Poaching

[DarkEastwood]

If you approach some hunters, they say "My poaching isn't hurting anyone...". I don't see how you can poach in Skyrim. There don't appear to be any kind of hunting seasons or regulations. And the land is ripe with game. So what do they mean when they say they're poaching?

 

[TheDovahkiin]

Probably just meant hunting. Maybe they poach people.

 

[Hacksaw]

Technically when you hunt you're stealing from the ruler of the land, but they probably thought the extra game mechanics weren't worth the effort.

 

[Morgan]

They also say something like "The king can't eat every deer, can he?" which suggests it's modeled after the English system. Game woods (and really all land) were owned solely by the king, who granted rights to them as he saw fit. Only agents of the king (nobles or specific agents, such as the king's huntsman) were allowed to hunt. All game taken from the land was the property of the king. Therefore, for almost everybody, any hunting was poaching. There were usually some exceptions to this, such as commoners could fish and take all the rabbits they wanted, but deer and boar were prestige game and only hunted at the king's command.

 

[DarkEastwood]

Interesting... So the any real meat you can legally eat is locally ranched ones?

 

[DdraigGwyn]

It could be bought from an authorized agent of the local Jarl.

 

[Haru17]

It could be bought from an authorized agent of the local Jarl.

So are the wood elf in Whiterun and all of the city's meat salesmen and saleswomen authorized then? It didn't seem like it, kind of interesting to consider. What Hacksaw said is probably why hunting isn't a crime in game then, plus that'd be a total pain, especially with Skyrim's selling point involving a raw and pristine land.

 

[Morgan]

So are the wood elf in Whiterun and all of the city's meat salesmen and saleswomen authorized then? It didn't seem like it, kind of interesting to consider. What Hacksaw said is probably why hunting isn't a crime in game then, plus that'd be a total pain, especially with Skyrim's selling point involving a raw and pristine land.

The guy in Markarth says he gets his meat from the local stronghold.

Spoiler

Yeah, I know, but presumably he's telling a believable lie

Maybe they have some sort of autonomous sovereignity, like American Indians in the US. Certainly feudal English lords didn't have lodgehouses full of orcs to contend with when building their system!

I wonder if Faendal doesn't have some kind of formal permission to engage in hunting. Riverwood seems like it could be a sort of fiefdom run by Gerdur. Maybe she's the royal agent and has contracted with Faendal in the name of the jarl to do some part-time provisioning. It could also be that Faendal mainly hunts wolves, which were not considered game but pests and could be killed with impunity.

 

[Haru17]

Faendal is the archer in Riverwood, the Bosmer in Whiterun that I meant was Anoriath.
And, yeah

!!!Spoiler!!!

The meat salesman in Markarth is part of the cannibal worshippers of Namira and is presumably selling humanoid flesh.

!!!Spoiler!!!

 

[Morgan]

Gotcha. The comments about Faendal can apply to Anoriath too though. Also, check inside my spoiler tags, which I swear I wrote as part of the original, unedited, post

 

[Hacksaw]

If we're getting into the nitty gritty of politics, I suppose that the Jarl's steward would give out letters of permission on the Jarl's behalf, allowing hunters bearing these letters to make their kills and eat or sell the meat.

And as with all politics, things like bribery, nepotism, or other forms of favouritism would have their influence.

 

[Mr1cammando]

Even so though, it's not like their poaching is hurting anyone. The Jarl can hardly eat every deer, now can he?

 

[Haru17]

Even so though, it's not like their poaching is hurting anyone. The Jarl can hardly eat every deer, now can he?

How do you think middle age (the era, not the age of the person) European rulers made money? By controlling people in EVERY aspect of their life.

 

[DdraigGwyn]

Even so though, it's not like their poaching is hurting anyone. The Jarl can hardly eat every deer, now can he?

And his great great great great grandson says “It’s not like pirating is hurting anyone”

 

[Psiberzerker]

Even so though, it's not like their poaching is hurting anyone. The Jarl can hardly eat every deer, now can he?

Just ask Bambi.

Poaching has very little in-game effect, other than running into the 2 scripted "Poacher"s who try to kill you, (That works about as well as the "Assassin"s, and Theif"s.) presumably to cover up their crime. Probably as more evidence of Corruption in the Rift, it's mostly a feudal anachronism that's not very well pursued by the dev team. Any Crime results in a Bounty, and Fine if there's any witnesses, but not only can you shoot deer, and elk right in front of the guards, they're also often seen leaving their post to attack foxes, and other game which aren't even hostile.

Back in the day, Meat was a luxury, and the poor only had it on special occasions. That was before there was a McDogfood on ever corner, and ranches of industrial beef, and chickens to supply the whole system. The concept of Poaching was a major reason for this, even farmers, and herders only had meat on special occasions, when they slaughtered a Lamb specifically for it, or one of their Milk/Egg producers accidentally died. Unless, of course, you were a Noble, who owned the land, including the game, and people living in feifdom to it. Then, the price of poaching was usually Death, immediately, without proof, nor trial. You didn't see meat sellers in every city for this reason, either. If you took it to the city, it went straight to the king. it wasn't until the Renaissance that you actually saw Butchers.

Of course, TES isn't set in this world.

 

[osheao]

Interesting... So the any real meat you can legally eat is locally ranched ones?

i would think it depends completely on the land boundaries of ownership, since, i too, feel it's an english-type system.

if all of skyrim's lands are rightfully owned through deed, then, yes, people and player-characters are poaching, imo.

something to think about when rping certain character types.

 

[TheRedGoblin]

I would think once you become thane of an area you would legally be allowed to hunt the deer. Not that it matters in game.

 

[osheao]

that's a great f'in point. exactly what i'm thinking about.

great call!

 

[DarkEastwood]

This will be implemented... Also I'll implement a 'hunters fee' that I have to pay once per hold. 50 gold sound about right? And Thaneship is auto hunting permit.

 

[osheao]

This will be implemented... Also I'll implement a 'hunters fee' that I have to pay once per hold. 50 gold sound about right? And Thaneship is auto hunting permit.

nice.

i'd say take that and go further. go reality: gaming reality.

that's a great starting point.