Thanks to the release of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Anniversary Edition, there are plenty of new quests and other things to do and collect in the game that the original version didn’t have. With this, two new armor sets have appeared and might look a little familiar to Oblivion fans. The Divine Crusader set is now available along with a light armor variant.
The set does have some pretty good enchantments. There isn’t any quest for the set, unless the player commits a crime. If Skyrim fans are wanting to live a little like Pelinal Whitestrake, the original owner of the set, there are some ways to roleplay as him.
Be The Heartland Race (Or One Close To It)
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To start off on the path of the Divine Crusader, it is recommended for players to make their character an Imperial. Though it’s not really known what race he was, Pelinal was portrayed as an Imperial in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion in the Knights of the Nine DLC. Pelinal is a male, but it’s ultimately up to the player on what gender they choose.
The Imperials have a +5 bonus when it comes to leveling up Heavy Armor, One-handed weapons, and Blocking, which is great once players have the Divine Crusader set. Being a Nord could also work since Pelinal was known to greatly dislike all Elven races, similarly to how the present-day Nords feel.
Commit No Crime
If players commit a crime, no matter how small, the armor of the Divine Crusader will deem the player unworthy of wearing it. Instead of giving perks to benefit the player, it will give debuffs and weaken them if they continue to wear the armor. If players commit a crime, The Pilgrim’s Path quest will become available. This will lead players to nine shrines to repent and make their characters worthy of wearing the armor.
The shrines are all around Skyrim so it will be a small hassle to do. However, once the player visits them and repents, the armor can be worn without worrying about any consequences.
Help No Daedra
Pelinal Whitestrake has taken out thousands of enemies, which include some Daedra. The Aurorans are known for serving the Daedric Prince of Life, Meridia, and most of the Ayleids worshipped her as well. Pelinal’s enemy, Umaril the Unfeathered, was her champion and Pelinal would openly mock him for his appearance and ancestry.
While helping some Daedric Princes in a few quests can't be completely avoided, be as defiant as possible. Especially towards Meridia if players choose to do her quest to get Dawnbreaker.
Have Eight Trusted Companions
While it’s not possible to have eight followers all at once (unless mods are involved), players should take only those who are not part of a criminal organization on their journeys.
The Knights of the Nine in Oblivion consisted mostly of knights, priests and priestesses of the Divines, and warriors from various parts of Tamriel. If players are wanting to bring a follower with them, it is best to bring the ones who will commit and not tolerate any crime.
Swear Loyalty To The Empire
While Pelinal didn’t live long enough to see the Empire rise, he was a loyal follower of Alessia. She was the first Empress of Cyrodiil and founded the Alessian Empire. It would only be fitting that the one wearing the Divine Crusader armor would continue to serve the Empire. It may not be what it once was, but the Empire is still hanging on and surviving. It’s obvious that there’s no love lost between them and the Aldmeri Dominion. Despite the obvious tension between them, the Imperial Legion is set on stopping the Stormcloaks and keeping Skyrim as part of the Empire.
If the Stormcloaks were to win, the Empire would become even weaker and the Aldmeri Dominion could easily take over. Pelinal Whitestrake gave his life to fight for Alessia’s dream of freedom from her Ayleid overlords. It may not give the Empire enough power to defy the Aldmeri Dominion, but the Divine Crusader could at least help in keeping the Aldmeri Dominion from dominating Cyrodiil.
Love Lost Leads To Madness
Not much is known about Pelinal’s life before he met Alessia and even less is known about his personal life. However, it’s known that he was close to a male hoplite named Huna. After Huna was killed by the Ayleid, Celethelel the Singer, Pelinal went mad and rampaged across Cyrodiil. He destroyed the Ayleid cities of Narlemae and Celediil in his grief and anger.
If the player has married and their spouse dies, they could let their character go on a rampage against whatever killed them. If bandits were the reason, the player could cut down all bandit camps in Skyrim. If giants were responsible, there are plenty of giant camps that could be eliminated.
Give Into The Madness Sometimes
After the death of Huna, Pelinal was known for going mad at the most random times. He killed any and everyone who stood in his way during these times. It got so bad that Alessia prayed to the Divines for help. They would calm Pelinal, but it would continue to happen at times, usually during battle. However, this madness would not only cause him to slaughter many enemies but also shape the very land itself.
While players won’t be able to shape the land, it would be easy to rampage against enemy camps near and far. Even those who haven’t done anything wrong but have been rude towards the Dragonborn are fair game.
Earn Many Titles
Pelinal Whitestrake had many titles throughout his lifetime. Because of his many victories in battle and reputation, most of the Divine Crusader's titles were earned in battle. The Dragonborn does have many chances to earn various titles throughout Skyrim, but players will have to pick and choose only the most honorable ones. Becoming a Thane of any of the holds would be a good choice as well as becoming the Harbinger of the Companions and Arch-Mage of the College of Winterhold.
Helping out those in need will keep the player character worthy of wearing the set. Should the player do the Thieves Guild or Dark Brotherhood quests, their character won’t be considered worthy of wearing it. Instead, the player can put an end to the Dark Brotherhood and ignore Brynjolf to keep on the righteous path of the Divine Crusader.
Defy The Divines
Even though his armor was blessed and given to him by the Divines, Pelinal looked down on anyone who served them. He would openly mock the Ayleids for their beliefs and looks. Some believed Pelinal to be an avatar of Shor, but the Divine Crusader was quick to dismiss it. Directly talking to the Divines isn’t possible, but there are some quests where priests and priestesses will ask for help.
Sometimes it might not be possible to refuse on some quests, but the Dragonborn can make it clear they are reluctant to help. Pelinal was known for killing those who spoke the logic of the gods around. Players will just have to make sure not to get caught if they do this.
Spare No Elf In Eyesight
If there is one thing Pelinal is known for, it is his immense hatred of elves. Before he joined Alessia and her army, Pelinal was already cutting down armies of Ayleids. After hearing about her, he decided to join and became one of her champions. While he didn’t fight much in traditional warfare, Pelinal specifically targeted high-ranking Ayleids and arranged duels with them to play on their pride. He has slaughtered many Ayleids and even slew scores of Khajiit, believing them to be a form of elf.
The Aldmeri Dominion is not exactly well-liked in Skyrim, if anything they’re quite the nuisance. Feel free to eliminate any Thalmor Justiciars and their soldiers that can usually be found wandering around in the open areas of Skyrim. Stop by the Thalmor Embassy or Northwatch Keep once in a while to take out the soldiers there and make Pelinal proud.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Anniversary Edition is available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.
