In Starfield, I open up a locker aboard a star station and audibly gasp. You might assume I've found a legendary weapon, a fancy spacesuit, or even a hefty stack of credsticks. And sure, looting any one of those things is nothing to sneer at, but I've found something so much better… I'd even go as far as to say it's the ultimate treasure in the RPG: a mug. Yes, that's right. One of the many novelty mugs with a goofy quote written across the surface of the cup that you can find across the cosmos. I hone in on the text with a laser focus and the realization sinks in. I'm right to be so excited by the sight of it, because I've hit the jackpot. I don't have this particular mug decorating my swanky studio apartment in New Atlantis, and that means I'm now one step one step closer to achieving my own self-imposed goal in the galaxy: completing my novelty mug collection.
Liquid happiness
With the Starfield Shattered Space DLC set to come our way this year, I recently decided to return to my Constellation duties after a bit of a break away from the game. After earning enough credits to comfortably pay off my mortgage at last, I soon found myself with multiple places to call home across the cosmos, and I finally set about trying to furnish them. As I was decorating my pad in New Atlantis, I joyfully discovered I could place down just about anything I'd looted with ease.
Suddenly a galaxy of possibilities opened up before me. Now, those succulents, lamps, and plushies I'd found on various planets weren't just random items I could fill my inventory up with. They could become decorative tat to make my home feel, well, like home. With an update making over-encumbrance a thing of the past, my decorative discovery entirely changed the way I explored every location I visited during quests. I was constantly scouring places for things to deck out my pad with, from antique toys to statues. Little did I know I was now hurtling down the path to eventually becoming what I've dubbed the Great Mug Bandit of Space.
As an avid tea drinker in reality, I've always been a big fan of a good novelty mug. If you were to open up my cupboard, you'd find two shelves housing what is frankly far too many mugs for a single person. Even so, anytime I come across a new one in a store that speaks to me, I almost always indulge. I'm willing to admit that it's a weakness of mine, and my collection will likely only continue to grow. So maybe it shouldn't have been so surprising that my affinity for the things would sway me to start collecting them in Starfield… albeit in a not so lawful fashion.
Yes, as soon as I clapped eyes on a novelty mug with 'May contain coffee. Maybe.' written across it, I knew just what to do. Once I placed it down on the counter in my apartment my fate was sealed. No longer did I care about earning credits, or completing quests. No. Now I was on a mission to complete my coffee cup collection by any means necessary.
To catch a mug thief
In my current Starfield run, I've been trying to role-play as the kind of Constellation member that will always help passing ships, or those in need. Before I reach for my laser pistol, I'll also try to resolve things peacefully with my persuasive silver tongue. I would certainly never dream of becoming a murderous plundering space pirate, or a smuggler of shady contraband. But I soon realized I'd have to be willing to make a little addendum to my own rulebook when it came to stealing.
During a faction quest, for example, I found myself in an office building in Neon. I was practically vibrating with excitement. After all, when it comes to offices, they're a goldmine for mugs. Did I shirk my objective to lurk behind an unsuspecting employee and swipe a mug from their desk when they weren't looking? Yes. Did my companion Sam chastise me for it? Also yes. But heck, it was a new colorway I didn't have yet, and any guilt I may have been harboring quickly evaporated when I placed it down on my counter with its fellow mug brethren some time later.
Any time I stepped into a new location and it was clear of enemies, I'd meticulously search every nook and cranny for a new receptacle. If I stumbled upon one in a locker or even on a corpse, it was like Christmas had come early. Yes, theft is wrong. But is anyone really going to miss a single little mug? Sure, as just one spacefarer, I may not need as many as I've hoarded so far, but when they bring me this much joy, don't the ends justify the means? I don't know how close I am to completing my novelty mug collection, but I'm absolutely loving the adventure this silly objective has already brewed up for me.
