Enhanced Skyrim Factions: The Companions Guild

[DreamKingMods]

Enhanced Skyrim Factions:

The Companions Guild

 

By DreamKing

 

Full Details and Download at SkyrimNexus

 

Skyrim's Companions guild questline suffers from being too short and too linear; it is possible for a low-level character, and/or one with minimal combat skills, to quickly ascend to the highest ranks of this famed guild of warriors. Moreover the questline railroads the player, denying them the opportunity to make several key choices. ESF: Companions is a project that aims to improve this situation in several ways:

 

1. Increase the number of radiant quests required and add skill, level, and time requirements between each of the guild's milestone quests.

2. Add new choices and consequences to those milestone quests.

3. Add new radiant and story quests, both during and after the vanilla questline.

4. Miscellaneous other additions and tweaks.

 

Project Status:

Two versions of the mod are available:

 

The "Requirements Only" version increases the number of radiant quests required in the questline and enforces skill, level, and time requirements as well. It is highly compatible with all other mods.

 

The "Full" version has these requirements and also new choices and consequences, tweaks to the Companions NPCs and quests, and new (silent) dialogue, all to enhance the feeling of being in this band of warriors. Some screenshots:

 

- New roleplaying dialogue choices with Kodlak when you join. (One choice is race-dependent, another is level-dependent.)

- A new option for the conversation with Skjor in the Underforge. (Spoiler alert!)

- A SkyUI MCM control panel for configuring the requirements and other options.

- Improved schedules for the Companions, including training together.

- Spar with your fellow Companions after you join. (With tracking of win-loss records against each.)

- New radiant hunting/pelt collection quest. (Voiced content cut from the vanilla game--random number of a random type of pelts.)

- Aela can now be the Observer during your Trial in Dustman's Cairn. (More voiced, cut content that I've restored.)

- Ria makes good on her promise to show you the ropes. (She has about 20 pieces of advice--presented through silent, unvoiced dialogue--that she'll randomly offer every few hours, some specific to player gender or race.)

- "Come to me with questions," says Vilkas. Now you can. (More unvoiced content.)

- And you can now ask Farkas the question evenyone wants to ask. (Plus this shows how he's now a bit taller, and wears wolf armor.)

 

ReadMe:

 

 

Enhanced Skyrim Factions: The Companions Guild - Full Version

By DreamKing

Version: 0.3, 28 June 2013

 

- Introduction

- Getting It Working: Installation, Uninstallation, Compatibility

- Features

- Known Issues

- Contact Information

- Disclaimer

- Legal, Distribution, and Use of Assets

- Thanks & Credits

- Change Log

 

 

= Introduction =

 

Skyrim's Companions guild questline suffers from being too short and too linear; it is possible for a low-level character, and/or one with minimal fighting skills, to quickly ascend to the highest ranks of this famed guild of warriors. Moreover the questline railroads the player, denying them the opportunity to make several key choices. ESF: Companions is a project that aims to improve this situation in several ways:

 

1. Add skill, level, and time requirements for each of the guild's milestone story quests.

STATUS: Complete and working now.

 

2. Add new choices and consequences to those milestone quests.

STATUS: In progress, one major choice added to the Underforge scene.

 

3. Add new radiant and story quests, both during and after the vanilla questline.

STATUS: In progress, one radiant animal pelt collection quest added to Aela.

 

4. Miscellaneous other improvements.

STATUS: In progress--lots of small changes made, see below.

 

 

= Getting It Working =

 

You must be using Skyrim version 1.9 or above to use this mod; the game version number is displayed in-game when you view your Journal. I also highly recommend using SkyUI 4.1 and its required SKSE 1.6.16 (current versions at the time of writing) to enable using the SkyUI MCM system to configure this mod's options.

 

The mod adds a substantial amount of silent (unvoiced) dialogue, so you will need dialogue subtitles turned on. If you can't stand silent dialogue, use the Requirements Only version of this mod.

 

The mod can be installed into an existing game--it does not need a new game, although see the list of Known Issues below regarding a minor issue. For obvious reasons it works best when installed before you join the Companions. To install after you've already joined the Companions, the most likely safe points would be while you're in Dustman's Cairn or Gallows Rock but before you kill the bosses in those locations. No guarantees, though. Upgraders, see below.

 

Note that version 0.3 is a large and complex expansion of previous versions of the mod, so you are advised to save frequently and keep a history of such saves rather than overwriting them as you play through the mod. And if you're installing this into an existing game, you should always keep at least one save game from before you installed, that you can revert back to in case of any problems.

 

+ Compatibility +

 

This mod makes a number of changes to the Companions guild, and as such it may not play well with other mods that edit the guild's quests, characters, and locations. It does work with the Unofficial Skyrim Patch, and is designed to be used as a precursor to my ESF: Aela follower mod (http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/11450), but neither is required.

 

Live Another Life is compatible; if you elect to start as a Companion, note that Vilkas has a few lines of dialogue based on you having overheard he and Kodlak speaking when you asked to join, so just imagine that happened.

 

It is not currently compatible with Open Cities, but an update with compatibility should be available soon.

 

Better Jorrvaskr or other mods that add clutter to the Jorvaskr training yard are not supported and likely not compatible.

 

Moonlight Tales should be compatible; however to have Aela as your Trial observer, you must 1) manually delete MT's edited C01QuestScript.pex from your Data/Scripts directory and 2) place ESFCompanions.esp below Moonlight Tales in your load order.

 

Even Better Quest Objectives is compatible but should be positioned above this mod in your load order, as ESFC version 0.3 includes its own updated objectives based on EBQO for the Companions quests. EBQO patches made for use with version 0.2.1 of ESFC should not be used with version 0.3.

 

If you encounter compatibility issues you can also try the Requirements Only version of this mod, which includes only the requirements component. That version should be highly compatible with all other mods, as it does not edit any default Skyrim scripts, quests, locations, or characters.

 

+ Installation +

 

This mod is packaged in an archive compatible with Wrye Bash's BAIN installation method and with the Nexus Mod Manager.

 

To install manually, extract ESFCompanions.esp and ESFCompanions.bsa from the archive with 7zip (http://www.7-zip.org/) or a compatible program and place them into your game's Data directory. For most users this will be something like C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\skyrim\Data (although if it is, you may want to read up on moving Steam out of the Program Files directory to avoid permissions problems).

 

Once installed, just activate ESFCompanions.esp in your launcher and play.

 

+ Upgrading +

 

If upgrading from Full Version 0.2.1, make sure you are not immediately before the Silver Hand quest. Then simply copy over the ESFCompanions.esp and ESFCompanions.bsa files. Any customizations to the requirements you had made should be preserved.

 

If upgrading from the Version 0.1.1, the Requirements Only version, you will need to 1) make a save game, 2) exit Skyrim, 3) deactivate the mod and remove its ESFCompanions.esp and ESFCompanions.bsa files, 4) start Skyrim again, 5) load the save you made, 6) wait 60 seconds, 7) make another save, 8 ) exit Skyrim, and 9) then install version 0.3. If you had customized the requirements, you will need to do so again. Sorry about that.

 

+ Uninstallation +

 

Bethesda's official stance is that uninstalling mods is not possible with Skyrim. This is because information from a loaded mod is permanently added into any saved games made with that mod loaded, and persists thereafter. Make sure you keep a save game from before you installed this mod, that you can revert to in case of any problems or dissatisfaction.

 

 

= Features =

 

+ New Choices +

 

The events surrounding a promotion that occurs mid-questline have been significantly overhauled, with a key new choice available to the player during a discussion with Skjor and Aela.

 

+ Skill, Level, and Time Requirements for Guild Advancement +

 

The mod adds configurable prerequisites, all of which must be met, to the milestone Companions quests. By default these prerequisites are:

 

Before Your Trial in "Proving Honor" (Quest C01)

- One defensive combat skill--Light or Heavy Armor, or Block--at least 30

- One weapon skill--One-Handed/Two-Handed/Archery--at least 30

- Player level at least 5

- At least 10 radiant quests done since joining (including one for each member of the Circle)

 

Before Being Invited to Join the Circle before "The Silver Hand" (Quest C03)

- One defensive combat skill--Light or Heavy Armor, or Block--at least 40

- One weapon skill--One-Handed/Two-Handed/Archery--at least 50

- Player level at least 10

- At least 8 radiant quests done since "Proving Honor"

 

Before Kodlak's Request in "Blood's Honor" (Quest C04)

- One defensive combat skill--Light or Heavy Armor, or Block--at least 50

- One weapon skill--One-Handed/Two-Handed/Archery--at least 60

- Player level at least 15

- At least 6 radiant quests done since "The Silver Hand"

 

Additionally:

- You will need to do 2 radiant quests for Aela and Farkas before the radiant quests for Vilkas and Skjor will unlock.

- Members of the Thieves Guild cannot join the Companions; members of the Dark Brotherhood need at least 60 Speech to join.

- Former criminals who accumulated a large bounty will be unable to join without at least 60 Speech.

 

All of these are configurable via a SkyUI MCM, see below. The above requirements are per the default "Reasonable" MCM preset; selecting a different preset in the MCM will change some or all of the above.

 

+ Customizing the Prerequisites +

 

These requirements and settings can be customized. Users of SkyUI 4.1 and above can use the included MCM.

 

Users without SkyUI can place the "esfcsettings" file (an optional download) in your Skyrim Data directory (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\skyrim\Data\), and then open the file in a text editor such as Notepad. Notes on each of the settings are in the file. Save your changes, and then in-game, open the console with the ` key and enter "bat esfcsettings" (without the quotes).

 

+ Other Changes and Features +

 

- Added a radiant animal pelt collection quest to Aela (this was existing content cut from the game, that I have lightly tweaked and restored).

- If you have done more radiant quests for Aela than any other Companion at the time of your Trial, it will be she rather than Farkas who is sent with you as your Observer during your Trial (again, this uses existing voice files and scripting cut from the vanilla game).

- The Wolf Armor worn by the Circle will not be available for purchase from Eorlund until you have actually joined the Circle.

- The reward gold for Companions radiant quests can now be configured via the MCM.

- Added some (unvoiced) dialogue in various places for better roleplaying and atmosphere. Kodlak will talk a bit more when you first join, Ria can follow up on her promise to show you the ropes, Farkas will follow up on his suggestion that you come to him with questions, Skjor will warn you to dismiss followers before beginning your Trial, etc.

- Rather than just loafing around all day, Companions now have detailed training schedules.

- Companions will spar with you in the training yard, after you've joined.

- The time Aela mourns at the end of the "Silver Hand" quest has been extended, giving the player a day or two to discuss Skjor with the other Companions. Also, she will now not offer her next quest until she is back at Jorrvaskr.

- Various changes to Aela, Farkas, and Vilkas to better align their classes, skills, and perks with their personalities.

- Other smaller tweaks, see the changelog below for a full list.

 

 

= FAQs and Known Issues =

 

Note that there is a troubleshooting menu built into the SkyUI MCM that may help resolve some common issues. Try that, although it is wise to make a save before you do.

 

- I can't get one of the Companions quests to work!

 

Because this mod encompasses the whole Companions questline, it's tempting to see it as the cause of any problems with that questline; but the reality is that the vanilla questline has many bugs, and most issues people report have nothing to do with this mod. That doesn't mean this mod is perfect, but before reporting a problem, 1) consult the uesp.net page for the quest you're having trouble with to see if your problem is a known bug, and if there is a known solution; 2) use the Unofficial Skyrim Patch, it fixes many bugs and is updated more frequently than this mod; and 3) be wary of mods that add fast-travel markers to Whiterun (never fast-travel directly to Jorrvaskr to conclude a quest), or make other edits to the city, because many Companions quests require passing through a certain trigger or location-change. I've never had problems with fast-traveling to Dragonsreach on my way back from quests during testing, but if that doesn't work and you must fast travel, go to the stables outside town and then run the rest of the way back to Jorrvaskr.

 

- Vilkas complains that I'm using magic when Kodlak sends us out to spar!

 

Vilkas accusing you of using magic is a vanilla issue when you use a mod that puts a hidden "cloak" spell on the PC in order to detect nearby NPCs. Lots of mods do this--everything from combat mods, to mods like Footprints and Player Headtracking--and the problem will also happen with other quests that involve non-lethal fighting, like brawling. Some mods like Wet & Cold allow you to turn their cloak effect off temporarily, and there is also a mod called Brawl Bugs Patch that is supposed to fix the problem.

 

- Aela said she cleared out Gallows Rock, but they're almost all still alive!

 

It's a known issue.

 

- Some of the Silver Hand in "Proving Honor" are labeled as ordinary bandits!

 

This happens when you add either this mod and/or the Unofficial Skyrim Patch into a playthrough that was begun with neither. It's due to a USKP fix to avoid larger problems with that quest not starting.

 

 

= Contact Information =

 

If you have problems, suggestions, or questions about the mod, the best way to get in touch is via the thread for the mod in the Skyrim Mods area on the Bethesda Forum (http://forums.bethsoft.com/forum/183-skyrim-mods/).

 

You can also send me private messages as DreamKing (preferred) on the Bethesda Forum (http://forums.bethsoft.com/) or on the Nexus Forums (http://forums.nexusmods.com/) as DreamKingMods.

 

 

= Disclaimer =

 

Use of this mod may lead to broken quests, corrupt or bloated save games, and other issues. Make sure you keep a save game from before you installed this mod, than you can revert to in case of any problems.

 

 

= Legal, Distribution, and Use of Assets =

 

In part or in whole, you may not upload, re-host, or otherwise make this mod or an edited version you derive from it available at any other location under any circumstances, except as specified here.

 

This version (0.3) of the mod is authorized for release on the Skyrim Nexus (http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/) only. If you downloaded it from an unauthorized location, be advised that there may be newer versions of the mod available with important fixes and additions posted on authorized sites.

 

If I do not respond to attempts to contact me via the methods listed in the "Contact" section of the latest release of this mod for 6 months, and have not given prior notice of planned absence, then consider this mod and its assets released to the community.

 

 

= Thanks and Credits =

 

Thanks to the Unofficial Skyrim Patch team for their work correcting bugs, typos, etc., and for allowing me to incorporate their work into this mod where our edits to game records overlap. (Note that the UKSP still makes many important fixes to the Companions; my mod does not replace it.)

 

Thanks to whickus and William Imm for allowing me to include the improved quest objectives relating to the Companions quests from their excellent Even Better Quest Objectives mod, and for William Imm for creating patches to ease compatibility with ESFC and several other mods.

 

Thanks to the users of the mod for their enthusiasm, and to MPBunny and deadarmour for their ideas.

 

Thanks to the Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (http://www.uesp.net/) for being a frequent and valuable reference.

 

Thanks to the Nexus Network (http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/) for providing a platform for mods and the community that exists around them.

 

And of course credit and thanks go to Bethesda Softworks, for releasing and supporting modding tools for their games--without which this mod could not have been made.

 

 

= Change Log =

 

Version 0.3

- Added a new ceremony where you are officially and publicly inducted into the Circle. You'll be prompted to talk to Kodlak when the time comes.

- Added the ability to decline Skjor and Aela's offer later in the Underforge.

- Added an MCM configuration menu for SkyUI4+SKSE users. This adds several new configuration options.

- Lowered the default requirements slightly.

- Added more lively schedules for the Companions in and around Jorrvaskr; they now train and eat together, etc.

- Added the ability to spar with the Companions when around Jorrvaskr after you join.

- Added to Skjor a selection of perks and a 1.25x player level multiplier--this is to try to make him a challenging sparring partner.

- For Aela's "Animal Extermination" radiant quests, she can now sometimes tell you what kind of beast you'll be facing before you accept the quest. She can also tell you in advance where the quest location is.

- Added a new random world event where you may be attacked by the Silver Hand after the "Proving Honor" quest.

- Merged in bug fixes from the Unofficial Skyrim Patch 1.3.2 for Companions quests also modified by ESFC.

- Merged in improved Companions quest journal entries and objectives from the Even Better Quest Objectives mod, with my own tweaks and additions.

- Fixed a bug with ESFC 0.2.x that could prevent the Totems of Hircine quests from being available.

- Fixed a bug with ESFC 0.2.x that was spawning animal pelts inside Jorrvaskr.

- Suppressed some scenes after the Silver Hand quest that suggest Skjor is still in charge of day-to-day activities.

- Added the ability to temper Aela's custom light Ancient Nord Armor.

- Added a little more health to the giant outside Whiterun, which should give players a more fair chance to reach it.

- Added a way for non-Dawnguard players to regain the Blessing from Aela.

- Added more (silent) dialogue in a few places; try asking Kodlak what it's like to be a werewolf, for example.

- Various other minor additions.

- Re-cleaned the mod in the latest TES5Edit.

 

Version 0.2.1

- Cleaned the mod in TES5Edit.

- Generated a SEQ file to avoid the load-save-reload dialogue bug.

- Corrected an error in the efcsettings bat file (the descriptions for armor and weapon requirements were swapped).

- Merge fixes from the Unofficial Skyrim Patch 1.2.4 for quests also modified by ESFC.

- Added Update.esm as a dependency in order to incorporate its Companions fixes.

- Added a few missing silent voice sound files so that lines display for their proper amount of time.

- Added a bit of silent dialogue to the introductory conversation with Aela after the giant fight for more roleplaying choices.

 

Version 0.2

- Added a radiant animal pelt collection quest to Aela (this was existing content cut from the game, that I have lightly tweaked and restored). You will be given this quest relatively infrequently, by design.

- If you have done more radiant quests for Aela than any other Companion at the time of your Trial, it will be she rather than Farkas who is sent with you as your Observer during your Trial (again, this uses existing voice files and scripting cut from the vanilla game).

- Added some (unvoiced) dialogue in various places for better roleplaying and atmosphere. Kodlak will talk a bit more when you first join, Ria can follow up on her promise to give advice, Skjor will warn you to dismiss followers before beginning your Trial, etc.

- Added the option to block characters who have already joined the Thieves Guild or the Dark Brotherhood from joining the Companions. By default, DB members can join but need 50 Speech to get past Kodlak's discerning gaze; Thieves Guild members cannot join.

- Extended the time Aela mourns at the end of the "Silver Hand" quest, giving the player a day or two to discuss Skjor with the other Companions. Turned this into a named quest ("Aftermath") for better continuity and direction. She will now not offer her next quest until she is back at Jorrvaskr. Cleaned up Skjor's body at the end of the quest.

- Radiant quests for Vilkas and Skjor will now only become available after you've done a few quests for Farkas and Aela, to match Farkas's dialogue during the tour he gives you.

- Added the dialogue option to decline the "Rescue Mission" radiant quest (CR08) given by Skjor and Vilkas (all the other radiant quests had the option, except for this one).

- In the vanilla game the player must have visited a hold in order to be assigned Companions radiant quests there. This meant that questgivers could run out of quests early in the game, before the player had visited many other holds. I've changed this to now gradually unlock the holds as you do quests, whether or not you've visited them already.

- Once you join the Circle, the miscellaneous radiant quest objective will now read "Talk to the other members of the Circle for work" instead of just "Talk to the Companions leaders for work", because you now are one of those leaders.

- Added a custom class for Farkas to match his skills and gear.

- Gave Farkas some wolf armor (no gauntlets), to fit the dialogue during the player's Trial.

- Slightly increased Farkas's height and weight, to give him a bit more visual personality and distinctiveness from his brother.

- Changed Aela's Ancient Nord Armor and her Shield from Heavy Armor to Light Armor, to match her default skills.

- Added a custom class for Aela to avoid snafus with the Unofficial Skyrim Patch after it changed her class's armor specialty to heavy armor.

- Changed the maximum level of Farkas, Vilkas, and Aela to 81, up from 50. Gave them each a few low- and mid-level perks.

- Added a bat file with all configuration options for easier configuration changes.

- Fixed an issue with 0.1 where quest requirements had to be set to one fewer than the desired value.

- Added a fix for the "Cannot call Premature() on a None object" error that has been polluting the Papyrus logs since Skyrim 1.6.

 

Version 0.1

- Added skill, level, and time requirements for each of the milestone story quests.

 

 

 

 

[guvyer]

I love your mod, I'm glad you are still working on this! It's a must have any playthrough I join the companions. Thanks for the great work :)

[Luxolo]

Really cool mod man! :D

[DreamKingMods]

Thanks! Just trying to get word out about the mod, since I know many Skyrim players have asked for a way not to be forced to accept Skjor and Aela's demand in the Underforge.

[SevenExxes]

thanks, i'm downloading this now. i always felt that the companions had way more to offer instead of just being a stepping stone for the player to build their character. i love the companions and i look forward to seeing them improved

[Kingami626]

Thank you so much for this mod man I needed something like this for the companions and college of W. I just have one question, about the requirements only version, do I have to delete the moonlight tales quest.pex file for it too? or does that only apply to the full version. Just what exactly does it do anyway?

[Gorsondor]

This mod sounds REALLY interesting, and I would have downloaded it the second I saw it, but I don't like unvoiced dialogue. Its like trying to have a conversation with a brickwall.

[DreamKingMods]

Thank you so much for this mod man I needed something like this for the companions and college of W. I just have one question, about the requirements only version, do I have to delete the moonlight tales quest.pex file for it too? or does that only apply to the full version. Just what exactly does it do anyway?

You don't need to delete the MT .pex file if you're using the Requirements Only version, no. Basically the MT edit to the vanilla Proving Honor quest script file gets in the way of my option in the Full Version to have Aela as your Trial Observer instead of Farkas during the Proving Honor quest. I checked with Brevi and he said MT would still work fine if that file was deleted.

Edited January 1, 2014 by DreamKingMods

[eziothanatos]

I'm still doing the radiant quest for the companions, but I can only get the mission from Farkas, Aela and Skjor, but there is no dialogue option Vilkas. It only appeared after I have taken jobs from the other Circle member. Is there anyway to fix this?

[DreamKingMods]

I'm still doing the radiant quest for the companions, but I can only get the mission from Farkas, Aela and Skjor, but there is no dialogue option Vilkas. It only appeared after I have taken jobs from the other Circle member. Is there anyway to fix this?

Vilkas only offers one type of mission at the start of the questline, which can happen in only a few dungeons--so it's possible that he just can't offer you any missions because other quests have already reserved all the available locations where his missions can take place.

 

If that's the case, you should turn off the requirement to do quests for all members of the Circle in the MCM.

 

Later in the questline, Vilkas does acquire some new quests, so he should eventually be able to offer you work.