If there’s one quest that sums up how Morrowind approaches storytelling and worldbuilding all wrapped up into one package, it’s Larrius Varro Tells a Little Story. Unlike some other entries in the Elder Scrolls series, the third game aims for a murky and nuanced take on life in this fantasy world. There’s nothing that better represents this than the tale dripped into your ear by one Imperial Legion Champion.
As you progress through Morrowind you’ll find that your reputation grows with you. The legendary RPG has a stat that shows how well people know you and your deeds. Once this reaches a certain level you’ll begin to hear rumors that one Larrius Varro wants to talk to you about corruption. This begins a quest where you’re told a tale about how it would be better for the city of Balmora if certain “bad people” disappeared. Of course, you’re not being asked to do anything, this is simply a story. But if those people were to disappear there may be a reward in it for you. A bigger reward if the law doesn’t have to get involved.
What sets this quest apart and why it’s so thematically rich for the game is how it’s entirely draped in shades of gray. You’re being asked to do terrible things, for a good reason, by a good person, who’s doing terrible things. On the island of Vvardenfell you’ll find that kind of moral conundrum crops up time and again, with many quests having a lot going on under the surface.
While this quest is thematically brilliant, there is a little problem with it. Larrius Varro doesn’t want any trouble and even encourages you to handle things without being caught. This is pretty hard as more often than not dealing with the targets will end up in a tavern brawl. One fan has just changed that, with a brand new mod which gives more options to complete this quest in a far more subtle way.
Larrius Varro’s Little Story – A Different Version changes up how you can approach this quest. The NPCs involved have been moved and received a few other alterations meaning you can take them out one by one, or deal with them in other ways, without having to resort to busting up a bar and running from the guards.
By giving you more discrete options to complete this quest, it feels like the original intent is finally fully realized, allowing you to deal with a problem in the exact way Larrius Varro encourages you to.
If you’d like to add this mod to your next playthrough, you can head over to the Nexus Mods site to download it.
Should you want to do something else, you could check out our guide to the best fantasy games you can play and our best open-world games guide.
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