Arvesa - An Armiger's Tale 1.5.1 — The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

[ThulsaDoomer]

Preamble

Yes, I have spent my spare time developing and writing a waifu mod. Alright, it's not a waifu mod, but I enjoy the joke and I have no objections to peoples desire to immerse themselves in idealised fantasy. I'm uploading this here as I know some refuse to use Nexus and it's nice to branch out from a deranged monopoly platform.

I'll spoiler the mods history and intent for those curious.

► Show Spoiler

I would like to establish some preliminary points, as well some history of why the project even exists. About six years ago now, I stepped into the Morrowind modding scene after a particular low point of my life, one of now a number of near suicidal attempts or life downfalls etc. I had just played the Julan mod for Morrowind prior, and many numerous follower or quest mods on top of that in all my time playing Bethesda RPGs. I cannot even explain why, I just had this sudden realisation I had to do something, and this ended up being the focus. While I am insanely critical of the Julan mod and others, I saw a promise of an idea that I felt hadn't been given a genuine effort. Women, as portrayed by our media sphere and especially within gaming, modding or otherwise, tend to be shallow, self absorbed mirrors of the author, and utterly lacking real feminine characterisation. They essentially mantle men, or, worse case, they are just masturbatory devices with a slapped on personality. I despise the state of character writing in the modern day, and instead of whining about it endlessly, I decided I would try to create one to prove my thesis that it is still possible for female characters to be handled in a manner that does not make you want to shoot up a hair salon and resent their inclusion.

Why choose such a niche scene as Morrowind modding? Skyrim would have been the logical choice, not only for sheer volume of users but given it meets the criteria for the above. It just doesn't work. Skyrim's main story and overall worldbuilding is weak, it hardly tackles any serious themes or ideas, not enough to build a compelling progression for a complex character. Morrowind has a grounded world built off of historical context, genuine thought was put into how the world is displayed and doesn't treat you like an idiot to come up with your own conclusions based off what you see. For me, this was perfect. I could address matters of faith, traditon, family, or the value of man and woman, etc, all within the game without it feeling out of place or forced. I could also tell my intrinsic story of, as some have now described it as, the duality of melancholy and hope. Where you exist in a state of sadness and decay, but also dutifully moving onwards and dreaming of a better future. This paradox of thought has become acute in our time, more than ever, and has remained a consistent theme in ancient authors as well. And all of this told without allegory or subversion, an honest and sincere attempt to convey everything and assuming my players have the intelligence to piece it together.

Now, to note, due to the nature of the setting, I could not fully approach a grounded, realistic depiction of a woman. This is still the Elder Scrolls, where you can chug a potion and become a temporary TREN monster. I have tried at every measure to avoid a "girl boss" situation, it's truly not my intention, but I'm at the mercy of the game. Much as we tolerated Leliana because she felt like a legitimate woman in all other respects, I would ask the same expectation be applied here.

A short disclaimer. I did not make this mod for deviants who just want some quick self gratification or some other. I made this for other like minded men who felt as I do, who wished to see more than just slop for consumption. I went out of my way to account for player choice, insofar as the ability to agree or disagree with the material presented. It is an RPG and I have no desire to change that. There is no enforced message or some delusional rationale of changing the minds of others. All I wish to do is present concepts, people, and ideas. What you do with that information is entirely your choice. I only state this because a lot of current mods exist as propaganda, there is this entire idea that storytelling in our current age is purely to "change the minds" of others and make "the world better". I resent this notion, and this mod exists as a counter-point to the modern decay.

To be honest, this is the first and last time I attempt a female focused story and a follower mod. It was a challenging writing experience with a lot of fascinating reception, but I want to refocus back onto more masculine specific content, of which I already have another project in the works. My goal was achieved, more or less.

I am still developing the mod, and some elements remain subject to change. If you find anything of poor quality, or other issues in general, comment and tell me.

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Main Description

This mod is primarily a follower mod and secondly a faction overhaul for the Buoyant Armigers that has been in on and off development for six years now. It's less light hearted or comedic in comparison to say, Julan, and follows more serious themes of finding ones purpose in the world rather than a coming of age story. It also challenges a few other philosophies and themes that I felt strongly about. It is an exploration into a set of ideals and beliefs with nothing held back, crafted to fit right alongside the games narrative and its own themes and subject matter. Above all, Arvesa is not anyone largely important, she will always be a side character in your own story and is not destined nor inclined to eclipse you. She is stuck in the weave of fate, set upon the wheel, and only the Nerevarine possesses the impetus for change. Above all, it is a sincere attempt at a story, with no allegorical attempts to send a hidden message or plant subversions.

Since dialogue choices are expanded with full fledged conversations, it's safe to say the mod is not purist friendly. It is lore friendly, however, as I do not inject anything beyond what Morrowind covers itself and any gaps of lore I had to fill in was based on what existing material I could find. Check out the information below for a breakdown of the features within the mod.

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Mod Features

Main Quest Integration

Arvesa is recruited through the Main Quest and you will organically encounter her when visiting Hasphat for the cube quest. From there, she will have comments on each stage of the MQ plus some of the activities you end up doing. Usually completing a quest in the MQ will warrant a conversation greeting, so make a habit of speaking to her often. Most times these greetings will linger in case you forget but it's not wise to wait too long as progressing any further in the MQ will lock them out due to how the filtering system works.

Personal Questline

Woven alongside the games Main Quest is her personal questline, which features three lengthy quests with custom dungeons, a few scripted sequences, and a good deal of adventure. It unlocks a lot more content for Arvesa and provides a deeper insight into her past and present.

Note: While there is nothing preventing you from delaying these quests, it is optimal to do them all before the Cavern of the Incarnate, purely so that events trigger reliably and it's how I designed them.

For any concerned, there are no locks in this mod. That means that sometimes you can sequence break if you're careless, but at no point will the mod prevent you from doing the Main Quest or any other quest.

"Romance" Path

It's not a classic adventure tale without it. As such, male players looking to get more intimate will get some extra content and a slow burn relationship that relies on the personal questline and MQ progression. It's not some tacked on feature either. Different dialogue lines based on its status, plus two unique scenes specific to this path. It's also entirely walled off if you have no interest and is not forced upon you.

This feature is mainly experimental, I detest the idea of modern romance in games and feel it has nothing to do with our older notions of it. I may end up revisiting it, but for now I can stomach its current iteration.

Expanded Buoyant Armigers

The Buoyant Armigers are greatly expanded in scope and relevancy to the Main Quest. A new location, Sehren, is an old monastery turned fortress nestled in a valley east of Red Mountain. It serves as the central headquarters of the order where new chosen recruits are trained and plans laid out for attacks against Vivec's enemies. It also harbours a few secrets of its own, hidden from the prying eyes of outlanders. Access is initially locked, but Arvesa will eventually bring you there so you can gain entry.

The location is still a work in progress. The NPCs don't have a ton of dialogue topics or conversations yet. I also have plans to implement additional quests and generally breathe more life into it. The follower content is a higher priority, but expect Sehren content right after.

Custom Voicework

Arvesa utilises a custom voice generated via Elevenlabs AI to replace and add in new lines. Only noteworthy greetings, conversation starters, and some idles are voiced. Similar to how a lot of CRPGs operate. I'm not interested in having discussions on the use of AI here, its usage within the mod is strictly voice work and some sound effects. All done via Elevenlabs provided resources and tools.

Expansive Commentary

Arvesa will have some periodic topics she will want to discuss or talk about. In comparison to some follower mods, she doesn't really comment on everything. Arvesa is not a scholar nor a savant and simply does not care about many things beyond the purview of Morrowind. Her focus commentary is on the Main Quest, the Temple, and the Great Houses. Other factions will vary in commentary. Otherwise, it's all based on if she would care to have an opinion, or if it pertains to her biases.

Bloodmoon commentary is already added, with Tribunal in the works.

Choices Have Merit

Arvesa will occasionally react either favourably or negatively depending on specific actions you take in certain quests. This is tracked through hidden globals and you won't be made aware of it, though you can usually infer it based on her reaction. These are used for a later scene in the MQ and will impact your future with Arvesa. These values will be seen in various dialogues. So if you're on poor terms mid-way into the MQ, you'll get more snark or aggressive comments here and there. Be mindful of certain interactions and the choices you have, as they will impact her inevitable conclusion. The guide currently outlines some of this in detail.

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Requirements

The hard requirements for the mod are both OAAB_Data and Tamriel Data. They are only asset repositories and many other mods use them, so download, install, enable via Openmw launcher or Wyre Mash or some other, and forget.

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Downloads

Files	Version	Type	Description
Arvesa - An Armiger's Tale	1.5.1	Main File	Main package, load as low as possible to ensure changes are kept.
Arvesa - Tamriel Rebuilt	1.4.0	Optional Add-on	Adds commentary, some quests, and general reactivity to the mod Tamriel Rebuilt. Load after TR. Created by Mitya Skinny on Nexusmods.

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To Do

• Revamp quest segments I made years ago and could be done better.
• Rewrite more older dialogue that I haven't properly reviewed since the last time I wrote it.
• Add in more content related to the Buoyant Armigers and focus on overhauling them as a faction.

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Reporting Bugs
To report any bugs, just comment here and yell at me.

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Credits

• Additional writing, design, and testing - Mitya Skinny
• OAAB - OAAB Team
• TR Resources - TR Team
• Original Companion Scripts - Kateri
• AI Voiceset - Elevenlabs
• Corprus and Rain & Thunder original sfx - Pixabay
• Mod Banner - A Raven of Many Hats
• Sheogorad Rock Assets - Malbogatra
• RR Series Assets - Colt & RR Team
• Missun Akin Cuirass - Dankedanko
• Cuirass & Armor Edits & Dwemer Scrap Armor - Ruffin Vangarr
• Arvesa Texture Edits & Heads - Merch_Lis
• Various Assets - RandomPal/Vegetto/Melchior Dahrk
• GDR Assets - Darknut
• Further Script References - Tizzo, AlandroSul

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[loregamer]

Magnificent

[Oyster Sauce]

I've never used a companion mod for Morrowind. How's the pathfinding? Do you get blocked in a lot?

[ThulsaDoomer]

I've never used a companion mod for Morrowind. How's the pathfinding? Do you get blocked in a lot?

Depends on the engine. OpenMW has improved pathfinding and generally offers a better experience. Both have mods to help NPC AI, such as followers specifically. I'll add any helper mods to the page eventually. There will be jank, it's still Morrowind, and my scripting can only improve so much.

[rusty_shackleford]

. Women, as portrayed by our media sphere and especially within gaming, modding or otherwise, tend to be shallow, self absorbed

[ThulsaDoomer]

. Women, as portrayed by our media sphere and especially within gaming, modding or otherwise, tend to be shallow, self absorbed

The key context here is that we are engaging in escapism. I do not personally want modern women in my games. Sure, we need those certain traits or quirks present, but not to the level we all know of. Modern writers make the fatal mistake of disregarding the idealisation element of fantasy, and insert wholesale concepts with no regard for how obnoxious it will be.

[rusty_shackleford]

I will use this when I eventually play Morrowind, I have been looking for a companion mod for the game. I really like when games give you a neat follower that has a lot to say about the setting/story, especially when it's from their POV rather than as a weak tool for exposition, or even worse, a writer's soapbox. It makes the journey feel much less lonely as I tend to get rather immersed in games. Thanks.

[ThulsaDoomer]

I'd say wait till my next update which isn't that far off (I just did my last one fairly recently) as I'm still trying to improve existing content and rewrite old/bad dialogue. Also, just have to comment, what a ******* relief it is to be able to type anything I want and not have a Nexus janny come along and censor me. Forgot what that was like.

[Classix]

Hey brother, glad to see you went and posted this. I've never used a companion mod for Morrowind but I just Dl'd it in case I do decide to check it out when I go on my next run ( plus to support you buddy ). Wish you well my man, will check it out when I can.

[Trickster]

Six years? Crazy, man. I wish I had your dedication.

PS: Is it compatible with OpenMW? I don't have the game installed right now, but I'll definitely give it a try during my next run, if that happens.

[ThulsaDoomer]

Six years? Crazy, man. I wish I had your dedication.

PS: Is it compatible with OpenMW? I don't have the game installed right now, but I'll definitely give it a try during my next run, if that happens.

OpenMW is fully compatible, I've stuck to using Todd's trash MWScript so that both engines can run the mod. Mitya, my aide-de-camp, uses OpenMW nowadays and has reported everything is fine.

[Airstor]

this looks sick.

edit: come to think of it, i haven't actually played morrowind. what mod recommendations do you have/is there a modlist i can add this Follower too? feel free to private DM me to help keep this thread Focused on the mod.

[ThulsaDoomer]

this looks sick.

edit: come to think of it, i haven't actually played morrowind. what mod recommendations do you have/is there a modlist i can add this Follower too? feel free to private DM me to help keep this thread Focused on the mod.

I rarely play at the moment, modding and playing a game would lead to some insane burn out, but generally the most commonly used modlist as referenced by my own users is Total Overhaul but also there's a bunch of Curated Modlists here. These are all for Openmw, since that engine has improved pathfinding it will benefit this mod. Attend me is a nice Openmw mod to ensure follower warp, as my scripts are based on MWScript which sucks *** and can only do so much.

There's also this recent modlist for Wabbajack that includes my mod so less worries about compatibility issues, but it is on the demanding side graphically. Granted, you can customise and add/remove as you wish with all of these lists.

[Airstor]

thanks! i'll look into those.

[rusty_shackleford]

thanks! i'll look into those.

Post proof of beating the game here and get a neat badge on your profile
viewtopic.php?t=5196-junior-adventurer- ... -morrowind


Also we discussed mods and stuff there too

[Airstor]

so, just a quick question: since i never played Morrowind before and don't know if i have any other choice, i joined the mages AND fighters guild and Aversa didn't like that. Am i screwed?

[loregamer]

Just saw there was an update to the Tamriel Rebuilt addon. Is the main mod getting an update soon too? I didn't install it since it's my first playthrough and I saw some other folks mention some compatibility issues in the Path of the Incarnate server (I installed POTI and then removed 80-90% of the mods, but still wanted to be careful).

I'm definitely planning on installing this my second playthrough, though

[loregamer]

so, just a quick question: since i never played Morrowind before and don't know if i have any other choice, i joined the mages AND fighters guild and Aversa didn't like that. Am i screwed?

That's really interesting actually. What did she say the reason was?