(Although SRM 3.0 has been out for a while now, a spoiler warning for those who haven’t enjoyed the experience themselves nonetheless.)

As the man that cracked the egg of Skyrim Romance Mods, many people know Bishop, the rugged ranger whose roughness is eased by only the Dragonborn, but how well do you really know him? If you’re lacking on the ins-and-outs of our Ranger’s life and personality, read on and learn.

Bishop is a 27 year-old Nord born and raised in Skyrim. His family never stayed in one place for long, and thusly he’s seen much of the land, even the deepest recesses of abandoned ruins and untamed wilderness. His hard life and cruel, dysfunctional family molded him into a cold and closed-off man driven purely by his own self-interest. His hard outer shell may prove daunting to those susceptible to intimidation. However, the Dragonborn is steadily able to traverse his many walls and reach the heart that’s still inside of him.

When the Dragonborn first meets Bishop, he’s outside of the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood, one of the first destinations on the Dragonborn’s (intended) journey. Right off the bat, Bishop is an assumptive, rude, vaguely flirtatious, and not otherwise ideal company. He makes it clear that he “trusts no one,” aside from himself and his wolf companion, Karnwyr, who is currently being held against his will by the bandits occupying Cragslane Cavern. The Dragonborn can accompany him to rescue Karnwyr, which turns him over to the idea of following her ordeal in Skyrim for a more extended period.

As they fight all manner of enemies through the Dragonborn’s quest and encounter a variety of men looking to obtain the affections of the Dragonborn in one way or another. Among them are two other prominent figures: Casavir, the polite yet sheepish paladin, and Cael, a Forsworn Chieftain. Bishop slowly begins to open up more. His overt promiscuity may lead to a sexual relationship between him and the Dragonborn should she choose to go along with it. Still, he makes his physical attraction to her more than apparent nonetheless.

Eventually, that attraction blooms into something more than physical – Bishop begins to place his trust in the Dragonborn, despite his previous assertion to the contrary. He becomes genuinely concerned for her wellbeing and anxious about their future together (intimate or otherwise.) At one point, he even demands they ditch Skyrim for somewhere else, far away from any dragon threat that could possibly cut the Dragonborn’s life short. Of course, her obligations prevent such a fantasy, and they carry on.

Eventually, Bishop’s struggle with his growing feelings and his habit of using anger to express his inner conflict comes to a head when the Dragonborn prepares to go fight Alduin after Odaviing is captured in Dragonsreach. Bishop fails to restrain his frustration at the thought of his companion brushing so closely with death, and storms off. After Alduin is destroyed, he can be found at Sleeping Giant Inn again, inebriated and apologetic.

As the Dragonborn spends more time with Bishop, before and after this point, he will confess his true feelings and will admit the truths of his past. As he recounts it, Bishop’s parents were bandits, obsessed with Mara and intimacy. This obsession eventually manifested itself as contempt for each other, frequent affairs with other suitors, and neglect of their children. Bishop spent most of his early life caring for his younger siblings in place of his parents while they exploited others via their thievery and took to life’s baser pleasures rather than raising the family they created. When he eventually left, it was with his adopted brother, a half Khajit/ Human named Jules. The two lived as a bandit duo for a while, supporting each other until tragedy struck. Jules had been keeping his own family from Bishop, and Casavir had struck a deal with him to help his family, provided he ratted out on his brother. Bishop was backed into a corner and had no choice but to kill the one person he trusted to save his own life.

Those experiences shaped Bishop into the man he is today: a good man. Still, that goodness is covered up by trust issues as a result of the betrayal and emotional instability of his abusive and neglectful past. Dragonborn helps change him into a man capable of not only trust but also love. He confesses that he has feelings for the Dragonborn, along with how much that troubles him due to his past. Once he comes to terms with this, he asks for her hand in marriage, something he never pictured himself doing prior to meeting her.

They have a quiet marriage, separated from all of society aside from the woman who joins the two together. Afterward, he presents the Dragonborn his wedding gift – a lovely cottage in the Rift, fit not only for the Dragonborn of legend and her husband but for a whole family. The Dragonborn can become pregnant with their child, who he later names Julian after his late brother. Julian grows into a bright young boy, with both creative and adventurous sides to him. After all he’s been through, Bishop becomes nearly overwhelmed with joy that he’s reached this point in his life against all the odds.

That is the canonical “end” of the ranger’s story, but within the game, it can continue on to your heart’s desire. With the ranger’s story told, look forward to experiencing what an intimate relationship would be like with our other two prominent characters: Cael and Casavir.

Blogger: D.D.
Editor(s): Rana
Cover art: Werewolfgirl19