SHRAC0704 "Morning Star Bastion" (Fort Ruin)

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Morning Star Bastion
STATUS: Open

Tileset: Fort Ruins
Exterior cell coordinates: (43, 0)
Cell Name: SteadhelmRegionAreaClaim0704lvl1, SteadhelmRegionAreaClaim0704lvl2
Claim Difficulty: Medium or Hard (your choice).
Creatures: Originally safe and perhaps boarded up (by the militia), later with Creatures or Bandits (possibly even something demonic). 7 or more for Medium Levels. 12 or more for Hard.
Amount of Loot: Medium or High (according to the above).
General Info: Check this link.

You'll need the 3.22 version of the ESM or higher to mod this location. Download it here.




[TITLE]Ibsen’s Ghost’s Description & Details[/TITLE]

Dominating the south-western shore skyline of Steadhelm and affording good views of the bridge to Steadhelm in the distance, the Morning Star Bastion is renowned in the region for its position as a place of tremendous strategic importance. It has proved to be the winning factor in a number of wars and conflicts in the region’s turbulent history. It’s twin waterfalls that adorn either side have been a source of great sustenance during times of conflict where the builders dug deep to access the underground streams whilst also serving to slow down an advancing enemy. Attack from the West is all but impossible where the spiraling path that circumnavigates the Fort gave the defenders a spot from which to get closer to enemy sea vessels. However, this path is now beginning to crumble away, its original stonewall replaced by a rope barrier. However, raiders once found a soft spot when the traditional storage offered by the nearby Angel’s Tear Cave was used as a tunneling point to reach the Fort’s underground sections. This may still exist today.

You will notice the standard of Steadhelm raised at the Bastion where Steadhelm Guards should be positioned in order to maintain this symbolic Fort. Whether they are now bored and becoming troublesome or are suddenly finding themselves under the threat of a new insurgent force that is over-running the place is up to yourself and the quest modder who claims this (perhaps both ). Overall, probably a good location for a Fighter’s Guild quest.

Please note that any ideas for the past or present function of the Fort ruins is entirely up to the modder but I have tried to suggest a possible direction here.

[TITLE]How should I go about modding the layout?[/TITLE]

You'll need the 3.22 version of the ESM or higher to mod this location. Download it here. You may add a few things to the exterior, if you wish.

You have to use the Fort Ruins tileset from Oblivion (World Objects>>Static>>Dungeons>>Fort Ruins>>Dungeon). However, for noobs, you may wish to use this page of the CS wiki for reference. And if you want to see some examples of possible lay-outs for this tileset check the interior Oblivion cells WarehouseFortRuinsHALLcrypts, WarehouseFortRuinsEntrances, WarehouseFortRuinsHALLrooms etc.

It's fine to add another level just give the new cell the same name, except for the last part and replace lvl1 by lvl2 etc.

If you want to research your ruin to get the right effect, then I’m told that Forts Nikel, Strand and Homestead are the best for a challenge whilst some fans have mentioned that their overall favourites are Fort Rayles and (my own favourite) Fort Grief.

Much of what you would normally find in an Imperial Fort would also be present here. Check out the activators for some good traps that are purpose built for Fort Ruins. Just right-click on a trap and 'use info' to check the cell in question. However, please use ST’s own miscellaneous items wherever possible. As for containers, you must use our own (WorldObjects>>Container>>ST) and the same goes for flora (WorldObjects>>Flora)>>ST etc. If there's no other alternative then you may use OB stuff. This should be fine for things like roots but make sure people know this is a Fort in Morrowind and not Cyrodiil.

[TITLE]What would I find, in terms of loot, inside a Fort Ruin?[/TITLE]

You should use leveled lists for the loot but the ruin may be being used by some person or creature so you may wish to select accordingly. For bandits and other rogues, for example, you can expect illegal items (skooma and moon sugar, for instance), as well as some gems, armor, weapons, gold, and other loot. If renegade mages have taken over the fort, you’d find ingredients, books, potions, and other mage-related items. If the ruin has only the undead, you can add objects from their own history e.g. ancient Dwemer or even Akaviri or Ayleid, although, for the latter, you will need to check with Razorwing and provide a good reason why these non-Morrowind inhabitants have strayed here.

The preferred type of enemy for this ruin is listed at the top of this thread. You might be able to do something else though if you want - just check with me or sandor first and we'll tell you if your idea is appropriate.

[TITLE]How should I light the ruins?[/TITLE]

You should try to use our own candles and our own sconces if possible but your tomb can be as dark or as light as you want it to be, probably depending on whether anyone bothers to maintain it.

However, Fort Ruins are normally quite bright but you may wish to darken things if you want to ensnare the PC in a well-placed trap.

[TITLE]What enemies should I use?[/TITLE]

The function of this ruin is up to you so you may add creatures or bandits. Try to make it interesting for the player, of course but, for the time being, until the quests come to inhabit our dungeons, we must use the leveled lists. They can be replaced later so please let us know if you’d like to use a special bad guy.

[TITLE]Anything else?[/TITLE]

Add a pathgrid to the Fort Ruins. Playtest the entire layout and make any necessary corrections before submitting it for review.

IMPORTANT: Please try to ensure that the entrance to the Fort Ruin dips sharply downwards and curls off to the right to begin with. This will reflect the fact that the door is situated at the edge of the fort where there is a sharp drop below. If you can build downwards from there and not move forward until you’ve gotten fairly deep then it would make for a much more realistic (and interesting) experience.

NB: - Thanks to Sandor and TID for helping out in general and allowing me to use their claims descriptions as a default.