Wolf Mods, Skyrim (and more!) for Oblivion Options

[Lena Wolf]

The final preview installment of TWMP Skyrim Alive is released! This has all the content of the full release, with a few bugs thrown in. I already squashed some, so I know they are still lurking under the floor boards.

I have reviewed and updated the Optional Extras - little mods that alter game play in Skyrim, offer transport to Morroblivion or provide an alternate start. These versions now work with v3.0.7 (and will work with v3.1).

I've been also editing the mod page, and am still doing it, it's a bit of a WIP at the moment. But I decided not to hide the mod while I'm updating it, I'm sure people will figure it out.

It won't take long now, may be a week or two at most, and we shall have the official launch of release 3!

[macole]

Amazing work and dedication on your part.

I aways wondered about how many items can be meant by the term, a few. Now I know.

[Lena Wolf]

Thank you, macole!

Yes, "a few" means "I hope there aren't too many".

I can't find any more, they all scattered. Probably because I've been working on it for so long, I simply don't see them.

The difficulty now is to resist the urge to improve things. Add another painting here, make another banner there. No, this will never end. I just have one more item on my list that's been sitting there literally for two years, I'll do that, and unless someone reports bugs, that will be it! Time to take a break.

[Lena Wolf]

TWMP Skyrim Alive

Release 3

It's done!

[Acadian]

Congrats! I'll bet you're please to perhaps take a break from this massive project!

[Lena Wolf]

Congrats! I'll bet you're please to perhaps take a break from this massive project!

Oh my gosh - yes! But at the same time there's a feeling of emptiness too...

[SubRosa]

Wow, congratulations on a massive project!

[Lena Wolf]

Wow, congratulations on a massive project!

Thank you, SubRosa! But you see all that land in the first picture? That's High Rock. Completely empty so far, apart from the landscapes...

[Lena Wolf]

I am supposedly taking holiday from Skyrim... in Skyrim! I'm building the Blue Palace in Solitude.

The thing is that I enjoy building castles. It calms the nerves and engages the mind. And Solitude had no castle so far! That can't be right, being the capital of Skyrim and all. There supposed to be the Blue Palace.

Blue Palace in Solitude - TES5 Skyrim

So I decided to build one!

Blue Palace in Solitude - TWMP Skyrim Alive

Blue Palace closer look

These are just the first screenshots from the Construction Set, so you don't see the surrounding scenery yet. I have also built a long bridge from the Blue Palace right into the heart of Solitude similar to what you see in the TES5 picture. It is obviously NOT the same city, we have a different geography for starters, but I've always loved the Great Arch and saw no reason not to have one.

This will be released as v3.2. Of course you would wonder why the High King does not reside in his splendid palace... Well, glad you asked. Because there a small matter you could help with...

It comes complete with a quest, at the end of which the High King moves to the Blue Palace.

[Lena Wolf]

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to ask for a walkthrough. Turns out: two weeks. Yesterday someone asked for a walkthrough of the Skyrim Main Quest.

I think the answer is going to be NO.

[macole]

Good answer.

Your Blue Palace is looking good.

[Lena Wolf]

Thanks, macole! This is becoming a rather larger addition than I originally planned... again. I guess I'll never learn. But you cannot tell half a story!

And while I'm building my castle (and stuff), I'm trying to start a game of Morroblivion with Geralt - he is going to Solstheim to answer Hircine's call. I am using several new and untested mods for this, and, well... Geralt is very busy testing them for me.

Today I finally caught a very elusive bug - "You don't need a hero, you need a professional", as Geralt would say. Rightly so. Had to have a witcher for my bug hunting. So, to reproduce this bug, I have to load a particular save, have a fight with a bunch of rieklings, get knocked out once or twice, then finish them off, get out the meditation pad, meditate to recover health, get up and... CRASH! Phew... So Geralt's been doing a lot of that, and I may be able to finally catch that bug. I also had a glimpse of possibly two more, completely independent, in three different mods, all coming together in that one sequence of events. So I'm not moving until this rare hunting opportunity is completely exhausted!

Oh, and I have already squashed three other bugs today, all discovered while trying to start up Geralt's game. Plus another very difficult bug squashed a few days ago. The witcher is definitely doing his thing!

This post has been edited by Lena Wolf: Feb 26 2024, 12:30 PM

[Lena Wolf]

Several people are playing the main quest of TWMP Skyrim Alive at the moment, and two people actively reporting issues - thank you LordPalpatine2020 and Chambcra, and Clayton1015 before that!

Nice to see how it looks in other people's games, too. Here's a screenshot from Chambcra: Librarium. Yes, you guessed it, it's a pocket of Apocrypha, of course...

[Lena Wolf]

The Blue Palace in Solitude is surrounded in mystery and magic. I couldn't just build a castle, I had to build a story around it as well. To be released in a not to far future in TWMP Skyrim Alive v3.2.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harald and Sylvana

by Anonymous

An unknown hero stood before the Matriarch of the Rimerock Coven of the Glenmoril Wyrd. The hero was on a noble quest - to lift a curse from a sleeping beauty, the Queen of Skyrim, Sylvana. As noble a quest as one ever existed, entrusted to the hero by the High King himself.

The Matriarch was unperturbed, for this was not the first hero that came to her with such a request. But will this be the one to see it through?

~ : ~

Yes, Sylvana has been cursed, I know of it for it was I who cursed her. Did King Harald send you? So, he thinks he found himself a champion.

I can help you lift the curse, yes. But do you know what came before? Did the King tell you why Sylvana was cursed? No, I didn't think he would. Then listen, for you will be the judge whether it's time to lift the curse or not.

Sylvana is Harald's first wife and the Queen of Skyrim, it's true. She was but a slip of a girl when she wed, inexperienced in the ways of love. Harald was much older than Sylvana, and it seemed that such an inexperienced wife could not fulfil his desires. And so he looked elsewhere.

He met Frema, a woman of some reputation and similar in years to himself. They were seeing each other regularly and became quite close. Frema's daughter was born a year later, and yes, she is Harald's child.

Sylvana was hurt by this, for she too wished for a child, but Harald would not give her one. Yet the Queen of Skyrim was Sylvana and not Frema, and so Frema's daughter was not a princess. Frema didn't like it.

People were saying that Harald had no heir, that Sylvana was not a full Queen, not having born a child, but people didn't know it was Harald's doing. People were also saying that Harald should divorce Sylvana because she was childless and make Frema the Queen of Skyrim instead.

Harald would not hear of it, for he knew why Sylvana had no children. Finally, he decided to do something about it. He was spending more time with Sylvana and less time with Frema, and Frema started bearing scorn. She came to me - a scorned woman. She wanted her daughter to take her place as Princesse, and for herself she wanted to be the Queen. She wanted Sylvana dead.

But know that the Glenmoril Wyrd will not kill a woman because another woman is scorned. We offered to curse her instead. This curse keeps Sylvana alive and well, and forever young. The curse can be lifted by Harald's will but not by his hand.

It was Harald's decision to marry Frema after Sylvana was cursed. Of course Frema was pressing him, but no one can force a King to do it. Harald married Frema because one way or the other he willed it. But now it seems he wills it no longer.

For here you stand before me asking about lifting that curse. It is for you to decide.

But first I must warn you: it won't be easy. This path is thorny, and besides the trials, also a sacrifice will be required. A sacrifice from you. So think hard whether you wish to sacrifice a piece of yourself for Harald and Sylvana.

Consider also what happens to Frema and her daughter after that, for there can be only one Queen of Skyrim, and Frema will be made to step aside. What will she do? What is she capable of? Is it wise to cross her?

~ : ~

Many a hero have heard this tale, yet Sylvana is still asleep, her beauty forever fresh, her heart forever young. Skyrim is still searching for her true hero.

[macole]

Dunderhead Harald has made a mess of everything. This kind of quest can go so many different ways it will be very interesting to see how you take it.
As for Harald, perhaps he should have consulted with the Daughters of Wroth. The Wrothgarian Mountain coven has no scruples.

[Lena Wolf]

It is summer and we're having a hot spell, which means that I am back to building Skyrim, the further North the better!

This year I am building stuff in The Reach - the West is still very empty. This module will have Falkreath, Markarth and Karswasten. But it may not be what you think it should be! That is, it will not be like in TES5.

The geography of our Skyrim is mostly based on Arena, with some distortions "for technical reasons". Here is a map of Skyrim in Arena followed by a map of TWMP Skyrim, with some coloured dots.

The green dots are the ones we already have, roughly in the right location, and anyhow in the right location with respect to one another. We do have mountains and a somewhat different shape to the land mass, so we had to adapt. Our TWMP Skyrim is tall rather than wide, but who cares. We also have a few extra settlements that do not appear on this Arena map, such as Morthal and Helgen. There is lots and lots of empty space still, enough to build everything else and then some.

Blue dots indicate settlements that appeared in TES5 roughly in the right place. On the Arena map that's Amol - we haven't got it yet, and on the TWMP map those are new settlements that didn't appear in Arena.

Purple dots indicate new development - I'm working on it now. Light mint coloured dots indicate future development - these towns and villages are planned as the story takes us there later on.

Snowhawk is a bit of an issue, it is only a fort in TES5, but we have a proper glorious city, to outglory Solitude. Ours is also quite a bit more to the East, compared to this map, but I still call it roughly in the right place.

The real problem arises around Markarth and Karthwasten - I have to decide where to build them. Both towns appear in TES5 but their relative locations are swapped! In TES5 Karthwasten is to the East of Markarth, whereas on this map it is to the South West. Besides, in TES5 Karthwasten is literally a three-house mining hovel, while in Arena it is a major city.

So I decided to follow Arena because it is more fun. I am following Morrowind's Project Tamriel on this, that is, I am following their idea. Here is their page. And here is the "proper" lore page. I kind of like the atmosphere in the ESO screenshot there. But you see, the lore completely contradicts itself, and so I feel I can go anywhere with this. That's my kind of town!

In our Skyrim, Karthwasten will sit at the source of the Karth River, in the Western part of The Reach. It will be looking at Dragonstar, and may even wave to it from its tallest tower... Oh yes, we are having towers!

Dragonstar will come later, but I do keep an eye on it.

Oh, and by the way - my Falkreath will NOT be the four-house hovel that it is in TES5. It is one of the oldest cities in Skyrim, it is in fact older than Skyrim - lore page here. It housed the Second Imperial Legion since Hjalti Early-Beard founded it. Who was Hjalti? Falkreath remembers, even though he changed his name to Tiber Septim later. So my Falkreath will have Legion presence and will remember its history. It is only logical, seeing its location at the Threesome Junction. Cyrodiil, Skyrim, Hammerfell. What could possibly go wrong?

Expect all kinds of lore-bending fun here.

This post has been edited by Lena Wolf: Aug 17 2024, 12:29 PM

[Acadian]

Lena, sounds fun!

Hey, lorebending is fun. I'm a big believer in using lore as a tool or resource from which to build and create, not as a dogmatic set of restrictions.

[Lena Wolf]

I have laid out Falkreath, Markarth and Karthwasten - that is, I built the exteriors. I also built quite a lot of interiors for Falkreath and played god by creating people. People with stories and things to do, but those stories are not yet written (these will be quests). Markarth and Karthwasten are just empty shells for now, there's also no clutter or rubbish in the streets yet... is that good or bad?

I started with a small town of Amber Guard, aiming to fill it out completely, stories and all, before moving on. One has to start somewhere! See preview pictures on Nexus. As for the story, the following report was found in the Imperial Office at the Amber Hall after the Imperial Inspector ran off in a hurry. Something's afoot!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

The town of Amber Guard in Skyrim has suffered a peculiar but dangerous incident with relation to its amber mine. My task was to find out what had occurred and how to resolve the situation, and I have done it. However, my orders did not include actually seeing to the resolution, and therefore I leave it to the next unfortunate officer who gets sent to this place.

The amber mine in this town is a rarity in Tamriel, for amber is believed to only occur in the Shivering Isles, which is the Realm of Daedric Prince Sheogorath. But, one way or another, amber is also found in the rocks along the Karth River here in Skyrim, and the town of Amber Guard had sprung up on top of one such mine.

Everything was going relatively well for centuries (not counting Felldew addiction that the workers suffer here), until recently the local traders decided to mock Sheogorath. They summonned him and laughed in his face for having amber under their town. (I am of a firm belief that the Felldew addiction destroyed their brains, because this is pure madness!)

Sheogorath did not take kindly to the mocking, as one might have predicted, and by way of punishment he turned all the traders and mages of this village into chickens. He also multiplied the actual chickens, and so now the village has an incredible surplus of eggs, but no one dares to kill and eat a single chicken, for it could be in fact a person in disguise.

This incident shocked the town, all mine workers have left and I locked up the mine as a precaution. The remaining locals have no wish to go in, either. These people were not turned into chickens because they never went into the mine and were not present at the mocking of Sheogorath.

I have also discovered what can reverse this curse and turn the chickens back into people. It is as simple as it is insane: one must kill Sheogorath.

No, I have not been partaking of Felldew and have not gone mad. I do not actually mean the Daedric Prince, who is immortal. Sheogorath left behind a mortal champion, who was apparently the person that came up with that whole idea about mocking in the first place. This person was not turned into a chicken, but instead he was turned into Sheogorath's double. He resides in the depths of the amber mine.

By the accounts of the locals who saw the transformation, this fake Sheogorath is less fake than one might have hoped. He has some special powers, although I am not sure which, as the reports appear to contradict each other. Killing him will not be easy, and I gladly leave it to someone else.

[Acadian]

Crazzzy! Cheese for all!

[Lena Wolf]

Crazzzy! Cheese for all!

Or eggs... as this menu of the local inn testifies.

Amber Arms Menu


Poached egg on a bed of sunny-side-up eggs with a side of scrambled egg.
~ * ~
Two sunny-side-up eggs on an omelette crust with a side of poached eggs.
~ * ~
Royal omelette of three eggs with a side of chopped boiled eggs topped with a single sunny-side-up egg.
~ * ~
Soft boiled egg with a side of two poached eggs on a bed of scrambled egg.
~ * ~
Yesterday's soft boiled egg with a roll of toilet paper.
~ * ~
A mount of scrambled egg with a side of hard boiled eggs.
~ * ~
Flat fried egg wrapped in thin omelette with a side of medium boiled eggs.
~ * ~
Country omelette topped with a flat fried egg and finished with a single sunny-side-up egg.
~ * ~
Three sunny-side-up eggs on a bed of scrambled egg with strips of flat fried egg.
~ * ~
An egg prepared to your order.


~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Please note: we do not serve chicken.