I have been experimenting with a new undead character. She will have been created by necromancers, and gone beyond their control. I briefly toyed with trying to use a heartstone like a couple undead NPCs in Dragonborn have, but I could not get it to look good. So I am going with just a good old fashioned revenant.

I have already created the Deadwalker race for her. I am envisioning a character who alternates between summoning undead, absorbing health, and a draugr greatsword. There is a mod called Undeath that I think might be excellent for her. The same with the Dawnguard questline (from either side really). I have a few names in mind, but have not settled upon one yet (Persephone and Hekate are front-runners).

So that leaves me with clothes. What to wear? I have tried out a number of mods in my stable, but found myself going back to some things from the vanilla game instead. I even flirted with Daedric briefly, but it is just too off to fit. Too many spikes, and the shoulders are too wide. It looks more like a big tank's armor, and not like a slender fighting necro undead's armor. Anyway, so here is what I am thinking of.

Ancient Nord Armor (probably what she was buried in 4,000 years ago)

another view

Nightingale Armor (the old standby, nightingale never lets you down)

2nd Nightingale pic

Royal Vampire Armor

Regular Vampire Armor

Right now I am most leaning toward the Ancient Nord Armor. It seems the least "creature from beyond the grave", but that is part of what makes it play for me. The glowing eyes in the helmet really work for me too.

The Nightingale is always a solid choice for any dark character. What is not to like?

The other one I am thinking heavily about is the Regular Vampire Armor. I have never had a character who has worn it, and it has a definite "I'm dead" appeal to it.

So what does everyone else think?

They all look good and appropriate to me, each with their own flavor. I confess that the Royal Vampire Armor strikes my fancy most among the choices. But then, I like color, and that one has some.

This sounds very fun. As Acadian said they’re all solid choices for the unliving. I’m most in favor of two.

The Ancient Nordic at least for when she first breaks out of thrall. It seems like what she might have been buried in. That’s what I used for Njall the zombie along with the draugr helm from Yngol Barrow. The draugr greatsword fits very well with it.

Also the Royal Vampire is gorgeous on her, and it sets off her pale skin so well. It’s easy to imagine her yanking it off her vampire creator once she promotes her to fully dead. Plus, cape! What about a greatsword with the look of the Ebony Blade to go with vampire armor of either flavor?

She’s lovely with such delicate features! I think she looks like a Persephone.

Maybe start with Forsworn to get that ragged, tattered look, then use the Nord stuff.

I think I'll pass on the Forsworn. She's liable to catch a cold wearing that, especially when she bends over!

I do like the idea of starting with the Ancient Nord Armor and then moving to something else. I think the Ancient Nord might just reveal too much skin for this character to wear it for long. But you never know, it might grow on me.

The Royal Vampire Armor does look good. Of course it comes in two colors - Purple and Red. I think the Red looks better on her. Besides, Helregin wore the Purple set.

The trouble is that greatswords clip on the cape. So I might have to ditch the greatsword and go with a one handed, or dual-wielding approach. But I already did that with Revansch, so I would rather not go that route again with another undead character.

Those are some good screens. I stand in agreement with Acadian on the vampire armor. It stands out among the rest and is very appropiate to the character.

Thanks to everyone's support of it, it looks like the Vampire Armor is pretty much a lock for the later game.

I also found a way to circumvent the sword clipping through the cape. I just made the Draugr Greatsword summonable. It does not have the neat blue effect that other bound weapons have though. Unfortunately those come in the same shapes as the weapons they are made for, so they have the same outline as the originals. The greatsword looks really weird with the regular sword glowy shape over it! I have no idea how they made those, otherwise I would try to create a new effect. Maybe I can tinker around to see if there are any other FX effects I can put on the sword instead?

I know how hard it can be to make all the pieces fit/work together like great outfit but clips with desired weapon and such. I've rejected some fabulous looking bows because the bowstring is fat and does not fully stretch when drawn in first person.

I hope you can work things out with the summoned great sword! I think the red vampire armor looks fabulous!

Looking forward to seeing some screens as she adventures!

The Ansilvund Ghostblade effect looks pretty good. It does not make the sword look ghostly, but it puts a subtle frosty white glow around it.

Now I think I might try to come up with a name for the sword, with the idea that it is a specific sword that she is summoning, rather than a generic bound weapon.

I can really identify with your attention to this stuff! When we enchant a bow, it is with one primary criteria: What does the enchanted aura look like on the bow. Most tend toward red, but white and green are very achievable. And some bows look much better with no aura and stay unenchanted.

I mean what good is adventuring if you don't look good doing it?

I am still palming my face over the absorb health plus absorb stamina effect on Njall’s axe. It was the perfect enchantment for Blood Feeder, except… red and green. Combined with the snowy environment it made my hulking, filth-encrusted horror look like Santa’s undead Helper.

The summoned sword is a great idea! I like the notion that she’s bringing a specific weapon to her since the appearance will be more solid. I’m looking forward to seeing her!

Exactly! As Pseron Wyrd once said, character creation is a mini-game.



I think Njall would be perfect as this Santa's helper!

I am thinking of naming the sword Malediction. I might try adding an Absorb Magicka enchantment to it as well as the Insubstantial one. But now I have to see what that will do to the appearance first!

Mila is adorable, but didn't her mother ever tell her not to talk to undead strangers?

Heh, I know I’m late to the party, but I think the Nightingale looks best on her. I always thought the vampire armors looked kind of funny covering everything but the breasts. Not a problem for your character, but it was funny seeing Serana in Dawnguard walking around in the sun with everything covered but her boobs!

Serana's just trying to warm those things up!