Multiplatform The Elder Scrolls XIII: Born Under a Certain Sign [Archive]

LibraryOgre

2017-05-31, 09:29 AM

Welcome, one and all, to the twelfth thread for us to discuss, debate, and rag on our favorite series of Bethesda RPGs!

An explanation of the title. (http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Birthsigns)

Previous threads:

Who's excited for Skyrim? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=202414)
Skyrim II: A Dragon A Day Keeps The Draugr At Bay. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=222730)
Skyrim III: Get rich selling protective knee gear! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12323418#post12323418)
Skyrim IV: Oblivion (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=228914)
Skyrim V: Skyrim (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?243186-Skyrim-V-Skyrim&p=13225784#post13225784)
Skyrim Thread VI: Dov Riders, AWAY! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=262708)
The Elder Scrolls VII: Do you believe in mod? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=298127)
The Elder Scrolls: By the VIII Divines (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?329913-The-Elder-Scrolls-By-the-VIII-Divines)
It's the IX Divines You milk drinker! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?370764-The-Elder-Scrolls-It-s-the-IX-Divines-you-milk-drinkers)
The Elder Scrolls X: Thalmor Or Less (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?416193-The-Elder-Scrolls-X-Thalmor-or-Less)
Wouldn't Want to Be Elsweyer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?492511-The-Elder-Scrolls-XI-Wouldn-t-Want-To-Be-Elsweyr)
Twelve Worlds of Creation (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?510977-Elder-Scrolls-XII-Twelve-Worlds-of-Creation)

Handy things For Skyrim:
Official forums (http://forums.bethsoft.com/index.php?/forum/117-v-skyrim/)
Perk calculator (http://skyrimcalculator.com/)
Some things you need to know about Skyrim (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12328428#post12328428)
The Wiki (http://uesp.net/wiki/Main_Page)

Have at it!

Keltest

2017-05-31, 10:16 AM

Celestia

2017-05-31, 10:18 AM

I believe that was partially dependent on when you got it... the low-level versions we're a bit more efficient than you could make with the spellmaker.

EDIT:
New thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?526026-The-Elder-Scrolls-XIII-Born-Under-a-Certain-Sign&p=22048696#post22048696)
link (http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Leveled_Spells#Finger_of_the_Mountain)

The lowest level version is equal to what you could make. The rest are terrible. The highest level ones even cost more than double.

LibraryOgre

2017-05-31, 10:25 AM

Ah, the fresh air of a new thread.

So, something occurred to me. Are there any Khajiit citizens in any of the cities in Skyrim? Not counting the caravan members who happen to enter the cities sometimes. I cant seem to think of any.

Not off the top of my head, no.

EDIT: J'Datharr works at the Windhelm Stables.

TBH, I am kinda disappointed in the lack of non-men children in Skyrim, too... I was half-tempted to start over AGAIN to play a Khajiit (as near as I can tell, the only race with abilities that can't be replicated through perks or other means), but the lack of Khajit children (and the amount I would have to re do) discouraged me.

Balmas

2017-05-31, 10:55 AM

Morrowind #7 is up! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIJpOiRPuSc)
I hate teleportation. It's uncomfortable. You make the gestures, you can see the sparks rising around you, picking at you. Then the magic stretches you thin, and you have just enough time to wonder whether you might have cast the spell wrong, that only part of you will arrive at your destination, gasping like a beached fish. And I hate it because it's the most practical way to get around Morrowind. More practical than walking everywhere, anyway.

And now I find out that I can't even count on it getting me where I want to go on a regular basis. It was simple. Go to Marnassus, Punabi, Sulipund. Fight off the cliff racers on the way. (Stupidly aggressive bat-birds. What kind of hell-country is this, where you can't even walk down a road without fighting off thirty flying demons trying to eat your face?) Collect some Mage's guild fees, talk some other Ex-Telvanni into joining the Mage's guild. Pretty simple for a charming bard to appeal to them, had them eating out of my palm.

And then when I cast my Almsivi intervention to get back to Balmora for my report, I wound up at an entirely different temple. "Teleports you to the closest temple," my a**. Ald'Ruhn is way further out than Balmora, but guess where I landed?

I'd say that it's a lovely town, but I couldn't really say, since there was a dust storm practically the entire time I was there. What bits I managed to see amounted to homes in the same style as those dunmer ancestral tombs I've been busy robbing, plus a massive dome-shaped building up on the hill. The dome turned out to be a massive crab shell, which prompted all kinds of questions about what kind of monsters I needed to worry about in my travels. The local redoran council regarded me with suspicion, which I felt was completely unfair--after all, I'd only picked up the unattended gold in every house I'd been in.

The local Fighter's guild had no jobs for someone below Swordsman, but someone outside of the mage's guild asked me to go find his airship so he could get a magic amulet so he could pick up ladies. I agreed to find the airship, but privately I'm planning on taking the amulet for myself; after all, I don't need the help, but more is better, right?

Anyway. I'll probably grab a bed in the Mage's guild before asking around for jobs and making the long walk south. I have some business in Caldera that needs to be taken care of.

Triaxx

2017-05-31, 11:49 AM

Is that the correct number? I could have sworn you'd already had a number 7.

Nope, just my brain broken I guess.

I think I was thinking of Finger being one of the good ones not the bad ones. Ah well.

DigoDragon

2017-05-31, 12:33 PM

TBH, I am kinda disappointed in the lack of non-men children in Skyrim, too... I was half-tempted to start over AGAIN to play a Khajiit (as near as I can tell, the only race with abilities that can't be replicated through perks or other means), but the lack of Khajiit children (and the amount I would have to re do) discouraged me.

I've noticed that what few mods there are to add beast children, the mods only add one each and they're all adoptable. No scattering of a few random kids here and there just for background like other children. No khajiit kids as part of the caravans, growing up into the trade...

ArlEammon

2017-05-31, 12:55 PM

I've been seeing a lot of updates for skywind, when is it set for release?

Aeson

2017-05-31, 01:17 PM

The dome turned out to be a massive crab shell, which prompted all kinds of questions about what kind of monsters I needed to worry about in my travels.
Don't worry, you'll never meet a living Emperor crab in the game.

Anyway. I'll probably grab a bed in the Mage's guild before asking around for jobs and making the long walk south.
Since you've been using a Light spell, you might want to pick up Night Eye while you're in Ald'ruhn's Mage's Guildhall; in Morrowind, it's basically a better version of Light as Night Eye raises the ambient light level by the magnitude of the spell whereas Light makes the target into a light source which illuminates an area with a radius equal to the magnitude, and unlike in Oblivion you don't have to put up with a color filter while using it.

Triaxx

2017-05-31, 02:13 PM

If you're lucky you'll find a ring or amulet, so you don't have to keep casting it.

Illven

2017-05-31, 02:13 PM

Also make sure you use the right bed or it'll be a crime!

Sajiri

2017-05-31, 04:34 PM

I've noticed that what few mods there are to add beast children, the mods only add one each and they're all adoptable. No scattering of a few random kids here and there just for background like other children. No khajiit kids as part of the caravans, growing up into the trade...

There's this new mod, The Kids Are Alright (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/83009/?), that says it 'adds over 20 new children and new children races...how many of them are Khajiit I'm unsure (there's at least 2 in one of the pictures). I considered using it but they all look a little too cute and anime-ish to fit in with my game so I stuck with RS children.

Winter_Wolf

2017-05-31, 04:54 PM

Triaxx

2017-05-31, 04:54 PM

Magic powered Ice Machine Gun? I'll take two. And yet, it's still not so crazy fun as calling down lightning.

veti

2017-05-31, 05:41 PM

So, something occurred to me. Are there any Khajiit citizens in any of the cities in Skyrim? Not counting the caravan members who happen to enter the cities sometimes. I cant seem to think of any.

There's Shavari, in Riften. Not particularly good representation for her species. And J'zargo in the College, if you count that as part of a city.

But now you mention it - no, it seems the khajiit race as a whole is exceptionally adventurous. There are the trade caravans, and quite a few khajiit you'll encounter in various dungeons, but almost none in the cities.

VoxRationis

2017-05-31, 05:59 PM

Well, they do say that they are banned from Nord cities on accounts of the Nords thinking them to be thieves.

Ogremindes

2017-05-31, 06:20 PM

Steepfall Burrow, Heartfire 11
The last few days are... hazy. I remember reaching Dimhollow Crypt, and fighting through a group of vampires to reach what they were looking for, but then. Was it a woman? Yes, it was a woman, trapped in the crypt, she asked me to take her home, to a castle far out to the northwest. That's why I'm all the way out here. Was she a vampire? I think I remember that, but it's all patchy, like waking from a vivid dream. All I know for certain is I can't return to that castle.

I found a letter in my belongings, from Falk Firebeard, the steward of Solitude, asking me to return. It's a matter regarding the necromantic ritual I disrupted before. Maybe I can get my thoughts back in order while I head that way.

Solitude, Heartfire 12
Firebeard told me that the spectre of Potema had indeed been summoned by the ritual I had disrupted, but left unbound. He asked me to speak with the local priest of Arkay to come up with a plan.

The plan was simple, I needed to fight through Potema's undead minions and recover her remains, to be consecrated and thus protected from necromancy. Potema was operating out of some old, sealed off catacombs in Solitude, which she ruled in life. She was a powerful necromancer, and a member of the old line of emperors, her political maneuverings as harmful as her magicks. Dawnbreaker in hand, I entered the catacombs where her minions broke through to attack the temple of the Imperial Cult.

Without physical form her power was limited, but still she was able to send many undead minions against me as I approached her sanctum. With Dawnbreaker's power their numbers were a liability, her strongest champion was rendered impotent when one of her lesser minions exploded into a burst of light that engulfed the room. She had already spent most of her power along with her minions when I had reached the chamber where her remains were interred. I banished her spectre back to whatever realm her kind inhabit after death and took her bones back to the Hall of the Dead, where the proper burial rites will make sure she never comes back again.

Falk thanked me, promising me no matter what side I supported in the wars that ravaged Skyrim that I was a hero of Solitude. He rewarded me with a powerful magic shield bearing the wolf-crest of the city.

Rannveig's Fast, Heartfire 13
My journey back south took me through Cold Rock Pass. When I emerged, I discovered a nordic ruin, and around it were several ghosts. They attacked me on sight, protesting that they were being forced to do so as they did. Something very wrong was going on here. The spectres were soon dispelled by my magic sword, and I resolved to find what was doing this and end it.

I encountered a handful more spirits as I explored the ruin. When I rounded a corner into a large chamber, I saw a large, ornamented chest straight ahead. Realising that the ghosts seemed a lot more... modern than the ruins, I only smirked when I spotted the trapdoor.

Taking a side passage leading down, I found the source of the ghosts, a necromancer in his laboratory below the trap. I charged straight at him and ran him through with my scimitar, before striking off his head. he left a journal... it was sickening to read his delight in torturing the living and enslaving their souls. Good riddance.

The weather has turned particularly hostile. I don't think I'll be travelling far, not in the next couple of days at least.

Fort Dawnguard, Heartfire 16
I returned to find Fort Dawnguard under attack by a small group of vampires. The hunters here killed them easily, but this is unlikely to be the last time. I told Isran what little I learned from my last expedition. he sees a great threat brewing, and has asked me to recruit two of his past associates into our organization. Sorine Jurard, an expert in dwarven machinery, investigating a site in The Reach, and Gunmar, a beast tamer, who could be anywhere in Skyrim.

The Reach, Heartfire 20
I've located Jurard, in the middle of nowhere in the Reach. after I helped her find her lost gear she agreed to hear what Isran has to say. They apparently had quite the falling out in the past. I've heard nothing of Gunmar in my travels.

Kareeah_Indaga

2017-05-31, 08:51 PM

Re: Khajiit, their homeland is also on the opposite side of Tamriel.

I'd like to add Tsavani to the list, although given that she lives at the Thalmor Embassy she might not strictly count.

Sajiri

2017-06-01, 04:30 AM

Id probably go with "creepy doll faces" over "cute" but that's just me. Some of them look like they took from some adult female follower mods and little to no work making them look like actual children. Raises a few uncomfortable questions in my mind.

Unfortunately, I think most child mods just look like creepy dolls. Feels like they just create a normal adult race, but shrink them down, enlarge the eyes and squish the face. I do like that the mod I linked changes the children to look more unique than RS children, but I dont like that some of the faces look a bit deformed (in an effort to look "cute" ), and how clean they look, especially that hair. I'm not sure Skyrim kids should look like they just stepped out of a shampoo commercial.

Really wish Dreamburrow released her(?) kids she made or overhauled. Unfortunately I can't even find the images for them anymore, I think they were taken down off the nexus. They were fantastic.

DigoDragon

2017-06-01, 07:31 AM

There's this new mod, The Kids Are Alright (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/83009/?), that says it 'adds over 20 new children and new children races...how many of them are Khajiit I'm unsure (there's at least 2 in one of the pictures). I considered using it but they all look a little too cute and anime-ish to fit in with my game so I stuck with RS children.

Id probably go with "creepy doll faces" over "cute" but that's just me. Some of them look like they took from some adult female follower mods and little to no work making them look like actual children. Raises a few uncomfortable questions in my mind.

It's not a bad mod... like, great that it makes a good attempt at several different looking kids (weird that FO3 beats skyrim on varying the look of kids). I think a little dirt on their faces and clothes would fix the 'doll-like' issue. Kids get messy. I can see how the faces get creepy though. I think it's the eyes. They got the same weird stares and hard-colored eyes lacking eyelids as adults do.

Still, I'd give this a try.

Triaxx

2017-06-01, 08:44 AM

Yeah, a problem of the face mods. And texture mods.

LibraryOgre

2017-06-01, 11:38 AM

Oblivion (https://www.gog.com/game/the_elder_scrolls_iv_oblivion_game_of_the_year_edi tion_deluxe) and Morrowind (https://www.gog.com/game/the_elder_scrolls_iii_morrowind_goty_edition) Game of the Year editions are on Sale on GOG. Morrowind includes Daggerfall and Arena, too.

Triaxx

2017-06-01, 12:43 PM

And it's the GOTY deluxe edition of Oblivion. Meaning it also includes the housing, Orrery, and Horse Armor, instead of the one that just had Knights and Shivering Isle.

LibraryOgre

2017-06-03, 08:27 AM

So, I've been playing Arena at work, because I have a ****TON of time. My Nord Bard is having some trouble, though.

What builds do y'all suggest?

Triaxx

2017-06-03, 11:08 AM

Honestly I never got out of the opening dungeon. Even following a map.

Urgh. Okay, so... when I attempt to start a new Morrowind game, it throws up an error message and won't let me click on anything to get rid of it. Anyone know how to get through that? (Something about a function running to excess or something.)

Aeson

2017-06-03, 04:18 PM

Urgh. Okay, so... when I attempt to start a new Morrowind game, it throws up an error message and won't let me click on anything to get rid of it. Anyone know how to get through that? (Something about a function running to excess or something.)
Have you successfully started games on this install of Morrowind in the past? If yes, it sounds like something got corrupted, in which case you probably need to reinstall the game (you might try deleting old savegame files first, though I seem to recall savegame-related bugs popping up mostly with overwriting a specific save file repeatedly over the life of a character), or maybe you're having a mod issue (especially if your mod list has changed since the last time you played). If no, I'd consider running the game in a virtual PC, in compatibility mode, or with administrative privileges before messing around with mods or doing a reinstall.

Also, a dumb way which might get you past the error messages: hit 'escape' or 'enter' once (or several times). Sometimes the keyboard shortcuts work even when you can't normally click on things. Another dumb way is that sometimes bringing up the task manager and switching to the process/application, or stopping the process for the error message (if it's separate from the game), can push the system past the error. I suspect, though, that an error message claiming that a function is "running to excess" is indicative of a problem which would lead to the game crashing shortly even if you could get it past the error messages; "running to excess" sounds like an inescapable loop issue or an interrupt triggering too often.

Ogremindes

2017-06-03, 04:58 PM

Raven Rock, Heartfire 24
I've travelled across the water to Solstheim. I will admit, I felt some apprehension after last time, but I've heard a rumor that a Nord beast-tamer had travelled this way, and I have no better lead. It's late, so I've rented a room at the Retching Netch for the night.

Solstheim, Heartfire 25
I awoke... somewhere else. I was carving at some half-finished stone monument. It felt like I was dreaming, and I assumed I was up until a robed man lashed me in the back with fire magic. He didn't have long to realise his mistake after that.

I found myself in inland Solstheim, near a old nord hall inhabited by small, goblin-like creatures. With broken Cyrodillic they asked me for help, and, hoping to find some clue as to what in the world just happened, I went along with it, recovering a lost beast and collecting some odd red grass, up until they asked me to help attack a camp of Nords. I balked at this, and decided to leave.

While looking for that grass I ran into Gunmar. He was hunting a bear that had killed some people, and after I helped bring it down he agreed to meet Isran. Another falling out. I guess Isran tends to push people away, I wonder how long this new Dawnguard can stay together in that case.

A dust storm has blown in. Much as I'd like to avoid camping out on this island, I can't keep going today. I hope I wake up where I go to sleep this time. This is worrying.

Solstheim, Heartfire 26
Well, I woke up in my own camp, that's a good start. Whatever happened that night warrants further investigation, but for now I just want to leave. I should focus on my task at hand, anyway. I'll make my way back to Raven Rock, and back to Fort Dawnguard.

Fort Dawnguard, Heartfire 27
Gunmar and Sorine have joined the Dawnguard, Gunmar is a smith, and is training battle-trolls. Sorine's an expert with crossbow mechanisms. But they weren't the only new arrivals at Fort Dawnguard. Serana was here. She explained her purpose in coming here: Her father, Harkon Volkihar, was obsessed with an obscure prophecy, one where vampires would control the Sun. She and her mother weren't keen on the idea, or rather with the open war with all of Tamriel, so they fled, taking key pieces relating to the prophecy with them. That's why Serana was trapped in a cave, and had a scroll, an Elder Scroll with her. She came here with it, too.

We need to understand that scroll. We can't read it ourselves, but a Moth Priest, who can, has been seen in Skyrim. We need to track him down. Serana is travelling with me. Not ideal, but she can't exactly stay in Fort Dawnguard. Isran might just kill her out of hand.

Dragon Bridge, Frostfall 2
We took a meandering path across Skyrim, asking any likely person for leads regarding the Priest, taking on other work as we went. Eventually we found he was heading to Dragon Bridge. As we approached, we found a destroyed wagon. Examining the wreckage, this was our Moth Priest, and he was abducted to a nearby cave by Harkon's vampires. A trail of blood lead us to the place.

We crept in and observed the situation. An entire, crumbling fortress was hidden in this large cave. I could see our enemies were scattered and not great in number. Knowing this, I drew Dawnbreaker and charged. Thanks to Dawnbreaker's power, their resistance was minimal. A flash of light that consumed one of his minions robbed their leader of his power, so even he couldn't effectively fight back.

The lead vampire had trapped the Priest in a magical cell while he tried to enthrall him. He was close, the priest attacked us when we released him, but he soon broke free. Dexion Evicus is his name. He's going to travel to Fort Dawnguard to help us, and for his own safety.

Travelling with Serana has so far been entirely amicable. It still does make me uneasy, but we need her help, and there is no safe place for her to be, Volkihar's vampires are searching for her, and the scroll. More the scroll than her, it seems.

Fort Dawnguard, Frostfall 5
We took a roundabout way back to Fort Dawnguard, following up a lead on a magic weapon along the way, so when we arrived Dexion was already here and prepared for the reading. Serana gave him her scroll. What he saw in it largely echoed what Serana told us of Harkon's prophecy.
"Among the night's children, a dread lord will rise". In an age of strife, when dragons return to the realm of men, darkness will mingle with light and the night and day will be as one."
But there was more. He saw a vision of the legendary bow of Auriel, and also learned that there was more to the prophecy, hidden in two more scrolls.
Serana thinks her mother knows where the second scroll might be. But she has long gone into hiding. The parts of Castle Volkihar she used to frequent have been sealed off, so Serana thinks we can get in unseen, and look for a clue as to where she went.

Jurard and Gunmar told me of another former associate, Florentius Baenius, an eccentric priest of Arkay. They think we need his help, but of course he had an acrimonious split with Isran in the past. Nevertheless, Isran has agreed. He was last seen heading to an antiquarian dig site north of here. It's a heck of a lot closer than Castle Volkihar, so that will be our first stop along the way.

Ruunvald, Frostfall 6
Well, that was altogether unpleasant. This was an excavation managed by the Vigilants of Stendarr, but they all fell under the thrall of an elf sorcerer. I had to fight my way through a dozen good men before I found the witch. When I felled her with my crossbow, her remaining thralls fell dead, so at least it seems those Vigilants were beyond saving.

Florentius was trapped in a cage. He still has his wits, such as they are, and has agreed to join the Dawnguard at the fort. Eccentric may be an understatement. With Jurard and Gunmar there he'll be fine, so we'll continue towards the northwest tomorrow.

Mzinchaleft, Frostfall 7
We've stopped at Mzinchaleft, the dwarf ruin that Mjoll told me about, where she nearly died and lost her sword Grimsever. A group of bandits were camped outside and attacked as we approached, but we cut through them easily. We set up our own camp to rest and prepare before heading in. I've heard about these places, but never explored one myself. What I've heard is that they're full of sophisticated traps and other deadly machines. This is probably exaggerated, since people used to live here and who wants to live in a place where stumbling home after a big night means risking being shredded by whirling death traps, but I'll be sure to watch my step all the same.

Windpeak Inn, Frostfall 8
That went well. There were still some bandits inside, apparently no one noticed the commotion outside or had any inclination to brave the cold. They were swept aside easily. The machines... I can't say I was expecting them to be ambulatory. Some moved like bugs, others stood like men but upon wheels instead of legs. Made of metal, so I chose to use my crossbow rather than ruin my blade. Quite effective, especially with the old dwarven ammunition that some of the machines used with crossbows of their own. The crossbow proved equally effective at slaying more of the pale goblins that are all to common under this land.

The final chamber held a final machine, this one shaped as a man and as tall as a giant. It looked fearsome, but it was an ungainly beast, and attacked with a breath of searing steam. It was riddled with crossbow bolts before I hit something important and it stopped moving. Serana took the brunt of it's breath, but recovered quickly. I found a magical two-handed sword in the same room, alongside a norse shield. I think this is Grimsever. I'll return it to Mjoll next time I'm heading back to the fort.

There was a way back to the surface nearby. We emerged with just enough daylight left to reach Dawnstar before night. We'll strike out west tomorrow, towards Solitude and Castle Volkihar.

Triaxx

2017-06-03, 05:36 PM

Ogremindes

2017-06-03, 09:11 PM

The Winking Skeever, Frostfall 10
After we broke camp, we approached the High Gate ruins, drawn by signs of recent fighting. Investigating, we found several more recently killed draugr before we caught up with the party responsible: Anska, a Nord wizard. She was here looking for a scroll that could prove her family's ancestry back to the ancient nord king Ysgramor. We assisted her in this endeavor, as she feared a Dragon Priest buried here might be too much for her to handle. Dawnbreaker put many undead draugr back to rest. The priest did prove a powerful foe when we met him in his chamber, I had to fall back after being battered by his magic, but Serana and Anska were able to hold their own while I recovered and then returned to finish the job with Dawnbreaker.

Anska found her scroll, and we parted ways amicably. We then travelled the rest of the way to Solitude without incident.

Castle Volkihar, Frostfall 11
Meeko's gone. I lost track of him in the chaos of a fight and haven't seen him since. I don't hold high hopes for his survival. Goodbye boy. You were a good friend.

Serana and I... and Meeko reached Castle Volkihar and snuck around to the side entrance Serana told me about. Some lesser undead guarded the way, but were no real threat. We passed through the castle undercroft to reach the courtyard. It was trashed and overgrown. Serana was distressed by the sight, but was still able to notice the unusual state of the "moondial" centrepiece. Sure enough, we discovered it concealed a staircase. Serana and I began to make our way through the old, abandoned parts of the castle it led to when I realized Meeko was no longer with us. I checked back the way we came, but no sign.

Well, we made our way through the old halls. More undead, and gargoyles too, stood in our way, but nothing we couldn't handle. We found Serana's mother's chambers, and a hidden door opened to a secret laboratory. We need to search this place, but I'm exhausted and need to rest. Even though we're indoors with a burning fireplace, I think tonight is going to feel particularly cold.

Rynjin

2017-06-03, 10:05 PM

It's not a bad mod... like, great that it makes a good attempt at several different looking kids (weird that FO3 beats skyrim on varying the look of kids). I think a little dirt on their faces and clothes would fix the 'doll-like' issue. Kids get messy. I can see how the faces get creepy though. I think it's the eyes. They got the same weird stares and hard-colored eyes lacking eyelids as adults do.

Still, I'd give this a try.

I mean, they could be worse.

They could all look like this graphical glitch I got a few years back. (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=165394778)

Balmas

2017-06-03, 10:28 PM

Morrowind, Part 8: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6aCpTZ0S6w)

The Ald'Ruhn Mage's guild only had a few jobs for me--go grab a rare book. I remembered seeing one in Sulipund, so I recalled back, grabbed the book, waved to the startled mages there, and Aimsivi interventioned back to Ald'Ruhn before Sulipund's residents could remark too violently on the subject of personal belongings.

With that done, I spent a bit of my hard-stolen gold on a few spells. Night-eye was important, but even more important was a nice universal-lockpick spell. Hard to cast, especially with my low skill in the school of Alteration, but it'll open any lock. And wouldn't you know it, there was a lock just begging to be tested in the fighter's guild. I'm sure Percius wouldn't mind letting a poor Journeyman take a peek at how the higher class lived.

How the higher class lives is apparently that they walk around in peasant-grade netch-leather and leave nearly an entire set of glass armor in a chest in their room. Percius didn't comment on it as I walked out of the guild wearing his armor, but I could feel his eyes on me as I left.

========

I thought about just taking a silt-strider back to Balmora, but I had business in Caldera. And then, stepping out of the city, I found some business going towards Ghostgate as well. A pilgrim--annoying broad, with more nag than stable's worth of horses--wanted me to take her there within the next two days. I figured, I was going that way, why not earn some gold on the way? Getting to Ghostgate was simple, but the instant we stepped through the double-portcullis, we were jumped by a double-whammy of a furious red sandstorm and furious lightning-slinging monsters. By the end of the fight, the monsters were dead, but so was the woman.

Eh. I failed the escort job, but the 500 gold in her pocket made me feel better about it.

From there, I thought it would be a nice slow walk down the Foyada towards Caldera. The book the Temple had given me said that the Foyada ought to be a safe route. Naturally, that meant that I was harassed by cliff racers the entire way. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't nap. They hounded me nearly the entire way to Caldera. It was only once I found a nice little crevice to hide in--and had a pile of cliff racer corpses that I felt safe to lie down for the night.

Naturally, that's when the assassin decided to ambush me.

Ogremindes

2017-06-04, 06:59 AM

Castle Volkihar, Frostfall 12
We've worked out where Serana's mother went from her notes. The contraption in the middle of the room is a portal, to a place called the Soul Cairn. It's the Daedric Plane of necromancy, as far as I can discern. With the reagents in the room, and Serana's own blood (her mother used her own blood as part of the formula for security), we were able to open the way. there's a problem. I'm too alive to go through. I felt like I was being ripped into pieces when I tried. Serana thinks if I'm partially soul-trapped I could get through by casting the soul gem in first. Sounds very risky, and even more unpleasant. Still, I've trusted her this far.

I'll leave this journal here, outside the portal. This seems incredibly dangerous, and I want there to be a record if I don't make it back.

Steepfall Burrow, Frostfall 15?
Meeko! We found Meeko! I thought he had died for sure!

Right... We're back in Tamriel, I'm, thankfully, back in one piece, and we have the second Elder Scroll. And Meeko.

Having part of my soul ripped out was every bit as unpleasant as I had expected. It was painful, as painful as when I stepped into the portal unprotected. While I was still dazed from the experience Serena dropped the soul gem into the portal. I was then able to pass into the cairn without further harm, but the cost was significant. I was lethargic, slow to act, slow to recover. It didn't feel the same as being sick. It was more like I didn't care enough to act with full vigor. Or something like that. I let Serana to the heavy lifting in the fighting for the first day we were in there, while I hung back with my crossbow. Thankfully, we found the soul gem containing the rest of me shortly into the second day.

Not that we were sure of the flow of time, there was no day or night per se, we just made camp when I was too tired and cold to keep going.

It wasn't until after I had recovered my soul that we dared approach the largest structure we saw. Sure enough, it was the prison of Serana's mother: Valerica. She had entered the Soul Cairn to hide from Harkon many, many years ago, and took one of the Scrolls we need with her. Serana convinced her that simply hiding away wasn't the best course of action, that deciphering Harkon's prophecy and stopping it was better than waiting for him to work it out himself.

There would be a final challenge: The dragon Durnehviir was Valerica's jailer, and attacked the three of us as we went to where Valerica had hidden the Scroll. Durnehviir summoned swarms of undead to fight us along with his own considerable physical power, but the bright bursts of Dawnbreaker would clear the area of his minions. I engaged him otherwise with my crossbow, while the vampires used their own magic powers. Eventually I saw an opening and charged him with my sword, banishing his physical form briefly. We collected the scroll and made to leave. Durnehviir confronted me again as I left, but not as a foe. He was no longer bound to guard Valerica after his defeat, but equally could no longer leave the cairn. He gave me his name, in the hope I might be able to use it to summon him briefly to Tamriel.

We left the Soul Cairn the way we came, and made our way out of the castle and to my old campsite in a cave not too nearby. As we returned to the castle undercroft, we found Meeko waiting for us. Even with the trauma to my soul I couldn't have been happier to see him.

I feel very tired. And even though I got the removed piece of my soul back, I still think I may have left something of myself back in the Soul Cairn.

Aeson

2017-06-04, 10:39 AM

Balmas:
If you want to get around an NPC and are using the console, you might want to try "tcl" (toggle collision), which will allow you to walk through them (as well as through walls, floors, ceilings, etc, and if I recall correctly other NPCs and creatures can do the same while collision is off), or "ra" (reset actors), which will place all actors in their initial position.

If you want to see object ownership, try "tfh" (toggle full help), though as a warning this will also reveal scripts on the object.

Just so you know, "dispose of corpse" puts everything that you can take from the corpse into your inventory before it removes the corpse from the game. Also, that was the cult altar in Fort Buckmoth; Morrowind is just sometimes finicky about letting you activate altars when there are other things nearby, like say an NPC, which can also be activated.

Triaxx

2017-06-04, 11:36 AM

Looked like the altar was flashing up to the left there.

Shrine's up and to the right from Ghostgate. It's a bit of an invisible side path for some reason.

Ah, even better, turns out there's a poorly documented issue with Rigmor of Bruma interrupting Immersive Armors startup for some reason. Turn Rigmor off, let IA configure, and then turn Rigmor back on. Fantastic.

Also, Cheese of Ages review: Fantastic mod. Slightly creepy in a place or two with some truly cringe inducing dialogue, but fantastic even so.

Winter_Wolf

2017-06-04, 01:29 PM

I did a new install of Skyrim LE and went through and did clean install of my mods after the initial vanilla start up and get .ini files set up. Something, and I suspect SkyUI 5.1 for son reason, is putting a $ in front of all the games system and dialogue box interactive text: "$Settings" "$Exit" "$New" "$Continue" and so forth. I don't recall having had this issue on my old computer. Guess I should try to install SkyUI v4.something and upgrade? Anyone encounter this before?

Triaxx

2017-06-04, 04:00 PM

Try reinstalling SKSE. SkyUI isn't finding the files it needs for it's custom fonts.

Sajiri

2017-06-04, 04:03 PM

Didn't happen until I tried to add the Sound and Graphics Overhaul. Uninstalled it and deleted the folder. I'll reinstall and play without instead.

Aaaannnd Skyrim needs a reinstall. Can't start a new game with RAS, because it crashes after a minute or so with a Visual C++ error, and the vanilla start sees the carriage not only freak out by rolling over at speed, but at one point the entire thing rotated 360 degrees around the horse, and then unloaded us into one of the walls and prevented Lokir from being arrowed. At least it was amusing. (Can continue old games, but can't start new and I don't want to record any further than I already have because it's way too far ahead.)

I used to get that carriage freakout all the time. I know there is a mod to fix it, but I can't remember what it was and I'm about to go to work >_< Do you use SMIM? I recall I used to have 2 fixes for it, one was an actual mod supposed to fix the carriage, the other was a fix because it happens when you have SMIM. I just remember that one of them worked for me and the other didn't, but I dont recall which one (It was on an old install).

Otherwise you could just keep trying to go through the opening. If the carriage can end up in relatively the correct spot it will carry on as usual. Sometimes I managed to do that despite the flippings, other times the cart horse just started walking into the sky.

Balmas

2017-06-04, 04:47 PM

I just keep a vanilla save right at character creation, so I can avoid that carriage issue.

Triaxx

2017-06-04, 07:58 PM

It's likely SMIM, but that's one part of why I use an alternate start mod. So I'd never actually seen that. It's actually pretty funny.

DigoDragon

2017-06-05, 09:46 AM

I mean, they could be worse.
They could all look like this graphical glitch I got a few years back. (http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=165394778)

Heh heh, yeah that is certainly worse. The mouth still moves? Yikes! XD

Winter_Wolf

2017-06-06, 10:34 PM

Try reinstalling SKSE. SkyUI isn't finding the files it needs for it's custom fonts.

Turns out this hasn't helped the issue. Installer, manual install, both SKSE and SkyUI reinstalls. Guess instead of playing I'll be troubleshooting tonight.

Ogremindes

2017-06-06, 11:20 PM

Fort Dawnguard, Frostfall 20
With no solid leads on where to start looking for another Elder Scroll, we took a meandering path back to Fort Dawnguard. Along the way we collected a dwemer schematic for Jurard from an old dwarven site.

Florentius made it to the fort safely. With nothing else to guide the way, I asked about for tasks that need doing. Sorine has a lead on a dwemer crossbow design, and Gunmar has a vampire he wants me to track down.

Treva's Watch, Frostfall 21
The dwemer schematic was in the hands of bandits occupying the fort Treva's Watch. The fort's prior owner, Stalleo, was camped outside with a couple of soldiers. He asked me to enter the fort by a back way and open the gate for him. We fought our way through the bandits, they indeed had the schematic amongst other dwarven artifacts. When I opened the gate Stalleo asked me if I had seen his family within. I didn't have the heart to tell him about the corpses I saw dumped in a side room. He payed me for my efforts, and we went on our way, striking camp not far away.

Fort Dawnguard, Frostfall 27
I've spent the last week doing small missions for the Dawnguard. I rescued the widow from Heartwood Mill, who had been abducted by a vampire leading a group of bandits, recovered a final schematic for Sorine and hunted down a vampire in Falkreath. While I was in the area I also assisted a hunter whose friends had been massacred by Spriggans.

Now I'm back at Fort Dawnguard. Jurard has provided me with a new, enhanced crossbow based on dwarven designs. Florentius has enchanted the weapon to imbue it's bolts with fire. We've dubbed it "Duskseeker".

We've still no leads on where we might find another Elder Scroll. Serana thinks we should head to Winterhold, far to the north and home to a Mages' College. Well, I suppose they would know something about the subject. It's not going to be an easy trip to head that far north at this time of year

Skytemple Ruins, Frostfall 29
After a long, cold journey we arrived at Winterhold, home of the Mages' College. The city itself was almost non-existent, a handful of buildings along the main street, and a lot of abandoned and collapsed homes. Asking around, I heard about an eccentric wizard who's set up an outpost in the ice floes to the north, who's supposedly an expert on Elder Scrolls. Looking out over the Sea of Ghosts I could just about make it out.

Try as I might, I couldn't avoid falling in the frigid water along the way. Luckily I was near enough to the outpost to shelter there while I dried out. The wizard: Septimus Signus spoke in riddles and rhymes, but, If I understand correctly, told me that there's an Elder Scroll in an underground realm called Blackreach. He gave me a key that will open the way to Blackreach from the dwemer city of Alftand, and a cube with which to transcribe the information from the Scroll with a dwarven machine. The transcribed Scroll would be payment for his aid. Looks like we got just what we needed.

I took another plunge into the water on the way back, and so we've come to these ruins to make camp and dry off before I freeze to death. There were a few skeletons and a draugr hanging around, but we cleared them out quickly enough. Tomorrow we'll return to Winterhold then begin making our way west. If I'm understanding right, Alftand is the ruins I could see from Frostflow Lighthouse.

GungHo

2017-06-07, 07:27 AM

Turns out this hasn't helped the issue. Installer, manual install, both SKSE and SkyUI reinstalls. Guess instead of playing I'll be troubleshooting tonight.

That is the game.

Sajiri

2017-06-07, 07:57 AM

I adopted Lucia, decided to give her a makeover and elven ears (so she looks like a fitting half elven child for my bosmer archer/witch and nord ranger husband), go to take a picture and she then decides, oh this will be a perfect time to just lay down on the floor and have a tantrum or something. Maybe she doesnt like the new hairdo, but it was one of the only childlike hairstyles I had easy access to.

Not sure where or how she got a bow though...

http://i.imgur.com/tgcOp5G.jpg

Well, at least I have managed in some way to finally customise a vanilla child since any of those mods that add non human children never work for me.

LibraryOgre

2017-06-07, 09:19 AM

In Skyrim, I was planning on having another character in a cheery lesbian relationship with Ysolla, since that's worked out well for me in the past.

But, then my orc visited a stronghold, and I realized "By the Nine, I am a strong orc woman, out kicking ass across Skyrim. I may not have time to raise a family right now, but I need an Orc man to be my wife when I am chieftain." So I married the miner. He, Rayya, and Llwellyn (and Meeko) watch the kids at Lakeview Manor while I am out killing every goddamn thing that shows up as a red dot.

In Arena news, I am doing substantially better as a Breton Bard, though I suspect some of that is just a more cautious playstyle, this time.

DigoDragon

2017-06-07, 10:14 AM

Not sure where or how she got a bow though...

I'd check your loot containers for fingerprints. ;)

Balmas

2017-06-07, 11:39 AM

Morrowind: Part 9 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi1vwKxBlyw&t=1152s)

The fight with the assassin was not as brief as I'd have liked. I'd been too tired to pull my armor off before collapsing in a crevice for my impromptu nap, and so the assassin's first stab skittered of the green glass of my gorget. Still, I was exhausted from the long journey from Ald'Ruhn, and my summoned spear drooped in my hands. Even my fireballs fizzled out as my clumsy fingers failed to make the required gestures. Still, my ability to heal with magic meant that I could just outlast him, and soon the assassin lay quietly baking before me.

I looked at him. I looked at the pile of cliff racers. I pulled out my map, and squinted at how far I hadn't gotten from Ghostgate. Finally, I sighed, said "Blow this for a lark," and levitated over the hills towards Caldera, civilization, and a warm bed. One with no cliff racers or assassins coming after me.

========

I didn't just come to Caldera to escape the Foyada. Eydis Fire-Eye had also told me that there were some Telvanni agents causing troubles for the Imperial ebony mine there. I was a bit wary of pissing off the Telvanni, since they sounded like the kind of people I might eventually want to work for, if for no other reason than because they might eventually help me to get away from the Empire.

Still, it was a job. What's more, it was a paying one, which was better than half the mage's guild quests so far. Eydis had given me a list of the agents' names, and said that they were camped out in a cave near the mind, probably with a lookout. And wouldja look at that, here was a cave, with a lookout posted, and who introduced himself using one of the names on the list.

Five minutes of fireballs later, I was done with my work. I debated whether I wanted to walk back to Balmora before deciding that teleportation was uncomfortable, but had a complete lack of cliff racers.

========

Both Eydis and Ranis had new jobs for me once I reported my jobs were done. Ranis wanted me to escort a mage to Pelagiad (and also steal his notes), while Eydis just wanted me to grab a stolen code book from some woman in the South Wall cornerclub. I figured I'd do the code book--which was a simple matter of going there, talking up the lady who'd stolen it, and asking nicely for her to give it back.

Since I was in the neighborhood, I checked in with Caius. I still think he's a moron for expecting me to work with him, but... well, I'm doing it, aren't I? He told me that now that I'd established myself a bit, I was ready for the next step: learning about Morrowind. After all, he said, "no point in being part of history if you're too ignorant to understand it."

Damn, if that's not ominous I don't know what is.

========

So, to learn about Morrowind, and about this thing called a Nerevarine, Caius sent me to talk to Antabolis in the fighters guild. Big history buff, knows all kindsa things, but needed me to do him a favor first. That involved going into Arkngthand, a nearby dwemer ruin, to retrieve a puzzle cube. I'd actually already explored the ruin, and hadn't been able to pick it up in my first sweep, but I figure I'll head back and do another sweep. More fully explore it, now that I have both levitation and a jump spell. And maybe I'll even get around to doing what I'm asked to do.

Sajiri

2017-06-07, 03:12 PM

I'd check your loot containers for fingerprints. ;)

The fact she got her hands on one almost makes me want to take her out on adventures and teach her the family trade. All grown up stealing her mother's weapons, she has learned much from my Auronia without me even trying to teach it to her

Edit: I attempted to adopt Sofie this morning, because man I feel so bad for the orphan girls in this game. Feels like they have it so much worse than the boys. But I guess she decided she'd rather take her chances in windhelm instead of my home that seems to get attacked by dragons daily, because even after adopting her she refused to ever move over there, just telling me over and over 'I need to get my things' like she was hoping I would take the hint and leave her alone.

So I ended up killing Grelod and adopting Runa instead, who tried hard to sell herself on how strong, fast, and smart she was. She's my new little warrior, who also seems to have got her hands on a bow. Might give her something else if she insists on having a weapon.

http://i.imgur.com/N1VTqRI.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/tHB22fY.jpg

Not thrilled with the outfits, but I havent gone out of my way to make anything special for them yet and just raided my wardrobes to see what looked decent on them. Now I just need to adopt Hroar because of his glorious name, but this house is starting to get pretty crowded :smallsigh:

Winter_Wolf

2017-06-07, 08:53 PM

Is that tantrum thing part of a mod? I don't recall seeing adoptees ever getting full on throwing self on ground tantrum. Granted, the last time my character bothered with adopting or "family" it was essentially "I have a place for you to live and food for you to eat, kid. And a 'mother' to take care of you. By the way, you will probably never see me again since I literally never go to the estate you and your new mommy will be living."

Unrelated, I seem to be having trouble verifying my game cache. Could it be from something like the SKSE Launch Patch? 'Cause I'm not even 100% sure I need it since I'm using Mod Organizer, and it works like a champ on my old computer. I mean really there's the probability that by the time I get a response I will have tried it, but then again I might just "rest my eyes" for longer than I expect tonight.

It was the bloody SKSE launch patch. Fiddling with the skse.ini got rid of the $(text) issue.

Sajiri

2017-06-07, 09:06 PM

She wasnt really having a tantrum, she just layed down while humming and swinging/rocking her legs like she was relaxing. It was just an amusing time for her to do so.

DigoDragon

2017-06-08, 07:57 AM

Not thrilled with the outfits, but I havent gone out of my way to make anything special for them yet and just raided my wardrobes to see what looked decent on them. Now I just need to adopt Hroar because of his glorious name, but this house is starting to get pretty crowded :smallsigh:

Remind me, what mods are you using for their appearance? They look adorable in those outfits!

Sajiri

2017-06-08, 04:18 PM

Remind me, what mods are you using for their appearance? They look adorable in those outfits!

There's a few of them.

RS Children for the basic face/body.
Armor and Clothing for Kids- lets you give them any armor even mod added ones
KS hairdo wigs for the hair (girls only, I think apachii wigs has males but Im not fond of apachii hairs, not sure I know of any other wig mods. Some of the boys in RS have nice hairstyles anyway)
Some craftable/equippable elf ear mod I forget the name of
Lucia's outfit I think is from zzjay's wardrobe with a necklace from...KS jewellery? I dont know, just threw something on there so no neck seam but I dont even remember if she had one. Runa's is differerent parts from an outfit from Apachii Divine Elegance store.

Then you need something like AFT/Immersive AFT to let you manage their outfits, probably what gave them a bow when I force recruited them as a follower to handle the outfit. Although some kid overhauls like..xvision? I think have a built in way of managing outfits.

Somewhat off topic, I found another child appearance overhaul that I love, makes the kid faces cuter and more varied without going full on creepy doll look. Unfortunately it only seems to adjust girls, and I think it converts the kids to use the same body as adults, which considering I am currently using CBBE I....really really don't want that to happen. It's also, I think, in japanese so hard to understand, and like many uncomfortable animes or worse, the mod's page has the girls, with their shrunken adult bodies, in rather revealing clothes. Cute kid faces, but made me not want to look at the rest of the page when I started noticing how the author dressed them in the screenshots :smalleek:

I know a basic way of overhauling children appearances in the CK but I didn't really want to mess with that. I kinda want to actually take them on adventures now for RP purposes but I'd have to reinstall RS children for the playable version, and then reinstall Armor and Clothing for Kids to go with that, then get ANOTHER mod (children fight back?) and Im not sure if I'm bothered with that, especially with how rarely I would even take them out.

Ogremindes

2017-06-08, 07:08 PM

Alftand, Frostfall 30
We braved the cold and reached Alftand shortly after midday. Snow had set in, so we briefly examined the abandoned outpost around the ruin before heading in. There was an antiquarian's expedition here not long ago, but all that seemed to be left was a skooma-mad Khajiit. It wasn't surprising that the same pale monsters that killed the family at Frostflow were here, and that they were responsible for the expedition's demise. We've fought through a significant number of those, along with many dwarven machines. For now we need to stop and make camp, and we'll be taking care on our watches tonight.

I can here the sounds of machinery echoing up from deeper. I wonder what we'll find.

Sinderion's Field Laboratory, Frostfall 31
Wow. I've had my first sight of Blackreach. It's an absolutely enormous cave, with water flowing through, glowing mushrooms, and multiple cities worth of ruins. The glowing minerals up above look like stars on a black field.

We found the last two of the Alftand expedition. They seem to have gone mad, as they attacked each other, and then us. Once they were dealt with we found a lift back to the surface, and more importantly the way down to Blackreach. The spherical key Signus gave me worked, and we made our way down.

A building near where we emerged contained the laboratory of an alchemist named Sinderion who had come down here some time before us. he died to the dwarven machines, but his notes tell of an apprentice of sorts in Skyrim. He was investigating the strange red strain of Nirnroot found down here, it may be worth seeing if that apprentice would continue his work and bring her some samples.

This place is huge, so we're making camp already. We'll scout around and then rest up for a substantial expedition tomorrow.

Blackreach, Sun's Dusk 1
We spent the day scouting the perimeter of Blackreach. We found several more connections to the surface, and some scattered monsters and dwarf machines. Points of interest to examine tomorrow are a massive complex in the centre of the caves and a free-standing tower a short ways from there.

Mzark, Sun's Dusk 2
The central structure was inhabited by those pale monsters, and also slaves taken from the surface races. The slaves were completely loyal to their masters, one wonders how long ago they were taken, so they were just as aggressive as the goblins. The machine we were looking for wasn't there, so we moved on to the tower.

That tower was the place we were looking for. It contained an enormous machine that, with some tinkering, etched runes onto the cube we were given and opened a odd box containing the Scroll we came for. The tower linked up to a sealed doorway on the surface, which we opened from the inside. There's an abandoned campsite here which we've repurposed for the night. We've come a long way south, so we'll go back to Fort Dawnguard before returning the cube to Signus. We finally have everything we need to decipher the Tyranny of the Sun.

Fort Dawnguard, Sun's Dusk 4
So much for having everything we need. Dexion failed to take all the precautions he needed, and blinded himself with his last reading. He'll probably recover in time, but Harkon's been moving, we can't wait for the months or years it may take.

Dexion told me of a ritual that I could perform, in an "Ancestor Glade" in the southeast of Skyrim, to read the scrolls myself. Dexion made some vague reference to risks worse than blindness, but it's really the only option we have now.

Along the way back to Fort Dawnguard, I met with Sinderion's apprentice. She took the Crimson Nirnroot I had gathered from Blackreach, and in return taught me some alchemy tricks and gave me a tome on the subject.

Shrine to Zenithar, Sun's Dusk 6
We travelled to the Ancestor Glade, stopping for a night in Falkreath along the way. I performed the ritual Dexion described to me, cutting bark from a special tree with a Draw Knife, and using it to gather the Ancestor Moths around me. When I did, the was a palpable distortion around me. I stepped into a shaft of light, and began the reading. Three scrolls, each in turn, starting with Valerica's. As the patterns overlapped before me, they formed into a map. The bow, Auriel's bow. Darkfall cave.

Serana was anxious to get moving before her father's minions found her. Naturally, that's when a band of vampires and their thralls burst into the glade. Dawnbreaker's fire made the vampires quickly, and briefly, wish they didn't. Hopefully the fighting hasn't damaged the place too much.

Darkfall lies far to the north, we covered good ground for the remainder of the day. As we passed standing stones of The Lady, I realized that a scrawled map I had found described a place nearby, and sure enough I found a treasure chest hidden under the water. We continued to Broken Fang Cave, where we found a Volkihar vampire and his minions waiting for us. We defeated them, and made camp in a ruined shrine a short ways north from there.

Darkfall Cave, Sun's Dusk 7
We reached Darkfall cave as the light was beginning to fade. There wasn't much to see in the cave, at least until an old rope bridge collapsed beneath us. We were thrown into rushing water, and swept much deeper into the cave. We found an abandoned campsite, presumably belonging to someone who died here not long before we arrived. We've cleaned up the camp a bit, and killed some trolls that were uncomfortably nearby. We'll rest here, and continue the search tomorrow.

Forgotten Vale, Sun's Dusk 8
A vicious snowstorm has set in, here in this isolated valley. We've made camp but we can go no further in this weather.

Overnight, I found a hidden pull-chain near our camp. Pulling it opened up a hidden path to a shrine of Auriel tucked away in this cave. It was to tended by an elf, who beckoned us over. He introduced himself as Knight-Paladin Gelebor, a snow elf, a race of elves that went all but extinct, degraded into those pale monsters that he calls "The Betrayed", or just Falmer.

He bid us kill his brother, former head of the temple of Auriel, who had been corrupted many years ago when the Betrayed attacked, and in return he would grant us Auriel's Bow, the artifact at the centre of the prophecy. In order to do this we must walk the path of an initiate of Auriel, performing the old rituals to open the way. He unlocked a wayshrine, a portal that would lead us to the first station of this ritual

We had to pass through more darkened caves, inhabited by more of these falmer When we reached the end we met the spectre of a Snow Elf, who finally opened the way to a hidden, open valley. There are another four shrines to discover here, but until the snowstorm abates, we're stuck.

DigoDragon

2017-06-09, 08:44 AM

There's a few of them.

RS Children for the basic face/body.
Armor and Clothing for Kids- lets you give them any armor even mod added ones
KS hairdo wigs for the hair (girls only, I think apachii wigs has males but Im not fond of apachii hairs, not sure I know of any other wig mods. Some of the boys in RS have nice hairstyles anyway)
Some craftable/equippable elf ear mod I forget the name of
Lucia's outfit I think is from zzjay's wardrobe with a necklace from...KS jewellery? I dont know, just threw something on there so no neck seam but I dont even remember if she had one. Runa's is differerent parts from an outfit from Apachii Divine Elegance store.

Then you need something like AFT/Immersive AFT to let you manage their outfits, probably what gave them a bow when I force recruited them as a follower to handle the outfit. Although some kid overhauls like..xvision? I think have a built in way of managing outfits.

Sweet and thank you! I've been thinking to get back into Skyrim and would like to try out more outfits and stuff, especially for the kids. Haven't gotten to use Hearthfire DLC yet.

Gotta get into housebuilding.

Winter_Wolf

2017-06-09, 12:18 PM

The Hearthfire homesteads are okay. The DLC is a good base for buildable mod estates. Blackthorn and Silverstead are pretty cool, and not terribly more inconvenient than the official homesteads. Skyfall Estate is right next to Whiterun and you can get there straight from the overworld. It can be a bit overblown on the interior, but if you use the buildable version you can tone it down a bit and it still turns out pretty good.

Maybe you're not interested in mod based homes and estates. Understanding that Lakeview is most likely the earliest available property, I prefer either Windstad Manor or Heljarchen Hall. Windstad has a great view of Solitude from either towers or the roof of the bedroom wing of the homestead. Heljarchen doesn't have the most spectacular views, but it's very central and like the others you can go straight from the overworld to your home interior. If you fast travel it probably doesn't matter much, but if you find yourself walking or riding the width and breadth of Skyrim, it's handy to have a place you're going to pass by often. Lakeview Manor does have the good views of a lake and mountains, as well as being geographically pretty defensible. Still Windstad is number one in my book.

VoxRationis

2017-06-09, 12:51 PM

Lakeview Manor does have the good views of a lake and mountains, as well as being geographically pretty defensible. Still Windstad is number one in my book.

Questionably defensible. All of the Hearthfire homes (I have no experience with the mod homes) are clearly manors rather than castles, being made largely of wood with no arrow slits or defensive architecture, or even a fence around the grounds. This seems odd in a setting plagued by bandit attacks and currently in the middle of a civil war, especially given that some of the Jarls imply that they are establishing you as a sort of miniature marcher lord.

Keltest

2017-06-09, 12:54 PM

Questionably defensible. All of the Hearthfire homes (I have no experience with the mod homes) are clearly manors rather than castles, being made largely of wood with no arrow slits or defensive architecture, or even a fence around the grounds. This seems odd in a setting plagued by bandit attacks and currently in the middle of a civil war, especially given that some of the Jarls imply that they are establishing you as a sort of miniature marcher lord.

Yeah, I was a little disappointed that I couldn't build a castle rather than a manor. I'm living in the wilderness, wolves, bandits and vampires regularly attack my home. Why cant I build a wall?

Triaxx

2017-06-09, 01:30 PM

I still prefer Build your own home myself, but then again, building in a Valley across a river with a couple nearby waterfalls appeals to me.

Plus the smithy on a platform looks cool. (The fact that my most downloaded mod adds a bridge for the place doesn't hurt either.)

LibraryOgre

2017-06-09, 03:24 PM

My house at Lakeview Manor was built specifically to have a wrap-around second floor porch. You might have better design options, but the open porch is pretty fantastic.

Sajiri

2017-06-09, 03:32 PM

I'm using Riverside Lodge Redux- buildable edition. It's my favourite house both vanilla and modded. It's not terribly huge like a mansion, but it does have everything you need, choice of rooms like the hearthfire ones, lots of storage that will pull/sort things for you into the right chests. It's also just visually appealing to me. Right on the river past Riverwood heading to Whiterun. There is a non buildable version, but I enjoy that aspect of it. Has a nice outside area too with a deck, garden for planting, training area, a sauna etc.

veti

2017-06-09, 05:03 PM

I like Lakeview, just for the view and the weather. In both respects it reminds me of my grandparents' house.

Heljarchen is central, yes - but it's cold and isolated. And Windstad is even colder and more isolated, with added spiders. No thanks.

Ogremindes

2017-06-09, 07:15 PM

Forgotten Vale, Sun's Dusk 9
It was past noon before the snowstorm let up. Thick fog persisted, but we broke camp anyway. We eventually found a wayshrine while stumbling around in the fog. The Wayshrine of Sight, how apt.

Continuing on, we found a spider-infested pass, as we cleared our way of spiders, the fog lifted and we were greeted with the sight of a wide, frozen valley. The Chantry of Auri-el. With our vision clear we quickly found the third shrine. Following the river that flows through the valley, I came across an creature like a giant, but furred. It was aggressive, and I was keen to test my blade against a powerful beast. I felled the giant, surprising it with my quick charge, and a flurry of quick strikes thereafter made an opening for a finishing strike. He was carrying an odd gemstone, a massive amethyst with an strange shimmer.

A staircase past the giant led me to another shrine. I can see a twisting pass leading on from here, infested with Falmer. I hope the fifth shrine isn't that way, but I suspect I'm out of luck, as that's were it seems the shrines are leading me.

The light is fading, so it's already time to make camp. Tomorrow we'll continue exploration on the hope of not fighting our way through a city of the Betrayed.

Forgotten Vale, Sun's Dusk 10
We discovered an arcane portal which the gemstone activated. It led to an otherwise inaccessible part of Darkfall, but that didn't lead anywhere. Another of those giants carried a sapphire gem of the same make, however, which opened up a portal to a treasure vault, still holding many nice things.

I found a den of five of these giants. More like overgrown trolls now that I think about it. None of them carried more gems. There's another cave that I want to examine before approaching the Falmer pass, and I plan to do so tomorrow.

Forgotten Vale, Sun's Dusk 12
We've reached the final wayshrine and are now camped before the sanctum. The cave I had wanted to explore proved to be a waste of time, just another Falmer den going nowhere. Pushing through the pass towards the sanctum was a slog, a long, treacherous path filled with deadly little monsters.

Along the way we relieved two more giants of their magic gemstones. I wonder where they'll lead. No time to find that out now, though. The Arch-Curate awaits...

Darkfall Cave, Sun's Dusk 13
Today, we killed Gelebor's brother. It turned out, he wasn't corrupted when the Betrayed attacked, he orchestrated that attack. He was a vampire, and swore vengeance upon his god when Auriel abandoned him and allowed him to be turned. It was he that created the prophecy, the Tyranny of the Sun, and set in motion all that has happened around it.

He sought to capture Serana for his ends, to use her cursed blood to corrupt Auriel's Bow. We put an end to that, and now, with Auriel's Bow, we need to put an end to the only other one mad enough to see this prophecy through. We'll return to Fort Dawnguard, we'll need a full-scale assault to reach Harkon.

I found one more of those giants, and used the three remaining gems before we left. Amongst other things, I acquired Auriel's Shield from doing this.

Steepfall burrow, Sun's Dusk 16
It's done. With the Dawnguard at our back we stormed Castle Volkihar. The power of Dawnbreaker caused the Volkihar defenders to scatter, allowing the Dawnguard to sweep through with minimal casualties. Serana and I confronted Harkon himself in the castle chapel. He tried to intimidate me into handing over the bow. I instead gave him the sharp end of Dawnbreaker, and battle was joined.

He began by launching a hail of magical attacks upon us, summoning minions to tie us up as he did. As we survived the hail of magicka, he became enraged, and charged at me with tooth and claw. It was at this moment I was able to fight back fully. When he realized he was losing, he withdrew and shielded himself with shadow. Impregnable, save for one thing. With Auriel's bow I dispelled the shadows, leaving him open to a final strike. Dawnbreaker lit the room like day as it consumed Harkon's unlife, and he dissolved away, cursing his daughter.

And that was that. The Volkihar were gone. The Tyranny of the Sun is no more. Serana plans to keep working with the Dawnguard for the time being, and I... I have some loose ends to deal with. After that, well now I'm free to do what I came to Skyrim for in the first place. I may have worked with the Dawnguard, but I was never one of them as such.

So, back to Winterhold and Signus.

DigoDragon

2017-06-10, 10:10 AM

Wow, lots of house options... hmm, looking at the map locations and photos, might check out Lakeview and Riverside Lodge first. I do love the wood cabin feel of those places over the stone construction and locations aren't bad. Thanks everyone!

Ogremindes

2017-06-10, 06:01 PM

Ah, dammit. I didn't realise that the civil war questlines need Dragon Rising to happen. Well, I don't want to start the main quest yet (it's kinda hard to ignore narratively, and it makes it hard to justify becoming an assassin IMO). Seems mods that can fix this, or at least fix this now, aren't really available. I guess I'll have to start... Companions next, then. I hope I made a full save just before heading to Windhelm.

Triaxx

2017-06-10, 06:27 PM

Are you fast traveling? If not, then the Dragons don't effect you that much. Mostly you won't see the random attacks.

After finding the lower level Apocalypse spells to be truly awesome, I am completely and utterly underwhelmed by the Master rank ones. They're worse than the Vanilla ones. :smallmad:

Ogremindes

2017-06-10, 06:44 PM

Are you fast traveling? If not, then the Dragons don't effect you that much. Mostly you won't see the random attacks.

I'm not fast travelling at all, ever in this playthrough (either Frostfall or iNeed is blocking it, can't remember which), but the random attacks aren't what I'm concerned with. I'm more concerned with a lot of the game content feeling incongruous with being a renowned quasi-mythical demi-god.

Sajiri

2017-06-10, 06:48 PM

I think Forgotten Magic Redone has become my favourite spells mod. I was using apocalypse and Im now at the point where Im using bows finally (trying to raise archery) but the spells in forgotten magic with their own perks feel great. I feel like Healing Touch and the wolf pack spell, along with arcane weapon are everything I need now

Temotei

2017-06-10, 06:55 PM

After finding the lower level Apocalypse spells to be truly awesome, I am completely and utterly underwhelmed by the Master rank ones. They're worse than the Vanilla ones. :smallmad:

Really? I've found almost every spell to have its own use except for maybe some of the Master Conjuration spells which feel a tad redundant mechanically.

Triaxx

2017-06-10, 08:13 PM

Float in the air and spit a few meteors. Or a bit of rock that spits tiny balls of fire.

Compared to Sleet Storm which is an Ice Machine Gun, or Bombardment which is rapid fire fireball, the 'Master' Destruction Spells are woefully uninteresting. Heck, Lightning Strike is laugh out loud funny, especially when it pitches an enemy entirely out of render distance.

For that matter, stealthy Ninja Wizard is utterly epic. Fury what you can, then use Muffle, Ghostwalk and a Bound Sword to backstab the survivor's, teleporting back to a place they can't see you. Clearing out Silent Moon's camp with only one enemy even hitting me is epic.

Temotei

2017-06-10, 09:20 PM

Triaxx

2017-06-10, 10:49 PM

Ordinator makes Destruction much, much more viable as a spell set. Even with Vanilla spells, it both improves scaling and makes them more effective at dealing with enemies. Lightning to magnetize them into the air, or fire that lingers on the ground and burns anything that you didn't hit directly. Plus it scales them with level. 0.25/0.5% more powerful per level in destruction. So it's no longer relegated to the early game and then stops being strong enough to do more than tickle more powerful enemies.

My LP is with a Mage focused almost entirely on destruction, and with Ordinator, it's actually viable instead of you just sitting there running out of Magicka before you get anywhere near the half-health mark.

Mando Knight

2017-06-11, 12:52 AM

Temotei

2017-06-11, 03:45 AM

Triaxx

2017-06-11, 05:01 AM

Sajiri

2017-06-11, 05:07 AM

On my current playthrough, I began as a fire destruction mage. It started to get a bit frustrating since nothing seems to match up with the crosshair even though I fixed that for archery. But I think I read somewhere that magic is different somehow particularly if you play in 3rd person like I do? It was fun at first but now Im more focusing on conjuration and archery, and I'll probably start shifting towards more of a magic assassin style soon. I have discovered the joys of ghostwalk, and several of the skill lines with ordinator. I've been using ordinator pretty much since the day it released when I spotted it in the most recent files list, but I never paid attention to the skills I didnt use. Now that Im shifting my playstyle depending on what Im doing in game, I start looking into different skills and they all look fun and interesting.

Triaxx

2017-06-11, 05:35 AM

Magic fires from your hands, rather than the center of the screen even in first person, so it's naturally more difficult in third person. That's why it doesn't seem to be going straight, because your hands have moved when you jumped into third person. Stick with the level 1 spells, Flames, Frostbite and Sparks, and that seems to work okay since they're both short range and have a bit of width to the hit box.

Two-handed light armor is the only character type I play in third-person because it's essential to being able to see where I'm moving, with the fact that I have to not get hit to survive. Getting caught up on anything is death. Everything else I play first person exclusively.

DigoDragon

2017-06-11, 08:01 AM

Two-handed light armor is the only character type I play in third-person because it's essential to being able to see where I'm moving, with the fact that I have to not get hit to survive. Getting caught up on anything is death. Everything else I play first person exclusively.

I toggle around a bit. Mostly 3rd person for melee combat, mostly 1st for searching rooms and archery.

Spore

2017-06-11, 02:53 PM

Ordinator makes Destruction much, much more viable as a spell set. .

People should just know that the Ordinator overhaul uses much more perk points for each individual skill tree. Hybrid builds are still a thing and very viable but specialists can invest 20-30 perks in a tree and not be forced to continue their destruction mage with other perk trees simply because you run out of options to pick.

A Fire Destruction Mage in Vanilla uses 10 perks (and usually is forced to spend their perks on other trees as you lack the requirements for high level destruction perks). A Fire Destruction Mage in Ordinator have 15-20 perks that they can invest in while only using fire spells.

Triaxx

2017-06-11, 03:52 PM

Keltest

2017-06-11, 04:03 PM

Which is true, but you're mostly spending perks to boost damage, rather than a couple damage boosts, then the five ranks of cost reduction.

Ordinator crams the cost reduction to two perks, with lower requirement's, and the rest are either pure boost, or damage amplifying special effects.

Honestly, I don't like straight up damage amplification perks at a conceptual level. On the surface it seems cool; specialization grants better use of your stuff, right? In practice, you either end up drastically outpacing your enemies, or cannot hybridize at all because enemies are balanced around having all the perks. If I need to invest 10 perks just to be remotely effective with my fireball spell, what incentive is there to even learn it unless I plan to use it as my primary attack? Those are perks that could be invested in my weapon or armor instead. Utility and ease of access perks are much better, because then you can still use the baseline spell without the perks and have it do its basic job.

Triaxx

2017-06-11, 05:30 PM

Yes, but saying amplification of damage is a simplification. One of the perks gives a chance to catch targets on fire, and then cause them to EXPLODE for a bunch of damage, another one allows me to burn corpses. Which is something I want when fighting necromancers, so I can deny them additional forces, and also set them on fire if they cross the pyre.

So yes, it amplifies the damage, but it's more than that. I get it though, you don't like Destruction. No big deal. I try to play all styles, but some I'm just not that good at. I tend to go for heavy specialization more than broad hybridization. My mages do magic, my fighters hit things, and my thieves don't get seen until the knife is across your throat. And my archers fire a shot in Riften, and a guard falls off the walls of Solitude.

Keltest

2017-06-11, 05:40 PM

Spore

2017-06-11, 05:50 PM

Honestly, I don't like straight up damage amplification perks at a conceptual level. On the surface it seems cool; specialization grants better use of your stuff, right? In practice, you either end up drastically outpacing your enemies, or cannot hybridize at all because enemies are balanced around having all the perks. If I need to invest 10 perks just to be remotely effective with my fireball spell, what incentive is there to even learn it unless I plan to use it as my primary attack? Those are perks that could be invested in my weapon or armor instead. Utility and ease of access perks are much better, because then you can still use the baseline spell without the perks and have it do its basic job.

I think you got this wrong. Ordinator gives a perk with two levels to reduce the costs of the spell. That is the minimum for your primary attack. Then you get a Combustion perk that deals more damage the more health the enemy is missing. Then you get a perk that reduces fire resistance by 25%. And then you still have 5-7 perks that add different effects (explosions, a fear effect, burning ground and as capstone a knockback explosion).

Additionally Destruction is much like Onehanded, Archery, Twohanded or to some extend Conjuration a primary way of attack (Sneak is up there but honestly requires a bit of investment in Onehanded). Of course it needs a bit more involvement and perks. As should your primary defense.

Also there are some fun cross-tree perks. Pact Magic gives your 15% more damage on Detruction spell for each Daedra close by (up 5 minions means 75% more damage, for all your endgame mage needs). Elemental Potency gives those Daedra 30% more attack power when you channel a spell (say a destruction spell!).

Keltest

2017-06-11, 06:07 PM

I think you got this wrong. Ordinator gives a perk with two levels to reduce the costs of the spell. That is the minimum for your primary attack. Then you get a Combustion perk that deals more damage the more health the enemy is missing. Then you get a perk that reduces fire resistance by 25%. And then you still have 5-7 perks that add different effects (explosions, a fear effect, burning ground and as capstone a knockback explosion).

Additionally Destruction is much like Onehanded, Archery, Twohanded or to some extend Conjuration a primary way of attack (Sneak is up there but honestly requires a bit of investment in Onehanded). Of course it needs a bit more involvement and perks. As should your primary defense.

I was referring less to Ordinator specifically, and more in a general sense. I also don't care for how my master warrior can do more damage with an iron longsword than he can a daedric greatsword just because he has a high skill in 1h and low skill in 2h.

Temotei

2017-06-11, 06:58 PM

Destruction is just something I've always enjoyed. My first character was a Khajiit Destruction Mage. Stuff like Bolide, with it's extreme damage bonus from range is fun, or Ice Shiv for hitting targets from behind.

Alteration feels much more utility to me, though that's not a bad thing. Ocato's Recital is flat out essential, Drop Zone is crazy useful, and so is Waterstride. Reynos Fins should be useful, but I'm playing with Frostfall, so it's not as much. Fabricate Item is something I really want to play with, but haven't found an opportunity to use. What spells am I missing?

Tharn's Prison, Acceleration Rune, Levitate (renamed to Wind Running since I played the character who used it), Undermine, Talons of Nirn, Perilous Path, Prepare for Adventure, Spell Twine, and Control Weather are all fantastic for various purposes, and that's just off the top of my head.

Triaxx

2017-06-11, 06:59 PM

Ogremindes

2017-06-11, 11:35 PM

Abandoned Shack, Sun's Dusk 19
I returned to Signus, so small task in itself, to keep my word. He's now asked me to use a device to gather blood from each of the kinds of elf left in the world, so that he might make a facsimile of dwemer blood to open a lock. A task that I would have eventually gotten around to, I'm sure, given the amount of killing I see, except for Hermaeus Mora manifesting before I left. It would have me become his servant, taking the place of Signus. I told it I would have no part in this. It seemed untroubled by this, certain it would have my service in the end.

Part of me wanted to throw myself in the icy waters just to spite it, but I instead just resumed my travels. I have some things to gather at Fort Dawnguard before I move on. As an aspiring sellsword, my next stop will be Whiterun.

As an aside, when I travelled past Solitude I saw that a scrawled map in my possession depicted the lighthouse. I helped myself to the hidden treasure chest I found following the map.

Nilheim, Sun's Dusk 21
This morning, I arrived at Whiterun. I had decided to present myself to The Companions, the most famous mercenary group in Skyrim. While I am certain I am amongst the deadliest warriors in Tamriel, and I have achieved great deeds, I do not strike an imposing figure and my fame is largely limited to the Dawnguard. So it was that my desire to join these warriors was met with no small amount of skepticism. But still, their... not leader as such, but near enough Kodlak was willing to give me a chance after I sparred with Vilkas to show that the sword wasn't for show.

They've given me a job, to retrieve a wealthy family's stolen heirloom from a group of bandits. I left at once, but they're based in the Rift, so I travelled as far as I could before nightfall, striking camp by Nilheim, a place I've often stopped since I cleared the bandits from it.

Jorrvaskr, Sun's Dusk 22
I returned to the Companion's lodge of Jorrvaskr late in the afternoon. I had cleared the bandits from Faldar's Tooth and its surprisingly extensive catacombs, and reclaimed the heirloom warhammer. After selling off the bandits' nicer possessions in Riften, I made my way back to Whiterun, trudging through the rain endemic to the south of Skyrim.

As I passed Valtheim I realised the great bridge was the landmark on a crudely drawn map I had discovered, and sure enough I found an old chest tucked away where the map described. A nice little bonus on top of the pay I received when I was back in Whiterun.

Aela the Huntress had a quick job for me when I got back, to deal with a sabre cat who had made itself at home in a nearby farmstead. I was there and back within the hour. I think I'm going to get along well with Aela.

I'll see what other work is available tomorrow, once I've finished drying out.

Mixwater Mill, Sun's Dusk 23
Aela had a couple more jobs for me today, hunting down some wolves for pelts and rescuing Gilfre at Mixwater Mill from a wolf who'd gotten itself in her house. Nothing challenging, but I'm getting paid well enough and the rain stayed away so I can't complain. I will ask around Jorrvaskr for something more interesting when I get back, though.

I had a bunch of technical issues with Skyrim yesterday. Mostly related to radiant quests going to cleared dungeons. And somehow, none of my issues were due to dropping a 5 year old script mod into SE. That mod is Slower Companions Advancement, and it does what you'd expect: make it so you need to do more radiant quests to advance the Companions questline. I was surprised I couldn't find anything that does that for SE, but so far the script seems to work. I'll know once I've done 2 or three more radiants (I suspect Pelt Collection isn't going to count for progress, as it's not available in vanilla).

Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch
Campfire: Complete Camping System
Cutting Room Floor
Lore-Based Loading Screens
Run For Your Lives
When Vampires Attack
Ars Metallica
Bandolier: Bags And Pouches Classic
Cloaks & Capes
Craftable Clothing
Immersive Upgrade Leveled Items
Wearable Lanterns
Hearthfire Display Case Fix By Krucify
Non-Automatic Skill Books
Forgotten DungeonsSSE
EasierRider's Dungeon Pack
Moonlight Tales Special Edition
Sacrosanct - Vampires of Skyrim
Thunderchild - Epic Shouts And Immersion
Aurora - Standing Stones of Skyrim
Imperious - Races of Skyrim
Apocalypse - Magic of Skyrim
Summermyst - Enchantments of Skyrim
Ordinator - Perks of Skyrim
Wildcat - Combat of Skyrim
Thief Skills Rebalance for Ordinator
Apocalypse - Ordinator Compatibility Patch
Frostfall: Hypothermia Camping Survival
iNeed Food Water and Sleep
iNeed Extended
Wet and Cold
True Storms Special Edition - Rain Thunder And Weather Redone
Alternate Start - Live Another Life
VioLens - A Killmove Mod
Slower Companions Advancement

Temotei

2017-06-11, 11:48 PM

Ah, yeah, I see what you mean. Frankly, I'm more annoyed by the categorization to one-handed/two handed, from blade/blunt. It's much less believable applying sword techniques to maces/war axes, than it is medium swords to two handers.

That's sort of a Bethesda thing. They don't seem to be very good at balancing the fancier perks. For example, my super power build in Fallout 3 takes advantage of Rad Regeneration and Rad Child. Healing limbs and health full just for the slight disadvantage of being Radiated. Something like that in Skyrim would be hilariously broken. (Even accounting for built-in regeneration.)

Prepare for Adventure is tons of fun, especially early on, since you can get great staves out of it. Haven't really tried out Talons of Nirn. It seems entirely too situational, but perhaps I'm not seeing something. Acceleration Rune?

Acceleration Rune sets a rune down that makes a creature that steps on it go flying forward in the direction they were moving. Pretty funny in high places or in trapped corridors, but also just useful overall.

Talons of Nirn is fun in combination with stagger effects, a few of which come from other spells in the same school. Works well with Conjuration in my experience.

factotum

2017-06-12, 01:55 AM

No, I like destruction in principal, I just think that a progression system that involves a flat damage increase of any sort in a game like Skyrim where encounters are tailored to your level is inherently flawed.

But that's exactly how all the weapon skills work in Skyrim? You do more damage as your skill in a weapon increases, regardless of what perks you take.

Spore

2017-06-12, 02:45 AM

I was referring less to Ordinator specifically, and more in a general sense. I also don't care for how my master warrior can do more damage with an iron longsword than he can a daedric greatsword just because he has a high skill in 1h and low skill in 2h.

I get what you mean. But the quickest fix for that would be the hit calculcations of Morrowind and I've always felt that system to be incredibly bad for an action RPG. I don't like the computer deciding that I miss again.

But Skyrim's melee combat has its own problems. With the twohanded weapons dealing less damage because you can swing a sword faster than a big warhammer and almost no real increased reach to speak off; especially when fighting overly large monsters instead of armed humanoids.

No, I like destruction in principal, I just think that a progression system that involves a flat damage increase of any sort in a game like Skyrim where encounters are tailored to your level is inherently flawed.

I don't get it. Increasing damage is an RPG standard almost. And with a big 3D game like Skyrim it is necessary. I get that you would rather have different higher level spells that deal more damage - like a 1st level D&D Wizard uses Burning Hands while a 3rd level Wizard uses Fireball. And maybe you would like a high level Wizard to be forced to actually invoke those Master level spells that require you to stay still to deal lethal damage. And your idea is great. But the time a vanilla ritual spell needs is just too long. You have almost the same problem here. A few spammed midlevel Fireballs outpace a single Firestorm spell by a long shot while being more accurate and not immobilizing your character.

Paid mods....yay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRkrascT_iM

Considering the possibilities with Ordinator (and Apoc. spells) I will make another playthrough as an Altmer Paladin. I once played an Altmer Archmage who found the dragons interesting to research and his magic necessary to battle them. And I am unsure how to handle the majority of quests with that. I can't just help a rogue organisation (the Blades) extract information from the Aldmeri Dominion. After all, the Elves are the rightful rulers now. I can't do a majority of the Daedra quest, cannot join either the Thieves' guild nor the Dark Brotherhood. And I feel even the Companions questline has to stop when they offer me Lycantrophy. I cannot risk my immortal soul for momentary allies.

That leaves Dawnguard, the Dragonborn DLC and bumbling about without aim in the lands of Skyrim.

Keltest

2017-06-12, 07:39 AM

But that's exactly how all the weapon skills work in Skyrim? You do more damage as your skill in a weapon increases, regardless of what perks you take.

Yes. I found vanilla Skyrim's combat system to be somewhat frustrating. The destruction magic perks were nice, if boring, but the spell selection was awful, and since almost everything in Skyrim is leveled with you, in practice I felt myself growing less powerful compared to my enemies as the game went on, even if I pumped all my perks and skills into a single attack method for maximum power.

Triaxx

2017-06-12, 08:09 AM

Keltest

2017-06-12, 09:06 AM

VoxRationis

2017-06-12, 10:59 AM

Thus, mods. I'm wondering if perhaps they hadn't realized how badly they'd crippled magic. Then again, I suppose it's like D&D: Magic is over powered! Reduce it's damage. Yes but it's not damage... REDUCE THE DAMAGE!

Because Skyrim's Magic is crazy strong, but it's damage output is terrible, barring Lightning Hose. And even then, you have to survive long enough standing still to actually rev it up. Compare Paralyse, which charges hits and the enemy is then a sitting duck, or Calm/Fury where the enemy is now out of the fight for an extended period, or is now doing damage on your side. And Conjuration, where you can call down Daedric war makers to strike down your foes, or turn their own corpses into your allies.

Even that magic has taken something of a hit since the old days. I've never really played Morrowind heavily owing to frustration with technical issues and frustration with cliff racers, but I still remember a much broader, heavier system of spell effects. In particular, any spells not dealing with "fight people, either directly or indirectly," took hits as the years went by. Where did all the unlock spells go? In Skyrim, there's just one such effect, and it's from the Tower Stone. Why can't we levitate anymore? Why can't we charm people anymore (and no, calm is not the same thing)?

Spore

2017-06-12, 11:24 AM

There was a pact to make flight magic inaccessible but I never knew what happened to the teleport spells. Maybe the Aldmeri Dominion doesnt like magic prowess of the enemy because thats actually their forte. Then again what would a rogue mage care about that?

LibraryOgre

2017-06-12, 11:37 AM

I saw an argument that basically said that the Jagar Tharn incident was the beginning of the slide of Tamriel's magic. In Arena, you're destroying walls, creating long-lasting magical shields, all sorts of things. You see a real fall-off in Oblivion... no more flying, no more teleportation (except for rare magical objects). By Skyrim? Magical study has fallen off horribly, and many of the effects once taken for granted are now inaccessible.

One might also suggest it is due to changes wrought by the Oblivion crisis, actually. Oblivion and earlier, summoning was a fairly difficult act, requiring a lot of Magicka. Come Skyrim, and I may not be casting Atronach Thrall spells, but I can summon Dremora at will.

Winter_Wolf

2017-06-12, 01:39 PM

I like destruction and all that, but mostly just for show. It's pretty bad at killing things quickly. Mayhem bombs are where it's at. Then find a good seat and bring out the bow. They're so busy trying to murder each other that you don't even have to worry about being seen shooting them. I may have dropped a mayhem spell in the middle of Whiterun before I was clear on what it did. And then harmony. Stuff was flying everywhere. Yay havoc physics!

I mean sure I could add mod magic, but it bugs me when the standard perk trees are muddled with, and that seems part and parcel of magic mods.

Triaxx

2017-06-12, 01:53 PM

Neither Apocalypse, nor Midas Magic touch the perk trees.

Personally, before swapping to Ordinator, I used Balanced Magic, which made very minor changes to the perk trees, such as making all perks reduce costs for all spell levels, but by a lesser amount per perk. It also added a damage bonus to the Destruction perks, and massively boosted the Alteration perk that extended time limits, both for a longer time, and to affect all schools, like Quiet Casting.

Winter_Wolf

2017-06-12, 03:43 PM

Hm, I guess I had a comprehension fail, I always seemed to parse "modded magic" to include perk tree changes. SPERG gave me fits and I have no intention of messing with Ordinator.

Then again I only use better rune master--or is it unlimited rune casting? Anyway--and I used to use an illusion spells mod because I always ended up at a level where enemy spawns were too high a level to be affected or too low a level to be worth it (skeevers).

Kareeah_Indaga

2017-06-12, 04:19 PM

Where did all the unlock spells go? In Skyrim, there's just one such effect, and it's from the Tower Stone. Why can't we levitate anymore? Why can't we charm people anymore (and no, calm is not the same thing)?

I want Feather and/or Fortify Carry Weight spells back. :smallannoyed: Spells mind, I know there are potions for the latter. The problem with potions is that they must be carried--thus making the inventory situation worse. Also they have a bad habit of running out.

There was a pact to make flight magic inaccessible

I keep hearing about this; where is this written down? Also there must be SOME exceptions to it because they used Levitate spells in the Lord of Souls book.

VoxRationis

2017-06-12, 04:47 PM

I keep hearing about this; where is this written down? Also there must be SOME exceptions to it because they used Levitate spells in the Lord of Souls book.
I wouldn't worry too much about the lore of it. The real reason is that things like Levitate force the game designers to accommodate multiple routes of access and multiple ways of navigating the world, instead of going along the very specific rails they want for each dungeon.

LibraryOgre

2017-06-12, 05:02 PM

I keep hearing about this; where is this written down? Also there must be SOME exceptions to it because they used Levitate spells in the Lord of Souls book.

The Levitation Act was a law passed throughout the Empire in 3E 421 which outlawed the use of levitation magic. (http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Levitation_Act)

Triaxx

2017-06-12, 05:30 PM

Looking at them side by side, I can understand your hesitation. What EnaiSiaion did with Ordinator (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/68425/?), is break up things into discrete mods, instead of being an all in one overhaul. Ordinator does perks. That's all it does. No difficulty changes, no new spells, and a whopping 1 item, which is a Scroll of Legends used to respec for uninstall, or just plain respecing.

Difficulty changes come from Wildcat, which is a separate mod and not required. Apocalypse adds new spells, and doesn't change perks, or difficulty levels. Mostly NPC's don't get the new spells, but you may see them wielding staves of the new spells. It leads to a much more configurable experience, so you're not jammed with it all at once unless you choose to be.

SkyRe had the same issue: I'll just install all the options. Wow, this is a cool new weapon. Oh GODS, why am I being murdered by Skeevers!

I had a mod that boosted the Dual Casting from 2.2x to 3.0x for the same 2.8x cost, and that seemed to work pretty well.

Temotei

2017-06-12, 05:38 PM

I want Feather and/or Fortify Carry Weight spells back. :smallannoyed: Spells mind, I know there are potions for the latter. The problem with potions is that they must be carried--thus making the inventory situation worse. Also they have a bad habit of running out.

And let spells/potions of those effects stack if they're from different sources or something. Or just let potions stack.

Note that Apocalypse does have one spell that increases your movement speed and carry weight (x3 outside of combat). Concentration casting, though.

veti

2017-06-12, 07:21 PM

I had a bunch of technical issues with Skyrim yesterday. Mostly related to radiant quests going to cleared dungeons. And somehow, none of my issues were due to dropping a 5 year old script mod into SE. That mod is Slower Companions Advancement, and it does what you'd expect: make it so you need to do more radiant quests to advance the Companions questline. I was surprised I couldn't find anything that does that for SE, but so far the script seems to work. I'll know once I've done 2 or three more radiants (I suspect Pelt Collection isn't going to count for progress, as it's not available in vanilla).

Most script mods from original Skyrim should work in SE, provided they don't rely on SKSE. I've used a few with no issues. There are a few exceptions (by, I'm guessing, authors who got more ambitious), but "changing the start conditions of a few quests", which is what that one amounts to, should be safe enough.

Balmas

2017-06-12, 07:53 PM

So, I'm thinking of getting ESO as one of my steam summer sale presents to myself. Anyone have experience with that? Good, bad? Is it an Elder Scrolls game in its own right, or is it just an MMO with Elder Scrolls paint on?

Even that magic has taken something of a hit since the old days. I've never really played Morrowind heavily owing to frustration with technical issues and frustration with cliff racers, but I still remember a much broader, heavier system of spell effects. In particular, any spells not dealing with "fight people, either directly or indirectly," took hits as the years went by. Where did all the unlock spells go? In Skyrim, there's just one such effect, and it's from the Tower Stone. Why can't we levitate anymore? Why can't we charm people anymore (and no, calm is not the same thing)?

Some speculation:
-Unlock spells rendered an entire skill effectively useless, and therefore had to be pruned for 'balance.'
-Levitation both requires game devs to put interesting things in more locations, and come up with more interesting level design than "high ledge that you drop down right next to the door." Too much effort. Cut.
-Because charm implies disposition, which is something that also got cut in all but the most superficial of ways in Skyrim.

Keltest

2017-06-12, 09:41 PM

So, I'm thinking of getting ESO as one of my steam summer sale presents to myself. Anyone have experience with that? Good, bad? Is it an Elder Scrolls game in its own right, or is it just an MMO with Elder Scrolls paint on?

I enjoy it. They just released the Nostalga expansion, and it achieves its goal, IMO. it got a bad rep because it had a lot of problems at launch, but it has largely moved past those IMO.

Lord Raziere

2017-06-12, 10:02 PM

Well.....hm.......there are some.....MMO elements to ESO.

for example, there are classes, but they aren't as limiting as classes in other games per se. Basically classes give you a skill path packages of three paths you can develop that the class has, but you have a bunch of other skill paths full of abilities that are completely universal.

for example, all classes can learn to wear any type of armor, all classes can learn to wield any weapon including healing and destruction staves, all classes can learn how to steal and be stealthy, and thus you can be a mage who wears heavy armor and dual-wields swords if you want, you just have to find the equips you want, put em on and start killing things with them and you'll gain access to the skill path.

other than that it feels pretty TES to me. you of course start off a prisoner, and your first epic overarching quest is to get your own soul back from Molag Bal after escaping Coldharbor. and yes you can steal things from NPC's and get attacked by guards and get bounties.

of course the races are set up so that three are naturally keyed to certain faction unless you pay to modify that so that you can be a race of one faction in a different one, but thats not a too big of an issue to me. the lore itself keeps itself accurate and cool, be do know that all of ESO is taking place during a Dragon Break, so if there are differences and contradictions then thats just apart of the thousand different timelines all flying about before they all get mashed back together.

Sajiri

2017-06-13, 12:29 AM

So, I'm thinking of getting ESO as one of my steam summer sale presents to myself. Anyone have experience with that? Good, bad? Is it an Elder Scrolls game in its own right, or is it just an MMO with Elder Scrolls paint on?

I enjoy it, I guess. I've never got very far since I don't know anyone else playing it. I like it but something about it is just...I dunno. Usually when I play it I just want to get back on skyrim or oblivion instead.

Speaking of ESO, I bought morrowind recently and decided to make a new character for the expansion. I got the unlock long ago so I could play any race any faction, and I forgot to change my faction during creation, then I started in Morrowind. I heard this was specific to one faction, I forget which but obviously whatever I chose. I havent gotten too far yet but am I able to go back and do the original storyline still? I never finished it and I hope I didnt lock myself out by beginning in morrowind

Mutazoia

2017-06-13, 12:38 AM

I enjoy it, I guess. I've never got very far since I don't know anyone else playing it. I like it but something about it is just...I dunno. Usually when I play it I just want to get back on skyrim or oblivion instead.

Speaking of ESO, I bought morrowind recently and decided to make a new character for the expansion. I got the unlock long ago so I could play any race any faction, and I forgot to change my faction during creation, then I started in Morrowind. I heard this was specific to one faction, I forget which but obviously whatever I chose. I havent gotten too far yet but am I able to go back and do the original storyline still? I never finished it and I hope I didnt lock myself out by beginning in morrowind

Your new character(s) will be running the new story line. Any characters made before Morrowwind should be continuing the old story line.

Sajiri

2017-06-13, 01:15 AM

Your new character(s) will be running the new story line. Any characters made before Morrowwind should be continuing the old story line.

I just wanted to play with Warden and have a pet bear ):

Mutazoia

2017-06-13, 05:05 AM

I just wanted to play with Warden and have a pet bear ):

I'm not all that impressed with the new Warden class yet. The "Ice" warden seems rather meh. So far seems to be all defense and little to no offence. The "healer" warden doesn't have much in the way of offensive or defensive oomph, and the "Pokemon" warden (I choose YOU cliffdiver-chu!) is the only one I haven't tried yet due to lack of open character slots (really...give is a new class with 3 options, but only open up 2 new character slots?).

I do like that they've shortened up the tutorial phase, making it almost impossible to have a character sit in the tutorial area until they are max level, like people would do in the last tutorial. Nobody running in perpetual circles with the attack button glued down to instantly auto-attack new spawns while the "Player" is off doing something else....

DigoDragon

2017-06-13, 06:50 AM

So, I'm thinking of getting ESO as one of my steam summer sale presents to myself. Anyone have experience with that? Good, bad?

Oh, the summer sales are on?

Mt wife played some ESO as a beta tester. Despite not knowing what Elder Scrolls' setting is about she said it was pretty decent fun and she would consider going back if she could justify the time sink.

Keltest

2017-06-13, 07:50 AM

I'm not all that impressed with the new Warden class yet. The "Ice" warden seems rather meh. So far seems to be all defense and little to no offence. The "healer" warden doesn't have much in the way of offensive or defensive oomph, and the "Pokemon" warden (I choose YOU cliffdiver-chu!) is the only one I haven't tried yet due to lack of open character slots (really...give is a new class with 3 options, but only open up 2 new character slots?).

I do like that they've shortened up the tutorial phase, making it almost impossible to have a character sit in the tutorial area until they are max level, like people would do in the last tutorial. Nobody running in perpetual circles with the attack button glued down to instantly auto-attack new spawns while the "Player" is off doing something else....

Ice is tank. They streamlined the skill lines for the Warden a bunch, so ice abilities are all tank abilities, animal abilities are DPS, and plant abilities are healing.

Wardens make good tanks, great healers, but struggle in the DPS department a bit last I felt the pulse.

As for the alliance locations, they opened that up with One Tamriel. Only Cyrodiil is at all faction locked anymore. Mainland morrowind is part of the Ebonheart Pact, and youll do pact quests there, but anybody can go there. Vvardenfel is nominally pact territory, but between the ashlanders, the Telvani and the various cultists, the Pact really only has any power on the south coast, and that's mostly as a name to drop.

factotum

2017-06-13, 10:10 AM

Oh, the summer sales are on?

The GOG summer sale has already started, but the Steam one isn't on yet. However, the Steam one pretty much always starts sometime in June so we know it must be coming up soon.

LibraryOgre

2017-06-13, 10:47 AM

A spell I would dearly love to have in the Alteration Tree in Skyrim is a continuous-cast Fortify Carry Weight spell... like Healing and the various damage spells.

It would be a nice way to beef up alteration as you played (just run around encumbered), and be a nice gameplay tweak. It would probably allow fast-travel while encumbered (if it had enough capacity, and unless it was carefully created), but that's not a huge deal for me.

Triaxx

2017-06-13, 11:12 AM

Gamersgate has ESO:Morrowind on sale.

Mando Knight

2017-06-13, 12:33 PM

Balmas

2017-06-13, 12:55 PM

Morrowind #10 is up! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW7zWVF56ic)

Finding the Dwemer puzzle cube was a simple matter of going to where I'd left it the last time I'd explored Arkngthand. However, now that I had jump spells, open spells, and the ability to levitate, I was able to explore a much larger chunk of the ruin. I admit, I'm feeling much more comfortable in my reliance on magic nowadays; between summoning Casper, summoning armor, and creative use of the architecture, the only thing that really posed a threat to me were unexpected magical traps on doors.

Returning to Balmora, I stopped by the Legion Fort and picked up a spell to summon a cuirass. That makes my collection of armor-summoning spells complete; now I just need to pay one of my Mages Guild compatriots to put the effects together in a spell I can cast at a moment's notice, and possibly spend some time practicing the working.

Pepto-bismol Antacidman took the cube from me gladly, and shared a bit about Morrowind's history. The two books I'd read gave me a bit of a background. There are five Great Houses in Morrowind: Hlaalu, Indoril, Redoran, Dres, and Telvanni. When the Empire came a-knockin', Hlaalu was the only one to side with the Imperials. Indoril and Redoran were against, with Telvanni remaining neutral. Initially, it looked like it was going to come to war, until Vivec--one of the godkings of the Tribunal--stepped in with a compromise: Res'dayn would become an imperial province, but it would be largely self-governed and have the ability to maintain their religion.

Antabolis said, though, that there actually used to be a sixth house, House Dagoth. They betrayed the rest of the Great Houses, and were destroyed. He also told me about something--someone?--called a Nerevarine, who the ashlanders believed would be reincarnated and save them from outlanders and internal threats alike. However, an Orc at the Mages guild would know more about that than he would.

Caius was pleased to get the notes I'd taken on the subject, and sent me off to talk to Sharn Gra-Muzgob. The orc, in turn, was only too glad to share her knowledge--provided I did a favor for her. That consisted of finding a cave south of Pelagiad, and fetching some famous necromancer's engraved skull.

I figured, since I was heading to Pelagiad anyway, now was as good a time as any to escort Itermerel there and hopefully get his notes for the Balmora mages guild leader. However, I quickly found myself asking why I was needed, as he was a much more competent combatant than I was, liquidating bandit and assassin alike. Heck, at this point he's escorting me, not the other way around!

We've stopped for the night in Ulumussa. I'm quite pleased with the Fat Lute I've found. We'll push on to Pelagiad in the morning, and then I'll swing back towards the Andrano ancestral tomb once I've dropped off any witnesses.

Oh, the summer sales are on?

Nope, not yet! I just figure that the sales will probably hit sometime next week, so I'm getting some feedback on it early.

Keltest

2017-06-13, 12:58 PM

Ah, the Fat Lute. Truly morrowind has no compare in the modern era.

Balmas

2017-06-13, 01:00 PM

I mean, what's a bard without his instrument, right? Maybe the inn would welcome a performance of The Ballad of That One Time We Kicked In The Neighboring City's Teeth In Fantasy Hockey.

Temotei

2017-06-13, 01:32 PM

And let spells/potions of those effects stack if they're from different sources or something. Or just let potions stack.

Note that Apocalypse does have one spell that increases your movement speed and carry weight (x3 outside of combat). Concentration casting, though.

A spell I would dearly love to have in the Alteration Tree in Skyrim is a continuous-cast Fortify Carry Weight spell... like Healing and the various damage spells.

It would be a nice way to beef up alteration as you played (just run around encumbered), and be a nice gameplay tweak. It would probably allow fast-travel while encumbered (if it had enough capacity, and unless it was carefully created), but that's not a huge deal for me.

One of the Alteration spells in Apocalypse is Longstride, which does that and boosts your movement speed at the same time (since you can't cast while sprinting).

lel

I would really like more movement spells. Short-ranged teleportation like PerMa had in its perk tree, a spell to increase your run speed (there's the Alchemy perk and Speech perk in Ordinator, but I'd really like a long-duration higher-level spell), maybe a Master-level spell that lets you run into enemies to knock them over like the Block perk...

Longstride is great for increasing carrying capacity but it's not really faster than sprinting. Good early for alternating sprints and casting so you keep going fast but it'd be nice to just have a long-duration buff so higher-level casters can really get moving. Even if it was out-of-combat only, I would be happy.

Rynjin

2017-06-13, 01:52 PM

I would really like more movement spells. Short-ranged teleportation like PerMa had in its perk tree, a spell to increase your run speed (there's the Alchemy perk and Speech perk in Ordinator, but I'd really like a long-duration higher-level spell), maybe a Master-level spell that lets you run into enemies to knock them over like the Block perk...

Longstride is great for increasing carrying capacity but it's not really faster than sprinting. Good early for alternating sprints and casting so you keep going fast but it'd be nice to just have a long-duration buff so higher-level casters can really get moving. Even if it was out-of-combat only, I would be happy.

Apocalypse does have a few other interesting movement options. Shadowbond is a fun one, letting you swap places with a far away target. Ghostwalk likewise has different invisibility based teleportation utility, letting you assasinate someone and immediately teleport back to a safe place.

Fabricate Object lets you reach any place you want. Simply create a bridge, stand on bridge, cast it again, jump a bit, and the next bridge appears beneath you, slightly higher up. Repeat as needed.

Wind Running allows limited "flight". In conjunction with Fabricate, you can make pretty good time. If you want to be a heavy armor wizard with Ordinator in the mix, you don't even need to worry about what happens when the spell runs out, as you are immune to falling damage.

Temotei

2017-06-13, 02:09 PM

Apocalypse does have a few other interesting movement options. Shadowbond is a fun one, letting you swap places with a far away target. Ghostwalk likewise has different invisibility based teleportation utility, letting you assasinate someone and immediately teleport back to a safe place.

Fabricate Object lets you reach any place you want. Simply create a bridge, stand on bridge, cast it again, jump a bit, and the next bridge appears beneath you, slightly higher up. Repeat as needed.

Wind Running allows limited "flight". In conjunction with Fabricate, you can make pretty good time. If you want to be a heavy armor wizard with Ordinator in the mix, you don't even need to worry about what happens when the spell runs out, as you are immune to falling damage.

There can always be more! :smalltongue:

I forgot about Shadowbond, though. Does it alert the target?

Triaxx

2017-06-13, 02:21 PM

Psijic Teleport is my absolute favorite mod for teleportation. It's even been ported to SE, though sadly lacking Power Blink. Prior to Apocalypse Drop Zone, the ability to leap from the Bridge at the college and teleport cancel the fall damage was truly epic. It's even Alteration based, though also with a Conjuration option. If you blink while engage you arrive facing the opposite direction, which is useful for popping behind an opponent's guard.

Rynjin

2017-06-13, 03:07 PM

There can always be more! :smalltongue:

I forgot about Shadowbond, though. Does it alert the target?

Inherently, not, though noise MAY be a problem. I've only used it with silent casting. It also doesn't count as an assault, either, which is great. I used it just as a test during the opener for the Thieves' Guild and used it to drop ehhh...the Drow guy you set up, I always forget his name, into an empty part of the city so I could pickpocket him easily last night.

factotum

2017-06-13, 04:07 PM

Prior to Apocalypse Drop Zone, the ability to leap from the Bridge at the college and teleport cancel the fall damage was truly epic.

Can't you do something similar by just using the Become Ethereal shout before jumping off the bridge? You can't take damage while under that effect, and that includes fall damage.

Temotei

2017-06-13, 04:15 PM

Can't you do something similar by just using the Become Ethereal shout before jumping off the bridge? You can't take damage while under that effect, and that includes fall damage.

Yeah, though it has to last long enough for the fall. Usually takes the second word for longer drops. Not really a problem, but Drop Zone is immediately available without even doing the main quest, so there's that.

Triaxx

2017-06-13, 04:51 PM

Well... yes, clearly, but it's not as cool as teleporting out of the middle of a killing fall.

Ogremindes

2017-06-13, 07:58 PM

Jorrvaskr, Sun's Dusk 24
I must have impressed Vilkas more than he let on, because when I got back he had an urgent job for me: Ysolda, a local merchant, had been kidnapped by a group of bandits holed up in a mine near Riverwood. Maybe a sleeping sap deal gone wrong? She didn't say. The bandits didn't offer much resistance, just a group of rabble really, no sign of any kind of leadership. I released Ysolda and escorted her back to Whiterun. It was getting dark, so I went back to the longhouse to report in and get some sleep.

It looks like the Companions are starting to trust me, that was an important if not difficult contract. Things are boding well.

Lost Valley Redoubt, Sun's Dusk 25
I got my wish for a more challenging mission today. I was tasked with dealing with a Reach warlord consorting with the black arts. Of course, that means assaulting a Forsworn stronghold: Lost Valley Redoubt. Charging in the front gate would be difficult, the defenders would be able to use the layout to overwhelm me and force me into traps. However, there's a reason that fortresses are generally built on high ground and not nestled neatly inside a valley. From a high vantage I picked off most of the defenders with my crossbow. Even though I was surely ridgelined they didn't notice where I was striking from until I had reduced their number by half. At that point I dropped down and finished them off with my scimitar before they regrouped.

After that, I hunted down the Hagravens that the Forsworn were working with. I found them performing some sort of ritual on a comatose Reachman. I made camp a short distance from the fortress, and plan to return to Whiterun at dawn.

Four Shields Tavern, Sun's Dusk 26
Skjor passed to me a job to deal with a bandit gang hiding out near Solitude, in a place called Broken Oar Grotto. I've stopped for the night at Dragon Bridge, and will make the rest of the trip tomorrow.

Winking Skeever, Sun's Dusk 27
I'm not entirely sure what happened... I went to Broken Oar Grotto and cleared out the bandits there, no problem, but after I returned to Solitude I was approached by a mad beggar. He asked my to find his master in a sealed off wing of the palace, and I decided to humor him. Falk Firebeard gave me the key, and when I went in there... I don't know, it doesn't make any sense from there. But I do now have this staff: the Wabbajack. From what I've heard about this staff maybe it's for the best that my memory of how I came to find it remains nothing more than a strange dream.

Stonehill Refuge, Sun's Dusk 29
On my way back to Whiterun, I decided to go after a bounty placed by the Jarl of Dawnstar upon two giants known as Fleshlumpeater and Bloodbottler. They were at a giant encampment at Stonehill. The Jarl certainly isn't paying enough for this, because this camp turned out to be a massive cave system home to no fewer than a dozen of the brutes. Still, the gold and gems the monsters had collected, along with some enchanted arms that presumably used to be the property of less skilled mercenaries made the trip worthwhile.

Balmas

2017-06-14, 12:45 AM

I'm figuring things out for my Skyrim playthrough. It won't be for a while yet, as I'm still in the very early levels for Morrowind. Still, I'm trying to think through what I want to do.

I'm putting together a selection of mods that I know I want to include. I know that I want to use most of EnaiSiaion's stuff--Summermyst, Ordinator, Smilodon, maaaaaybe Aurora. I'm tempted to wait until SKSE-SE releases so that I'm not stuck with SKYUI 2.2.

As for the character himself, I've decided on a Nord Dreadnaught kind of character. I've almost always played some kind of hybrid character--light armor, some variant of magic, and a one-handed weapon. That's true of my previous Skyrim playthroughs, as well as my Oblivion, Enderal, and Morrowind playthroughs. Being a two-handed heavy-armor juggernaut will be a big change of pace.

As far as skills go, I'm imagining him as a smith of some sort--maybe Eorlund's apprentice. He despises spells as the resort of weaklings and cowards who can't wield a bow or a greatsword. However, alchemy, smithing, and enchanting are just sensible things for people who are going out into the world. In combat, he prefers a greatsword and the heaviest armor he can carry. He'll probably do the Companions' guild, but not the Thieves' guild or the Dark Brotherhood.

factotum

2017-06-14, 02:47 AM

Temotei

2017-06-14, 03:26 AM

That's pretty much how I had my two-handed character set up--spells and stealth are for cowards! (At least in combat, he wasn't above using stealth to silently pick a lock so long as there wasn't any fighting going on at the time). It does slow your levelling somewhat, though, because smithing and alchemy are really slow skills to raise.

Smithing, maybe, but Alchemy is super easy to raise.

Blue mountain flower + blue butterfly wing, sell resulting potion, buy training, make more expensive potions, sell, train some more or buy ingredients, repeat until satisfied. Can take only a few minutes if you do the right potions to get to 100.

Or, sometimes there's a glitch where waterbreathing potions will sell for like 80,000 gold and instantly bring you to 60-ish skill from base. :smalltongue:

Kareeah_Indaga

2017-06-14, 06:09 AM

The Levitation Act was a law passed throughout the Empire in 3E 421 which outlawed the use of levitation magic. (http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Levitation_Act)

Thank you! :)

So, I'm thinking of getting ESO as one of my steam summer sale presents to myself. Anyone have experience with that? Good, bad? Is it an Elder Scrolls game in its own right, or is it just an MMO with Elder Scrolls paint on?

Speaking as someone who is currently suffering from really bad ESO burnout...
--There are huge expansions on parts of the lore
--The visuals are beautiful
--We get to see parts of Tamriel we've either not seen before or have not seen in a very long time
--The new content has been scanty as of late (yes, even including Vvardenfell. That's the first new actual landmass map the game has had in about a year).
--Zone chat has been getting increasingly toxic
--The game has gotten progressively more grindy since it came out
--The Crown Store has been gradually taking over

That said, for a new player there's plenty to do. Zenimax just has a habit of ignoring the needs of long-term players and subscribers.

other than that it feels pretty TES to me. you of course start off a prisoner, and your first epic overarching quest is to get your own soul back from Molag Bal after escaping Coldharbor.

This changes with the Morrowind 'Chapter' FYI. See below.

the lore itself keeps itself accurate and cool, be do know that all of ESO is taking place during a Dragon Break, so if there are differences and contradictions then thats just apart of the thousand different timelines all flying about before they all get mashed back together.

I remind that 'it's in a Dragon Break' is pure fan speculation.

I got the unlock long ago so I could play any race any faction, and I forgot to change my faction during creation, then I started in Morrowind. I heard this was specific to one faction, I forget which but obviously whatever I chose. I havent gotten too far yet but am I able to go back and do the original storyline still? I never finished it and I hope I didnt lock myself out by beginning in morrowind
If you have Morrowind, all your characters will start on a boat and get captured by slavers, then you end up on Vvardenfell regardless of Alliance. You can start the original main quest by going to the mainland, talking to the hooded figure that approaches you and completing that quest. So no you aren't locked out. :) The only thing you can't do is the new tutorial on an existing character, but there's a side quest that is sort-of equivalent for existing characters where you go to the island the tutorial takes place on and attack the slavers.

Sajiri

2017-06-14, 06:24 AM

If you have Morrowind, all your characters will start on a boat and get captured by slavers, then you end up on Vvardenfell regardless of Alliance. You can start the original main quest by going to the mainland, talking to the hooded figure that approaches you and completing that quest. So no you aren't locked out. :) The only thing you can't do is the new tutorial on an existing character, but there's a side quest that is sort-of equivalent for existing characters where you go to the island the tutorial takes place on and attack the slavers.

Oh thats good to know. I want to do Morrowind story, I just wanted to finish the old one too

Ogremindes

2017-06-14, 06:34 AM

Sun's Dusk 30
Not long after I left Stonehill, a blizzard blew in. I spent a night and a day huddled in my tent trying to keep warm, my fire barely able to counteract the chill wind. The storm has finally let up, but the day is already done, so I'll stay in camp overnight. Hopefully I'll be able to move on in the morning.

Jorrvaskr, Evening Star 1
I spent the most of the day settling some bounties up north. It was late by the time I reached Whiterun. Skjor met me as I entered Jorrvaskr. I took my payment and headed down to the sleeping quarters to rest.

Dustman's Cairn, Evening Star 2
In the morning I was informed that Skjor wanted to see me. It seems that I had impressed the Companions enough for them to make me a full member. But first I was to undergo a trial alongside one of their number. Aela would be my Shield-Sister in this. We were to explore Dustman's Cairn, on a lead that a shard of the axe "Wuuthrad" could be found here. This axe is of great importance to the Companions, as it was the axe of Ysgramor, the leader of the original companions and mythic king of Skyrim. Aela didn't seem hopeful it would be there, but as long as we saw enough action it would be a valid trial.

We found more than Draugr here. After a trap separated us, some scoundrels emerged from the shadows to attack Aela. This particular band of brigands seems to have some beef with the Companions. At that moment Aela revealed a secret: that she is a werewolf. They didn't stand a chance. After she resumed her human form and opened the gate between us. With regards to being a werewolf she just told me to keep it quiet, and that I shouldn't know about it yet.

There were plenty more of those brigands in our way as we explored the tombs. They didn't really slow us down much after that first trap, and soon we had gone deeper than they, with only the Draugr to stop us. The final chamber indeed held a shard of an axe. But, it was lined with sarcophagi, with another tomb in the centre. When we claimed the shard. each coffin opened in turn, and waves of powerful Draugr attacked us, with the strongest amongst them rising from the middle. And at the end of it, we still stood, surrounded by dead... dead.

We left the cairn. By this point night had fallen, so we made camp nearby. I will admit, I'm uneasy about sleeping with a werewolf around, but I don't want to make her think I'm scared by hurrying back when we should rest.

Triaxx

2017-06-14, 07:12 AM

Multi-effect potions are your friend. Amusingly, combining contradicting effects seems particularly valuable. Restore and Ravage Magicka for example.

One of the best perk changes in Ordinator: reducing Experimenter to just one rank for all four effects known.

Spore

2017-06-14, 11:14 AM

I need a defensive measure for ny unarned Khajiit thief. I'm thinking Illusion spells because I am too slow for any of the Light Armor maneuvers. Is there any merit to using another enchantment than Muffle on boots and hard casting it or does it not matter?

Balmas

2017-06-14, 11:37 AM

Quick question: have Deadly Dragons and Dragon Combat Overhaul been remade for Special edition? I'm not seeing them.

Triaxx

2017-06-14, 11:50 AM

Deadly Dragons is too tightly tied to SKSE to be possible, DCO is no longer available on the Nexus. Given that the mod author pulled it at least once before, best to assume it's dead.

I don't believe Muffle stacks, but I maybe wrong. Runes might be the answer you need, heading to Soltheim for the Frenzy Rune, or using Frost Rune to slow the opponent's to give you more time to exit the scene.

Keltest

2017-06-14, 11:59 AM

LibraryOgre

2017-06-14, 12:29 PM

Muffle is probably also like 75% of my last few levels. I think I'm up to triple legendary illusions at this point.

Rynjin

2017-06-14, 01:14 PM

Muffle is a binary effect. Its either on or its off.

Not precisely true. Muffle (the effect) does have a magnitude. Muffle (the spell) gives 100% Muffle, but certain other effects (like the Shrouded Boots) only give 50% Muffle (making you half as loud, but not silent). If you were to wear the Shrouded Boots and another piece of armor that gave 50% Muffle (which in the base game is impossible; the only armors that give 50% Muffle are boots and the enchantment can only be placed on boots at an Enchanting Table) they would stack additively to 100% Muffle.

In this specific case though, having Muffle boots and then casting the Muffle spell is largely pointless. A Muffle value larger than 1 has no extra effect, so you're better off just having another kind of boot and then casting muffle.

Balmas

2017-06-15, 11:17 AM

Part 11 is up! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG9raDIX5co) Sorry for the late release; the weekend was kind of hectic in terms of homework, so I wasn't able to record my normal Saturday buffer of videos; I'm having to actually record things and edit them on the day before the video release.

Morning saw us waking up in Ulumussa and heading out to Pelagiad. The morning light lay heavy on the mist of the lake, but I was still able to check out the local wildlife. I'd seen the shapes in the night as we were walking and talking, but it was still a jaw-dropping sight to casually walk by mushrooms the size of trees.

Itermerel thanked me for delivering him to Pelagiad safely. Honestly, I think he did a lot more protection of me than I did protection of him. Still, I got him here, and thanks to chatting him up on the way, he was only too glad to deliver a copy of his notes into the custody of so studious and personable a Breton as myself.

That left me with only a few jobs in the area. I still needed to get that necromancer's engraved skull from the Andrano ancestral tomb for Gro-Mazgub, and the little pamphlet from the Tribunal temple in Balmora told me that there was a shrine I could worship at as part of a pilgrimage.

========

Finding the Andrano tomb itself was easy. Even clearing out the few skeletons and ghosts inside wasn't too challenging. What was hard was finding out which bloody skull I needed was the right one. I must have traced over that tomb two or three times before nearly tripping over the skull in question.

With that done, I pored over my map, and decided to do a little exploration. It looked like there was another road heading towards Balmora from Pelagiad; all I had to do was turn to the road southwest out of Pelagiad, instead of Northwest.

The road took us right by the Lleran ancestral tomb. There wasn't much there besides a copy of the lessons of Vivec that I hadn't read yet, some scrolls, and a few scattered ingredients, so I just turned around and headed out again.

========

However, before I could make Balmora, I came across a woman studying a tree. When I put my spear away and approached, she told me that she was looking for a shrine, but had gotten lost. Surely I, a Breton who immigrated here a week ago, knew the country well enough to serve as her guide there, right?

Since I needed to go to the Fields of Kummu myself anyway, I readily agreed. Company would make the journey more bearable, and the 150 gold she was promising didn't hurt, either. Of course, if I'd known that she ran at about the same speed as a frozen river, I might not have been so eager to have her company. The journey took twice as long as it could have been if she could have just kept up with me, or if I could have cast Water Walk on her so that we could go across the lake instead of around it.

Apart from the cliff racer and the nix hound that decided to jump us at the same time, though, we made it there with little trouble. She handed me my sack of dough, and started to pray. I consulted my pamphlet, and found out that it's traditional for supplicants to leave an offering of Muck. Figuring that "muck" probably didn't mean mud, I checked out the little area surrounding the farm where Vivec was supposed to have labored like an animal to help a farmer.

The lesson was supposed to teach humility, I think. I felt lighter on placing the muck at the shrine, but still giggled walking away. Yeah, humility and Chord are not things that happen together.

Triaxx

2017-06-15, 01:51 PM

Yeah, bad case of YouTube brain there.

Balmas

2017-06-15, 07:09 PM

Youtube brain...? I'll admit I haven't heard that phrase before.

Rynjin

2017-06-15, 07:30 PM

Playing an (almost) pure Illusion and Conjuration character is hella fun with Ordinator and Apocalypse. I'm having fun hitting dudes with Pacify and then slitting their throats.

riswansupriadi

2017-06-15, 08:35 PM

ayooo main game, luangkan waktumu untuk asyik dengan game seruuu

Triaxx

2017-06-15, 09:08 PM

I just hit up Broken Oar Grotto, and hit the pirates at the end with Frenzy. (And bloody Hargar refused to take much damage from the group, and then refused to chase me short of drastic measures.) It was definitely good fun.

Youtube Brain is where you're concentrating so hard on providing commentary, you can look at the thing you're after two or three times and not see it. Or concentrating so hard on what you're doing you lose your narrative.

Inarius

2017-06-15, 11:24 PM

I just hit up Broken Oar Grotto, and hit the pirates at the end with Frenzy. (And bloody Hargar refused to take much damage from the group, and then refused to chase me short of drastic measures.) It was definitely good fun.

While I love destruction magic, there is something special about Illusion especially when you get to master level spells coupled with quiet casting. I remember casting the master frenzy in the Falmer caves under the lighthouse between Dawnstar and Winterhold once. It cleared 3 rooms with the single casting because the tunnels were twisty and I guess the spell goes straight through walls. All that was left was usually a Charus reaper which are pretty nasty on their own, but at least I didn't have to fight multiples of them at a time.

Triaxx

2017-06-15, 11:34 PM

I managed to lure him into a group of three guys, but he's so tough he just flattened them with single shots. I ended up abusing the water to kill him, since was the last survivor.

Spore

2017-06-16, 07:16 AM

My Paladin build via Ordinator has hit a few roadblocks but is budding finally. But since being evil is far more rewarding and Oblivion is practically calling nonstop for the Paladin I have decided to start up as Dawnguard member. During my very first Vampire Hunt he stumbled upon a Conjuration skill book. Curious he devoured it. Then Serana and I headed to Whiterun's Dragonreach to ask the local Wizard if he knows where the Moth Priest might be. There he offered me some intriguing spells. After of course decking myself out in undead hunting spells I thought I almost died to the Vampire and could use a hand or two. Tearing myself a vengeful spirit or two from Oblivion I feel much safer now.

The eventual downfall is planned when Serana and I have to go to the Soul Cairn. Not wanting to loose power I will become a Vampire and stay that way. Deeper urges will bubble up. then I will heed the call of Molag Bal and receive his Mace.

The finalized build will use Onehanded (until the aoe buff), Heavy Armor (another aoe buff plus thematically appropriate), Conjuration (skeletons and their buffs). I am still unsure, if I should use Restoration (for healing and some sort of Life and Dark vibe) or Illusion (mainly for the perk for follower buffs plus call to arms).

Keltest

2017-06-16, 08:25 AM

Triaxx

2017-06-16, 12:28 PM

I don't think it's even necessary to talk to Isran again until the last part of the quest, because your next interaction is Dexion and then you're straight off to Darkfall.

Spore

2017-06-17, 04:40 AM

I guess you don't actually care about finishing the Dawnguard quest line then. Isran will just frown deeply at you until you get your vampirism cured.

We will see. For now my plan is coming to fruition. In dire need of some oomph I decided to travel to Markath first and RP'ed resisting Molag Bal. When Tyranus attacked I just defended myself. Intrigued by His offer the possibility of removing two Daedra cults I freed the Priest of Boethiah and followed him back inside. Molag Bal trapped us both, offering substantial reward for killing a Daedra worshipper. And ironically with the Smite perk the Mace of Molag Bal is far superior vs undead than any Dawnguard equipment or even the Dawnbreaker ever will be.

Crushed a few bandit camps and Forsworn along the way - because I have discovered the happy world of necromancy. After all they don't need their bones anymore anyway, right? Right now I am a Vampire inside the Soul Cairn raising the dead and trapping the immortal souls of my enemies. But it's for the greater good, I swear!

Balmas

2017-06-18, 09:30 PM

Morrowind: Part 12 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=865d9hxV0EE). Chord death count this episode: 2. One to a lesser bonewalker, once to a trapped chest and clicking on the wrong spell hotkey.

After dropping my burden off at the fields of Kummu, I decided to warp back to where I'd picked her up and continue my exploration. Scrutinizing the map, I noticed that the Foyada continued past the Dwemer bridge near Arkngthand, and that it looked like it terminated just past the mountains where I stood. So long as I was here, I might as well explore just a bit, right?

I regretted my decision when almost immediately on cresting the hill, a few Cliff racers lifted their heads and chirped at me. Still, as I hacked away at them with my spear, I could already see a cave worth exploring.

Darkness and the scent of brimstone permeated the cavern. I wrinkled my nose as the scent of rotting flesh wafted across my face, and then the ash slaves jumped me. They swarmed, forcing me to beat a hasty retreat down a side passage, stabbing as I went. Have I mentioned how much I love and despise being born under the sign of the Apprentice? More magic means I can cast more fireballs downrange without pausing or resorting to enchanted items, but also means that I'm much more vulnerable to enemy magic. You know, like the fireballs and electric bursts cast by ash slaves.

The dungeon culminated with a fight on a ledge over a pool of lava with a much larger... I don't even know how to describe it. Like a dunmer, right? But it's like someone took a belt-sander to their face, ground off their features, and replaced it with the very tip of an elephant's trunk. And they stink to high heaven; by the time I finished fighting it, I was ready to turn around and vomit into the pool of lava.

Once Dagoth Favon (that was the name of the ash ghoul, I think) crumpled, face first, into the lava, all that remained was to loot the several chests of goods nearby. However, what Dagoth Favon couldn't do, his chest nearly did; I had to panic and force-feed myself a dozen potions just to avoid "death by loot" when the chest exploded in my face.

After that, I was both overladen and tired, and so decided to just sleep it off before teleporting back to the Mages guild in Balmora. One assassin later--how do they keep finding me?--I decided that sleeping would be better with a bed and a distinct lack of people stabbing me.

========

The Mage's guild was the same it always was: peaceful. Ajira welcomed the flowers I delivered, but told me that someone had stolen her reports! It had to be Galbedir! I groaned, but walked up the stairs and buttered up Galbedir until he admitted that yes, he stole them, but just to hide them. "One of them is in the herbal supplies, so I knew that Ajira would never look there. After all, she just sends you out instead." I frowned, and the frown deepened when I read Ajira's reports, where she claimed to have gone out herself to collect all these plants from dangerous areas. Still, I gave them back; if she wants to commit fraud and plagiarism, that's on her. And besides, it's useful to have some leverage over another person, just in case.

Gra-Muzgob was only too glad to have her necromancer's skull, and proceeded to tell me all about Lord Nerevar, about how he helped to form the first Council of the great houses, and how the Ashlanders believed that he would eventually be reborn to cast down the false gods of the Tribunal, restore ancestor worship, and help drive the outlanders out of Morrowind again. Still not sure what this has to do with me, but I figure Caius will want the notes Sharn gave me.

On the way out, Ranis awarded me the rank of Magician for my efforts in making the Mage's guild successful. Then she assigned me to go to Maar Gan and murder a necromancer for her.

========

Caius was quite glad to get the notes Sharn gave me, and told me that I could go adventuring if I wanted to, so he could figure out what I should do next. I pushed him a little bit, and he told me to just go to Vivec, and talk to some informants.

Maybe I'll do that after I go get rid of all this junk I've picked up.

Triaxx

2017-06-18, 11:34 PM

Northern Encounters is kind of an interesting mod. I haven't fully explored it but it's definitely amusing.

Aeson

2017-06-18, 11:54 PM

Regarding your question about the dream, I only recall getting a text pop-up about the dream in unmodded Morrowind.

Also, congratulations on clearing a Sixth House base. If you recall the guy who interrupted one of your walks in Balmora with ravings about Dagoth Ur and the Sixth House, you might want to talk to him again.

Have I mentioned how much I love and despise being born under the sign of the Apprentice? More magic means I can cast more fireballs downrange without pausing or resorting to enchanted items, but also means that I'm much more vulnerable to enemy magic. You know, like the fireballs and electric bursts cast by ash slaves.
Unless one of your mods changed things, the Apprentice birthsign's drawback is only Weakness to Magicka, and in Morrowind Weakness (and Resistance) to Magicka does not affect frost, fire, shock, or poison damage. At least in the unmodded game, you get a separate icon for each distinct Weakness effect, and you normally only have one red icon so I doubt the mods you're running have changed the Apprentice to be more than just Weakness to Magicka.

One assassin later--how do they keep finding me?
It's that trail of dead cliff racers you leave everywhere you go.

Balmas

2017-06-19, 12:10 AM

...Do you know, I can't believe I forgot to include the friggin' dream sequence in the writeup? I'm a moron.

veti

2017-06-19, 02:43 AM

Also, congratulations on clearing a Sixth House base. If you recall the guy who interrupted one of your walks in Balmora with ravings about Dagoth Ur and the Sixth House, you might want to talk to him again.

... Or not.

Every time you talk to him, his disposition will drop by 10. I don't think there's any way of either avoiding or reversing that. When it gets to 0, he will attack you uncontrollably (with hilariously untrained fists, naturally) whenever you enter the town, and at that point it becomes hard to avoid killing him.

I take great care to avoid going within talking distance of any of the Sleepers, if I can possibly help it.

DigoDragon

2017-06-19, 06:38 AM

...Do you know, I can't believe I forgot to include the friggin' dream sequence in the writeup? I'm a moron.

Oh it's not that bad. People forget dreams all the time. :smalltongue:

Just add it in the next one as an aside.

Aeson

2017-06-19, 09:09 AM

... Or not.

Every time you talk to him, his disposition will drop by 10. I don't think there's any way of either avoiding or reversing that. When it gets to 0, he will attack you uncontrollably (with hilariously untrained fists, naturally) whenever you enter the town, and at that point it becomes hard to avoid killing him.

I take great care to avoid going within talking distance of any of the Sleepers, if I can possibly help it.
Balmas killed Dagoth Fovon, so four of the Sleepers, including both of the ones in Balmora, are now safe to speak with.

Spore

2017-06-19, 09:17 AM

My Vampire Paladin isnt working out as well. Conjuration is still ridiculously low while Onehanded deals with almost everything. Stacking Stoneflesh on top of Heavy Armor deals with melee damage and being undead with cold damage. But my 20 level improve shouldve gone towards Fire resistance. I burn incredibly easy as a stage 3 vampire

My skeleton warrior feels largely imconsequential as he lacks the damage and i lack the body parts for his two buddies. I wish I had invested in standard undead and summons.

LibraryOgre

2017-06-19, 09:21 AM

As I'm playing through Skyrim, I wish I could find a specific mod: One that does NOT refund your perks when you make something legendary. I know, it's the opposite of what most people want, but I wouldn't mind the ability to keep building my character WITHOUT resetting all those perks that I use.

Divayth Fyr

2017-06-19, 09:42 AM

Also, congratulations on clearing a Sixth House base. If you recall the guy who interrupted one of your walks in Balmora with ravings about Dagoth Ur and the Sixth House, you might want to talk to him again.
... Or not.

Every time you talk to him, his disposition will drop by 10. I don't think there's any way of either avoiding or reversing that. When it gets to 0, he will attack you uncontrollably (with hilariously untrained fists, naturally) whenever you enter the town, and at that point it becomes hard to avoid killing him.
Or not.

Every Sleeper will be "freed" when you kill a specific creature/NPC (killing Dagoth Ur works for all, obviously) at which point talking to them will result in gaining a point of reputation (and a thank you from the NPC).

Eldan

2017-06-19, 09:45 AM

LibraryOgre

2017-06-19, 09:48 AM

You could just use the console to give yourself those perk points.

I am loathe to use the console for anything other than tcl... Once I start down the dark path, forever will it dominate my destiny. And I don't want the perk points... I want the perks to stay put, while still letting me relevel the skill.

Triaxx

2017-06-19, 12:09 PM

Anyone know the console command to adjust the number of available perk points?

Balmas

2017-06-19, 12:49 PM

Anyone know the console command to adjust the number of available perk points?

I'm pretty sure there's not a console to grant perk points. However, you can add the perks you want directly.

Open the console and type: Help "Perk Name" 0. Then you can scroll up and down the results with PgUp and PgDn. When you find the perk you want, grab that perk ID number, and type in player.addperk XXXXXXXX. Boom, new perk added.

Should even be able to work with Ordinator.

Winter_Wolf

2017-06-19, 12:50 PM

Anyone know the console command to adjust the number of available perk points?

To my knowledge there isn't one. There is a kludge you can do to get more though. Remember your current level. Make super potions and sell them to up your speechcraft. Get it up to 100. Console player.setav speechcraft 15 and repeat a few times. Level up. Console player.setlevel (whatever your original/preferred level). You can get stupid huge extra perk points. It's only in the one direction, though; you can't give yourself less perk points doing that.

Rynjin

2017-06-19, 02:43 PM

I am loathe to use the console for anything other than tcl... Once I start down the dark path, forever will it dominate my destiny. And I don't want the perk points... I want the perks to stay put, while still letting me relevel the skill.

That actually seems more complex than it sounds at first blush. Given many Perks have a minimum skill level to acquire, reducing your skill to below a level you qualify for it could have wonky effects.

I might suggest, instead, you download the Community Uncapper to simply allow you to level skills past 100. For most skills, this has no or negligible effect (since there are few perks that scale purely off skill level, and the ones that do often have a hard or soft cap at 100 or some other arbitrary point like an armor/resistance cap), but would let you continue leveling.

For Triaxx, there are quite a few mods that let you add perk points. From purely free ones (like a book that adds perk points whenever read) to ones that have a cost (I like the ones that require you to spend Dragon Souls to get perk points). I'd suggest getting those or making a similar one that constantly using the console since even simple console use done too often can bork things for some reason.

Triaxx

2017-06-19, 03:06 PM

Rynjin

2017-06-19, 03:31 PM

I have Deadly Dragons for Soul>Perk conversion, was just wondering if there was an option. I know there's supposed to be one to add souls, but it never was a thing I needed. Just wondered if one was available for perk points.

player.modav dragonsouls [number] is the one to add dragon souls. It's considered a stat (like Health/Magicka/Stamina) for some reason and controlled by the same console commands.

There isn't a command to add perk points directly though, no.

Triaxx

2017-06-19, 04:06 PM

Ah, well then thanks for the command. Though I am surprised by it not being accessible by the console if it is via scripts, such as the one to trade Souls for Perks.

LibraryOgre

2017-06-19, 04:30 PM

You know, I have had Transmute Dragon Soul in my spell list for so long, and I have no idea where it comes from.

Temotei

2017-06-19, 04:42 PM

You know, I have had Transmute Dragon Soul in my spell list for so long, and I have no idea where it comes from.

Eh (https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=165793989)? Maybe?

LibraryOgre

2017-06-19, 05:12 PM

Eh (https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=165793989)? Maybe?

Likely, but I don't remember getting it.

Rynjin

2017-06-19, 05:33 PM

Ah, well then thanks for the command. Though I am surprised by it not being accessible by the console if it is via scripts, such as the one to trade Souls for Perks.

Because console commands don't let you do scripting, they're just individual commands.

Triaxx

2017-06-19, 05:36 PM

Possibly I'm confusing it with NV and earlier when you could trigger console commands via scripts.

Ogremindes

2017-06-19, 07:43 PM

The Bee and Barb, Evening Star 3
As Aela and I returned to Jorrvaskr, we were called around to the training yard behind the longhouse. There, the leaders of the Companions had gathered. Aela vouched for me, and I was acknowledged as a Companion.

After the ceremony, I spoke with Kodlak. He confirmed that the Companions' leaders: "The Circle" were all werewolves. I'm not sure I'd want to become a werewolf myself... But then, it's a lot of power and the Circle don't seem any the worse for it. Kodlak does want to cure himself, but he doesn't seem to resent the curse.

I needed to make the trip back to Fort Dawnguard, I'm running low on crossbow bolts. I asked around Jorrvaskr, but they didn't have any jobs for me in the Rift. Maybe I'll find something when I'm there. I reached the fort late in the afternoon, purchased some bolts from Jurard, then made my way back to Riften as night fell.

Avanchnzel, Evening Star 4
In Riften, an Argonian begged me to take a dwarf lexicon from her and take it back to a nearby ruin. She was haunted by the memories of her expedition to that place. Since I was out here to collect more dwarf bolts for my crossbow, I figured it'd be worth checking out.

When I reached the ruin, I saw what she meant by memories. I thought I was seeing ghosts until I saw the same Argonian amongst the spectral figures. Somehow her memories were imprinted upon this cube, and playing out before me.

The ruin was filled with dwarven machines and traps. As I pressed on, I found where the argonian's party had made camp. It seemed like a good place to rest, so I've done so myself.

Nilheim, Evening Star 5
I broke camp and continued on. I witnessed the memories of the party falling apart, fleeing and getting caught by animunculi, falling to traps, being crushed by a centurion. In the end only the argonian I met in Riften was left. Another centurion barred my way, but I've long learned their weaknesses. I finally returned the Lexicon to its receptacle, with a shock travelling up my arm as I did. A lift a short way beyond took me back to the entrance of Avanchnzel.

I passed through Riften to sell off gear I didn't need and let the argonian know it was done, then set of for Whiterun, stopping at Nilheim to camp for the night.

The Bee and Barb, Evening Star 14
In the time since I last wrote, I've continued to work as a Companions. I've tracked down escaped criminals with Meeko and dealt with more groups of bandits. Nothing remarkable happened... nothing memorable anyway. Thinking about werewolves has been distracting me from reflecting on my days.

This last job was something different. Skjor sent me to retrieve a stolen heirloom, taken by a coven of necromancers. They were defiling a tomb called Ansilvund. I learned something of the history of this place, needed to open a puzzle-lock. This place was built by a grieving husband for his wife, and the leader of the necromancers was a widow herself, hoping to bring back her husband.

She was a Redguard! What sympathy I might have had for her evaporated on that realization. When I reached her she had animated the couple that were interred in the heart of the tomb, but I ignored them and charged at her directly. She was not prepared for this, and I got a good hit on her before she could defend herself. As she fumbled with her dagger I cut her down before the corpses behind me could strike, and they to fell as her magic left them.

The spirits of the two appeared before me, thanking me for freeing them from the necromancer's magic. They left for me a curious spectral blade, insubstantial, but still able to cut.

I recovered the ancestral hammer that I had been sent to retrieve and left. Since I was in the Rift, I visited Fort Dawnguard, stocking up again on crossbow bolts, before setting out for Whiterun once more. By the time I reached Riften it was getting dark, so I've stopped off here for the night.

Kareeah_Indaga

2017-06-20, 08:39 PM

Keltest

2017-06-20, 08:45 PM

Does anyone else get bothered that the NPC followers use taunts on enemies that are specific to your race? For example my Altmer vampire has Lydia following him around, and I've heard her shout 'Vampire! Burn it!' when I'm fighting...wolves. Ordinary, unmodded, definitely-not-undead wolves. :smallconfused:

They could be were-pyres. You don't know.

veti

2017-06-21, 01:53 AM

Or not.

Every Sleeper will be "freed" when you kill a specific creature/NPC (killing Dagoth Ur works for all, obviously) at which point talking to them will result in gaining a point of reputation (and a thank you from the NPC).

Well, I'll be a daedroth's toenails. I thought they only got freed when you killed the big Ur himself.

That's how carefully I've avoided talking to them, I guess.

Illven

2017-06-21, 02:04 AM

Mary can confirm that this is true.

As well as getting expelled from the legion for following orders...

Balmas

2017-06-21, 12:29 PM

So, I've been playing Skyrim a lot lately as I prepare for my Skyrim Let's Play. One of the mods I haven't been able to get working is Gopher's iHud, which hides the compass and other UI elements when you don't want them. As I've been playing, especially since I've been playing Morrowind alongside, I've noticed something.

Skyrim wants you to never stop exploring. You're able to run forever. At any point, you can spin around in a circle and see probably two or three map markers on your compass waiting to be explored. Since turning that compass on, I've been running from one map marker to the next, with the only limiting factor being how much loot I can haul back to base and how long I can go before my food/water/firewood supplies start running low. There's always something to find, genocide, and loot.

At the same time, it somehow feels... lesser, than the exploration in Morrowind. When I go exploring in Morrowind, it's something I choose to do. I pick a
direction and start walking. Each new thing I uncover is something that I found, something that I poked around to find. I didn't just follow a map marker on my compass to that location; it's my discovery. It's a much more personal exploration. Instead of being seeing a map marker and going "Oh, a dwemer ruin, ho hum," I'm scanning the horizon and saying "Holy hell, that's a dwemer tower, let's go!"

I dunno. Am I making any sense here? Part of it is probably the fact that this is my first time playing Morrowind and so everything is new, but even when I find new things in Skyrim, the sense of discovery is different.

Anyway, I've rambled long enough--time for more Chord!

Full Episode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFVDLx_DTuw&t=1790s)
After receiving my new orders, I mostly just puttered around for a few days. I took the guild guide to Caldera to take advantage of a local merchant who bought gear at a much higher price than those in Balmora. Caius gave me pointers on buttering people up. The spellmakers in the Mages guild were only too glad to take my money to make improved or lengthened versions of the spells I already knew. While the armorer fixed up my gear, I practiced summoning ghosts and stabbing them with equally-conjured spears.

Had the weirdest dream the night before I set out. It was like I was at a wedding, being guided about by the guide, but I couldn't speak at all. Being a bard, being unable to speak is the worst friggin' thing. My words are my life. Instead, I couldn't talk, couldn't move, couldn't do anything but listen as the groom blustered about omnipotence, omniscience, how sweet it was to be a god.

Prick. I'm the only one allowed to be that pretentious.

Anyway. Caius said to ignore it, or if not ignore it, to keep it quiet. The Ashlanders might accept dreams and put great meaning behind them, but the Tribunal temple either dismiss dreams as idle superstition or try to lock up the people who get too persistent in claiming prophetic visions.

========

With that in mind, I looked over my list of things to do. We had one chore to do in Vivec, courtesy of Caius: Go talk to three informants in Vivec city. However, we had many more things to do in the north; someone in the Caldera mage's guild wanted me to find a propylon key to make a master teleportation index. Ajira had intimated that someone in the Ald'Ruhn Mages Guild might have work for a magician, and Ranis had commissioned me to kill a necromancer in a town even further north. And you know, I hadn't actually explored between Balmora and Ald'Ruhn before...

Heeding the call of adventure, I cast my Jump spell and headed north. I've discovered that if I use Tinur's Hoptoad, I can easily bound forward thirty feet for virtually no effort, which means that when a cliff racer jumps out at me, I'm well-rested for the fight.

Caldera was... well, it was surprisingly close to Balmora. I thought that the road would be a much more windy affair, but instead it was practically a straight shot north. Very pleasant stretch of road, actually. Maybe guards patrol it, because I didn't see anything but a wandering betty netch on the way. And my business in Caldera was equally quick to be done; I walked into the pawnbroker, identified the index, slapped my gold down, and walked the fifty feet to give it to my employer in the Mages Guild, who indicated that the next one could be found in Vivec.

Along the way north to Ald'Ruhn, I was accosted by a naked nord who spun me a sob story about how he agreed to escort a woman who turned out to be a witch; she paralyzed him, and took him for everything he owned, including his prize axe! Given his name--WineSot--I wasn't all that confident in his story, but agree to search northwest, where he said the woman was.

We didn't find the woman he was looking for, but we did find another woman in need of help. Pemenie wanted to go to Gnaar Mok (I had to check my map to make sure of the name; nope, apparently Maar Gan and Gnaar Mok are different towns). In exchange, she'd give me her Boots of Blinding Speed. I shrugged. Sure, it was a bit out of the way, but why not?

Eventually, we figured out that Winesot had been confused; his woman wasn't to the northwest, but the northeast. When confronted, she told a different story; she hired Winesot as an escort for safety. Winesot got a bit too touchy. She hexed him, yes, and stole his things, yes, but she wasn't a witch or malevolent. She was even willing to give the axe back, so long as Winesot waited three days as a lesson. That wasn't good enough for Winesot, and after a bit of deliberation I groaned and agreed to help him. The bit of training I got once the woman lay dead didn't really feel good enough to match the pit in my stomach.

Fortunately, the trip to Gnaar Mok was much simpler. It required a bit of backtracking, but nothing too bad. The only interruption between there and the small town was a small egg mine. Too late, I realized that murdering the queen would probably tick off whoever relied on the kwama for their eggs.

========

Gnaar Mok itself was barely worthy of the term "town." You had a single-room inn, a small outpost, and then a series of small huts. Their trouble was equally small; a pair of breeding netch had been causing problems. Quickly and easily taken care of with a pair of destruction spells.

Pemenie thanked me for being her escort and handed me her "boots of blinding speed." By that, I learned, she meant boots which made me massively faster, but at the cost of blinding me entirely. The locals, on seeing my confusion, laughed and told me that Pemenie is known for selling substandard gear; she even has a bounty out for her!

I might have to collect that bounty. I'll figure that out in the morning, after I explore the ruins nearby.

LibraryOgre

2017-06-21, 12:33 PM

Skill Uncapper. (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/1175/?)

Anyone used this? Any comments on it?

VoxRationis

2017-06-21, 01:39 PM

Triaxx

2017-06-21, 02:33 PM

Rynjin

2017-06-21, 03:32 PM

Skill Uncapper. (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/1175/?)

Anyone used this? Any comments on it?

I might suggest, instead, you download the Community Uncapper to simply allow you to level skills past 100. For most skills, this has no or negligible effect (since there are few perks that scale purely off skill level, and the ones that do often have a hard or soft cap at 100 or some other arbitrary point like an armor/resistance cap), but would let you continue leveling.

;)

But yeah, it's pretty good. It can add a bit of power if you use Ordinator, since some of its perks don't have a max cap at 100 skill, but if you plan to level past 81 anyway it's either overkill already (vanilla) or you may NEED the boost (with greater difficulty mods).

LibraryOgre

2017-06-21, 05:39 PM

Are you playing Skyrim SE? Or LE? Because the LE version requires SKSE, and the MCM menu. It probably needs to be configured the first time you use it because I believe it defaults to on. Have you got a character concept in mind?

Is this for me? I'm playing the original... my computer is a bit anemic by modern standards. I'm currently running through with an orc lady who mostly uses conjuration and one-handed weapons, but I've Legendaried Illusion something like 4 times, because Muffle is a wonderful spell.

Triaxx

2017-06-21, 05:46 PM

No, that was to Balmas who was having issues with iHud.

Personally, I never used the Uncapper, since it's rare I get a skill to 100, for that matter it's rare to get a skill to 90. Going over is pointless.

Spore

2017-06-21, 06:14 PM

Kareeah_Indaga

2017-06-21, 06:22 PM

Maybe that has got something to do with you having a bounty? I can't recreate this now but Serana has a "NoCrime" in her morality which I found a bit odd for a century old necromancer.

I'd need to fire up Skyrim to be sure, but I don't think my Altmer has a bounty presently or did at the time. Haven't done the questlines with him where it's a common possibility (no Thieves' Guild, no Dark Brotherhood).

Rynjin

2017-06-21, 08:01 PM

Is this for me? I'm playing the original... my computer is a bit anemic by modern standards. I'm currently running through with an orc lady who mostly uses conjuration and one-handed weapons, but I've Legendaried Illusion something like 4 times, because Muffle is a wonderful spell.

If your computer isn't that great, you may actually Do want to swap over. Special Edition is better optimized and runs as a 64 bit program so it uses your system resources more efficiently.

My computer chugs playing Oldrim and crashes way more frequently, but runs SE smoothly.

Balmas

2017-06-21, 10:05 PM

Are you playing Skyrim SE? Or LE? Because the LE version requires SKSE, and the MCM menu. It probably needs to be configured the first time you use it because I believe it defaults to on. Have you got a character concept in mind?

For the Let's Play, I'm using the special edition; it gives better performance, but the thing I'm really looking for is better stability. The legacy edition is good, but it's about as stable as a drunk dancing on a greased rail.

A Quality World Map - Paper
Arrows and Bolt Tweaks
Achievements Mods Enabler
Alternate Start - Live Another Life
Amazing Follower Tweaks
Apocalypse - Magic of Skyrim
Ars Metallica
Aurora - Standing Stones of Skyrim
Bandolier - Bags and Pouches
Be a Bard
Better Magic (LE Port)
Blackreach Railroad
Book Covers Skyrim
Book Covers Skyrim Lost Library
Bound Pickaxe and Bound Woodcutter (LE Port)
Campfire - Complete Camping System
Convenient Horses
Custom Favorites Menu
Cutting Room Floor
Diverse Dragons Collection
Dragon Combat Overhaul
Dragon Souls To Attributes
Dynamic Dungeon Loot
Elemental Destruction Magic
Enchant Magic Damage and Potency (LE Port)
Even Better Quest Objectives
EBQC patches for Cutting Room Floor, Live Another Life, Paarthurnax Dilemma,
Falskaar
Fire and Ice Overhaul (LE Port, Tentative; causes stability issues)
Frostfall - Hypothermia Camping Survival
Functional Homes (LE port)
Harvest Overhaul Redone
Immersive Armors
Immersive Citizens
Imperious - Races of Skyrim
Improved Lighting Spells
iNeed
INIGO
IPM - Insane Armory
Leanwolf's Better-Shaped Weapons
Lfox Alchemists have Ingredients (LE port)
Lfox Blacksmiths have Metals (LE port)
Magicka Regen 3x
Master Spells Should Be Masterful (LE port)
Moonlight Tales SE
Open Cities Skyrim
Ordinator - Perks of Skyrim
Ordinator 50% more perks
Perk Points and More Gold for Bounty Quests (LE port)
Point the Way
Realistic Lighting Overhaul
Rich Skyrim Merchants (5000)
SkyUI 2.2
Smilodon - Combat of Skyrim
Soulmaster's Summon Lockpick Spell
Static Mesh Improvement Mod
Summermyst - Enchantments of Skyrim
Thunderchild - Epic Shouts and Immersion
Transmute Iron Ore First (LE port)
Unbound Bow
Unlimited Bookshelves
Unofficial Skyrim SE Patch
Vivid Weathers
Wet and Cold
Winter Is Coming SSE

As for characters: I'm still developing ideas for him. Chase (or maybe Chadrick, I haven't decided) is a Nord Skald, a bard, a war-chanter. He's an experienced fighter, having spent the last thirty years in the Imperial Legion. He lied about his age so he could help fight for his country against the Thalmor invasion, and then watched in horror as his country betrayed everything he thought they stood for. By that time, though, he'd already had a child with a Breton in Cheydinhal, and couldn't leave immediately.

When the news of the Skyrim rebellion hit Cheydinhal, though, Chase took stock of his life. He was coming up on his thirty-year mark in the military. He was ready for his pension, for a quiet retirement with his wife. His son was a grown man now, married and working as a merchant in Bruma. He discussed it with his wife. He hadn't joined Ulfric in taking back the Reach because of his wife and child. Could he really justify not going now, in Skyrim's greatest hour of need, now that he had a chance to make a difference?

With his wife's approval, and leaving behind the entirety of his pension to care for her while he was gone, Chase set out. He carried nothing but a pack, a lute, and the greatsword he'd used to defend the empire--and now would use to defend it again.

--------

Mechanically, Chase is going to focus primarily on speech and shouting, with Heavy Armor and Two Handed for when shouts/powers are on cooldown. He'll also be doing some crafting and blocking, but those aren't going to be the primary focus. Magic is one of those things that he respects--the Imperial Legion has battlemages, after all--but which he recognizes may be outside his normal skillset. He hits things with the metal clubs and shouts at them until they run away, and he's content with that.

Triaxx

2017-06-21, 11:42 PM

Ah, first check and see if Ordinator needs a patch for Better Magic, which changes some of the same stuff.

Second, definitely get the down the speech tree. Not only does it have perks for shouting, but also for performing. Earthquake Drum is pretty cool, and well fitting for a battle Bard.

Incidentally, with Crash Fixes installed, and the Dwarven Mage Armor from Immersive Armors disabled, my Skyrim, heavily modded as it is, is the most stable I've ever seen it.

Winter_Wolf

2017-06-22, 12:05 AM

If your computer isn't that great, you may actually Do want to swap over. Special Edition is better optimized and runs as a 64 bit program so it uses your system resources more efficiently.

My computer chugs playing Oldrim and crashes way more frequently, but runs SE smoothly.

I find this to be untrue. Probably it's one of those "boils down to your computer's individual quirks" scenarios. LE runs well enough and is rock solid stable even with 90 or so active mods. SE on the same machine is a slide show even with no mods. It's certainly worth a try, but I wouldn't oversell it.

(I mean technically I don't think I meet spec for quite a lot of games I run on my old laptop, yet the miracles continue. To an extent; I'm sure trying to put Fallout 4 on that machine would end poorly. Frankly I'm a bit shocked I can even get Cities:Skylines to load.)

Spore

2017-06-22, 02:07 AM

I think SE requires a lot more up to date hardware but runs more smoothly on that. But SE runs better on my computer too. I mean there are no frame drops of hell when 2-3 light sources are in the screen.

veti

2017-06-22, 02:59 AM

Skill Uncapper. (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/1175/?)

Anyone used this? Any comments on it?

It's a very powerful tool, and one of my favourite Skyrim accessories. Currently I have mine configured to: progress all skills as high as 120 (although some, most notably smithing, have effect formulas capped well below that); give 2 perks per level from level 15 onward (my substitute for "souls to perks" mods); progress some skills (Enchanting, Smithing) faster (because grinding is not fun) and others (Stealth, Illusion) slower; and possibly a few other tweaks that have slipped my mind for now.

That's the Special Edition version - the Oldrim version has a whole lot more functions.

What I particularly like is that it's configured by editing a text file, not by messing about with stupid in-game menus. If you're gonna tweak your game, that's how it should be done, in my opinion. Makes it much easier to keep track of what you've done (as well as save alternative settings).

Winter_Wolf

2017-06-22, 08:34 AM

Though I've opted to stop using the uncapper, I'll note that you'll want to make sure that if you raise enchanting past 100 you definitely want to put a cap of no greater than 199 on it. Beyond that it does very weird things to weapon enchanting. I mean it is certainly amusing on some level to have a weapon that does several hundred elemental damage of at least one type or dozens of seconds of paralysis, or a vampiric weapon that drains the enemy to death at but a touch, it does weird things with uses/soul gen energy. You can still get goofy with worn gear with near impunity, though. Eventually you hit a point where the sheer numbers will crash the game, but at that point you're probably trying to break the game for it's own sake.

Still it makes a bit more sense that skills go over 100 via uncapper than doing the whole "legendary skill" thing vanilla style.

Balmas

2017-06-22, 11:26 AM

Ah, first check and see if Ordinator needs a patch for Better Magic, which changes some of the same stuff.

Good catch.

Second, definitely get the down the speech tree. Not only does it have perks for shouting, but also for performing. Earthquake Drum is pretty cool, and well fitting for a battle Bard.

Incidentally, with Crash Fixes installed, and the Dwarven Mage Armor from Immersive Armors disabled, my Skyrim, heavily modded as it is, is the most stable I've ever seen it.
Heh. Honestly, part of the reason for me deciding that Chase is going to be a skald is because I looked at the speech tree and at Thunderchild and said, "That sounds awesome, Imma do that."

In other news, I've finally recovered my Vanilla skyrim modded game! After I deleted my Enderal install, I kinda figured that it was gone. Nope, I remembered this morning that Enderal makes a backup of your Skyrim folder. It was just a matter of installing Enderal, telling it to backup to where I had my old backup, and then restoring the backed up copy of my old modded Skyrim.

Aeson

2017-06-22, 11:45 AM

To Balmas:
- As far as I am aware, there is no way to collect the bounty on Pemenie in the game, unless one of your mods added one or unless you count using the console to award yourself the bounty, nor do I recall the exact value of the bounty ever being stated.
- The Blind effect on the Boots of Blinding Speed can be reduced if you have a positive net resistance to magicka at the time you equip the boots, and the reduction in the magnitude of the boots' blinding effect will last until you unequip the boots regardless of whether or not your net resistance to magicka remains constant over that period. Your net resistance to magicka will not affect the magnitude of the Fortify Speed effect granted by the boots as Resistance and Weakness to Magicka only work on hostile effects.

Balmas

2017-06-22, 11:58 AM

Yep, knew both of those things. I actually recorded M14 last saturday, and part of that was teleporting back to Balmora to make a pair of 2-sec 100% Magicka resistance spells. We speedy, baby.

LibraryOgre

2017-06-22, 02:24 PM

Mando Knight

2017-06-22, 03:00 PM

So, I got the level uncapper and Khajiit Dialogue, and have started over, because of course I have.

I'm now a male khajiit. While my intention was to play exactly the same way as my orc lady, I find I'm already doing things differently. More bows, considering not bothering as much with summonable weapons, and certainly not with weapons-with-shields, and sticking to my "1:10 weight to gold ratio or GTFO" for most loot that is going to be turned into gold (enchanted items and a few other things don't need to follow it, especially if they're consumable)

I generally jump to around 50:1 gold:weight fairly quickly. I generally don't need the extra cash-on-hand for a while, the shopkeepers generally don't have enough gold to buy all my jewelry and potions all the time anyway, and it means I don't have to go back to town after every single cave.

Spore

2017-06-22, 03:56 PM

I honestly tried playing a Vigilant of Stendarr Setup. But it just makes no damn sense.

1) They run into melee with Robes. However they use Heavy Armor Boots and Gauntlets but no Shield.

2) They use Restoration Magic. The wards still drain a crazy amount of Magicka for their usefulness. The effects should be useful on undead. In practicality fire destruction effects work far better.

3) Maces are the worst onehanded weapon choice imho due to slow attack animations. You can't dodge as easy as with a sword. Power Attacks are better but if you wanted those, maybe use a Warhammer?

4) The blessing and necklace of Stendarr improve Block. Vigilants do not have Shields.

To be honest the build either works with complete Heavy Armor and Warhammers, taking Restoration as a sidepath. Or you use Destruction + Alteration Magic to blast down undead with fire. Or I could focus on Restoration via Ordinator and deal damage via Healing spells with False Light (probably still Shield plus Healing Spell as most are melee range spells).

Rynjin

2017-06-22, 04:08 PM

With Ordinator, Smite makes maces one of the best undead killers. First Power Attack on a given enemy will deal 6x (8x with perk rank 2) damage as a critical, making it roughly as powerful as a full stealth specced dagger sneak attack if I recall (since I believe crits are natively 2x damage, multiplied by 6-8).

Spore

2017-06-22, 04:29 PM

I know but there is still no reason not to use Heavy Armor. Restoration even helps with Stamina consumption.

LibraryOgre

2017-06-22, 05:26 PM

I generally jump to around 50:1 gold:weight fairly quickly. I generally don't need the extra cash-on-hand for a while, the shopkeepers generally don't have enough gold to buy all my jewelry and potions all the time anyway, and it means I don't have to go back to town after every single cave.

I need to get 5k pretty quickly to afford my first house, so I can start adopting every orphan I can find (already have a mod that lets me get 6, which is every child living in the open, plus the one girl at the orphanage, with an extra slot)

DigoDragon

2017-06-22, 05:41 PM

the shopkeepers generally don't have enough gold to buy all my jewelry and potions all the time anyway

This is painfully true, although Speech still levels even if you sell your junk for free.

Triaxx

2017-06-22, 05:54 PM

Maces are much less terrible at higher levels when you're trying to punch through enemy armor. Early on swords or axes are better.

Anyone else miss the weapon enhancing spells from SkyRe? Those and aura's are two things I really liked that neither Apocalypse nor Ordinator.

LibraryOgre

2017-06-22, 06:16 PM

This is painfully true, although Speech still levels even if you sell your junk for free.

That's good to know. I've turned off the "sell as group" setting in SkyUI to let me make more Speech levels.

Temotei

2017-06-22, 06:49 PM

Anyone else miss the weapon enhancing spells from SkyRe? Those and aura's are two things I really liked that neither Apocalypse nor Ordinator.

A little. Auras not so much but I do miss the Shift spell.

Triaxx

2017-06-22, 07:56 PM

The early auras were useful because they compensated a bit for playstyle weaknesses. The later ones were a bit of a pain, since they tended to hit friendlies and caused problems, but they were useful in dungeons.

Shift spell?

So... a mod has appeared on the front page of the Nexus: Thieves Guild for the Good Guys (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/84702/?) which makes for a more robin hood style thief. Which in turn leads to Dark Brotherhood for the Good Guys (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/61123/?) which keeps you as an assassin, but provides some moral support for your murderous tendencies. And that mentioned: Innocence Lost Alternative (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/39555/?) which lets you turn Grelod in, and have her killed while resisting arrest.

Just because I know some people would want to play these quests while not being puppy eatingly evil. The first also has an option to completely tell Brynjolf to stuff his offer and shut down the quest line permanently.

Keltest

2017-06-22, 09:28 PM

I feel like the Vigilants are remnants from an earlier build where equipment and spell use was more like morrowind and Oblivion, with more equipment slots, and spells not being a weapon. The character concept works better in Oblivion, and even better in Morrowind where you can wear full plate under your robes.

Temotei

2017-06-22, 09:50 PM

Shift spell?

Whoops, that's actually from PerMa now that I think of it. Same author, different time. Wish they finished PerMa and it was more compatible with other mods without the whole PaMa thing.

Shoreward

2017-06-22, 10:51 PM

The first also has an option to completely tell Brynjolf to stuff his offer and shut down the quest line permanently.

Now if only there was a good mod that allowed me to play as Riften's Dark Knight. It's a crying shame that you can't send the whole Thieves' Guild packing and put someone respectable in the Jarl's seat.

Though I suppose then I would need a Joker analogue...

Alternatively, I'd like to start my own meadery and buy up all Maven's shares, but I suppose we've seen what happens to people who try that one. I'd have to invest in some kind of fire-proof beehive. Or fire-proof bees. Now that would be a fun surprise for whatever guild flunky they sent on the job.

Ogremindes

2017-06-23, 01:21 AM

Jorrvaskr, Evening Star 18
After I returned from hunting down an escaped criminal near Riverwood, Skjor told me he had something "special" for me, and to meet him under the Skyforge after dark. The secrecy is somewhat concerning, but then, I already know that "The Circle" has its share of secrets. Whatever it is, I guess I'm just cooling my heels in Whiterun for the rest of the day.
Gallows Rock, Evening Star 18
Skjor and Aela brought me to the Underforge to perform the ritual to make me one of them: a Werewolf. I accepted. I had been thinking about this for the last two weeks, and still wasn't entirely sure, but in the moment I went along with it. What happened immediately after drinking the beast blood is lost to me, when I regained my senses, Aela had dragged me out to Gallows Rock to hunt. Those brigands that attacked us in Dustman's Cairn, they call themselves the Silver Hand, and style themselves as werewolf hunters. I believe I had run into them elsewhere in the past; all that distinguishes them from common bandits are the silvered weapons and a particular hatred of lycanthropes. They'll attack travellers on the road just a readily as any other highwaymen.
The Silver Hand had a base here in Gallows Rock. Skjor had gone ahead, ostensibly to scout, but he charged in alone and got himself cut off. Aela and I found his body as we cleared out the fort ourselves.
Aela has plans to keep bringing the fight to the Hand. Not only are they "werewolf hunters", but they go out of their way to aggravate the Companions. A group that has a shard of Wuuthrad has moved into Treva's Watch. That will be my next target.

Treva's Watch, Evening Star 20
Everything seems more... intense now. Smells, sounds... emotions. I felt a rising anger as I passed an Imperial patrol on my way here, almost enough for me to lash out. Almost. I've been weighing up joining the Stormcloaks myself, and now I may just have to.

Clearing out Treva's Watch was no issue. I've been here before, I already knew how to bypass the defenses. And now I had new power. I cut loose the beast, shifting into my beast form voluntarily for the first time. The result was a bloodbath. These hunters are woefully unprepared as I have only begun to understand my powers. Still, there's something thrilling about hunting like this. I'm eager to return to Jorrvaskr and take on a new job.

Windhelm, Evening Star 25
Over the last several days I've hunted down two more groups of Silver Hand on Aela's information, as well as taken more work from the brothers. My last job had me destroy a bandit gang over in Eastmarch. A simple job, and I've come to the hold's city to spend the night.

I had heard about a child trying to get someone assassinated living in the city. I payed him a visit; Aventus Aretino was performing the ceremony meant to call the Dark Brotherhood. He mistook me for one of them, understandable since I was there all cloak, hood and mask, and told be about the abuses suffered in Honorhall Orphanage down in Riften. It sounds like the matron there is a right rotten piece of work, and that warrants further investigation next time I'm in Riften.

Riften, Evening Star 26
I briefly visited Whiterun today, Vilkas has a job for me that needs a trip to Solstheim to recover a lost heirloom. Oddly enough, a lost Dawnguard relic might also be in the same area. I decided to head to Riften first, for bolts and... other things.

A brief visit to Honorhall confirmed everything that Aventus said. I may well have killed her without being asked if I had witnessed this before. A single bolt from the shadows ended Grelod The Kind's life and I left, quietly leaving Riften to begin travelling back north, stopping for the night as the moon rose.

Windhelm, Evening Star 27
I returned to Windhelm to make the trip to Solstheim. I told Aventus that Grelod was dead, and he gave me an engraved silver plate as payment.

Both the Rune Hammer and the heirloom axe were to be found at a run-down house in Solstheim. Some bandits had made it their base, after the previous inhabitant died. There was a dwemer machine under the basement, but no apparent function to it. I found the axe and hammer stashed nearby. I made my way back to Raven Rock and took the ship back with a quickness, Solstheim still puts me on edge. A courier was waiting for me at Windhelm with a note. I'll read it in the morning, this has been far to much travel for one day.

Spore

2017-06-23, 02:20 AM

Temotei

2017-06-23, 03:05 AM

I need to get 5k pretty quickly to afford my first house, so I can start adopting every orphan I can find (already have a mod that lets me get 6, which is every child living in the open, plus the one girl at the orphanage, with an extra slot)

If you travel from Riften to Markarth and back, it should pass enough time to reset all the shops, plus you'll be able to sell all the loot you pick up on the way, so you won't run out of stuff to sell. Assuming you go on foot at least part of the way.

Triaxx

2017-06-23, 05:38 AM

Removing the thieves guild, option A) Destroy the Thieves Guild (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/28880/?)
Option B) Disband the Thieves Guild (http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/50378/?)

Balmas

2017-06-24, 12:58 AM

Triaxx

2017-06-24, 04:27 AM

I know that feeling entirely too well.

LibraryOgre

2017-06-24, 08:23 AM

Calm down, Angelina Jolie.

I am really a reverse Angelina, since I'm coming from Elsweyr to adopt all the white orphans running around.

Of course, lacking a Khajiit woman to marry, I will marry Ysolla, since she at least LIKES Khajiit.

Kareeah_Indaga

2017-06-24, 08:39 AM

I am really a reverse Angelina, since I'm coming from Elsweyr to adopt all the white orphans running around.

Of course, lacking a Khajiit woman to marry, I will marry Ysolla, since she at least LIKES Khajiit.

She's probably fine with any secret drug trafficking too. :smalltongue: :smallwink:

LibraryOgre

2017-06-24, 09:03 AM

She's probably fine with any secret drug trafficking too. :smalltongue: :smallwink:

Screw secret! I bought these drugs, fair and square, off the shady cat who hangs around the gate!

Except for the ones I stole off that guy at the docks, after my demon set him on fire.

Kareeah_Indaga

2017-06-24, 09:14 AM

Screw secret! I bought these drugs, fair and square, off the shady cat who hangs around the gate!

Except for the ones I stole off that guy at the docks, after my demon set him on fire.

I think the creepiest part about the drug dealers wandering Skyrim is that I can't find them or their droplist in the Creation Kit. Where are they coming from?!! :smalleek:

DigoDragon

2017-06-24, 11:29 AM

I think the creepiest part about the drug dealers wandering Skyrim is that I can't find them or their droplist in the Creation Kit. Where are they coming from?!! :smalleek:

They're smuggling in drugs from the Oblivion Construction Set. ;)

Aeson

2017-06-24, 11:48 AM

I am sad right now. I just finished recording Morrowind #15. At one point, we found a daedric shrine, and the daedra spawned wielding an actual daedric spear, perfect for our spear-man Chord.

And then he killed me. And when I respawned, he was back to dwemer gear.

I thought I might cry. :smallfrown:

EDIT: I mean, on the plus side, I've got like fifty thousand dollars worth of assorted orcish gear, so... you know, ups and downs.
If you really want to obtain a daedric spear, there's a relatively easy quest that offers one as a reward and there's also one which can be found somewhere in the world that you could reach relatively quickly from most places in Vvardenfell.

UESP also seems to indicate that the script on a cursed item can be triggered again if you drop it and pick it back up, so you could farm Daedra Lords from a cursed item if you don't mind gaming the system a bit.

Triaxx

2017-06-24, 02:06 PM

Really? Because I can't go ten feet without running into Skooma dealers. Orc's, Khajiit, Argonian's, might as well run around going WTB Skooma, over my head.

Ogremindes

2017-06-24, 06:44 PM

Abandoned Shack, Evening Star 27
I've been... approached by the Dark Brotherhood. They took notice when I 'stole' that contract, but rather than kill me they want to recruit me. They went through a lot of trouble to do this, and I'm...intrigued. I think I will follow up on this.

Falkreath Sanctuary, Evening Star 29
I went back to Jorrvaskr, not just to hand over the axe, but because I wanted Meeko to stay there. I think it's getting to dangerous for him to travel with me, and I don't think it would be a good idea to have him with me for this.

With that out of the way, I made the trip over to Falkreath, and found the Brotherhood's home, as described. I gave the password, and was allowed access. Astrid, the leader here and the one who recruited me, greeted me at the entrance. I guess she was confident I'd accept. She told me to meet the "Family", and gave me a suit of the armour they use. I quite like it, but I think I'll return to my coat of plates when I need to look like a warrior.

It's quite the eclectic mix of personalities here, including a werewolf and a child-like vampire. My contact for contracts is a fellow Redguard swordsman, who gave me some small jobs with which to prove myself. Most of the Family think I'm not going to survive long. They don't know me very well.

Forgotten Crypt, Morning Star 1
Bounty hunter, vampire hunter, assassin... it's all the same thing. Over the last few days I hunted and killed and escaped criminal, and forced the information of a vampire's location from it's friend, and killed him in his hiding place. And that was just work for the Companions and Dawnguard. The three targets from Nazir may have been... less acceptable in general, but I don't know what that convict was put away for, or even if that vampire had any crimes beyond being one. All the same, as long as it's payed for.

With all this done, it's time to return to my employers for my pay. Maybe the Brotherhood will have a more interesting hunt for me now that I've proven I can do the job.

Sajiri

2017-06-24, 07:33 PM

Man, I havent checked this in a few days and just saw the links to those 'for good guys' mods. I'd already seen the thieves guild one but Im mostly past that quest in my current playthrough, hadn't noticed the dark brotherhood one though...

Ugh now Im getting the urge to restart again >__<

Triaxx

2017-06-24, 09:23 PM

Yeah, I just restarted with a Two-handed sword Nord, after working out my Ninja Wizard was able to win nearly any fight.

Go ahead and do it. It's fun.

Balmas

2017-06-24, 11:28 PM

Morrowind part 14 is up! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PjKsnPQC3A)

There's not much to say here, really, besides "We went down a series of ruins along the southwest of Vvardenfell, killing any who were hostile to us. Most of the ruins had unpronounceable names."

Triaxx

2017-06-25, 01:46 AM

I've given up attempting to mod Morrowind. I think I'm going to end up being totally, depressingly vanilla.

On the other hand, it looks like Oblivion will be way more fun. Just have to pick a race to play as. Going Thieves Guild Dark Brotherhood, vampire, just for the challenge.

Balmas

2017-06-28, 11:50 AM

Let's Play Morrowind: A Whole New World! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4sFERhHgB8) is up.

I've figured it out! Those boots that Pemenie gave me aren't useless after all! After a bit of experimentation, I found that the initial blinding only attacks once, immediately on putting on the boots. If I have a high resistance to magicka when I put the boots on, I can resist being blinded, while still benefiting from the massively increased speed. Wearing the boots, I can walk faster than I used to be able to run! What's more, it's transformed levitation from an achingly slow and inefficient form of transport to combining the best effects of jump, fast swim, and water walking. I can go anywhere at speeds I hadn't dreamed of before!

I've also come to a realization, I think. You know that I came here against my will. The imperial guard grabbed me in the tavern, shoved me in irons, and shipped me here to Vvardenfell. I didn't want to be here, and there's still a part of me that resents the disruption of my life. When I left Seyda Neen, I had one goal in mind: get to Balmora, shove the package into Caius' hands, and then work enough to pay for passage back to High Rock.

It's been a month, almost. Kinda lost track of time, between exploring new areas, training with Caius, and running around Vvardenfell. And I'm richer than I've ever been in my life. I have twelve-thousand septims in pocket, and almost fifty-thousand septims' worth of looted goods in a chest in my Mages Guild quarters from my most recent excursion into the daedric ruins. At the same time, my abilities have risen far above what I was able to do in Jehanna.

At some point, it stopped being about getting home and started being about "We're onto a good thing here. How far can we take this?" Hell, I might even get around to investigating Vivec, after I've had my fill of exploration.

========

When I teleported back to Ashalmimilkala--I swear they make the names hard to pronounce on purpose--I was greeted with a daedra cheerfully swinging an ebony staff at my face. I only survived because I was quick enough on my feet to get some room for summoning. When the daedra lay dead in the water, I gave it a few extra pokes, just to make sure it was dead.

Stepping out of the ruins, I saw two things that looked interesting: one of those dunmer strongholds to the east, and another daedric ruin to the south. I figured I could do both quickly enough.

The dunmer stronghold was first. Hlormaren had the standard few people who hated me on sight and required stabbing, but when I got to the bottom floor, I found a slaving operation instead. I grit my teeth, and looked for the slaver who looked most threatening so I could do some more stabbing. The slaves thanked me for their freedom. Strangely, none of the rest of the slavers objected to me walking in, stabbing one of them, and freeing their slaves. Maybe it was a change of heart, or maybe the head slaver was just a jerk to the rest of them.

Either way, after a short swim through Hlormaren's sewer system, I emerged in the Bitter coast, and made for the daedric ruin I'd spotted before. Ashurnibibi was like most daedric ruins I'd seen so far--all uncomfortable juts and spurs, with more angles than dyslexic heaven. Two orcs outside greeted me, and one even gave me a few tips on how to sneak more effectively. The inside, however, was a different story, with two orcs rushing me with warhammers. I shrugged, stabbed them, and collected the loot. I was much more surprised to find that there was also an underwater section, and a secret door with a trapped imperial legion member behind it. As he left, I took the time to loot a shrine, and stabbed the daedra that appeared when I touched the heart on the altar.

========

As I studied my map, I realized I was pretty close to Seyda Neen. If I made for there, I could just take the silt-strider back to Balmora. However, from where I was standing, I could see a small town--even smaller than Gnaar Mok--and a sunken ship. Hla Oad turned out to be nothing special, so I forgot about it and kept moving. The ship was more interesting, with a number of small ash statues in the belly of the ship.

Most interesting, though, was what happened as I ambled towards Seyda Neen. I'd been musing to myself about how these boots had opened up a whole new world of transport to me, when a yodeling came from up even higher than I'd been. A man came rushing straight down, and crumpled on impact with a sickly squelch. When I checked his body, he had three scrolls that, if I was reading them right, would massively boost your ability to jump for a short time--short enough that the spell would die before you came back down, and so would the unfortunate caster.

I shrugged. Maybe the world is weird enough without my going out to find more of it.

Triaxx

2017-06-28, 02:56 PM

Anyone know anything about Skyrim's Kernel32 errors? I know the obvious solution is to upgrade to SE but I'd rather not.

Aeson

2017-06-28, 03:48 PM

Balmas:
- Fjol the Outlaw, as his name might suggest, is a Nord, and in Morrowind Nords are completely immune to frost damage as well as being highly resistant (50%) to shock damage. Incidentally, he's quest-related and you may be able to get paid for killing him if you speak to an NPC who just wants to tell you a little story that he thinks would be so much better if it ended in a bloodbath.
- The slavers in Hlormaren are normally hostile, but you apparently have a high enough combined Reputation and Personality score that those NPCs had a high enough disposition towards you to remain neutral (at least until you started attacking them). This may also happen with other normally-hostile NPCs and is just a quirk in the game's system. The majority of the slavers of Hlormaren are unimportant and killing them does not cause any issues for later quests, though you might want to avoid killing one of the slavers on the roof since it matters to the Morag Tong that you not kill quest targets before receiving the quest.
- If you want to pick up books and scrolls without reading them, then walk up relatively close to it, open your inventory, click on the book with your mouse to pick it up from the world, and drop it in your inventory.

Ogremindes

2017-06-28, 07:07 PM

Raldbthar, Morning Star 4
I've received my first "Real Job" for the Brotherhood. I contacted Muiri, a shop assistant in Markarth, who wanted me to kill a bandit leader named Alain Dufont. Furthermore, she offered me a bonus if I would kill Nilsine Shatter-Shield in Windhelm.

Dufont and his gang were based in a dwemer ruin called Raldbthar. I decided this was a good opportunity to cut loose, and shifted into my beast form to attack them. I rampaged through the bandits, killing Dufont and everyone with him. The bandits had only occupied the areas of the ruin closest to the entrance. I explored the rest of the ruin, in human form as the beast has no interest in Animunculi. I discovered another way into Blackreach at the end, and a fragment of a curious blue crystal token.

I'll pay Nilsine a visit tomorrow.

Windhelm, Morning Star 5
How delightful. There's already a killer in town, targeting young women no less. That will certainly make my life easier, why suspect the traveller when there's a serial killer already around? I quietly dealt with Nilsine when she was alone and hid her body, it'll be a while before her death is discovered.

Nevertheless, I felt the need to uncover this killer. Integrating myself with the local authorities wouldn't hurt, either. So I spoke to the steward about helping with the investigation. Questioning the witnesses didn't help, but a blood trail leading away from where the body was found did. An abandoned house, within I found journals, a distinctive amulet, and a necromantic ritual altar hidden behind a false panel in a wardrobe. I've been told by a local curiosities dealer that this amulet belongs to the court wizard. I'll question him tomorrow.

Morning Star 6
That went quicker than I expected. I spoke to the court mage Wuunferth the Unliving. The amulet wasn't his, but he identified it as a necromantic artifact. Knowing necromancy was involved, he deduced that the next attack would have to occur soon, in the market square. I don't think he figured quite how soon, as almost as soon as I went to the market to look for a good vantage I spotted the curioso dealer creeping up on a woman with a knife. He didn't see me, and I took him down with a crossbow bolt before he could strike. I searched his shop, finding the evidence of him being the killer, which I presented to the steward. Oh, if only I arrived sooner, maybe Nilsine might have been saved. Ha!

I've begun travelling west. I'll be stopping off in Dawnstar on my way back to the sanctuary.

Morning Star 7
The Dawnguard had me assassinate a vampire in the jarl's court. I managed to 'acquire' evidence of the fiend's nature, which I presented to Skald. There was no interference as I shot the vampire in the head in front of the guards.

Wreck of the Orphan's Tear, Morning Star 8
I came out here, north of Solitude, to hunt down a bandit leader for a bounty. I've done so, but the weather, already freezing, has turned completely hostile as a blizzard has blown in, with no sign of abating. Even in my tent, the entrance of which is almost on top of my fire, I can feel the chill. I can't just wait around, if it doesn't clear by tomorrow only I'll take what firewood I can from the bandit's campsite and head onward.

Ilinalta's Deep, Morning Star 9. Night of the Full Moon
I write this in the morning of the 10th, as the night was lost to me. Yesterday I made my way south, stopping briefly at Solitude to claim a bounty, and then at Markarth to report to Muiri and receive my pay. Far better bay than any job I've had with the Companions, though in the future Astrid will be expecting a cut.

While it was late, I decided to keep moving towards Falkreath, as I had both a job for the Companions and, of course, to report to Astrid. It's just as well I did, as I hadn't been keeping track of the phases of Masser, and that night was the night. I don't really remember much of what happened, only that I hunted, and that when I returned to my senses, I was in a ruined fort surrounded by robed corpses and the tell-tale ashes of destroyed undead.

It's only dawn, and I'm exhausted. I should make my way back to the Sanctuary all the same. I should also check the Roadside Ruins that I was headed to for my merc job, I think I was just about there when I shifted, maybe I completed the job and cleared out the spriggans while hunting.

LibraryOgre

2017-06-29, 11:56 AM

So, playing with the Uncapper, I find something interesting... my play style REALLY changes.

Illusion has always been a level-grind for me. Muffle in the morning, Muffle in the Evening, Muffle at Suppertime. If I'm travelling, SOP is summon my bodyguard (Frost Atronach until I can get Dremora Lord), walk along, cast muffle until my bodyguard's duration is almost up, resummon, and repeat. Without an Uncapper, than meant my Illusion seldom had perks, because it was getting reset to nothing before being built up again. Seriously, my lady orc playthrough had Illusion legendaried something like 4 or 5 times.

With the uncapper? I am using the hell out of illusion. Master of Mind, Kindred Mage, and the Fury perk means I can use that little beginning Fury spell to cause lots of problems, and distract people from hitting me... I was able to send The Skinner after the rest of his companions with that.

Balmas

2017-06-29, 12:14 PM

Yeah, that mostly comes down to the problem with level-by-doing, I think. Once you hit the max cap for doing something, you can't level up by doing that thing anymore. So if you want more perk points, you have to either do something else--which means it's something you suck at--or reset your progress. Uncapping the max skill level means you can continue getting perks while using the thing you've built your character around.

Triaxx

2017-06-29, 02:01 PM

LibraryOgre

2017-06-29, 02:24 PM

I never really used illusion, not because I don't like it, but because everything seemed to end up too powerful so quickly I never had a use. Invisibility and muffle had to be cast far away, because I rarely had enough perks invested to reach Quiet Casting. And my usual wizards are pretty much as unstealthy as it's possible to be.

I started liking Fury in Bleak falls Barrow, where you encounter those two bandits right after you go inside. Fury one, sit back and let them fight... or raise a dead body to get into the fray.

Killing Skinner with it also involved a lot of running and summoning Frost Atronachs, though. If you are going to run around in that room, I suggest counterclockwise.

DigoDragon

2017-06-29, 02:52 PM

Muffle in the morning, Muffle in the Evening, Muffle at Suppertime.

No real reason I'm quoting this, other than I ended up singing it in my head. :smallredface:

Yeah, that mostly comes down to the problem with level-by-doing, I think. Once you hit the max cap for doing something, you can't level up by doing that thing anymore. So if you want more perk points, you have to either do something else--which means it's something you suck at--or reset your progress. Uncapping the max skill level means you can continue getting perks while using the thing you've built your character around.

I'll have to try the uncapper too. All my characters have historically gotten tossed and I start over after the main 3 skills in their build get maxed out.

LibraryOgre

2017-06-29, 03:25 PM

No real reason I'm quoting this, other than I ended up singing it in my head. :smallredface:

I aim to irritate. :smallbiggrin:

Triaxx

2017-06-29, 09:22 PM

Then you must be Skyrim. Crashing solved. Seems Rigmor must be activated when installed or quests and thus the game breaks. But now a new madness has arrived. Steel Nordic Gauntlets equip as ground items to female characters. Needs must I reinstall UNP I think.

Shoreward

2017-06-30, 12:06 AM

I never really used illusion, not because I don't like it, but because everything seemed to end up too powerful so quickly I never had a use. Invisibility and muffle had to be cast far away, because I rarely had enough perks invested to reach Quiet Casting. And my usual wizards are pretty much as unstealthy as it's possible to be.

The trouble with Illusion is that if you don't actively grind its perks to keep up with the rising level of enemies, it quickly becomes useless against anyone except John the Dirt Bandit and his underlevelled friends. If you do grind it, it's pretty dang potent.

That's unless you're using a perk mod. I can't account for how something like Ordinator might alter the progression.

Personally, I still want to cast Paralyze some day. For some reason I always end up missing Alteration in the mad dash for breaking the enchanting system again.

Balmas

2017-06-30, 03:00 AM

Divayth Fyr

2017-06-30, 03:02 AM

So if I really want Chase to be able to have a complete mastery of the voice, I'll need to either join all the factions--something he just wouldn't do, in most cases--or give him the unattainable shouts via the console, which is frustrating to me personally.

As it tends to be with Bethesda games, mods can solve this problem ;)

Winter_Wolf

2017-06-30, 05:07 AM

Skyrim pet peeve: there are some dragon shouts locked behind nearly every faction. If you want complete fire breath or Animal Allegiance, better join the Companions. Whoops, Slow Time is locked by both the civil war and the Mage's Guild. You can only learn the full Marked For Death shout by joining/destroying the Dark Brotherhood. Disarm requires you to be halfway through the Thieves Guild quest to complete. You don't get the infinitely-useful-with-frostfall-installed Clear Skies until you advance the main quest enough to get to Paarthurnax.

So if I really want Chase to be able to have a complete mastery of the voice, I'll need to either join all the factions--something he just wouldn't do, in most cases--or give him the unattainable shouts via the console, which is frustrating to me personally.

That's your "replay value " you're dissing!

But yeah, shouts tend to have some irritating conditions. You can't get the full storm call shout unless you actually grind the hell out of the main quest to at least Sovngarde. A pity, because it's hilarious disintegrating dragons in flight when they're struck by lightning in a storm. Mostly I just do without, because playing a random guy or lass that isn't dragonborn has been my preferred type of character for a good long while. Skyrim Unbound makes it possible, and gives you non-dragonborn shouts, and if you're inclined, auto-unlocked shouts without needing dragon souls.

My favorite shout is still throw voice, and it's conveniently all on that one wall. Pick a good hiding spot, goad a few enemies into range with a shout-taunt, and let mayhem, frenzy, or fury fly for a good ol' show.