M'aig the Liar Guide:

M’aiq the Liar Guide: The Elder Scrolls Mascot Don’t Believe a Word of this Cat

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This M’aiq the Liar guide has everything you need to know about your favorite lying cat! The Elder Scrolls games are vast open-world games filled with crazy characters. It was only a matter of time before some characters would become standouts and be given meme status by Elder Scrolls fans. M’aiq, the Liar, is one such character that is loved by the fan base for his quirky nature and dialogue. To the extent that there is a M’aiq the Liar Funko Pop toy.

M’aiq, the Liar, is a recurring character created as an Easter Egg for Bethesda to comment on fan musings of the Elder Scrolls games and Bethesda’s voice to make quirky and funny references that give insight into previous versions of the games while in development.

M’aiq, the Liar, can be found all across Tamriel, from the alien-like region of Morrowind, the frozen mountainous lands of Skyrim, to the king’s country of Cyrodil. M’aiq can be found all across Tamriel in the Elder Scrolls Online. M’aiq was first introduced in Morrowind and would be reintroduced in Oblivion, Skyrim, and (ESO) Elder Scrolls: Online.

Considering the timeline in which ESO takes place, this would mean that the silly liar would be thousands of years old, which has led to many strange and whimsical fan theories popping up in The Elder Scrolls community regarding the character.

M’aiq The Liar Key Notes

  • There is some truth to M’aiq’s lines of dialogue that offers an insight into the fans and developers of the Elder Scrolls series.
  • M’aiq, the Liar, is an essential character meaning he cannot be killed in any game, excluding Morrowind.
  • M’aiq, the Liar 

M’aiq the Liar: Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

M'aiq the Liar: Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

M’aiq the Liar was first introduced in Morrowind, and unlike Skyrim and ESO, M’aiq can only be found on a small unmarked island near Dagon Fell and Senim Ancestral Tomb.

The island is also not far from the Ancient Shipwreck. M’aiq can be spotted wearing extravagant pants, an expensive shirt, and a funny long hat called a Colovian Fur Helmet. M’aiq’s amusing look can be accredited to the basic graphical technology available to Bethesda at the time. All future versions of M’aiq show him wearing robes.

M’aiq the Liar, for the most part, offers comedic lines of dialogue. However, if you are to talk to him long enough, he will reveal to you the location of the sunken Ruined Shrine of Boethiah, which will start the “Boethiah’s Quest” upon arrival in the area.

Interestingly this isn’t the only time M’aiq tells the truth! Ask M’aiq about the “Mudcrab Merchant,” and he will respond with:

  • “M’Aiq has heard of this. They’ve got all the money. Mudcrabs are taking over everything. They already run Pelagiad.” 

This is a funny one as the players first thought would be that M’aiq is lying and has become crazy after being isolated on his tiny island. However, M’aiq isn’t lying. You can find this Mudcrab magnate located on an island near the Dwemer ruins of Mzahnch.

  • M’aiq has a unique ability that allows him to walk on water and will do so to flee if attacked.

M’aiq’s Many Morrowind Lies Explored

M’aiq will bring up features and mechanics that did not make it into the game that the community wanted. Such as commenting in regards to the lack of multiplayer, stating:

  • “M’aiq does not know this word. Do you wish others to help you in your quest? Coward! If you must, search for the Argonian Im-Leet, or perhaps the big Nord, Rolf the Uber. They will certainly wish to join you.”

Fans of the Elder Scrolls series have longly waited for the arrival of multiplayer in the Elder Scrolls series, and it could have been the most requested feature.

M’aiq will go on to comment on various other community-based discussions and jokes. Such as Weresharks. As a joke referencing the high number of lycanthropes in the Elder Scrolls series. There are supposedly eight types of Lycanthropes that inhabit Tamriel. While weresharks are speculated to live in Tamriel’s seas, no one has ever seen one before.

  •  “I have only met once, but he was afraid of the water.”

While I advise taking M’aiq’s dialogue with a pinch of salt, he does give insight into little details regarding Elder Scrolls lore. For example, when asked about Emperor Crabs, he says:

  • “M’Aiq sees lots of them in the ocean. M’Aiq knows you’ll see one too if you swim far enough.”

M’aiq refers to the long-extinct Emperor Crab that used to inhabit the province of Morrowind. A shell from a dead Emperor Crab can be seen within House Redoran architecture in Vvardenfell. Furthermore, M’aiq suggests that you can see the creature if you swim far enough out to sea. This leads us to speculate that perhaps this was going to be the feature of Morrowind, as a way to kill your character if you swim too far out to sea in typical video game fashion.

References to Daggerfall

M'aiq The Liar Daggerfall

M’aiq the Liar serves as a direct line of communication for Bethesda to fans. As a result, Bethesda added comedic dialogue to M’aiq regarding cut and changes to content between Daggerfall and Morrowind. For example, asking M’aiq about climbing, he states:

  • “Climbing ropes that hang is too difficult. M’Aiq prefers to climb the ones that are tied horizontally.”

Climbing is a feature present in Daggerfall that was cut from Morrowind, and we can speculate from M’aiq’s line that Bethesda may have found it too difficult to implement in the new 3D world design.

Furthermore, Daggerfall included nudity, whether it was due to the direction the video game industry was heading, the demographic Bethesda was targeting, or just how silly nudity looked on the new 3D models of Morrowind, it was cut from the game. M’aiq offers a funny response regarding nudity, stating:

  • “Ahh… The beauty of the naked form. These Dunmer are rather prudish, are they not? Of course, there is an island you can reach filled with wonderful, naked, glistening bodies. It only appears when the moons are full, the rain falls, the seas run red, and it’s M’Aiq’s birthday.”

M’aiq the Liar: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

M'aiq the Liar: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

M’aiq would return four years later in Oblivion, looking less fancy, outfitted with tattered robes, a tattered hood, and oiled linen shoes. M’aiq can travel between Anvil, the western coastal town, and Leyawiin. M’aiq is one of the rarest random encounters you can witness in Oblivion.

There is a chance that you can encounter M’aiq at the entrance or stables of each town. No matter where M’aiq is at noon, he will stop and search a location for five hours collecting calipers. He will resume his travels once he has collected twenty calipers. M’aiq differs from his appearance in Morrowind.

“rumors” is now the only option to choose while engaged in dialogue with M’aiq, and he will run away after telling three lies. In addition, M’aiq will no longer be able to walk on water. However, he will be incredibly fast on foot due to maxing his athletics skill, making him borderline impossible to catch and rather scary if he’s running toward you.

If you’re not paying attention, he can jumpscare you. Well, he did to me anyway. If you are struggling to keep up with M’aiq, you can lure him to you by dropping calipers on the ground within his vicinity.

Exploring M’aiq’s Oblivion Lies

M’aiq repeats lies and topics from Daggerfall in Oblivion, such as the absence of multiplayer and nudity in Oblivion. As well as references to his physical appearance in Morrowind stating:

  • “M’aiq longs for a Colovian Fur Helm. Practical yet stylish. M’aiq is very sad he does not have one.”

This suggests that Bethesda removed the hat from the game due to its silly and impractical look as the helmet is very comical looking as it pultrudes out like a chef’s hat, which is bound to be knocked on the wearer’s surroundings.

M’aiq additionally provides social commentary on the activity of the fans within the Elder Scrolls forums. Before the release of Oblivion, developers at Bethesda referred to outcries from frustrated fans. This can be heard in M’aiq’s tone when he states:

  • “Some people want special bows that take too long to load and need special arrows called bolts. M’aiq thinks they are idiots.”

This is funny, as Bethesda is dismissing fans who want crossbows implemented in the game by calling them, idiots. However, Bethesda would let these Elder Scrolls fans finally get what they want in the Dawnguard Skyrim DLC by introducing crossbows to the game.

Although Bethesda uses M’aiq to scoff at some fans, they also use M’aiq to commentate with fondness towards their fans, showing that they listened and cared about their fans. This can be seen in the following M’aiq line of dialogue:

  • “M’aiq wishes he had a stick made out of fishes to give to you. Sadly, he does not.”

For context, a meme of a Captain Morgan’s Rum promotional poster encompassing a picture of Captain Morgan himself holding a fish stick instead of rum became awarded to newcomers to the Elder Scrolls forums. It would grow into an inside joke within the community. Developers at Bethesda found this amusing so much so that they referenced the fish stick meme using yours indeed, M’aiq the Liar.

Morrowind References

Fans will always debate whether the changes that developers make within a long-established game series and the Elder Scrolls is no exception. Rewinding to 2006, the game industry had changed drastically. The industry was becoming more mainstream.

To tailor to a broader demographic, Bethesda would opt for a more casual experience by cutting and adapting tedious and grueling features to deliver an Elder Scrolls that was more accessible to gamers. As a result, Oblivion would be the first Elder Scrolls game to feature fast travel from any location and include a quest compass, a well-overlooked mechanic that gets taken for granted in modern gaming.

While some fans praised these features for making it easier to partake in a quest and not get lost and stumble upon quest objectives long forgotten after being abandoned because of the player’s frustration for trying to locate the quests’ objectives. However, many deemed the addition of fast travel as a mistake and were worried that it would ruin the exploration in Elder Scrolls games.

Bethesda responded to the community’s reservations about the new mechanics through M’aiq by stating:

  • “So much easier to get around these days. Not like the old days. Too much walking. Of course, nothing stops M’aiq from walking when he wants.”
  • “M’aiq is glad he has a compass. It makes it easy to find things. Much better than wandering around like a fool.”

M’aiq’s New Look 

M'aiq's New Look 

Some fans were disappointed with the new look of both the Argonians and Khajiit beast races, believing them to be just beast heads stuck on regular humanoid models. Parts of the community were not happy with this as Argonians and Khajiit were significantly different, composed of long spindly legs that made them considerably taller than the other races of Tamriel. M’aiq refers to this group of the community by stating:

  • “M’aiq thinks his people are beautiful. The Argonian people are beautiful as well. They look better than ever before.” 

Along with changes to the beast people of Tamriel, M’aiq received his makeover for all the Elder Scroll lore enthusiasts out there. The M’aiq in Morrowind was a Suthay-raht breed of Khajiit that is much bigger than their Cathay-raht counterparts, the most commonly found Khajiit in Tamriel. For Oblivion, Bethesda would change M’aiq to the standard Cathay-raht form, making fans speculate whether they are different characters.

M’aiq the Liar: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Where is M’aiq?

Skyrim is the most challenging game in the Elder Scrolls series to locate M’aiq. He can spawn anywhere on the map, making him hard to find; however, if you encounter M’aiq, he will grant you three lines of dialogue before continuing his aimless travels. Because he has no destination or activity, you may be tempted to teleport to M’aiq using the “coc elsweyr” console command.

However, upon doing so, you’ll be teleported deep underground to a small doorless room with M’aiq if he is not roaming the world above. Bethesda made this joke even funnier by naming the small room Elsweyer the desert and jungle homeland of the Khajiit. 

If you struggle to find M’aiq, try reloading the game at random encounter hotspots, while M’aiq will roam Skyrim endlessly. It was discovered that there are locations where random encounters will spawn more frequently than others. Such as the surroundings of Whitewatch Tower or near Anise’s Cabin west of Riverwood. Bear in mind that there are over ninety random encounters in the game; therefore, you may have to reload many times.

There is Some Truth to Every Lie

Bethesda would make Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim their most ambitious title yet. The company has always strived to be at the pinnacle of RPG innovation.

As a result of the game’s pick up and play design that was implemented by altering the leveling and skill system allowed players to mix up their gameplay permitted a more user-friendly experience freely; however, the numerous additions and alterations to mechanics would leave Bethesda anticipating backlash from hardcore Elder Scrolls fans and would load up M’aiq with a long list of funny dialogue ready to troll fans.

M’aiq will, on occasion, state the following lines of dialogue:

  • “M’aiq is very practical. He has no need for Mysticism.”

This is a reference to Mysticism, the cut school of magic that previously appeared in Oblivion. Bethesda opted for incorporating Mysticism into other schools of magic, mainly Alteration magic.

  • “It does not matter to M’aiq how strong or smart one is. It only matters what one can do.”

This is a reference to Bethesda cutting the stats attribute system from previous Elder Scrolls games. Opting for a new basic leveling system where the player permanently attributes ten points to either their characters Health, Stamina, or Magicka. 

  • “M’aiq can travel fast across the land. Some lazy types take carriages. It is all the same to M’aiq.”

This is a reference to the addition of carriages to Skyrim as an alternative form of travel. As well as a reference to the Silt Riders from Morrowind. M’aiq explains his point of view by rebuking the need for carriages when the player can fast travel using the map. Carriages became more practical and fitting for the game with the introduction of the Survival mode.

“Why do soldiers bother with target practice? One learns best by hitting real people.”

This is a reference to the new skill leveling system implemented into Skyrim. No longer would you allocate skill points into One-Handed to power up the damage inflicted with swords. Now players can pick up any weapon and develop their skills by doing or practicing, so to speak. This system arguably creates more freedom for the player to experience the game.

Recounts of Oblivion and Skyrim 

Recounts of Oblivion and Skyrim 

M’aiq will also humor more light-hearted comedic lines of dialogue recounting on funny limitations of Oblivion as well as previous versions of M’aiq, balancing out the satirical commentary from Bethesda regarding the Elder Scrolls fandom. 

M’aiq will sometimes state:

  • “M’aiq’s father was also called M’aiq. As was M’aiq’s father’s father. At least, that’s what his father said.”

This is a reference to M’aiq’s appearances in Oblivion and Morrowind. However, it should be noted that while the events of Morrowind and Oblivion take place relatively close together in the Elder Scrolls timeline, the events of Skyrim take place two hundred years later. If M’aiq is telling the truth, his family has a long lineage of M’aiqs, but this is just a theory.

  • “Nords are so serious about beards. So many beards. M’aiq thinks they wish they had glorious manes like Khajiit.”

My favorite line of dialogue is to be uttered from M’aiq’s mouth. In my opinion, this is the funniest quote as it’s a reference to both Skyrim and the Nords for the addition of beards to character models and the lack of beards in Oblivion. The character models of Oblivion are limiting, and once you realize that all NPCs, excluding Sheogorath, are clean-shaven, it’s impossible not to chuckle just a little bit. 

  • “Nords’ armor has lots of fur. This sometimes makes M’aiq nervous.”

This is a short joke from M’aiq aimed at the everyday use of fur armor used all across Skyrim to insolate from the chilly weather of Skyrim. It’s no surprise that this might make M’aiq nervous, as it’s not unlikely that a bandit or desperate traveler may kill a Khajiit for their warm fur. Furthermore, bandits will often be heard shouting “you’ll make a fine rug cat” to Khajiit NPCs or even the player if they are playing as a Khajiit.

  • “M’aiq is always in search of calipers yet finds none. Where could they have gone?”

M’aiq refers to his previous appearance in Oblivion, where he would search the lands of Cyrodil for his precious calipers. This is a nod to those who played Oblivion. 

M’aiq The Liar: Elder Scrolls: Online

M'aiq The Liar: Elder Scrolls: Online

M’aiq, the Liar, would again return in Elder Scrolls: Online but this time with the most significant content drop ever, including over eighty lines of dialogue. The Elder Scrolls: Online would be significantly different from previous titles due to its MMO design.

No longer would fans of the Elder Scrolls series have to explore Tamriel alone. As Bethesda finally gave what the fans wanted, they weren’t going to leave M’aiq out, and he has more than ever to say. The Elder Scrolls: Online would be the biggest title yet, and as a result, M’aiq would have some new features and developments, such as:

  • M’aiq the Liar now has his own achievement, “I Like M’aiq,” where the player has to interact with M’aiq in every available location. The player unlocks additional voice lines for M’aiq once the achievement has been completed.
  • For a limited time, M’aiq could be purchased as a house guest for your home on the Crown Store, which includes many new funny voice lines for M’aiq.

M’aiq The Liar ESO Quotes

  • “A bartender told M’aiq he must wait outside until the tavern was clean. It was only a short time, so M’aiq did not mind.”

This refers to the frequent updates and patches that MMOs require to keep the game balanced and running correctly. 

  • “It is no fun to live in a house. Is much better to wander the roads. See the world! M’aiq likes this life.”

This is a reference to the initial release of ESO, a build of the game where the player could not purchase a house, a cut feature that was present in earlier titles. However, future updates to the game would reintroduce housing, and M’aiq’s dialogue would be updated alongside this change.

“M’aiq cares little for politics. Truly, he thinks everyone is his ally.” 

The three factions within ESO that the player is placed in are independent of their character’s race. Factions are a common theme within MMOs.

M’aiq the Liar House Guest Quotes

M’aiq was purchasable as a house guest at the ESO Crowns Store for a limited time. They allowed players to add M’aiq and new voice lines and pathing options to their homes in ESO. M’aiq’s tone is friendlier here, and he often refers to the player as five claws suggesting M’aiq considers the player a friend.

  • “Strange, is it not, how often one must travel alone? Rather than meet a friend at some distant destination, M’aiq would prefer to journey together and enjoy the company.”

This could be a reference to fans who view the multiplayer aspects of the game as negative. M’aiq may also be referring to the single-player campaign of ESO. 

  • “So many travelers have interesting pets and traveling companions now. M’aiq did not see such things when he began his journeys.”

Referencing the plethora of different kinds of mounts and pets that follow the player in the game world. Previously horses were the only mount, excluding dragon riding from Skyrim. 

  • “M’aiq is puzzled. Sometimes people simply disappear right in front of his eyes! Where do they go, he wonders?”

This is a reference to vanishing players that can be seen logging off the game while exploring the game world.

FAQs

Question: How many Different kinds of Khajiit are there?

Answer:Seventeen different kinds of Khajiit inhabit Tamriel. However, only a few have featured in the Elder Scrolls games. Khajiit forms are determined by the phase of Secunda and Masser moons. Some Khajiit takes on the state of giant beasts called senche-raht and Battle Cats to the Imperials, as seen in Elder Scrolls Online. Others develop a smaller frame, and some even take on the characteristics of house cats.

Question: How Many Khajiit Followers are there in Skyrim?

Answer: There are two potential Khajiit followers available to venture within Skyrim. You can recruit Kharjo as a follower by returning the Amulet of the Moon to him, a gift from his mother given to him as a cub. Kharjo is a warrior who favors two-handed weapons. He can be recruited into the Blades. Alternatively, you can recruit J’zargo, a mage trained in the school of destruction magic. J’zargo can be found in the College of Winterhold and can be drafted into the Blades.

Question: Can you Recruit M’aiq the Liar as a Follower?

Answer: In short, you cannot recruit M’aiq the Liar as a follower in any Elder Scrolls game; however, through the use of mods, you can finally get the funny cat to follow you on your travels. By installing the “M’aiq the Liar – Now a Follower” mod from Nexus Mods.

M’aig the Liar Guide: Conclusion

In conclusion, M’aiq the Liar is a recurring joke character that has been featured in every significant Elder Scrolls title since the Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Each installment of M’aiq the Liar provides a social commentary on Bethesda’s responses to the Elder Scrolls community’s opinions and concerns about the games. 

To the casual Elder Scrolls fan, M’aiq maybe just dismissed as a silly joke. However, to hardcore fans, M’aiq is much more. This is the beauty of M’aiq, as Bethesda has created a character that rewards long-time fans with inside jokes and themes that casual fans would not understand.

While M’aiq the Liar has become a prevalent character within the series, many Elder Scrolls fans, including myself, can’t help but feel as though the state of the series is being hindered by microtransactions. As a result of M’aiq the Liar featuring on the Crown Store as a house guest.

While this is a great idea, many fans have stated on the ESO forums that they would instead earn him as a house guest rather than pay for him. Some declare that M’aiq the Liar should be a reward for achieving the “I Like M’aiq” achievement in ESO. This is a great idea as friends and visitors to your house will see M’aiq and be excited to hear how to find him and achieve him as a house guest making for a great story. 

However, this is not the case, and M’aiq, the Liar, is locked behind a paywall. Maybe you’ll leave an angry comment on the ESO forums, perhaps Bethesda will take note of your post, and perhaps M’aiq will slyly remark on your post with sarcasm in the Elder Scrolls VI!

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