When you first arrive in Riverwood, you’re presented with a choice of followers, and the distinction is rather clear. On one side you have a titan with a warhammer stained in blood, a mountain whose very breath tumbles through the sky. On the other is a callow but eager weakling, who struggles to polish your boots as he daydreams of better days.
Perhaps the choice is easy. For practical reasons alone, the brute would be the one. He would stand tall against the waves of bandits and beasts, while his counterpart would spend half his time getting stomped, and the other half getting trampled. Combine the brute’s size with a bit of charm, and the poor errand boy doesn’t stand a chance. In fact, it only gets worse when he opens his mouth. The boy talks of being a hero, of saving the world and becoming something bigger than himself.
He talks as if he were you.
Hjoromir is the very first NPC you meet for a reason. As we embark on this journey to become a person we’re not, we inevitably leave behind the person we are. Hjoromir is the embodiment of the person at the keyboard, every gamer who’s ever immersed themselves in a fantasy world because the real one wasn’t up to standard.
Still, we don’t play games to be ourselves. The last thing we want is our avatars to be the common man. As great heroes, those are the people we ignore. At times, they’re the people we resent. They want us to fetch this or resolve that. Their menial, everyday squabbles mean nothing when compared to the scope of our destiny. And the boasts of someone like Hjoromir will only look foolish as we attempt to fulfill it.
Yet Hjoromir is also a follower for a reason. Maybe when we set out on this great and tireless odyssey, we don’t have to say goodbye to the person we were. Maybe, when you make your choice of companion, you’ll see a fellow traveler, a fellow dreamer, and take him along for the ride.
I am a lot like Hjoromir. Not for the fact that I want to be a big hero, but for the fact I was almost suppose to be one. Back in the day I was expected to become a RANGER during my first couple of years. I had friends in the UC, don’t ask. Too bad I only lasted three months during AIT before I received a medical discharge. That was nearly 7 years ago.
I found this guy to be really over powered. Loved him as a character. I’m playing on Master, with Duel combat mod and Ace combat- things get dicey real quick …except with Hjoromir around he polishes off the Draugr in Bleakfalls barrow like a walk in the park. Im at around level 5 on my latest run though. Think i might sadly have to say goodbye to the young fellow, hope I dont hurt his feeling coz he really is charmingly naive and sweet (if a bit boastful)
Just wanted to say how much I LOVE this mod. The characters are written so beautifully, more so than most of the single faceted NPC’s in vanilla Skyrim. Some are twisted, some are weird, some are endearing, and the best ones pull at your heart strings (Jadro’Ra probably the best one to do so). I’ve just recently read this website because I’m really pulled into the npcs and their stories.
Hjoromir was the first one I met in my new playthrough with this mod, easily overshadowing Sven and the other archer dude in Riverwood. Your direction and idea for Hjoromir was not what I had seen in the npc when I first met him. I took a liking to Hjoromir because he seemed, in a way delusional, living fantasies in his head without perhaps the chance or the opportunity to make them real. I decided, why not take him out of his squalor and bring him along. If he “slays a dragon” as he so boasts, then good on him, if he dies, well at least he dies a man who has had the chance to realize his dreams. I’m level 45 now and Hjoromir is still with me! I guess he’s an adventurer after all :)
@Sean: Hjoromir, overpowered? Are you kidding?
@Eve C: I agree totally with you, same story. He was the first I met after installing the mod and starting a new game, and I found him very likeable, while Gorr was just a big boring brute (though had a very intriguing story and great VO!).
I love Hjoromir and immediately said yes when he asked to be my apprentice! I was really afraid of him dying because my character is lv 80+ I gave him ebony armor with fortify health and health regen on every piece, and he seems to be faring well! Although, I really hope he could level up. I brought him everywhere and he even somehow tanked a dragon for me once (I’m mainly a mage), but he makes no progress with his skills or level, which makes me feel like a horrible master.
I struggle to not kill the boy… And my most memorable save was just before I put my sword into his heart before quitting… Just to shut him up..