I've been playing
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion by engaging for a short while every now and then on the XBox. Yesterday, I found myself confronted with a
Will o' the Wisp. Apparently they're impervious to regular weapons and I had no irregular weapons: e.g. silver, Dwarven, obsidian, living vegetable matter, rainbow, whatever. So I ran away. And I got away. But I couldn't find a silver weapon at the shop, and when I left town, I once again encountered the damned thing lurking near a horse. Rather than attack the horse, it attacked me. I died. I reloaded, just like in real life. And then ran away, just like in real life, with the thing following me through the trees, across water, and down well-trodden paths. I ran past the person I was leading on my current quest and a nearby city guard. Both of whom died, leaving me a message that my quest was no longer achievable. I ran past a farmer. Who was also killed. Past another farmer and a dude at the stables - perhaps a groomer. Both of those innocent bystanders also died. I ran past a magician. Who died. Past another city guard, who died but seemed to be at least holding his own for a while. Then the damn-ed thing perished. I spent the next 30 minutes following my zig-zagging, over hill and dale, path backwards collecting armor, weapons, potions, yarn, silverware, vegetables, and farm implements. Amongst the take was a silver sword. Future will o' the wisp problems solved. And I didn't even have to waste any gold. Simply make your problem everyone else's problem, and things get easier. There's a business lesson there, isn't there?
