Becoming a thane in Skyrim can feel like a bit of an anti-climax. You work hard, earn the respect of the local jarl, and what do you have to show for it? A weapon that’s probably worse than whatever you’re currently rocking, maybe a housecarl, and a get-out-of-jail-free card.
Modder OneOnOne1162 has identified this issue and aims to address it with their extensive ‘True Thane’ mod. For starters, it allows you to trade in your old thane weapons for higher-level variants by making a quick trip to the local steward. Once you’ve got your shiny new Axe of Whiterun, maybe you’ll feel the urge to test it out on a nearby NPC in broad daylight? That’s totally fine; you’re a thane! If anyone kicks up a fuss, just blast them with your thane shout and watch as they suddenly remember how very important you are.
If you then catch someone muttering something untoward in the wake of your display, simply make a spurious accusation about them to a passing guard and hope that you nail the speech check, which will vary depending on whether the person you’re trying to have nicked is, for example, a beggar or a member of the Jarl’s court.
Here’s how to imprison your enemies:
By this point, you’ll be incredibly popular with the local townsfolk – so it’s time to tax them. Again, just head on over to your friendly steward and start collecting taxes once a month from each of your holds. You can either receive a notification whenever your taxes are in or have a courier come to deliver the news and your cash.
There’s a lot to this one, and you can find all the necessary info over on Nexus Mods. It’s definitely worth a look if you want to add some sweet simulation elements to the RPG game. And if you’re in the market for more of the best Skyrim mods, we’ve got you covered.