|| II.3 - Dialogue 017 ||

Learn how to effectively use dialogue in The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall. Discover how to ask for directions, information, and work, and understand the impact of tone on NPC responses.

Talking to people in The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall is a primary method for gathering information. You can inquire about directions to guilds or merchants, the whereabouts of specific individuals, job opportunities, or details about important figures and factions. Most often, dialogue is used to obtain directions.

The dialogue window presents various options. The top-left buttons determine the type of question. The top two options are "Tell me about..." for rumors and general information, and "Where is..." for directions. If you select "Where is...", the subsequent four buttons specify what you are seeking directions to: a Location, a Person, a Thing, or Work.

1. Locations: This category includes all guilds and shops. You first select the type of establishment and then its specific name. "General" covers other places like palaces and residences (only listed if you're on a quest for one). If a desired establishment isn't in the current town, selecting "Regional" will direct you to another town in the kingdom that has it.

2. People: Use this to find specific individuals required for a quest. The NPC will guide you to their house or current establishment. Important NPCs are always indoors.

3. Things: This option is theoretically for locating quest items but is rarely used, as quests typically involve finding people or places.

4. Work: Inquiring about work leads you to a merchant or innkeeper offering a quest. You'll receive directions to both the person and their establishment. These are exclusively Merchant quests.

When you ask an NPC a question, they will either not know the answer, know and tell you, or know and not tell you. For practical purposes, the latter two are treated the same.

If an NPC knows the answer, they may provide a cardinal direction and distance (e.g., "not too far to the southeast") or mark the location on your local map. You can ask multiple times to try and get a map marker if they initially only give directions.

If an NPC doesn't know, simply ask someone else.

Your tone influences NPC responses. The appropriate tone can be gauged by how they greet you:

• Polite: Uses your Etiquette skill. Best for nobles, well-spoken individuals, and those who like you.
• Blunt: Uses your Streetwise skill. Best for peasants, lower-class citizens, and those who dislike you.
• Normal: Uses no skill and is the most basic. While often sufficient, Polite or Blunt tones can sometimes yield better results.