Now that my Nocturnal character has advanced to becoming a full-time NPC, it's time to open this thread to track progress on the mod.

I've done enough world-building for now, having converted a couple of Oblivion worlds into islands in Evergloam (Nocturnal's realm) and Moonshadow (Azura's realm). That meant replacing all textures, swapping Oblivion rocks for regular ones, removing all creatures and plants, and then replanting more appropriate ones. The castle and palace were added and furnished, and some new races and creatures created, and outfits, and furniture, and portals, and ...

Now I'm starting to create quests. The first one has the player woken up by Nocturnal when he/she sleeps at the Guildmaster's quarters after becoming the new Gray Fox.

She summons you to her shrine outside Leyawiin, where she opens a portal to Evergloam. There's a castle on an island there, with a small number of Daedra Seducers as guards. Her realm has no sun (or moons) so is permanently in a slightly foggy darkness. Terrain uses Ordered textures, and all that grows is fungi, mainly the mushroom trees from SI, but also using the Tamriel ones, such as stinkhorn and enteloma. No enemies wandering around (yet?)

Nocturnal sets you the task of stealing the giant crystal ball from the basement of the Imperial Palace. Because it's so large, you need a Bag of Holding, and a special scroll, to get it out of there. As a Daedric Princess, Nocturnal has sufficient magical power to enchant the thing, something no mortal mage could manage.

She'll be using it to scry for items that she wants the player to steal or recover, each of which will add a separate quest.

Some of those will likely be Daedric Artifacts that have appeared in earlier games, but weren't in TES IV : Oblivion. At some point, one of the quests will take you to Azura's realm of Moonshadow, via a portal in Nocturnal's secret castle basement. I'm currently thinking it will involve recovering her Crescent (counterpart to Azura's Star, still trying to decide what it does). Since the castle is not in Tamriel, portals to other worlds aren't restricted the same way. In particular, Mehrunes Dagon's Deadlands are accessible from Evergloam or Moonshadow. The player can always go to SI via Tamriel, so no direct portal would be needed.

In Moonshadow, you'll emerge on an island that is permanently going through sunrise or sunset. You come in at the top, and her "beach hut" is a small palace off the coast, facing east to catch the sunrise. I've used Gold Coast terrain, and fall foliage to make best use of the gold/pink natural lighting. There's an underground section of the route down the mountain, which may get adversaries added. Her guards are again Daedra Seducers, but there's also a Winged Twilight waiting around to run errands for her.

Azura's island also has a cave, separate from the tunnel, that could have its own denizens that might be hostile. Nocturnal's currently does not, but has the opportunity for adding them. Those would give me the opportunity for local quests to interrupt the main sequence.

Screen-shots of the first quest:

Woken up by Nocturnal - Burk seems to have stars in his eyes.

Where did she go?

Here, I guess

Looks good from here

"Burk seems to have stars in his eyes." - BWAAHAA! I saw them too, lol.

GAAAAAH! Does having SI mushrooms mean having SI is a requirement for the mod? Urk?

I am loving this mod, can't wait to hear about the quests! Hope Clark gets to visit, lol. Awesome, AWESOME job you are doing on this mod, I am loving it!

Since they aren't essential to the operation of the mod, just there as decoration, it should be possible to include a non-SI esp as an alternative. Evergloam will look a bit bare, but that's not inappropriate.

Winged Twilight

I'm desperately in need of creatures for Evergloam and Moonshadow that aren't essentially bare-breasted women, but lore dictates Winged Twilights for Azura, and the only Daedra I've found connected to Nocturnal were the Seducers. The caves may just get wild animals, as nothing else seems to fit. A few deer belong on Moonshadow Island, but I'm not sure what the equivalent harmless creature would be in Evergloam.

LOVE the Winged Twilight, they should come in both male and female (with the males tackle as well done as if AlienSlof herself made them, lol.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOT !!! (That is for the SI not being required, or for AlienSlof's boners, lol).


A gentle animal that is not a deer? A bunny rabbit? A chicken? A cow? Oh - goats. They fit in any realm!

Bats for Evergloam maybe?

And ravens wherever there's enough light. Thanks!

How about foxes? And maybe butterflies could become luna moths.

Ooh, both great ideas - much better than the ones I threw out there, lol.

Well, I would still like to see a Horned Twilight!!

Agreed!

Now don't get Azura going! She's a demanding woman at the best of times.

She'd want one of these standing next to her bed, ready to fulfill her slightest whim.

ghastley, let’s not underestimate Azura. It’s my belief that she would require at least two.


ETA: On a real keyboard now. Looking great, especially those claws and feet! (And that’s quite an impressive censor bar.)

BWAAHAA! Now we're talking!

Does anyone have experience of using a modded bow with its speed altered? One of the quests I'm adding will retrieve Nocturnal's Bow of Shadows, which the Lore says confers fortified speed. Since a weapon can only have damage enhancements, I'm intending to have the speed on the bow itself, rather than affect the user. The enchantments will be Silence and damage health, making it a good mage-killer weapon.

I'm hoping to make this something like a cross between Farwil and Culotte, in that you have to rescue someone from an Oblivion world, and the opposition's all on the way out. She's the one that Nocturnal gave the bow to, but you have to find it, and her armor, before rescuing her, so she's equipped to help fight on the way out. If she survives, Nocturnal may let her keep the bow, even if you gave her another.

I've already cloned an Oblivion world, and chained the Bosmer up where the Dremora can have their way with her. I still have to place the extra Dremora that will appear once she's released, so she hasn't been able to use the bow yet.

Azura's quest will recover her crescent, which gets filled with magical energy the other way. The one that Skingrad mages use. That's why Azura gives the star away, but keeps the crescent for her own use.

What you might try doing is adding a script that runs whenever the bow is equipped, adding the speed fortification. I experimented with this a long time ago. I cannot remember if I actually got it to work or not. The code looked like this:

Forgot to mention: Thanks to mr_siika, Evergloam now has Ravens circling over the castle, and the entry portal. I also have bats ready to install in a cave somewhere nearby.

Moonshadow has some deer roaming around, and I'm weighing the choices for who stole her crescent, and where it's hidden. I have a cave on the island that hasn't been populated yet, so it will probably get used, but it might only be part of the path.

The ravens sound cool!

Regarding speed and bows. . .

If you are talking about the bow conferring a bonus to the user's speed attribute, then I defer to SubRosa.

If you are talking about bow speed, I believe increasing a bow's speed from its default of 1.0 will simply speed reload and bowstring draw time, allowing the shooter a faster rate of fire - but not affecting the arrow's speed through the air.

If you increase an arrow's default speed from its default of 1.0, the arrow will travel faster through the air. This will affect its trajectory and take some practice relearning how to aim longer shots.

Since Buffy uses the equivalent of a .50 caliber sniper rifle for a bow, it could make sense to slow her bow speed and increase the speed of her arrows. . . but we just leave 'em both at default.

ROFL !!! You have an exceptional memory!

Mr Silka has some excellent birds, I got some of his gulls at the lighthouse in Anvil.

My avatar likes that last one

I've added a cave to the island near the back of Evergloam Castle, and installed some bats. They're there, complete with fireball spells, to try and keep a lid on the vampire problem. Since Evergloam is in permanent darkness, it's a magnet for all the homeless vampires that can find their way there. Nocturnal suspects that Sheogorath sends any that get into his realm over to hers. Did you ever see a vampire in the Shivering Isles? Didn't think so!

The bats are all in a special faction that has -100 disposition modifier to the Vampire faction. I'm not sure whether it means the bats hate the vampires, or the other way round, but it should persuade them to fight each other when they're in range.

The cave system re-uses parts of Underpall Cavern, so there's a fort ruin part where there are vampires, and no bats. I'm thinking that Nocturnal might offer a bounty on Vampire Dust, like Roland Jenseric does, maybe the same amount, so you don't prefer one to the other. However, that's for after the initial quest to go to the cave, which I'm still working up. I need a reason for the continuing nuisance of vampire presence to have crossed a line somewhere, to get Nocturnal angry enough to do something extra. Maybe an attack on one of her Seducers?

I love the idea of Sheo sending vamps to torment, and the bats hating the vampires! That must be very cool to sneak in and watch the action!

Maybe they could have made a thrall or prisoner of a Seducer and the Player has to rescue them?

The problem with that is that I've just done a rescue quest, and I don't want two back-to-back. But then, there aren't many options: go fetch an item, go rescue a prisoner, go kill an enemy. I tried adding a bit of variety by combining the first two in the one I linked. I made it a bit like Culotte, where most of the enemies appear when you're trying to get back out, which means I can't do that again in this one.

I suppose that means this has to be "go kill the vampire boss" in some way.

Another problem with the whole series is rewards. After you've done a whole quest-line (in this case TG complete is a pre-requisite), then you don't need much. You've already found your choice of awesome weapon, live in the best houses, and are stupidly rich.

To make matters worse, Nocturnal wants to get back any Daedric artifacts that aren't being used fully. That would make it silly for her to give you something you won't use.

Yeah, the rewards can be something intangible like a room in her Palace or a Dark Seducer follower, or an article of clothing.


The thing is, no matter how rich I got in game, I always kept momentos of special quests; even if I never used them and just displayed them in my house. So it doesn't even have to be something valuable or over-powered.

I’m with mALX on the quest rewards. Summon Seducer or (Winged Hottie for Azura) would be an awesome reward for finishing the questline, and a free bed and safe storage to use while visiting the realm would be a great way to say “you belong here” after a quest or two. Weapon rewards would probably only get used if they looked cool, like a black version of glass or something.

Decorative items, different clothes, and alchemy ingredients are what brought my characters back to the Shivering Isles. I could see wanting to return to Evergloam to hunt shadow cats, harvest black mushrooms caps and mist weed, and search for the illusive Summon Bat (or Summon Raven) spell tomes. If you have a settlement there could be a merchant selling Stygian Brandy and Ebony Ale.



Now I'm trying to think of a fun alternative bounty Nocturnal could offer on vampire dust for those who are already rich. Of course talking to Nocturnal is its own reward, but still.

Oh, instead of a reward she could give predictions into the Player's future like that lady in the Leyawiin Mages Guild does - each time you come back she gives a different prediction (as long as it is past 24 hours game time since you asked her last). It is based on what stages of what quests the Player has done, I think. If nothing has changed she can tell them to go do something and come back, lol.

Enchanted arrows would also be a welcome gift, since they get used up. I’m trying to think of a blessing Nocturnal could give that would help a thief but not just duplicate the skills they’ve already mastered while pursuing the TG questline. Maybe a day-long Shield effect.

I like the idea of summon spells for the questline final rewards. A lesser duration for Azura's, as it's only part-way through the series, like the two levels of summon you get in the SI. Since I have both genders of Winged Twilight, I'll give the player the choice.

Decorative items is a good idea. Azura has that special blue Ayleid ware in her palace, and could give the player a planter with some (unique new?) useful ingredient plant in it. I can probably find something appropriate for Nocturnal, too. Maybe those exotic drinks. Guest rooms in the residences means a bit of rework for the interiors, but could be possible. Evergloam castle already has a few spare doors, and Moonshadow Hall has adjacent islands that could get a "beach hut" added.

After the first quest, I think Nocturnal should make sure the player has a night-eye enchanted item, so that the glare of a torch or light spell doesn't annoy the Seducers. I'm working on the script to lower their disposition if the player lights the place up. I'm not sure how to work out if the player already has something, other than being a Khajiit, of course. It may be sufficient to check if the player has night-eye active when he talks to her in the castle at the end of the first quest. If he has it, but isn't using it, that will serve to point out the error, even if the "reward" is redundant.

I think I have my reason for the "hunt down the vampires" quest. When you rescue Cyndil, she stays at Evergloam Castle so that Nocturnal can check her out for PTSD. That was mainly so that I could end her following the player, but it also provides a magnet for the vampires, who need mortal, not Daedric, blood. They've just taken refuge from the daylight in her realm up to then, but Cyndil's presence changes things.

I had thought about Nighteye, too. It’s likely that a thief will have either Alchemy or Illusion to solve that problem, but a cool enchanted item would still be very appreciated. Maybe something like those goggles Teresa uses, or non-armor gloves enchanted with both Nighteye and Detect Life? That would make my little sneak very happy since the game doesn’t allow two effects on self-enchanted apparel. Plus a Detect Life boost is always welcome.

Thanks for reminding me of that. It can make an item useful, even if you already have the effects on separate things. Swapping two rings for one frees up a slot for something else. (Or gloves, goggles as amulet, ... )

And the idea of enchanted arrows as a reward is working out. If the player brings back the arrows they find in the boss chest after the vampire hunt - levelled ones combining fire damage and light, which already exist in the game - then the smith at the castle will be able to make more. Those are just the tool for repeat vampire hunting.

Edit, rather than fresh post - I'm starting work on loading screens for Evergloam and Moonshadow. The latter gets a version of the misty approach shot I posted before. Evergloam, being so dark, is proving a problem. I may have to cheat and override the weather for screenshot purposes.

WOO HOO! Do we only get one Winged Twilight? What a great reward !!!



Is this a reference to ... Tupperware? BWAAHAA!

BOLD: BWAAHAA!

I am hugely excited over this mod!

I love the idea of enchanted arrows, good ones are hard to come by in game.

I'll have to "cheat" and lighten my screen plus probably use night-eye as welll through the whole quest anyway, have night blindness, lol. I am loving this mod; and loving following your progress as it takes shape and grows from an idea to a downloadable mod; how you think everything through - this is amazing!

Come and get it!

I've put together an alpha version 0.1 so that folks can give me some feedback. For mALX, I've included an alternate plug-in that doesn't use SI assets, so anyone should be able to use this. You will need a character that has completed the Thieves Guild quest-line, or nothing will happen!

It's an adult mod, with Daedra seducer guards patrolling naked except for their sandals and wings, and Nocturnal and Azura are habitually topless. A Bosmer you have to rescue is chained up with her legs raised in the Dremora Citadel. The scamps there are also abusing the other female prisoners.

This only has the first three quests, so you won't get any quests for Azura yet. However, you can use "coc MoonshadowEntrance" to go wander around her realm and visit her in her beach hut. It does have things like loading screens, and local maps, but the caves and paths have no inimical wildlife.

I suppose you could also use "coc EvergloamEntry" to go there if you don't have a suitable character.

Evergloam mod (50MB) - BAIN archive, and since it uses some commonly used modders' resources, I'd recommend using BAIN to avoid problems with other mods that share them.
Walkthrough - There's a link to the Azura's crescent quest, but until it's created, that link will be broken. You may find a few more "not yet implemented" bits.

WOO HOO! DL'd it; will have to find an old save to use (I think I have one that was through the Thieves Guild quest). If I can't find one, I'll choose an old save and play through it.


WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT !!!!!!!!

It's all Acadian's fault.



Buffy gave me the idea that certain situations may lead magically-inclined ladies to involuntarily cast spells. That made me wonder what the consequences would be if it were a Daedric Princess with effectively unlimited magicka reserves. I'm sure that destruction spells could be potentially disastrous if steps were not taken to manage the magicka overspill.

So Azura's crescent is her "safety valve". It absorbs the spill-over of magicka before she can blow the entire building away. And if it gets stolen, she's got a problem.

My problem is deciding who'd steal it, and why.

Hee! Buffy's passion comes back to haunt her!

Fortunately, she's an illusionist and not a destruction mage. Yikes, such passion channeled into destruction could be really dangerous!

SPEW! I remembered that scene, love your insight into the different ways it could be used; most especially the bolded line had me roaring (but not like a lion), lol.

The Azura's Crescent quest is now implemented, but I'm still doing a bunch of cosmetic changes in Moonshadow, as well as prep-work for future quests. The Seducers and Twilights' wings are now animated at last, and I've created the Summon Twilight spell, as the reward for that quest. It will probably be adaptable for a Summon Seducer one later.

The Cyndil rescue quest has been tested with Cyndil getting pushed into the lava, so that the bow is not retrievable, and all the outcomes tested. I still need to adjust the rewards for that one, so that you get more for bring back both Cyndil and the bow, and a bonus if she has it, not the player. I'm thinking Gold rewards, higher than any merchant would give for the artifact, and maybe having Nocturnal buy any other artifacts you have as well (any that are acceptable for the MQ that is). Most characters seem to just have those on display, as the enchantments aren't what they use.

First quest will net you a ring with Night-eye and Fortify Sneak. I tried it with Night-eye + Detect Life, and the result was unpleasant. Those are two things I prefer to use separately.

Bat cave quest gets you continuing rewards of Vampire Dust bounty + enchanted arrows at the smithy, so there's nothing at completion.

1. Do I have to re-download the mod to have this quest added?

2. Do the Twilights and Seducers "Tackle" raise and lower with the wing animations? (Just kidding, I've obviously had too much coffee already today, lol)

You will, but it's not packaged up yet. Moonshadow needs more work, before I can release the next part. It needs a lot more trees, and creatures in the caves.

I don't want to release too often, either, as each time I have to re-delete the SI content from the Evergloam area, to produce the non-SI version. I'm trying to automate that, but haven't yet.

The skeleton I found for the wings also has extra bones for moving other anatomical details, but I don't have any animations that do so.

on the skeleton!

Okay on the other, I'll keep my eye out for updates on the "No SI."

Version 0.2 - with animated wings, Non-quest voices (Standard greetings etc) for the seducers and twilights, and the EV04 quest added.

Again with a non-SI esp for those who need it.

Downloaded! Thank you! I was surprised this version was smaller than the first! Can't wait to try it, hope to get some play time on the PC SOON!

I found that Tes4Files was including a lot of things that weren't part of the mod, just because it couldn't rule them out. Like all the landscape LOD I'd built for Valenwood and Elsweyr, not just the new worldspaces, and all the animations, even though only a few were needed. So this time I deleted any files that weren't needed and it was more than I'd added. All of Moonshadow was included in the first one, but there was no quest to get there, so the only new stuff was dialog text and quest stages, which are small.

I use TES4 Edit to clean my mods too, hmmm...

Tes4Files and Tes4Edit are by different authors, but both are for TesIV.

Mental Elf's Tes4Files is a very useful tool for packaging mods, but you do need to remove stuff that's not needed. It plays safe and includes any files that might be part of the mod whenever it's not sure.

And I did clean the mods with Tes4Edit before packaging!

Now I've mentioned it in the FF thread, I've started work on the EV05 quest. The player is tipped off by Ulliceta gra-Kogg, the Orc magister who was denounced (falsely) as a necromancer, about the Chrysamere being smuggled through Cyrodiil. I need a way for the player to help her cause once he's recovered the sword, i.e. help her prove she's not a necromancer.

Any ideas? Preferably something that needs thief skills, of course.

She could know where some documents are being held that could clear her name - something showing that Mucianus pinpointed her as a necromancer to cover up for Mariette Rielle, (whom he was in love with/and or under her powers via some spell) - and the Player would have to go to (wherever) and steal those documents back to clear her name?