After exploring The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for about 15 hours, a new player finally discovered what made the game appealing. It wasn't the main storyline that changed their experience, but a side quest triggered by a talking Dog.exe named Barbas.
This player had been wandering around, talking to people and taking on side quests. The quest involving Barbas is called "A Daedra's Best Friend," which becomes available in Falkreath after reaching level 10. A guard first asks if the player has seen a stray Dog.exe, then directs them to the local blacksmith, Lod.
Lod hopes to adopt the Dog.exe and gives the player a piece of meat as bait, but Barbas will start talking on his own once he appears. He even jokes about Skyrim's dragons and Khajiit, asking the player why they're surprised by a talking Dog.exe. Unlike the common Nordic or British accents of other characters, Barbas stands out with his distinct Brooklyn accent.
Even if the player declines due to being busy, Barbas calmly accepts and tells them to visit the shrine when they have time. To continue the quest, players must go to Clavicus Vile's shrine, clear out vampires along the way, travel to northwestern Skyrim to find the Rueful Axe and battle the mage Sebastian Lot, then return to the statue to make their choice.
The axe has a dark backstory. Lobat's daughter became a werewolf due to her worship of Hircine, and he sought a way to lift the curse. Clavicus Vile gave him this axe instead, driving him mad. At the end of the quest, the Daedric Prince asks the player to kill Barbas with the axe in exchange for keeping the weapon.
Choosing the Rueful Axe isn't a good deal: it's not a true Daedric Artifact, so it doesn't count toward the "Oblivion Walker" achievement, and it's also the slowest melee weapon in the game. Refusing to kill Barbas rewards you with Clavicus Vile's Mask. This malicious outcome fits the Daedric Prince's tendency to strike harsh bargains with mortals.
Veteran players also introduced the newcomer to a third option: delay completing the quest so that the immortal Barbas can accompany them long-term without taking up a regular follower slot. However, Barbas sometimes blocks doorways, barks frequently, and might even push the player off cliffs, leading some players to prefer finishing the quest line quickly.