When people wonder why the mod isn’t modular, well, the answer is simple. Everything is connected. Quests, NPCs, books – a lot of the auxiliary content blurs into disparate sections, often in ways that can’t be separated into neat little pieces.

In fact, given how cozy everyone is with each other, you can probably tie together most NPCs through a handful of Kevin Bacons. Of course, if you’re wondering who the Kevin Baconiest character in the mod is, the fatty crown would likely go to that most affable of companions, Rumarin.

With the Elf, even someone as isolated as Kianna is only separated by three degrees. Rumarin interacts with Mugnor, who would’ve been a colleague of the slain apprentice Borvir, who used Journeyman’s Nook with Kianna.

The web gets slightly more tangled when you choose NPCs at random, but they can still be linked. Iria and Viranya, for instance, can be tied together in 4 degrees.

Iria –> Danica Pure-Spring –> Melea Entius –> Jerulith —> Viranya.

Iria and Danica are priestesses of Kynareth, where Melea went to seek a healer, who shares Dead Man’s Drink with Jerulith, who is Viranya’s old friend.

Let’s try the same with NPCs that share the same voice, like Nelos and Leifan, who are voiced by Corey Hall but couldn’t be more different. Typically, it’s easier to work from the lesser known character, given their limited associations. Leifan makes reference to most of the NPCs in Rorikstead, in particular the former Stormcloak Sonja. Sonja once spoke to Larsdon about the perils of Orphan Rock, who hired Rumarin as a mercenary in the Blood of Kings, who was inspired by Olivia to learn a new spell, who is the chief adversary of Nelos.

See? In the end, the shortest route always goes through Rumarin. Kevin Pork Strips ain’t got nothing on him.