maps (including the Fort Neugrad one but not Velehk Sain's), the Ebony, Iron, Glass, Ruby, Saphirre and Emerald Dragon Claws (not the others), the Torsten and Saerek's Skull Keys, Balmora Blue, Nightshade Extract, Dragon's Breath Mead, Balbus's Fork and the Wedding Ring (found on Moira during A Night to Remember)

References

Persistent items were discussed a lot on the following talk page by Sergio Morozov and Elakyn, with the latter providing most of the examples.