criostoir Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 This is a fully fleshed out mod request with suggestions to assist in completion. Calling all modders (or non-modders with suggestions for improvement): This has the potential to be a really cool quest. I think I've thought of everything it needs (with generous portions of help from TheEggKing). It just needs someone to put it together. The quest involves the "Broken Iron Sword Blade" (http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Broken_Iron_Sword_Blade) and "Broken Iron Sword Handle" (http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Broken_Iron_Sword_Handle) which are both found in Ysgramor's Tomb (http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Ysgramor's_Tomb) Northeast of Winterhold. These items have intrigued me from the first time I saw them and I have often wished there was a story or quest associated with them. This mod is the answer to that desire. The majority of the tomb can only be accessed as part of the Companions quest, but the foyer area (with the handle and blade) is always accessible. Thus, the quest can be activated by picking up the handle and blade even if you're not doing the Companions quest. It is also possible that it could be activated by a random encounter with a bard, like Tsalgar the Wanderer (http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Talsgar_the_Wanderer) or by a book hidden somewhere in Jorrvaskr . The backstory associated with the quest has been suppressed for centuries, so it must only be a hint or a rumor of what happened. If the quest is activated outside of Ysgramor's Tomb, it will put a map marker for the tomb, leading the dragonborn there. When the dragonborn picks up the broken blade, the ghost of a Breton "battlebard" companion named Madadh will appear. He will detail his betrayal by his once friend and fellow companion Barend (or Bjorn ... not sure which I like best) and request that the dragonborn reforge the blade and purge Barend/Bjorn's soul from it, giving him revenge at long last. The reward will be the reforged sword which does the same damage as a regular iron sword, but swings as fast as a dagger. When the dragonborn picks up the broken handle, the ghost of a Nord companion named Barend/Bjorn will appear and say almost the same thing, except he will name Madadh the faithless friend and ask the dragonborn to purge his soul. The reward will be the reforged sword which swings as fast as a regular sword, but does the same damage as an iron mace. No interaction/dialogue is necessary with either ghost. Not knowing how to proceed (and with no guidance from the ghost or the quest journal), the dragonborn goes about his/her business. The next time s/he encounters a Vigilant, said Vigilant will say there is an aura of something Daedric about the dragonborn. The dragonborn will mention the broken sword. The Vigilant will direct the dragonborn to one of three places: * Stendarr's Beacon (http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Stendarr's_Beacon)* Hall of the Vigilant (http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Hall_of_the_Vigilant)* The Stendarr's Shrine in Whiterun, usually an unmarked location (http://static.skyrim.nexusmods.com/images/2716538-1330046260.jpg) When the dragonborn activates the Shrine of Stendarr, Keeper Carcette (http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Keeper_Carcette) will appear (or a random priest of Stendarr) and say that Stendarr has chosen the dragonborn to right a centuries old wrong perpetrated by Boethia. The dragonborn is directed to an ancient forge where they will find more information. The forge could be located at Reachwind Eyrie (http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Reachwind_Eyrie) or at one of the following mod locations (most of which would have to be adapted for this quest): * Soul Forge: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/8971* Lake Klinalth Tower: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=9612&searchtext=* Cap of the World: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=11778&searchtext=* Niflheim: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=17965* Forgotten Forge: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=9951&searchtext= Upon arriving, and clearing out whatever kind of enemy is currently located there, the dragonborn finds the journal of the legendary, Orcish mage-smith who forged the sword. S/he had been researching new methods of forging unique weapons when his/her forge was overrun by Boethian cultists. S/he sought Madadh and Barend/Bjorn, two of the most famous Companions of that time, to help him/her regain his/her forge. Not being wealthy, s/he offered to forge the two Companions a weapon. They asked for matching swords. Neither used swords (Madadh used daggers and Barend/Bjorn used a mace), but their love for one another was so great that they wanted to have matching weapons. The mage-smith was touched by their love for one another and did as they asked. However, although the swords were physically similar in every respect, Madadh's sword swung as fast as a dagger (while doing the same damage as a sword) and Barend/Bjorn's sword did the same damage as an iron mace (while swinging as fast as a sword). They two men were most pleased. He included the recipe for each sword. Both needed the standard two iron ingots. But Madadh's needed a fox pelt in lieu of an leather strip, as well as a live butterfly. Barend/Bjorn's needed a bear pelt in lieu of a leather strip, as well as a bear claw. This activates the next part of the quest, collecting the following (all of which can be located near Ivarstead): * 4 iron ingots (can probably be purchased from any smith, including the one at the Imperial camp near Ivarstead)* 1 fox pelt, symbolizing Madadh's name (one fox is running up the hill near Froki's Shack past the Imperial camp near Ivarstead)* 1 butterfly in a jar, symbolizing speed (found at the Alchemist's Shack near Ivarstead)* 1 bear pelt, symbolizing Barend/Bjorn's name (can be found at Honeystrand Cave near Ivarstead)* 1 bear claw, symbolizing strength (can be found on the same bear where you get the pelt) PART II After collecting the ingredients, the dragonborn returns to the mage-smith's forge and begins reforging the sword. All the ingredients are removed from his/her inventory and s/he comes away with a single sword. Before anything else can happen, the sword begins to sing and tells it's sad story: * Some time after Tiber Septim/Talos/Hjalti took the Reach from the Bretons (but long before the Oblivion Crisis), a lone Breton named Madadh ("fox"), displaced by the war, decided to wander Skyrim as a bard. Not being a very good bard, he ends up having to supplement his income with theft. He doesn't wear any armor, choosing gray raiment, stealth and speed instead. He wields daggers.* He comes across the farm of a giant, bear of a Nord named Barend ("hard bear") or Bjorn ("bear"). He either steals some crops or eggs or insults Barend/Bjorn with something like, "Typical of a Nord: enough muscle to push the plow himself but not enough brain to buy an ox to do it for him." They fight. Madadh is too fast for Barend/Bjorn to land a blow, but although Madadh lands many small blows on Barend/Bjorn, he is too resilient to go down. Finally, after a very long fight, Barend/Bjorn lands a glancing blow on Madadh, who is sent reeling. But the many small wounds Madadh has given Barend/Bjorn have taken their toll as well. Exhausted, bruised and bleeding; both men silently declare a truce and collapse. Barend/Bjorn begins laughing. Madadh looks at him like he's crazy, but joins in. * They decide that, since Madadh is a bad bard and Barend/Bjorn is a bad farmer, but they seem to fight pretty well, they'll team up and be sellswords. It turns out they work great together, each having strengths where the other has a weakness. Generally, Barend/Bjorn would wade in to take on an enemy (or enemies), while Madadh would pick off extras and deal the unsuspecting deathblow to whomever Barend/Bjorn was fighting. They found themselves helping the poor, weak and oppressed, often for free. Madadh, even when he was a thief, wouldn't steal from the poor. He knew what it was like to be crapped on by the world. And Barend/Bjorn was just a simple, caring person who didn't like to see the innocent suffer. * When they would camp, Madadh would tell all the stories he knew to Barend/Bjorn, who loved all of them. Madadh began writing songs of their exploits and, whenever they would stay at an inn or in a town, he would sing them for all assembled. Thus, their fame began to spread.* Eventually, the Companions got wind of them and invited them to join. They spent many happy years at Jorrvaskr.* Then, the events detailed in the mage-smith's journal occurred. Boethia was not pleased on many levels. S/he didn't have a problem with someone stronger defeating her followers. But s/he greatly disliked their constant assistance to the poor and weak. And s/he couldn't bear their fast friendship. S/he appeared to each of them separately and said if they would kill the other, s/he would make them his/her champion and reward them greatly. S/he desired to use their fame for her own ends. When all those people who loved the songs about them heard how one killed the other over a sword, it would be better than a thousand songs written in his/her honor. But both flatly refused him/her. * Infuriated, s/he came to them while camping. S/he took their swords, the rewards they received for defeating his/her followers, and fused them into one sword. Then, s/he cursed it so that anyone who touched it would have an all consuming desire for it. When the two friends awoke, each reached for the sword. Madadh found that, when he swung it, it was fast as a dagger and thought it was his. Barend/Bjorn found that, when he swung it, it hit like a mace and thought it was his. Both consumed with lust for the sword, they began to fight in earnest. Madadh dealt a dozen deep wounds before Barend/Bjorn connected with his mace, sending Madadh careening to his death. Barend/Bjorn was too badly wounded, however, and died soon after. * The Harbinger, following a premonition from Stendarr, traveled to their campsite and deduced what had happened. His hand hovered over the sword and he almost picked it up, but he could feel something evil about it. Instead, he took his battleaxe and smashed it in two. He buried the two friends together (they were still near the mage-smith's forge) and took the broken sword to Ysgramor's Tomb. Then, he instructed all the Companions that they were to actively suppress the memory of the friends, forbidding their songs to be sung whenever they heard them. They were largely successful. When the story is done, the sword says that it is still cursed, that the two friends will fight over it for all eternity if allowed. It would rather be destroyed and the curse permanently removed from their souls and from the world. When the sword finishes speaking, the ghosts of Madadh and Barend/Bjorn appear and begin fighting, each calling for aid from the dragonborn. Thus, the dragonborn is faced with a choice: * Help Madadh and receive a sword which swings fast as a dagger.* Help Barend/Bjorn and have a sword which does the damage of an iron mace. * End the curse and help the friends find peace and reconciliation, but destroy the sword (which is to be the reward) in the process. If the dragonborn helps Madadh or Barend/Bjorn, the ghost he helped initially thanks him. Then he says, "But I can never let you have the sword! It's mine!" Then, the dragonborn must destroy that ghost as well. However, s/he is rewarded with the sword of whichever person s/he initially assisted. **EDIT:** Although the quest will be marked complete, because of the curse, the sword cannot be removed from the dragonborn's inventory. Also (if this is possible), whenever equipped, everyone within detectable range (even friendly NPCs and followers) will attack the dragonborn (because they want the sword). As soon as the sword is unequipped, they will cease to be hostile. So, it will be more of a burden than a boon. Useful when attacking bandits or draugr, as long as there is no one else around. But you can never let it go and never use it with friends around. Of course, the dragonborn won't know any of this when s/he makes his/her choice. PART III If the dragonborn destroys the sword, something else happens. The curse appears in the form of a Dremora Lord. At that point, the ghosts of the two friends are freed from the curse and assist the dragonborn in destroying the Dremora. This is followed by a short scene where Madadh and Barend/Bjorn reconcile. Then, both thank the dragonborn for sacrificing a potential reward to assist them. At that point, either Keeper Carcette or the priest of Stendarr appear. They congratulate the dragonborn on choosing the noble path balanced between justice and mercy. The priest/Carcette holds their hands over the forge where you threw the sword to be destroyed, praying. Then reaching bare-handed into the coals, the sword is pulled out whole. Both Madadh and Barend/Bjorn declare that the dragonborn is worthy to bear the reforged sword. They begin debating what it should be called: * Madadh: "I never got a chance to name my sword. What did you call yours?"* Barend/Bjorn: "I thought about calling it 'Bear Claw.'" * Madadh: "Ehhhh ... I don't know. That just makes me hungry. How about 'Butterflybane?'"* Barend/Bjorn: "I'm sure that will strike fear in the hearts of all who hear it."* Madadh: "Are you being witty and ironic? That's my job, you know. You're just supposed to hit people on the head."* Barend/Bjorn: "With 'Butterflybane?"* Madadh: "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bear!" Their voices fade as they disappear. Then, the reforged sword, named "Butteflybane," is added to the dragonborn's inventory and the quest is ended. (This is a reference to guards saying, "Iron sword, eh? What are you killing, butterflies?" when the dragonborn passes with an iron sword equipped.) However, it's actually a pretty good sword without being ridiculously powerful. Daggers attack at 1.3 (compared to 1.0 for swords and 0.8 for maces). An iron dagger only does 4 base damage (compared to 7 for swords and 9 for maces). If I did my math right, that means that Butterflybane would do 11.7 DPS. Here's a comparison with other weapons: * Butterflybane = 11.7 DPS* Dwarven sword = 11* Elven sword = 12.1* Glass mace = 11.2* Ebony/Daedric mace = 12.8* Glass dagger = 11.7 I did some research and found the following code which is supposed to reset the speed of a greatsword: "setgs fWeaponTwoHandedAnimationSpeedMult #" Presumably, someone who is familiar at all with mods would be able to code the weapon to have the damage stats of an iron mace with the speed of a dagger. Perhaps you could retexture an iron mace to have the appearance of an iron sword and recode it to swing as fast as a dagger. It should definitely NOT be disenchantable. Nor should it use soul gems. I'm not certain whether it should require the arcane blacksmithing perk to improve or if should be enchantable. "Rahd's Longhammer" is both improvable without the perk and enchantable, so I'd say it would be fair for this sword to be the same. I have no idea how to make new dialogue or new NPCs appear. It is possible to do the entire quest where the dragonborn doesn't have to respond at all. It could just be the quest people talking to him/her. Regarding the location of the forge, I'm not certain what would be easiest. Some of the mods I mentioned already have enemies to be cleared (maybe enemies aren't necessary?). Someone who knows what they're doing could take the mod, adjust it to fit this quest, and republish it as a complete package with everything else. However, I'm kind of fond of using Reachwind Tower. It already exists in the game, but is notably empty. Add a forge and some bad guys to clear and you're good to go! I suppose Forsworn would be the logical choice. But bandits would do just as well. There is one more thing I'd really like, but which I'm not sure at all how to do. I'd like to keep the sword as a singing sword and use it as a means of reintroducing the tales of Madadh and Barend/Bjorn to Skyrim. I don't know how or even if this would work, but I'd like for the dragonborn to be able to draw Butterflybane in an inn or in the presence of any bard and have the sword sing one or more of the songs Madadh wrote. From that point on, that song would be added to that bard's "playlist," thus returning the two friends to fame and notoriety. I know it works with the song that only appears after the dragonborn finishes the main quest, so maybe it would be possible? Well, that's it. I hope someone is able to create this. I haven't been so excited about a mod since I learned about "Play and Bash." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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