Shivering talk:The Fork of Horripilation (item)

Removing the Fork's Curse

• When the quest is completed by the death of the quest giver: Big Head, The Fork of Horriplilation is no longer regarded as a quest item yet the scripted effect "Fork's Curse" remains until you enchant it. This I had tried twice and both times doing so effectively removed the Stunted Magicka effect. But the third time, I decided to not change its name, for fun's sake. Enchanting it did remove the scripted effect, and I was using it quite often; in SI and in Tamriel. But somehow, upon retrieving the Necromancer's Amulet from Caranya's corpse; suddenly "Fork's Curse" popped up, I couldn't believe it. Does anyone know why this happened?

• I was contemplating on whether or not to duplicate the amulet but decided I didn't want it. And I also never wore the amulet. Removing the scrippted effect of the fork for the second time required me to use Risen Flesh and the Scull of Corruption on a nearby NPC. But what seemed unusual was that the original and the duplicated fork did not stack up, as the original still had its scriptted effect. (Much like duplicating the Sword of the Crusader) How after being enchanted and used for nearly 100 hours suddenly regain its curse? Is it because I've obtained a quest item outside SI? Or because I didn't change the name?

• I've started the game over from scratch 7 times due to an Animation Bug that always corrupted my saves. So I really prefer not to duplicate items unless they are ones that developers obviously intended to have you do. (My own assumption) e.g. Blade of Woe. How else would you charge it, if you couldn't duplicate and have them stack up. I mean its darn useless as is. (Hot keying both and after using it, repair, unequip/switch weapons then re-equip. Which fully charges it back so long as the other hasn't been used.) Do I have to do this with the Fork everytime I obtain another quest item or so long as I'm using the duplicated version of the enchanted fork, am I good to go? What I seriously don't get is how the Fork after being enchanted and its Object:ID changed; regain it's original ID?Webdemon00 12:26, 21 August 2008 (EDT)

I'm moving these two points here for the moment:

• The fork's stunted magicka enchantment is actually implemented using a script effect, instead of a true enchantment. One implication is that after the quest is complete, you can add a custom enchantment to the fork. The enchanted fork will no longer have any stunted magicka side effects.
• When you enchant it, be sure to change its name as upon obtaining another quest item, somehow will cause its scripted effect "Fork's Wound" to be re-activated. e.g. Necromancer's Amulet.

My reason for doing so is that I can't see any way to enchant the fork. I loaded a game in which I'd already completed the quest and used the console to give myself the fork. It didn't show up in the list of items available for enchantment. I reloaded and stole it from Big-Head. It didn't show up in the list of items available for enchantment. I reloaded again, killed Big-Head and took the fork from his corpse. It didn't show up in the list of items available for enchantment. I loaded an earlier save, from before I'd completed the quest. It didn't show up in the list of items available for enchantment.

I think you can see where this is going. I simply can't see how Webdemon00 managed to enchant the fork. Was it a duplicated version? Does he have a mod installed? All my testing was done on a patched, SI + Official Mods PC version with no UOP and no other mods. –Rpeh^{•T•C•E•} 07:36, 25 August 2008 (EDT)

Sorry for the deplay in response and my poor writing. And thanks for moving it here instead of on the main article. I'm playing it on the PS3 at the moment. and the first time I enchanted it, it didn't cause any problems. Although as the previous 7 times I started over from scratch, my save just died. The second time, I did a clean install of PS3 GOTY removing all of my old saves and game cache, along with formatting the HD. This time I didn't waste time with Fighters Guild, Mages Guild etc. just wanted to finish SI, so that's what I did and never glitched quest items onto my character, never duplicated any items, made only 10+ custom spells patiently waiting until reaching Master skill level. Well, enchanting the fork removed the "Fork's Wound" and I was using it as a toy. But after 300+ hours later, all of a sudden "Fork's Wound" on my screen and surely, the fork's script had been reactivated somehow. So, for the first time I duplicated an item. But the duplicated one had lost its enchantment... The original had both the enchantment and the "Fork's Wound" the duplicated was just a dagger. I was real surprised to see this but I just thought I could simply enchant the duplicated one and throw away the original. Well, before I could get back to the Arcane University the game crashed. When I reloaded the save; the duplicated fork was gone. Removed from my inventory despite my efforts to prevent the two to stack up; applying a poison, disintegrating it to 50% health etc. But it was deleted, while nothing else was removed or altered; the original still had the "Fork's Wound" and its enchantment... So I deleted the save, cleared the cache, loaded an earlier one. Well, the stunted Magicka effect had been reactivated on all my previous saves. I tried duplicating it again but suddenly it became a quest item. Enchanted and weighed 5. but I couldn't drop it or sell it. I even assault the Imperial Watch hoping that one of them would disarm me. But no, just like Umbra I always get at level 1-3, regardless of reaching level 53, nothing could disarm me... Like the duplicated version of the Rockshatter; forever remained in my inventory as a quest item. (I worried a lot when facing my clone; feared it would be equipped with it rather than with the lvl.30+ Shadowrend I wanted. so I did the whole Dark Brotherhood quest again just for the +2 blade skill "ability" I wish I could play the PC version but my PC is reserved for work and for storing p0rn. What I would give in exchange for the ability to use the console commands... man... And have 4GB RAM instead of 256MB on PS3.--Webdemon00 07:45, 30 August 2008 (EDT)

Sorry to post this after 3 years but it's relevant. The fork does show up on the list of items to enchant from the enchanting altar and using sigil stones. The fork's wound curse (stunted magicka) is gone even if I keep the name of the fork the same. This is for xbox 360. I got the fork from the method I stated below (it's own section). Interestingly, I can't duplicate it until I enchant it.dtm 10:39, 10 August 2011 (UTC)

Fork is still quest item after Big Head dies

moved from Shivering talk:The Fork of Horripilation --GK^talk2me 13:20, 28 March 2010 (UTC)

I gave the Fork to Big Head who immediately went and tried to steal another one. He obviously got caught and was chased around Bliss by the Argonian who runs the Choosy Beggar and a Golden Saint/Aureal. About 6 other people got involved because of accidental strikes from others and 2 Dark Seducers/Mazken got involved as well. There were 4 deaths during it. I then tried to take the Fork to out in my house in Cyrodiil as a souvenir but couldn't because it was still counted as a quest item. I couldn't even put it back on Big Head's body! Lisa_McC 15:33, 27 March 2010 (UTC)

try killing him in his house without any witness and when you leave the houes ( it has to be the time were he locks his house. very easy i think you know the lock skill. any way once you kill him go outside and youll get a fine for trespassing not homicide( for some reason) so your home free and the fork should be free to you know drop

Making the fork a non quest item and keeping Big Head alive.

This is probably useful only to console users. I found this out by accident and it seems permanent. Save before you try this.

• With the fork in your inventory (not sure if this matters but this is how I did it) go kill Big Head.
• Reload, JUST before the message would pop up that says "Big Head is dead. I can never return the Fork of Horripilation to him." This can take a few tries, but you'll start to guess when the message would pop up (let it happen once for timing).
• When you reload, the message will pop up saying that big head is dead. Your own quest journal is NOT updated like this though, so nothing is glitched except the fact that now the fork is not zero weight. When you give it him, you can pickpocket it back it's yours to display or store somewhere.

I'm guessing this happens because the message that you killed him pops up in your save file where he is still alive, making the fork think big head is dead. Not sure what other items this has implications for, since this will probably only work for quests items that will, at some point, by a non quest item anyway. Only for this case, you'd have to choose (for collectors) between keeping the fork but murdering someone, or completing the quest, keeping him alive, but not having the fork.

I was able to recreate this so it is definitely possible. Xbox 360 btw. dtm 11:18, 9 August 2011 (UTC)

fork advantages

it may be worth mentioning that this is the ONLY quest weapon that maintains its quest status after the quest. this means that this is the only permanent weapon that cannot be disarmed and will not stop a quest's progression.

the quest version cannot be enchanted with either an altar or a sigil stone. it is still particularly useful for poison application.

if you equip the fork, the script effect "fork's wound" will stunt magicka regeneration. if you unequip and then equip the fork immediately after equipping, the "fork's wound" will be added but it will NOT stunt magicka. — Unsigned comment by 68.122.8.211 (talk) at 01:35 on 4 October 2012‎

Fork Showing Not Equipped in HUD When Equipped

Equipped in the menu and equipped in the hand, but the icon showed hand (empty) in this particular save. --Lmstearn (talk) 07:03, 1 May 2015 (GMT)