Forsworn Hearthfires?, What, why, how, where? Options

[ghastley]

I've had numerous people ask me what's next in the Hearthfires series, and one suggested Forsworn. I initially rejected the idea, as they usually live in tent camps, or have a resident hagraven if they live anywhere else. Even in the later case, they'll still pitch tents inside whatever structure they're using.

But that shouldn't completely rule this out. If a Forsworn bed is actually a skin tent with a hay pile and fur inside it, that's quite constructible, and the rest of the space can have normal furniture, crafting stations etc.

So now I'm trying to decide what to build inside. A cave is probably easiest, just needing a hole in a hillside somewhere in the Reach, but a tower/ruin entrance is also feasible for a bit of architectural variety.

Hagravens and briarhearts seem to go together, but are possibly a faction that doesn't align with Madanach, although you do find a briarheart at Druadach Redoubt. So I'm considering a post-Cidhna quest to go establish a new camp, as part of the new Reachman kingdom. Find your empty tower/ruin/cave and furnish, then the recruits will arrive to join you. No briarhearts or hagravens will turn up, as you're in charge, and those are "boss" characters.

I may still have a mage NPC that's considering the change into a hagraven, and even started the process. That could provide a sub-quest to reverse it, after she changes her mind.

Dialogue could be the usual issue, but there should be some already around for Forsworn talking to each other. Merchant dialogue for smith, alchemist, should also be there in a Breton voice.

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The other project that was Breton-specific, was the Red Witch, but that has issues with a lack of sailor dialogue, and I'd have a lot of work to do converting it to be build-your-own. The former is much more of a show-stopper, as it needs multiple voices, and I only have one.


SubRosa - I edited the title to fix a typo.

[ghastley]

I picked a set of six ingredients that made sense, and committed it to a "book" item. I had considered generating it as a "pick six from this larger formlist" but decided it wasn't worth the effort for a minor detail of one quest.

I'm still looking for a way to trigger detection of the list being completed. Currently the dialog with Bothela checks if you have it all, but the player is responsible for comparing their inventory to the list to know when to return. The quest stages have been set up so you can go back when you decide, or when notified, so that detail can come later.

I've run through everything with a test character, and built all the items. The courier bringing the letter is the standard one, but I'm working on a Forsworn one to swap in if it works. I had to console add an Amulet of Dibella to make the shrine, as there is no guaranteed drop, just random chance. But then the recipe worked, so all is good. There are a lot of additions since the pre-built one I posted for Khajiit. More storage, mannequins, etc., a bed for Drusilla, bookcase, chairs. The weapon rack near the entrance is now using Player home activators, so it lets you add, not just remove, weapons.

There is still some work at either end. I have to sort out the Story Manager details for starting the quest. SM detects level-up, and will spawn a kicker quest to check if you've done Cidhna Mine with the right outcome. SM won't spawn the building quest directly, so the attempt can fail if it's triggered too soon, and try again later. This prevents problems if you level up during the escape. At the opposite end, I have to come up with a way to recruit the Forsworn who will live there. It may be a case of using Drusilla as a steward, so she hires when you ask her, or they could arrive on their own over time, or you could convert followers, like the Blades.

Drusilla has two outfits so far. There's the Feathers and claws one she uses before the cure, and a short robe that covers where she's moulting, with boots over her still-scaly, but normally-shaped feet. At some point she'll need a Forsworn variant that's unique to her. Maybe just a texture variant, but she has a supply of her own feathers she may not want to waste.

This post has been edited by ghastley: Jan 10 2023, 03:23 PM