LE Navigable Skyrim Waterways

[AmadanBezerk]

This is either a totally hopeless daydream, an impossible request, or at the least such a pain in the a--, due to the troublesome mechanics of the game's code, that it's not even worth the bother.

 

This dream was inspired by the following Oblivion "Unique Landscapes" Mods:

"Chorrol Hinterlands" and "River Ethe", both by Carel deWinter,

"Cheydinhall Falls" by Meg.

 

[[ Navigable Skyrim Waterways ]]

 

With all the evidence that Bethesda put in the game, of a now ruined but once bustling Dwemer civilization all around Skyrim, why would such a hyper-industrious race not think of using such a natural resource as Skyrim's mighty rivers for mass transport? If not the Dwemer, than perhaps the Nords?

My character scratched his head upon seeing that large, OCEAN-GOING-class vessel docked at Riften! Wow! There must be plenty of freshwater-marine transport, commerce and fishing on that small lake to justify the size of that SHIP! (Please excuse the sarcasm.)

To be immersive, plausable and realistic, Some points must be considered:

-Only navigable, sailable vessels the size of rowboats, fishing boats, small and medium sized (long and narrow) riverboats could be accomodated with ANY practicality.

-There are about 15 to 25, or more rapids and falls along each of the rivers leading from the Sea to the landlocked cities I'd like to see become bona-fide inland riverports. Morthal, Markarth , Whiterun and of couse, Riften.

-Small docks would also be needed at those riverside villages in between.

-The rivers themselves would need widening and dredging along most, if not all of their lengths.

-Plenty of stepped gravity-powered locks, along with powerful Draught-horse teams of 8 strong horses (at the very least) for towing the heavier boats through the bypass canals around the rapids, falls and strong-current areas would be needed.

-ALL the bridges along the waterways between the Sea and the cities of Morthal, Markarth, Whiterun and Riften, would need replacing with swing or draw-bridges. The mechanical power source for operating those bridges would be, rarely, some ancient Dwemer steamwork still operating or, far more often, a chain-drive, vertical-axis capstan-windlass, hitched to a team of horses or mules in a circle.

-Falkreath would only be added to the list of inland riverports if that tiny, pathetic 'river', powering Falkreath's sawmill, that dissapointingly flows to NOWHERE, could be made to flow northward, into an additional small lake hosting Falkreath's tiny harbor and docks. From there it would continue, northward and navigable, into Lake Ilinata.

( I'm not sure this could even work, since I strongly suspect that Falkreath might be at LOWER elevation than Lake Illinata.)

-Markarth and Whiterun would require either small lakes or large ponds added to host their respective, and slightly larger harbors and docks, in their outskirts. Obviously, ALL of this hypothetical hydro-engineering is totally dependant upon being able to mod the elevation contours of the land, otherwise this is all moot.

GEE I'm not asking for MUCH, am I???

I will not be disappointed at anyone exept Bethesda if all of this is impossible, as they should have thought of this in the first place, IMHO.

Cheers and kind regards, AmadanBezerk

Edited February 10, 2013 by AmadanBezerk

[MagVan]

I have just spent a couple of hour’s swaning around the northern oceans in that fabulous ship mod “The Gokstad sailable ship V1.3b” and was thinking to myself while firebombing a pesky ghost flavored icy pole, Oh wouldn’t it be nice if we pure and virginal Viking raiders could paddle upstream and share the love and generosity that one could expect from such fine upstanding citizens of the world? Needless to say this post doesn’t fill me with the warm fuzzes’

 

Can someone please, please, please, cry make me a river to sail upon so I can share the love to skyrim? Pretty please with your a sweet roll on top. :thumbsup:

[AmadanBezerk]

Edit....mis-post.

Edited February 14, 2013 by AmadanBezerk