When you ask him about being recalled he says "Internal politics. Some concern about my sugar. I thought about refusing the recall. But they have members of my family back in the capital. I'm afraid it may have something to do with the problems with the succession...".
It would be a little weird if the skooma was just a cover story and his superiors in Cyrodil knew about it without knowing that it was a lie. So I'm inclined to think he does use it.
The only other relevant dialogue that I can think of is from Chirranir, a Khajit at the South Wall Corner Club. If you ask her about Caius she says "The old greyhair gobbles sugar like scuttle. Chirranirr is surprised he still walks. But it doesn't affect him. That is the mark of a long-time user.".
If we take that at face value, then we can assume Caius isn't a casual user. Either it is a cover and he doesn't partake at all, or he's in deep and has been for a while.
No but nonetheless, I had the same image of Caius in my mind. I think he partakes generously of the skooma but I also think it's opened his mind a bit more than others in the Blades and compelled him to ask the empire for possible recruits of his mission. He might have a bit of a problem
but it doesn't stop him from reading the documents that you provide him during the main quest, that's for me a very well written character. That's my head-canon at least. And look at us still talking about him!
I don't think there's a cannon answer. I definitely think he's addicted to it, but I never got the impression it was as major as he implies. He doesn't even take his pipe with him when he leaves!
Haha, I realise this is a lighthearted comment and not to be taken seriously, but I'm now doubling down on my initial comment
Skooma pipes aren't illegal, only moonsugar and skooma itself. Merchants have no problem buying smooma pipes
Blades would definitely have ways around that. It would be really simple to change some records so that Caius' belongings are listed as "evidence" for a trial, etc
So, kwama egg back at you! Haha, like I said though, I'm only being silly
Alright fair enough. It is just alchemy apparatus afterall! Still a whiff of resin is all they need. Any skooma divination or sniffer khajiit and that's GG for Caius.
Is the Archmage crazy or crazy like a fox? Is Caius an addict or so good at fake-spilling nobody can tell the difference? Are you the reincarnation of Nerevar or just someone in the right place at the right time?
You get to decide the answer for your version of Morrowind. I get to decide the answer for mine. And everybody can have different answers.
My headcanon is that he’s depressed from being a spymaster for a dying empire and that his life’s work didn’t really amount to anything so he’s spending his twilight years chilling out and getting high.
The thing about hard drugs is they do make a good cover story and they dont really care if you are using them as a cover story. He seems to have become legitimately addicted and says as much when he returns to the imperial city.
We don't know. It's the same way they make it ambiguous on purpose whether our character is really Nerevar reborn, or if they're actually just some schlub who was in the right place at the right time. The same way we can never really know what happened at Red Mountain.
I like the theory that Caius is actually secretly a Dagonite, but as far as his skooma addiction goes there's no right or wrong answer.
Possibly both? He's known to do skooma, which he could've decided to pick up to blend better with the populus. On the other hand, it's highly addictive so he probably didn't quit even in Cyrodiil but who knows.
I can't remember if there's a concrete answer though... so that's my head canon
Actually, he's not in the Blades either. He is a part of Vvardenfell prisoner rehabilitation program, which takes convicts straight from the ship and tells them they are the chosen ones.
Looking at his stats tells me "no, it's just his cover". This and also that he will survive Oblivion crysis, fighting against deadra. And this, as we know, is not a simple task even for younger guardians of Kvatch. Scooma addicts are weak and act like rl opium users if they smoke it, not drink. I can not see guy that use drugs for years can be placed as the chief spy by Emperor (his friend) in one of the most dangerous regions of Empire.
When you ask him about being recalled he says "Internal politics. Some concern about my sugar. I thought about refusing the recall. But they have members of my family back in the capital. I'm afraid it may have something to do with the problems with the succession...".
It would be a little weird if the skooma was just a cover story and his superiors in Cyrodil knew about it without knowing that it was a lie. So I'm inclined to think he does use it.
The only other relevant dialogue that I can think of is from Chirranir, a Khajit at the South Wall Corner Club. If you ask her about Caius she says "The old greyhair gobbles sugar like scuttle. Chirranirr is surprised he still walks. But it doesn't affect him. That is the mark of a long-time user.".
If we take that at face value, then we can assume Caius isn't a casual user. Either it is a cover and he doesn't partake at all, or he's in deep and has been for a while.
This guy lores.
To be fair, it's not like I had either one of those at my fingertips. I just know where to find a searchable doc with every line of dialogue.
https://ladynerevar.com/files/MorrowindGOTY_Dialog.TXT.
I miss games where you could ask more then yes, no , sarcasm and maybe.
You shouldn't give so freely your secrets!
No but nonetheless, I had the same image of Caius in my mind. I think he partakes generously of the skooma but I also think it's opened his mind a bit more than others in the Blades and compelled him to ask the empire for possible recruits of his mission. He might have a bit of a problem
but it doesn't stop him from reading the documents that you provide him during the main quest, that's for me a very well written character. That's my head-canon at least. And look at us still talking about him!
There's a couple more connections and implied relations, but they were quite careful about making it ambiguous
https://youtu.be/EJkbWqeGmcw
I don't think there's a cannon answer. I definitely think he's addicted to it, but I never got the impression it was as major as he implies. He doesn't even take his pipe with him when he leaves!
Super secret imperial agent gets busted at customs for a skooma pipe. Talk about kwama egg on face!
Haha, I realise this is a lighthearted comment and not to be taken seriously, but I'm now doubling down on my initial comment
Skooma pipes aren't illegal, only moonsugar and skooma itself. Merchants have no problem buying smooma pipes
Blades would definitely have ways around that. It would be really simple to change some records so that Caius' belongings are listed as "evidence" for a trial, etc
So, kwama egg back at you! Haha, like I said though, I'm only being silly
Alright fair enough. It is just alchemy apparatus afterall! Still a whiff of resin is all they need. Any skooma divination or sniffer khajiit and that's GG for Caius.
Oh god, I love the idea of customs using sniffer Khajiit haha
Morrowind's beautiful ambiguity at work.
Is the Archmage crazy or crazy like a fox? Is Caius an addict or so good at fake-spilling nobody can tell the difference? Are you the reincarnation of Nerevar or just someone in the right place at the right time?
You get to decide the answer for your version of Morrowind. I get to decide the answer for mine. And everybody can have different answers.
It's not a problem, he manages it just fine.
My headcanon is that he’s depressed from being a spymaster for a dying empire and that his life’s work didn’t really amount to anything so he’s spending his twilight years chilling out and getting high.
The best cover story always is close to the truth
I thought it said somewhere that one of the resins he was recalled back to the empire was because of his skooma addiction but I could be wrong
The thing about hard drugs is they do make a good cover story and they dont really care if you are using them as a cover story. He seems to have become legitimately addicted and says as much when he returns to the imperial city.
nah he skooms. My favorite idea is that it started as a cover and then he went full khajiit
We don't know. It's the same way they make it ambiguous on purpose whether our character is really Nerevar reborn, or if they're actually just some schlub who was in the right place at the right time. The same way we can never really know what happened at Red Mountain.
I like the theory that Caius is actually secretly a Dagonite, but as far as his skooma addiction goes there's no right or wrong answer.
If he does partake he probably blows a lot of his budget on it. The only moon sugar users we see that aren't crazed beggars are usually very rich.
In order for it to be a compelling cover story he needed to use Skooma and Moonsugar. That he might then get addicted is not surprising.
Possibly both? He's known to do skooma, which he could've decided to pick up to blend better with the populus. On the other hand, it's highly addictive so he probably didn't quit even in Cyrodiil but who knows.
I can't remember if there's a concrete answer though... so that's my head canon
He's very lucid in conversation so I always assumed it was a cover story
Longtime users of THC and alcohol can function 'normally' with (relatively) small doses of drugs
This kind of restraint is less common among longtime crack/speed users tho
Actually, he's not in the Blades either. He is a part of Vvardenfell prisoner rehabilitation program, which takes convicts straight from the ship and tells them they are the chosen ones.
He's into sugar not skooma. Thats a big difference. It's like the difference between smoking opium and shooting heroin.
If he catches you stealing his skooma he immediately attacks you... Don't ask me how I know.
How dare you! My friend Caius is no skooma sucker! Now, a little sugar here and there...
Looking at his stats tells me "no, it's just his cover". This and also that he will survive Oblivion crysis, fighting against deadra. And this, as we know, is not a simple task even for younger guardians of Kvatch. Scooma addicts are weak and act like rl opium users if they smoke it, not drink. I can not see guy that use drugs for years can be placed as the chief spy by Emperor (his friend) in one of the most dangerous regions of Empire.
It’s only a problem if he runs out.