Annoying plot holes in the storylines

AnduinTryggva · December 2025

I don't mind that sometimes stories have plot holes. It is difficult to track every little story snippet within the Tamriel world that ever has ocurred. So errors are ok. Absolutely.
I am also ok if sometimes it is necessary to have some illogical story parts so that the story can progress and the quest appealing.

What I dislike are such open logical discrepancies that jump into the eye and yell "hello, can you see me? Can you see me?"

A nice example right now:
Sai Sahan in Dragonhold desperately needs to find a ship to bring him (and me) to the island in order to prevent the dragon to attack Senchal.

Why on Earth do I need to talk that Imperial guy into giving us a ship if a mage simply could open a portal to that darn island. I mean mages open portals to coldharbor and other places in other dimensions so why need a ship anyway?

EDIT: Corrected plot hole instead of loop hole

IsharaMeradin · December 2025

According to the UESPwiki

The island of Dragonhold is where Kaalgrontiid is leading the Order of the New Moon out of. The place is protected by powerful magic, so Abnur Tharn can't use a scrying spell to find the place.

BUT!! Sai Sahan and Abnur Tharn get there before you do. So, they most likely used a portal that wore Abnur Tharn out so much that he is basically useless despite all the magical power he supposedly possesses.

So, not so much a loophole but more a means of taking the powerful allies out of the picture so the player gets to do all the work...

spartaxoxo · December 2025

I think the phrase you're looking for is plot hole?

While I don't think the cited example works, I do agree with your overall point. Like the infamous example of what happens when Dark Brotherhood members play through Blackwood.

Syldras · December 2025

The worst offender so far, in my opinion, is the current story, where a certain thing shows up where ever it is currently needed.

Parasaurolophus · December 2025

Lady Arabelle Davaux is presented in the narrative as a beacon of logic and erudition—after all, she is a royal agent. And yet she somehow fails to deduce who the Ascendant Lord truly is, even though we, as players, figure it out almost immediately. Honestly, it was painfully obvious. In a realistic scenario, Lady Arabelle should have been demoted and accused of collaborating with the Ascendant Order.