Because Every Rose Has Its Video, Rosa's Vid Topic Options

[Grits]

When the tentacles grip you Marcurio says something like “That doesn’t look good” in an alarmed tone, and Stenvar says something like “Now that ain’t right.” Going with distant memory here, so these are not direct quotes! I don’t remember Vorstag saying anything new pretty much anywhere on Solstheim. The followers do not come along to Apocrypha.

Jensa loves that drum. Power attacks forever! I guess it also helps with the stamina-burning archery tricks. Never thought of that. That bow is gorgeous!

Yeah, that guy needs a talking-to. Mielikki is petite! For some reason I thought she was Altmer-sized.

Yay, snowbear times two!

On the move is my favorite. I love the colors and pose, and Mielikki’s expression is so pretty. Plus what a neat location!

[King Coin]

I remember the drum from the other thread. It looks like she’s got a supply of the sun arrows.

I don’t think there is a good day to be an undead anything.

What an interesting glowing pattern on the floor. Aravi will get there soon.

[Acadian]

Wow, Mikki’s building her own orchestra to follow her around!

Negotiating with a Dunmer? He certainly looks like he’s having a bad hair day.

A Deathlord sandwiched between a sharp arrow and some angry claws – great shots!

That ruin is sporting some seriously stylin’ floor covering! I never noticed in a close up before - are Mikki’s eyes lavender/violet? They sort of look so in this shot.

[SubRosa]

Grits: That doesn't look good indeed when those tentacles come out of the black books!

I guess that drum would be great for melee fighters. You only need one point of stamina to make a power attack, and it probably insures you always have that one. I think you need the full amount to use the archery tricks. But it still helps cut down the time you have to wait for your stamina to build back up. Too bad I can never remember to use things like that drum.

Mielikki's race is actually based off the Bretons. It is from that same 4 Elf Race mod I used as a basis for Revansch. I took its version of a Snow Elf and eflised it more, changing it to use actual elf features, and so on.


King Coin: Those are not sun arrows. They are Snow Elf arrows that I made. I took the sun arrows as a basis, de magiced them, changed the texture a bit, and made them craftable. The same with her bow.

That glowing pattern is not actually the floor. Its a magical bridge. You will see when you get there.


Acadian: Every good hero needs their theme music after all!

That Dunmer is having some bad hair! He has one of my favorite voices though. Its a new one that added in Dragonborn.

Mielikki's eyes are lavender. The color is really brought out by the magical bridge in that pic.



I got in the mood to try something different for a while. A character who is as real world Viking authentic as possible. So mail armor, viking era swords and shields, etc... Nothing exotic at all (I know, what a stretch for me!)

The end result is Hervor

I used the Live Another Life Alternate Start mod with her, with the Left For Dead option.

She was left for dead by bandits. She still bears the scars.

Now she is a bounty hunter, tracking and killing bandits.

She has a new bow, thanks to the Chronicles of Steel mod (where her swords came from as well)

[Acadian]

It’s always fun to google the names of your characters.

Hervor looks great and sounds like fun! Of course, when you start with a blonde, blue-eyed lass, you’ve got my vote. She’s got great face paint, scars and a wonderful circlet. In fact all her gear looks cool as can be!

[Rohirrim]

Is that the Viking armor from Immersive Armors, one of my all-time FMINGITFF?

[Grits]

Oh my gosh, I love her look!! My favorite of your Skyrim characters so far, no contest. Wow!!

[King Coin]

Is the writing on her sword authentic? Actually in the bounty hunting picture it looks less like Daedric writing.

Neat shield in the second picture. I am using a mod that distributes a bunch of new equipment to bandits and such. I am irked that they actually called some of the stuff ‘viking _____’.

Her bow looks like the hunting bow. I like the look though. Looks less rough.

[SubRosa]

Acadian: It is always fun coming up with names for my characters! I used to hate doing that. But ever since I started using the names of goddesses or real life or mythical people, it is like a mini-game all of its own.

How can you go wrong with a blond-haired and blue-eyed girl? I guess by not making her a wood elf!


Rohirrim: The Armor is from Chainmail Hauberks.


Grits: Really? That is funny, because she has the least fantasy elements to her. The irony is of course that her most conspicuous gear still comes from mods! I just wish I could have found a more authentic looking mail armor for her. But there are not many mods that add mail, so my choices were very limited.


King Coin: The writing on her sword is real Scandinavian runes. I looked them up and compared.

The shield is from Matherian Viking Shields, which adds a lot of viking shields to the game. I took out three of the shields and made my own standalone mod, replacing the vanilla hide, iron, and steel shields with them.

I like the look of that bow too. Its simple, but the wood has a nice look to it.


I made the guard helmet craftable, so Hervor now has a spangenhelm for tough situations

Face to face with a skelly

Putting down orc scum

This one looks a little rude...

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Sep 24 2013, 12:39 AM

[Grits]

I’m sure it’s Hervor’s real-woman-in-a-magical-world aspect that appeals to me so much. Plus, blondes.

I’m usually in favor of closed helms, but I like the open guard helm very much especially on Hervor. I also like the way most of her mail is covered. It would be a real pain to clean without an entourage or magic, so protecting the mail that protects her just looks right.

Skelly is my favorite. An awesome view of an enemy, and Hervor looks so cool and determined. I love her expression. She doesn’t have Nord Angry Face.

Beautiful shields. That’s a neat picture!

Rude, lol.

[Acadian]

I know how much effort you have always put into naming characters, so I’m glad that you’ve found a system. And your inspiration source provides tons of neat names to choose from.

- While I respect the need to protect that pretty head and can appreciate that it is easier to wear a helmet when one has little round ears, it does seem a shame to cover that blond hair.

- The skelly and orc shots – Grits is so right! Those are beautiful shields!

- Rude. Ah. . . I see what the shield is for now.

[King Coin]

That helm looks nice with the face opened up. Are they all like that now in your game? I'd like a mix if I could choose.

Love the shield in the skellie pic.

Looks like the orc’s defense wasn’t good enough to prevent a slash to the neck. He’s got a cool looking shield too, though I would rather not replace any of the vanilla with them.

Rude:

[SubRosa]

Grits: I liked Hervor's ordinary flesh and blood look too. But unfortunately it was not enough to keep me interested in her. I always prefer open helms, so I can see my characters faces. Usually they never wear any kind of helmet at all, so I can see their entire head. But sometimes a helmet looks good, like Hrafn's Nordic Carved Helmet, so I will break down and let them wear one.

You are right about her expression in that pic. I liked it a lot too because of how she looks determined, but not maddened.


Acadian: Oh no, Hervor will have helmet hair after those first pics!

I love those shields. The Vikings made some really cool artwork, and those are among them. It's too bad there is no way to add a Raven Banner to the game.


King Coin: I use Open Faced Helmets, which makes all the closed face helmets opened up. It leaves alone the ones with some open space, like the Ancient Nord Helms though. So you can always see your character's face.


The Shield Maiden Hervor is taking a break. In the meantime my new Deadwalker has captured my imagination. She was an Imperial named Kore, who fought for Empress Alessia in the First Age. As such she is outfitted with Ancient Nordic gear, provided to the army by Alessia's Skyrim allies. After her death she was made an undead slave. But in the Fourth Age she finally breaks free of her necromantic bonds, and wreaks a terrible vengeance upon her enslavers.

I definitely did not want to do the vanilla game start with her. I tried using Alternate Start - Live Another Life, but its necromancer option starts you out in Blackreach, which does not make a lot of sense to me. So I created my own Alternate Start mod just for Persephone using the commands listed at the bottom of the UESP Wiki's Console page. It was incredibly easy, and let me start her in the depths of Fellglow Keep.

Kore was once a maiden picking flowers...

...Now the dead come to her, and call her their Queen.

The still-living Kore, just after joining Empress Alessia's army.

Risen again four Ages later as Persephone.

Persephone fights for freedom.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Sep 29 2013, 07:59 PM

[King Coin]

Queen: very nice shot. She looks awesome in that pose!

I love the ancient Nord helmet for female characters. The antlers are a cool look. I prefer it over the horns the male helmet gets.

That ward in the last picture isn’t going to save her from Persephone’s steel! I do think that it helps against damage from enchantments though.

[Grits]

I really like what you did with her names. Kore is beautiful both living and undead.

Queen looks so neat with the fire and I guess the blue effect is coming from her sword? Like KC said, that pose is just awesome.

Neat to see the real sword and then later the summoned version. These pictures are making quite the story!

The last one is my favorite. The flame, blade, and Ward make kind of a triangle. I love that helm on Persephone. What a great shot!

[Acadian]

Wow, Kore the flower maiden is beautiful indeed!

I do have a soft spot for two handed swords. Nice background for this born-again lass from the past.

As ever, it was fun googling Persephone. In this case, doing so dissuaded me of the image of a woman with an iphone in her purse. I can now see why you didn’t name Kore’s reincarnation 'Enkore'.

[SubRosa]

King Coin: Queen is going in my desktop rotation. I really love how that turned out.

I think the antlers look better than the horns as well. I guess I have never been particularly horny.

You are right, the Ward did not save that necro!


Grits: Once I saw your agreement of using the name Persephone, I just knew I had to do some before pictures of her. Naturally her name while alive could only be Kore. I consider the story of Kore/Persehpone's descent into the Underworld and eventual return to be an iconic piece of mythology. It is a great example of Joseph Campbell's Hero Cycle. The fact that the story itself is told in so many different ways is one of the best things imho, as it allows one to emphasis many different things. Most of all though, I think it serves as a great example of taking lemons and making lemonade. Even at the most brutal way of looking at it, Kore is kidnapped and raped. But she turns that around by realizing her own power, and becoming Queen of the Underworld.

That blue effect is from the Absorb Magicka enchantment on Malediction (I was temped to call it Narcissus, and I might still change it, but I think people would confuse the name for the person, not the flower that led Kore to her doom). This is the first time I have used a weapon with that enchantment, so I am not used to seeing all the blue. I have since added an absorb health to it as well. It turns out Persephone is a very difficult character to play. The problem stems from not only using a bound weapon, but a two-handed one at that. To heal herself in combat Persephone has to dispel her sword, leaving herself defenseless. One handed characters can still keep a sword in one hand while they have a shield in the other. The next problem is that healing tends to empty out the magicka tank. But then afterward she needs still more magicaka to resummon the sword! Likewise, if she wants to switch to a ranged attack with her absorb, she again has to dispel the sword, then resummon it afterward. So she is a real magicka hog. At the same time, she needs a high health in order to survive those times where it is simply impossible to lose the sword and concentrate on healing. It makes for very challenging gaming!

I also noticed that the flames make a cross with her in the middle. Not that I would put comparisons between her and another fella who died upon one, only to return to life three days later...


Acadian: I have always loved the two handed swords in Oblivion and Skyrim as well. The two handed sword has been difficult for me to get used to again. If has been a long time since I had a character with one, and I have gotten out of practice with timing and distance control. But it is finally starting to come back now. Thank goodness!

Perse-phone won't be butt-dialing anyone, that is for certain! Her reception would probably be dead anyway.


Free of the necromancers of Fellglow Keep, Persephone bends down to look at her reflection in the water. If she could still feel her feelings, she might be horrified.

There is nothing to do but move on.

A soldier in Alessia's army knows what to do with elves.

Hooking up with her old boyfriend Darryl at the bar.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Sep 30 2013, 02:07 AM

[Acadian]

Reflecting upon her reflection is neat. The things she's seen, the things she wishes she hadn't seen. . . .

Moving on is simply a spectacular shot in so many ways! Wow!

Eeep! Persephone Merkiller!

Darryl! Is she going to hold out for his brother? And his other brother, for a robust foursome of the grateful dead?

[Grits]

Malediction is a great name for Persephone’s sword. It sounds like she is fun to play. I love characters who use all three of their bars, even if the green one is mostly for running away strategic repositioning.

Aw, reflections. That picture says a lot.

In Move on she is so pretty! Glowing eyes and all.

Wow, the elf-kabob is an awesome shot! Great pose and the swirly effects show up well at night. I guess Persephone is not afraid of the dark.

Her boyfriend Darryl, nice. I like his blue eyes, but he needs to get skincare tips from Persephone.

[King Coin]

Moving on is brilliant in many ways. Love the gorgeous water of the shallow water. Her boots are going to be squishy though!

Does she kill all elves or is this only Altmer? Or perhaps only elves in armor?

I think she was better preserved than her boyfriend was.