LE Lore-Friendly Valkyrie race/items and NPCs?

[Danman804]

No, this is not anime mod request, nor is it a request for any of those tear-inducingly cutesy cr@p of overtly feminine and possibly pedophile attracting, Vaseline draining tired series of adolescent whack off materials. If you don't like what this is requesting, go request something more to your taste in the forum.

 

 

 

With that clarification, let's discuss how to introduce Lore-Friendly but still above-and-beyond style of Valkyrie items and possibly NPCs into skyrim. If you think about it, the idea of Valkyrie is so compatible with Skyrim that it boggles the mind why developers left it out. The only plausible explanation I could find is that 'Shield-maidens' in skyrim were the limit of how much 'feminization of warriors' devs were willing to take along (aside from obviously 'wild' forsworn').

 

However, it is my opinion that we can still introduce the concept of 'Valkyria' into skyrim without being too overtly feminine or feeling out of place. To introduce Valkyries that are dignified, sacred, graceful yet still exuding an air of power and warrior spirit is something I think we can agree is sorely lacking in Skyrim.

 

Let me make something clear: This idea is very much NOT about introducing Valkyries as some kind of twisted eye-candies. In fact, it is a very difficult job to introduce such concept of female warriors that exude their own brand of strong, steadfast presence while still bringing out the appeal of 'sacred angels' and 'messengers of gods' feel that Valkyries are known for originally. They are essentially grim reapers, beautiful and terrible, but at the same time welcoming form of death that lifts up worthy soldiers to Valhalla.

 

Anyone up for some challenge? Think Olfina in Whiterun, albeit with more warrior feel, then you get the idea.

[Strokend]

No, this is not anime mod request, nor is it a request for any of those tear-inducingly cutesy cr@p of overtly feminine and possibly pedophile attracting, Vaseline draining tired series of adolescent whack off materials. If you don't like what this is requesting, go request something more to your taste in the forum.

 

 

 

With that clarification, let's discuss how to introduce Lore-Friendly but still above-and-beyond style of Valkyrie items and possibly NPCs into skyrim. If you think about it, the idea of Valkyrie is so compatible with Skyrim that it boggles the mind why developers left it out. The only plausible explanation I could find is that 'Shield-maidens' in skyrim were the limit of how much 'feminization of warriors' devs were willing to take along (aside from obviously 'wild' forsworn').

 

However, it is my opinion that we can still introduce the concept of 'Valkyria' into skyrim without being too overtly feminine or feeling out of place. To introduce Valkyries that are dignified, sacred, graceful yet still exuding an air of power and warrior spirit is something I think we can agree is sorely lacking in Skyrim.

 

Let me make something clear: This idea is very much NOT about introducing Valkyries as some kind of twisted eye-candies. In fact, it is a very difficult job to introduce such concept of female warriors that exude their own brand of strong, steadfast presence while still bringing out the appeal of 'sacred angels' and 'messengers of gods' feel that Valkyries are known for originally. They are essentially grim reapers, beautiful and terrible, but at the same time welcoming form of death that lifts up worthy soldiers to Valhalla.

 

Anyone up for some challenge? Think Olfina in Whiterun, albeit with more warrior feel, then you get the idea.

By Lore, a Valkyrie is just an angelic warrior, typically wielding a spear or lance. They were directly below Odin, making them just as deadly and up there as Thor and Loki.

 

Here's an image of a more proper armor:

 

http://www.originalsoundversion.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/valkyrie_profile_cover.jpg

 

As you can see, there's the winged helmet, a plate mail complete with heavy pauldrons, and it actually goes all the way down into a skirt. The boots are very tall, but rather than gauntlets she has bracers. On the back of her plate mail are wings; this would not be necessary but could just come as a form of "cape" attatched to the armor.

 

Here's another image for an alternate form:

 

 

http://api.ning.com/files/8UjECcmBpW0Kz4Ryv7PP8DWBOIFBGGse*Iw1kmIdqgFfPFew*cu4ADprEMvkEqJXnw0yZ**uwLbPyQhfIYTflx9sJrn0QWZm/Valkyrie.jpg

 

 

Her pauldrons are a lot smaller, but still a signifigant presence. Rather than a fullblown skirt, she has a pseudo-cape flowing from the base of her platemail cuirass. In this image, she is shown with full out gauntlets.

 

Either set of armor is good, and even having both (The pseudo-cape could be the male's form of armor for it) would work--A bodyarmor with large pauldrons and no sleeves or a bodyarmor with light pauldrons but full sleeves, as well as bracers or gauntlets.

 

NPC-wise, Valkyrians could be both male and female. While by Norse Lore Valkyries are only females, this is because they are not a species. If they were to be represented as a species, they'd be Asgardians, or whatever the heck you call them, and there most certainly are male Asgardians. Prime example: Thor, Odin, Tyr. If you ever attempt to make them a full out species, you have to include males, otherwise there's a giant plothole. They could still have long hair, flowing capes, and wings, just their armor (if the secondary t ype, at least) would be smoother, without those additional plates over the breasts. The first cuirass would just flatten out the plate present there.

This does not, however, mean that males have to be common. One's enough; nobody said the ratio of female:male can't be 9:1.

 

Males only need be included because, frankly, people are going to be asking for them as a playable race, and a female-only playble race is just asking to be ignored. Furthermore, female-only armor will net you plenty of complaints from me, since you're asking for full-sized platemail outfits. Almost no armor whatsoever deserves to be female-only or male-only to start with.

[Danman804]

 

No, this is not anime mod request, nor is it a request for any of those tear-inducingly cutesy cr@p of overtly feminine and possibly pedophile attracting, Vaseline draining tired series of adolescent whack off materials. If you don't like what this is requesting, go request something more to your taste in the forum.

 

 

 

With that clarification, let's discuss how to introduce Lore-Friendly but still above-and-beyond style of Valkyrie items and possibly NPCs into skyrim. If you think about it, the idea of Valkyrie is so compatible with Skyrim that it boggles the mind why developers left it out. The only plausible explanation I could find is that 'Shield-maidens' in skyrim were the limit of how much 'feminization of warriors' devs were willing to take along (aside from obviously 'wild' forsworn').

 

However, it is my opinion that we can still introduce the concept of 'Valkyria' into skyrim without being too overtly feminine or feeling out of place. To introduce Valkyries that are dignified, sacred, graceful yet still exuding an air of power and warrior spirit is something I think we can agree is sorely lacking in Skyrim.

 

Let me make something clear: This idea is very much NOT about introducing Valkyries as some kind of twisted eye-candies. In fact, it is a very difficult job to introduce such concept of female warriors that exude their own brand of strong, steadfast presence while still bringing out the appeal of 'sacred angels' and 'messengers of gods' feel that Valkyries are known for originally. They are essentially grim reapers, beautiful and terrible, but at the same time welcoming form of death that lifts up worthy soldiers to Valhalla.

 

Anyone up for some challenge? Think Olfina in Whiterun, albeit with more warrior feel, then you get the idea.

By Lore, a Valkyrie is just an angelic warrior, typically wielding a spear or lance. They were directly below Odin, making them just as deadly and up there as Thor and Loki.

 

Here's an image of a more proper armor:

 

http://www.originalsoundversion.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/valkyrie_profile_cover.jpg

 

As you can see, there's the winged helmet, a plate mail complete with heavy pauldrons, and it actually goes all the way down into a skirt. The boots are very tall, but rather than gauntlets she has bracers. On the back of her plate mail are wings; this would not be necessary but could just come as a form of "cape" attatched to the armor.

 

Here's another image for an alternate form:

 

 

http://api.ning.com/files/8UjECcmBpW0Kz4Ryv7PP8DWBOIFBGGse*Iw1kmIdqgFfPFew*cu4ADprEMvkEqJXnw0yZ**uwLbPyQhfIYTflx9sJrn0QWZm/Valkyrie.jpg

 

 

Her pauldrons are a lot smaller, but still a signifigant presence. Rather than a fullblown skirt, she has a pseudo-cape flowing from the base of her platemail cuirass. In this image, she is shown with full out gauntlets.

 

Either set of armor is good, and even having both (The pseudo-cape could be the male's form of armor for it) would work--A bodyarmor with large pauldrons and no sleeves or a bodyarmor with light pauldrons but full sleeves, as well as bracers or gauntlets.

 

NPC-wise, Valkyrians could be both male and female. While by Norse Lore Valkyries are only females, this is because they are not a species. If they were to be represented as a species, they'd be Asgardians, or whatever the heck you call them, and there most certainly are male Asgardians. Prime example: Thor, Odin, Tyr. If you ever attempt to make them a full out species, you have to include males, otherwise there's a giant plothole. They could still have long hair, flowing capes, and wings, just their armor (if the secondary t ype, at least) would be smoother, without those additional plates over the breasts. The first cuirass would just flatten out the plate present there.

This does not, however, mean that males have to be common. One's enough; nobody said the ratio of female:male can't be 9:1.

 

Males only need be included because, frankly, people are going to be asking for them as a playable race, and a female-only playble race is just asking to be ignored. Furthermore, female-only armor will net you plenty of complaints from me, since you're asking for full-sized platemail outfits. Almost no armor whatsoever deserves to be female-only or male-only to start with.

That first image is PRECISELY what I am talking about AVOIDING.

 

 

Second image, on the other hand, is much closer to what I am imagining as a proper valkyrie.

 

 

Most of the 'lore' about Valkyries that modern day society portray them as is in fact twisted and corrupted beyond all measure by people who would rather fantasize about female warriors being feminine and weak rather than their real and original characters. Your presentation of them as 'angelic' in a modern sense is precisely what we are tryign to avoid here.

 

These valkyrie are not wall-flower decorations or eye candy like the first image presents them as - almost ethereal and fragile - looking girls who look like they were ripped from twisted japanese child-fantasy land and animated porn.

 

They should have their own brand of strength and mystical mandate-driven presence that belies their power as virtual grim reapers. These women (or sometimes men) are warriors, fighters, and messengers of death, not really objects of cheap fantasies.

 

 

Yes to your second image, absolute no to the first one. It's not really about skirts or anything - it's more that first one is exactly the kind of image we need to dispell about valkyries: That they are some kind of ultra feminine-fragile and ethereal beings too often mistaken as 'angelic' and so forth (as in, modern idea of 'angelic' that means they are fragile, mystical and have the general presence that pegs them as anything but violent and neigh-sadistically terrifying in their ability to exert power and violence, which is what they were originally).

 

 

 

I never said they had to be only female. As for having both genders, sure. We should however think them mainly as female with sprinkle of male gender spread throughout.

 

Let's try to imagine them as character of their original mythology - powerful and (by degraded, posh modern standards) masculine, but still demonstrating their own kind of strength and grace that inspires fear and awe. They should have the kind of depth and gravity that rises above cheap fantasy-making feeling given out by the first image and more closely related to power wielding spirits of soldiers more closely followed by the second image.

Edited February 26, 2013 by Danman804

[Capncrass]

Most of the 'lore' about Valkyries that modern day society portray them as is in fact twisted and corrupted beyond all measure by people who would rather fantasize about female warriors being feminine and weak rather than their real and original characters. Your presentation of them as 'angelic' in a modern sense is precisely what we are tryign to avoid here.

 

Not that I disagree with your stance, but that's hardly a modern problem.

[Hotemochick1992]

Valkyries should be beautiful and angelic, I mean after all they are angels of death. More so a Valkyries should have a certain glow about her. All while looking very strong. Heavy armor and such. Just a girls opinion of course. Personally I would love to see a very strong female race in the game.

[Strokend]

Valkyries should be beautiful and angelic, I mean after all they are angels of death. More so a Valkyries should have a certain glow about her. All while looking very strong. Heavy armor and such. Just a girls opinion of course. Personally I would love to see a very strong female race in the game.

I don't think giving them a halo is very realistic. They don't really need wings, for that matter; however, you are right that they could look strong without looking like monsters.

 

Yes, scars are proof of battle, but a true warrior, the kind who attains such a rank as Valkyrie, doesn't need proof of battle. They're strong and that's all there is to it, nobody's gonna question that.

 

That said, there's no harm in giving some a scar or two. Just because you don't need proof doesn't mean you never got any.

[Hotemochick1992]

I didn't mean Halo's or wings. Just a glow, Scars are a nice little touch I think. Maybe some Celtic style tattoos and such as well. I mean they should scream, I'm a beautiful creature, but I'm a badass.

[Danman804]

With all respect, Hotemochick1992, those two ideas are mostly mutually exclusive. You cannot be an object of cheap sexual fantasies and grave, dignified and powerful demi god at the same time. You can't have your cake and eat it too, no less than a man would have trouble being seen as a 'whole man' if he wants to be taken seriously amongst his peers as an equal but struts around in a drag queen outfit.

 

 

In terms of this not being a modern phenomenon, I would expect this to be at least partially true thanks to the fact that modern mass media will take anything it can make into popular imagination (i.e. lowest denominator) for the sake of entertainment and cheap laughs. Contrary to what we see today, past portrayals of Valkyries were, as feminine as they were, more inclined to 'mystically powerful' and 'sacred grim reapers' vs. 'overtly feminine' and 'hyper sexualized' of today.

 

 

Valkyries are not 'glowing, soft, angelic beings' as we dream of 'angelic' today. Remember real angels, as least according to most texts, were in fact just as if not more terrifying than demons i.e. with six heads, flaming tails, numerous arms and pretty much a nightmare incarnate (except for the fact that they are....angels). We tend, in a very shallow way, to imagine 'good' and 'sacred' as something 'fragile', 'feminine' and 'aversion to violence stereotype'. This is possibly the single greatest BS - they are 'Angels' precisely BECAUSE they are more terrifying than their enemies, and wields such presence that runs counter to all the 'feminine' idea of 'good' and 'angelic' we have today.

 

[Hotemochick1992]

Beauty and cheap sexual fantasy are two totally different things bud. Beauty doesn't mean monster sized breasts and a large butt. Valkyries were always described as a thing of beauty to begin with, and I'm sorry but just because something is beautiful doesn't mean its fragile or feminine at all. A Valkyrie should be like... Like a 1969 Mustang Fastback, Strong and grounded. Full of power and energy, yet at the same time being sleek and stylized. In essence pure beauty.

[tobakzz]

maybe more like the ones in wow or you can just give a girl wings ghost effect and steel plate armor and i too dont like does mods whats the thing about playing a girl with big boobs soo it would be cool to see them bieng strong as the nord seems too be and not skimpy.