Amorous Adventures [v3.4] (2018/06/02)

[LaEspada]

Making the main quest more palatable?

 

I'm calling it now... A Paarthurnax romance!

 

Seriously, quite a lot of (rambling) thoughts follow:

 

 

nutluck is probably right. Delphine is the only female character who plays a fairly sustained role in the main quest. There isn't a Serana equivalent - someone who's along for pretty much the whole ride and invested fully in it. Frea would be potentially similar if you ever wanted to tackle Dragonborn, though she only has to be with you for one quest, I think. Balgruuf would probably be the most involved male character, and I've always fancied a crack at him myself, but for women it would pretty much just be Delphine. To be honest, she could do with being cast in a more flattering light. I think most people probably end up not liking her much, especially at that certain part with that certain thing. There is a mod to give you an alternative to doing what she wants that doesn't make you hate yourself, but providing an AA alternative would be nice. Not sure how much dialogue she'd give you to work with, though. She does have the "gave you the horn" line, which is just begging to be put to good use.

 

For me, Lydia is my almost-constant companion through the game now thanks to what you've done with her. The other day we killed an elder dragon together, then she helped me out with my little "problem" after absorbing its soul and then, just after we'd put our clothes back on, she started singing happily away. I just sat there grinning, feeling really good about the entire thing. While I'm sure a lot of people love having Lydia tag along now thanks to AA, there are likely going to be others who prefer different companions, or none at all, and Serana would probably be right up there once you've done her quest, too. If you thrust any single NPC into the main quest and make them central to it, it runs the danger of players not really liking the choice.

 

This is probably pie in the sky stuff, but one of the biggest problems with the main quest for me is that you never really get the sense of danger or real importance in what you're doing. You're supposed to be saving the entire world, but there's no real urgency about it. If something specific you cared about - or your dragonborn cared about - were to be put in danger, it might help engage me more. It feels like the stakes need to be ramped up towards the end, like there needs to be more riding on it, something more personal and tangible. Stories should have rising tension as they near the climax, and Skyrim doesn't really seem to have that.

 

If, say, Lydia (or your spouse) somehow got kidnapped and held at Skuldafn, it would make storming that place much more important, and offing Alduin at the end something you personally really wanted to do. Maybe your spouse even dies and you can somehow rescue them from Sovngarde by killing him. I finished the main quest for the first time in years the other week and it was underwhelming. There wasn't any sense of real satisfaction or triumph in it. If defeating Alduin meant saving my lover it would have much more impact.

 

Like I said, pie in the sky, stuff. Probably not possible to do and also a bit of a cliche to boot. And what if a player doesn't like Lydia that much, or didn't get married...

 

 

 

I like the sound of Sigrid, by the way. If it weren't for AA I would never follow Ralof out of Helgen. Sigrid is one of the best-looking vanilla NPCs.

 

Okay, that's actually some pretty cool suggestions for the main questline. Lydia or your spouse (if you have one) would have to be since Lydia is currently the only romancable npc that's involved in the main quest line. You're forced to get her as a follower to even progress in the game.

[nutluck]

Making the main quest more palatable?

 

I'm calling it now... A Paarthurnax romance!

 

Seriously, quite a lot of (rambling) thoughts follow:

 

 

nutluck is probably right. Delphine is the only female character who plays a fairly sustained role in the main quest. There isn't a Serana equivalent - someone who's along for pretty much the whole ride and invested fully in it. Frea would be potentially similar if you ever wanted to tackle Dragonborn, though she only has to be with you for one quest, I think. Balgruuf would probably be the most involved male character, and I've always fancied a crack at him myself, but for women it would pretty much just be Delphine. To be honest, she could do with being cast in a more flattering light. I think most people probably end up not liking her much, especially at that certain part with that certain thing. There is a mod to give you an alternative to doing what she wants that doesn't make you hate yourself, but providing an AA alternative would be nice. Not sure how much dialogue she'd give you to work with, though. She does have the "gave you the horn" line, which is just begging to be put to good use.

 

For me, Lydia is my almost-constant companion through the game now thanks to what you've done with her. The other day we killed an elder dragon together, then she helped me out with my little "problem" after absorbing its soul and then, just after we'd put our clothes back on, she started singing happily away. I just sat there grinning, feeling really good about the entire thing. While I'm sure a lot of people love having Lydia tag along now thanks to AA, there are likely going to be others who prefer different companions, or none at all, and Serana would probably be right up there once you've done her quest, too. If you thrust any single NPC into the main quest and make them central to it, it runs the danger of players not really liking the choice.

 

This is probably pie in the sky stuff, but one of the biggest problems with the main quest for me is that you never really get the sense of danger or real importance in what you're doing. You're supposed to be saving the entire world, but there's no real urgency about it. If something specific you cared about - or your dragonborn cared about - were to be put in danger, it might help engage me more. It feels like the stakes need to be ramped up towards the end, like there needs to be more riding on it, something more personal and tangible. Stories should have rising tension as they near the climax, and Skyrim doesn't really seem to have that.

 

If, say, Lydia (or your spouse) somehow got kidnapped and held at Skuldafn, it would make storming that place much more important, and offing Alduin at the end something you personally really wanted to do. Maybe your spouse even dies and you can somehow rescue them from Sovngarde by killing him. I finished the main quest for the first time in years the other week and it was underwhelming. There wasn't any sense of real satisfaction or triumph in it. If defeating Alduin meant saving my lover it would have much more impact.

 

Like I said, pie in the sky, stuff. Probably not possible to do and also a bit of a cliche to boot. And what if a player doesn't like Lydia that much, or didn't get married...

 

 

 

I like the sound of Sigrid, by the way. If it weren't for AA I would never follow Ralof out of Helgen. Sigrid is one of the best-looking vanilla NPCs.

 

As Mord says there is no real NPC that is always there and I agree the main quest for something that is suppose to be about saving the world has no sense of urgency to it. It lacks anything personal, beyond. Well i have special powers I guess I have to save the world. At no point do they really make you care about being the dragonborn or saving the world beyond you living in it. Unlike say the Companions which makes you care about the other Companions and want to do what's right. The main quest I just feel is lacking that attachment.

 

I agree tying it to a specific follower I think would be a bad idea, to many people use other different ones, or modded ones or none at all.

 

Mord glad you like the Sigrid suggestion.

 

As for pie in the sky, well if we are going to just toss out wild suggestions.

 

Mine would be to add a new NPC, a scholar. Someone that is studying the old tales of dragons and the dragonborn. They was in Skyrim looking into it when the dragons returned and the rumor of the dragonborn born again are heard. Then the NPC seeks you out, becomes a font of knowledge for you, puts a face to what it is your trying to save etc. But that is way beyond the scope of this mod.

[corvinus18]

For delphine there is a think in my mid she is sexually frustated LOL

but in all of the main quest line she is the one involved and the thalmor embasador bitch (you could find some secrets of her) and involves too After all the is a certain point you make like a spy and could bang that thalmor embasador.

There is just one think that makes no sense for me and thats it the think that you must do for blades at the end of game.... thats anoying, especially for delphine.

[shinji72]

Oh don't really see this Mod as just about sex per-se.  For example the real point of the whole Elisif quest line is just to make becoming a Thane in Solitude and the Bards college make more sense.  The sex is a McGuffin really.  To me, un modded, the Bards College and spending fat loot for the house in Solitude make zero sense.

 

But, what's on your mind?  What would make the main quest more interesting?  Just would be interested in hearing.

 

Or one could say, that if it were a blockbuster movie the Main quest line would definitely need a love subplot. 

But as Nut said, there are not many recurring characters invoved.

Delphine... Then what about Esbern? Would mean to edit the voice of great actor Max von Sydow.

Then there is Farengar... and Pathurnax???  

[Mord Sif]

I'm sure Delphine would get along famously with Paarthurnax if she just got to know him. Maybe we could play matchmaker?

 

I do like the idea of a new scholar character to play through the game alongside. Alicia has shown that can be done - albeit with a voice actor on board - and there are also some appearance options for her for players to install, I think. Farengar starts out as that scholar kind of character but then drops out of things until he starts fiddling with Odahviing later on. I can easily see him having a beautiful assistant or colleague who agrees to travel with you on the quest.

[Sacremas]

So I had one idea now. A prequel. You were caught trying to cross the border... why? What did you want in Skyrim, what were you running from, or towards? The Nerevarine ends up in Morrowind because Uriel was a clever bastard and wanted to manipulate events, he wasn't the first reincarnation he was just the one that got it enabled for. Again in Oblivion, you're a prisoner and Uriel sees something in you and push you along. Maybe he even arragned for you to be put in that cell where there arent' supposed to be any prisoners. Somethign similar could be along in Skyrim, maybe someone's pulling strings. Did Alduin strike Helgen on a whim, or did he actually know that the Dragonborn would be there? He certainly didn't care about Ulfric. Who's pulling the strings?

 

I don't have the answer entirely as of now but it's something to build on. There may be room in that prisoner's cart for the prisoner's brother for example, and Alduin eats him, then you find him in Sovengarde. That takes some HEAVY editing in an already very frail scene however and makes it the only start to use, you can't use Alternate Start to go with it. That's an option to go around it then, an Amorous add-on to Live Another Life, setting up the reason why everything is going on. Maybe in that one you just don't ever get caught, maybe you're warned off by some old guy called Wulf warns you to take a left instead of a right, and you never get caught. But Alduin still hits Helgen having forseen with his divine powers that the Dragonborn is almost certainly there. Could combine it with the brother idea, while the cart and Helgen sequence is fragile as hell and not to be tampered with lightly, the Live Another Life Helgen with the burned adventurer with the journal is something else entirely. Get rid of the adventurer, place the one who went right instead of left there, badly burned (use Astrid skin on him) who gives one final farewell, and a promise that they'd see each other in the after life... while still pointing towards that cave where he saw Hadvar and Ralof go, or for the PC to head to Riverwood.

 

Basically the problem with the main quest is that it's too impersonal. The Dragonborn is just an outside force that bumps into Alduin's plot and decides he's going to take them down because he likes this world. There's not much motivation beyond "save the world" and little personal reward if you're not interested in generic praise. A ghost brother visitign from Sovengarde like the late High King and pointing towards things, he can feel the entirety of Mundus cracking apart, the fires of damnation rising up, and pointing towards characters that could help out. In the process he could point towards not one NPC you'd be stuck with (other than ghost brother popping by) leading to an Amorous questline with extra parts in the main quest filled out, one beautiful NPC after the other, maybe even tie together the rest of Amorous, like why you'd bother helping out the girls in Riften when you're time-pressed for getting to Esbern, maybe you need them for later, like making them Blades. Maybe you need the support of Elisif to give the Blades more military support, which is why you're seducing her. And so on.

[karlpaws]

A lack of urgency to the main quest is something that Skyrim shares with Morrowind, and a lot of other open ended games. When you're not on rails it seems hard to have any urgency that pushes you to skip/ignore all the nice side quests you run into while saving the world.

 

Having the mod depend on a spouse or Lydia or some other follower that is always with you might crap some people's play styles, unless you also want to have a dependancy on a follower improvement mod of one kind or another, or just operate on the assumption that anyone that interested in this mod will just get a spouse to fully use the mod. Then you'll either have some spouses that will have a voice switch, or only some of them will be options.

 

Does Delphine have enough voice options to be a viable candidate?

 

Farengar has the interest in dragons, and the early meeting in Whiterun, but as the jarl's wizard, probably is not the best option for going out and about with us. For extra voice options and "making us care" perhaps he and Delphine, and later Esbern could all people giving us lore on the dragons, updates on cities destroyed, extra quests like Tolfdir's for the alteration spell to get a scale, etc.

 

Possibly between the 3 of them, a quest to retrieve a dragon priest mask, staff, some scales, possibly even another dragon stone for word wall translations. That would be a little more fitting with the theme the bard's college had although those quests are already in place. Could you hijack the favor quest system and have a "fetch a priest mask" instead of "kill a bandit leader"?

[FoxFingers]

OK I've read all these and I get it now.

 

The big reason people generally loath the main quest (or if not loath find it completely pointless) is the lack of urgency.  There's no personal stakes involved.  Nothing to really grab the Dragonborn and make the player WANT to defeat Alduin.  A sense of urgency.

 

That's all good, I completely understand it.  And I want you to know, I've got you covered with a story angle that will make you want to kill that fat dragon bastard as soon as possible.

 

Because, you see, with the coming of the Dragons - Alduin the World Eater - there's a curse upon all the good people of Skyrim.  Yes, a terrible curse.  You see, nobody can have sex.  SexLab disabled until the Dragon is defeated.  Except for Lydia.  She's special.

 

[LaEspada]

OK I've read all these and I get it now.

 

The big reason people generally loath the main quest (or if not loath find it completely pointless) is the lack of urgency.  There's no personal stakes involved.  Nothing to really grab the Dragonborn and make the player WANT to defeat Alduin.  A sense of urgency.

 

That's all good, I completely understand it.  And I want you to know, I've got you covered with a story angle that will make you want to kill that fat dragon bastard as soon as possible.

 

Because, you see, with the coming of the Dragons - Alduin the World Eater - there's a curse upon all the good people of Skyrim.  Yes, a terrible curse.  You see, nobody can have sex.  SexLab disabled until the Dragon is defeated.  Except for Lydia.  She's special.

 

 

 

You.... You..... evil bastard

 

[nutluck]

So Alduin is going to start eating the world by eating everyones sex drive?

[FoxFingers]

So Alduin is going to start eating the world by eating everyones sex drive?

 

Well, you gotta start somewhere.

 

Tell me you're not motivated to kill him now, though.  Like, you want him dead yesterday.

 

[Mord Sif]

 

SexLab disabled until the Dragon is defeated.  Except for Lydia.  She's special.

 

Ha! And there's the reason for kidnapping her and imprisoning her in the stronghold of Skuldafn. If she's the only one left anyone can shag, every man, woman and mer in Skyrim would move Sovngarde and Nirn to get to her. Stormcloaks, Thalmor and Imperials would lay down arms and join the common cause. Ulfric, Elenwen, Tullius and Delphine would all race to High Hrothgar and pledge their allegiance to each other without a second thought. And even the Greybeards might be moved to join the fight and lead the charge to free her.

 

Can you imagine it? Waging war on Alduin with the Greybeards shouting Ultra-Grand-Master-Draugr-Over-Deathlords off ledges left, right and centre, with hordes of Imperial and Stormcloak soldiers fighting as brothers, Elenwen and her Justiciars hacking a bloody swathe through the enemy ranks and Ulfric and Tullius engaging in some light-hearted Legolas/Gimli kill-count-contest (and when Tullius hitches a ride on a legendary dragon's back and brings it down with a series of daring stabs with his sword, Ulfric humphs and says: "That only counts as one!")

 

And then the dragonborn kills Alduin, Lydia is saved - and looking decidedly skittish - but everyone then realises that sex is on the cards again. Cue a mass orgy, followed by a total bloodbath as everyone remembers they hate each other, while the Dragonborn carries Lydia back home for some alone time.

 

I'll... shut up now...

[corvinus18]

OK I've read all these and I get it now.

 

The big reason people generally loath the main quest (or if not loath find it completely pointless) is the lack of urgency.  There's no personal stakes involved.  Nothing to really grab the Dragonborn and make the player WANT to defeat Alduin.  A sense of urgency.

 

That's all good, I completely understand it.  And I want you to know, I've got you covered with a story angle that will make you want to kill that fat dragon bastard as soon as possible.

 

Because, you see, with the coming of the Dragons - Alduin the World Eater - there's a curse upon all the good people of Skyrim.  Yes, a terrible curse.  You see, nobody can have sex.  SexLab disabled until the Dragon is defeated.  Except for Lydia.  She's special.

 

Lol DAT is what i call annoying and evil, but talking seriously if that is implemented some quest will loose some sense (ralof sister, irileth,) etc etc.

Youre really evil thinking about that sex restricction but is cool. 

 

The game really dosent implement why is so nescesary kill dragons alduin... the real fact is just alduin is reviving dragons so you just have to use your imagination and think " i should kill the dragons before all skyrim will be fucked by dragons" and destroyed... but in the real gameplay you dont feel that because the dragons still appear in all places and in the same proportion. 

So you just can go and delay it.... 

For me the reasons for not do the main quest... are.

 

1. I feel like i finished the game if i complete 3 main quest lines (dragonborn, dawnguard, and alduin)

2. There is no big reward for killing alduin.... just a shout or some i dont remember..

3.lack of deep (yeah like the majority of quest of skyrim), for example the part youre a spy in the thalmor embasy and ellenwens have alot of potential but... (in general you dont feel the aldmeri dominion in game), and not intense.... just boring.

4. and what you say ... no reasonto go a kill alduim faster...

 

And there are a lot of more reasons.

[Airianna]

Sexlab disabled till Alduin is defeated... I can get used to that. it's called Skyrim, pre Sexlab...

 

But seriously tho, my first play through, I did all the main quests, with a vanilla Skyrim, all others after that are just messing around in skyrim, and could care less if the main quest line is ever completed. I use Skyrim Unbound, and set to non-dragonborn, so I am NOT the dragon born in any of my games I play now. Just an average person running around skyrim doing what I want.

[Sacremas]

That part about destroyed cities and such is an excellent idea. In the vanilla game Alduin destroys Helgen, then Dragons sit on wordwalls, dragons go hunting the Dragonborn, and occasionally they fly overhead (these aren't actual dragons, you can't attack them even with a hitscan ability, even console kill doesn't work). Helgen and the Western Watchtower aside, it looks to me like dragons are living kinda peacefully. What about making their threat more real and someting you have to deal with, like ths preading Darkspawn horde on the main map in Dragon Age Origins, maybe destroy towns like Rorikstead, even Riverwood maybe. No idea if destroying towns is possible however, I'm seeing all sorts of conflicts there. Maybe have things like dragons laying siege to towns, and the dragonborn needing to go there to stop the town from being destroyed? The dragons amp their game and bring along undead armies controlled by nameless dragonpriests, so the Dragonborn have to recruit blades (seriously in 2000+ hours of play I have NEVER recruited a single Blade, I'd really welcome a reason to do that, or to return to Sky Haven between going for Dragonrend and the war council) that will combat the threat when the Dragonborn just can't be everywhere at once. Tie in Mjoll the Lioness here as an experienced battleifeld commander that the Blades desperately need, which is the reason you go to Riften to save her, other than to get in her pants. To stop the threat the generals in their armies have to be taken out, and that's the named dragon priests (exception of the two sealed in coffins you have to release). Maybe add dragon cultists that go around spreading panic, waking up dragon priests.

 

Example of an Amorous way to to this as well; have a distraught farmer contact the dragonborn and tell him their beautiful daughter has been kidnapped by a dragon or dragon cultists and either placed near a dragon wall with the dragon, or inside a nordic ruin tied up as sacrifice for the dragon priest. DB goes in, saves the damsel, gets the lucious rewards, and has a reason for going after that dragon priest to begin with except from an insane quest to collect all the masks or words when he would have no way of knowing in-game how many masks or words there were.

 

Basically in the vanilla game there's very little reason why Naahrkin in Skuldafn shouldn't be the first dragon priest you ever see, and why you should get those words of power because you don't actually need them to win (they're kinda crap in vanilla in fact). Like finishing Bard's College needed a reason, this definetly need a reason other than a need for 100 % completion.

[nutluck]

Sacremas that sounds interesting and making things a lot more intense is what the main quest needed, but that level sounds more like a stand alone mod idea. I like the idea but just saying it sounds more like a stand alone mod.

 

Foxfinger if you do the whole no sex for the dragonborn I hope it is optional or started late in the quest. I say that because I sometimes do the main quest just so far and then stop. Like I like the Thalmor Embassy part but not a fan of the main quest after that. Or make it so you have to trigger it while talking to the Greybeards so it doesn't start until you talk to them and trigger the start of the quest.

[FoxFingers]

Sacremas that sounds interesting and making things a lot more intense is what the main quest needed, but that level sounds more like a stand alone mod idea. I like the idea but just saying it sounds more like a stand alone mod.

 

Foxfinger if you do the whole no sex for the dragonborn I hope it is optional or started late in the quest. I say that because I sometimes do the main quest just so far and then stop. Like I like the Thalmor Embassy part but not a fan of the main quest after that. Or make it so you have to trigger it while talking to the Greybeards so it doesn't start until you talk to them and trigger the start of the quest.

 

Nah, I'd never do that Mod.  Because I'd never play it, and I do eat my own dog food.  Helps keep things bug free.

 

But since I know you yourself are not a big fan of the main quest (along with many other people), I was interested in what little things one might scatter along the way of it to make it more interesting.

 

That's why I was asking.  I myself don't mind the main quest, but Dawnguard, eeesh.

[nutluck]

Understandable about the main quest, I was only saying if you did do the no sex till Alduin was defeated which isn't a horrible idea I am sure some people would love that. That it would need a trigger for those that don't was all.

 

Unless of course you was joking and I took you serious about that idea which is possible.

 

The only other suggestion I can think of, beyond doing the mage, thieves, and assassins like you did with the companions would be Carlotta, since her's mini quest with the bard is already about sex or implied sex he wants to have with her.

 

Beyond that i can't really think of much else that fits the idea of a romance mod.

[freddy86]

No quest for Haelga?

 

As a Dibellan folower, maybe some quest that involve Dibellan cult. I have some idea.

 

- Additional in vanilla quest, Caught Red Handed. Not tell Svana this, Haelga thanks you with her "special way". Or because her action expose, she need to do something. As Dibellan priest need sex to maintain her power. Dragonborn help her happily.

 

- Add in Amourous Adventure quest, The Mark of Dibella series

 

- Book of Passion. Dibellan version of vanilla quest Book of Love.

 

- Additional vanilla quest Heart of Dibella. After Dragonborn bring back Fjotra to temple, high priest of Dibella get another vision. Dibella has decree that Dibellan Sybil must take active role. With her mind and body. Also Dibella hate pedophilia, so Fjotra is not new Dibellan Sybil. The real one is in Riften.

 

[eragon11111]

OK I've read all these and I get it now.

 

The big reason people generally loath the main quest (or if not loath find it completely pointless) is the lack of urgency.  There's no personal stakes involved.  Nothing to really grab the Dragonborn and make the player WANT to defeat Alduin.  A sense of urgency.

 

That's all good, I completely understand it.  And I want you to know, I've got you covered with a story angle that will make you want to kill that fat dragon bastard as soon as possible.

 

Because, you see, with the coming of the Dragons - Alduin the World Eater - there's a curse upon all the good people of Skyrim.  Yes, a terrible curse.  You see, nobody can have sex.  SexLab disabled until the Dragon is defeated.  Except for Lydia.  She's special.

 

LOL what!!!!!!

What do you expect us to do till defeat that fat ass dragon? Masturbate while running?

 

[Airianna]

 

OK I've read all these and I get it now.

 

The big reason people generally loath the main quest (or if not loath find it completely pointless) is the lack of urgency.  There's no personal stakes involved.  Nothing to really grab the Dragonborn and make the player WANT to defeat Alduin.  A sense of urgency.

 

That's all good, I completely understand it.  And I want you to know, I've got you covered with a story angle that will make you want to kill that fat dragon bastard as soon as possible.

 

Because, you see, with the coming of the Dragons - Alduin the World Eater - there's a curse upon all the good people of Skyrim.  Yes, a terrible curse.  You see, nobody can have sex.  SexLab disabled until the Dragon is defeated.  Except for Lydia.  She's special.

 

LOL what!!!!!!

What do you expect us to do till defeat that fat ass dragon? Masturbate while running?

 

 

yep

[Samael8096]

Ways to make the MQ more interesting?

 You know how we've got Irrileth delivering some artifact dialogue from the old versions? Lets change that from: '"Dragonborns (and then assumedly Dragons) get weakened by dragon soul nomning.",being delivered by someone who has stated that they have no clue how the Dragonborn works', to a lore friendly and plot driving: '"Slurping up Dragon souls increases the draconic urges (dominate, take, conquer and destroy) already present and sex is a viable way to vent this surplus of need" and have this information be delivered piece meal throughout the main plot by those who would actually know', ie: After eating Miurmurnir Irrileth comments that we've become hyper-aggressive, we comment that we cant face Balgruuf in this state (as in current) and Irrileth does her thing to help us vent. Slight changes could be made to the Danica quest so she doesn't actually know specifically know whats up (and at this point, neither do we), but correctly diagnoses that its related to our Dragonborniness.

From here, have one of the Greybeards give you some texts on the matter ( Talos's journal perhaps?), but not all of it, have the remainder be in Sky Haven, or held by Delphine (or both), said texts can help the Dragonborn take less of an impact from the initial debuff and confirm that our Dragonborniness is the cause. Parthurnaax or Jurgan Wind Caller can place the final piece of the puzzle changing the debuff to a buff, and allowing us to find inner peace with our Dovah soul.

The debuff in question would be a semi minor hit to Speech (specifically the odds of successfully persuasion attempt), Magika and the shout cooldown, with the buff at the end of the quest inverting these values, with an additional incrase to Stamina and Health.

[rockitten]

Making the main quest more palatable?

 

I'm calling it now... A Paarthurnax romance!

 

Seriously, quite a lot of (rambling) thoughts follow:

 

 

nutluck is probably right. Delphine is the only female character who plays a fairly sustained role in the main quest. There isn't a Serana equivalent - someone who's along for pretty much the whole ride and invested fully in it. Frea would be potentially similar if you ever wanted to tackle Dragonborn, though she only has to be with you for one quest, I think. Balgruuf would probably be the most involved male character, and I've always fancied a crack at him myself, but for women it would pretty much just be Delphine. To be honest, she could do with being cast in a more flattering light. I think most people probably end up not liking her much, especially at that certain part with that certain thing. There is a mod to give you an alternative to doing what she wants that doesn't make you hate yourself, but providing an AA alternative would be nice. Not sure how much dialogue she'd give you to work with, though. She does have the "gave you the horn" line, which is just begging to be put to good use.

 

For me, Lydia is my almost-constant companion through the game now thanks to what you've done with her. The other day we killed an elder dragon together, then she helped me out with my little "problem" after absorbing its soul and then, just after we'd put our clothes back on, she started singing happily away. I just sat there grinning, feeling really good about the entire thing. While I'm sure a lot of people love having Lydia tag along now thanks to AA, there are likely going to be others who prefer different companions, or none at all, and Serana would probably be right up there once you've done her quest, too. If you thrust any single NPC into the main quest and make them central to it, it runs the danger of players not really liking the choice.

 

This is probably pie in the sky stuff, but one of the biggest problems with the main quest for me is that you never really get the sense of danger or real importance in what you're doing. You're supposed to be saving the entire world, but there's no real urgency about it. If something specific you cared about - or your dragonborn cared about - were to be put in danger, it might help engage me more. It feels like the stakes need to be ramped up towards the end, like there needs to be more riding on it, something more personal and tangible. Stories should have rising tension as they near the climax, and Skyrim doesn't really seem to have that.

 

If, say, Lydia (or your spouse) somehow got kidnapped and held at Skuldafn, it would make storming that place much more important, and offing Alduin at the end something you personally really wanted to do. Maybe your spouse even dies and you can somehow rescue them from Sovngarde by killing him. I finished the main quest for the first time in years the other week and it was underwhelming. There wasn't any sense of real satisfaction or triumph in it. If defeating Alduin meant saving my lover it would have much more impact.

 

Like I said, pie in the sky, stuff. Probably not possible to do and also a bit of a cliche to boot. And what if a player doesn't like Lydia that much, or didn't get married...

 

 

 

I like the sound of Sigrid, by the way. If it weren't for AA I would never follow Ralof out of Helgen. Sigrid is one of the best-looking vanilla NPCs.

 

I like this idea except I would like to nominate Elisif instead of Lydia.

 

Either you defeated Alduin to save Elisif but found she is now in Ulfric's hand, so you have to re-start the civil war and save your bitch;

 

Or, you impregnated Elisif (or who ever bitch you want) only to find your children are doomed/tainted unless you deal with the dragons and lift the curse.........

 

And for Delphine, sexually repressed and kept her virginity for so long, I would except a spectacular explosion ^^ How about a line like "If you have kids, you may have rebuilt the blades already"? 

I havn't try the quest on Drangonborn yet, but seems there are much more attention to Dawnguard thab that mod. Is it really that shit? 

[Sacremas]

http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/58191/?

 

Here's a very cool armor you could borrow if you want to include any Molag Bal things with Serana.

 

[FoxFingers]

I wasn't planning on inserting the Ballster, himself.  But, it looks kinda cool.

 

What's the authors policy on letting standalone mods include it?  Just in case I go down that path.