SHRAC0602 "Salacai Maru"

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Salacai Maru Ruins
STATUS: Open

Tileset: Velothi Ruin
Exterior cell coordinates: (58,11)
Cell Name: SteadhelmRegionAreaClaim0702lvl1, SteadhelmRegionAreaClaim0702lvl2
Claim Difficulty: Easy or Medium (your choice).
Creatures: Creatures or Ghosts / Undead. 1-5 for easy levels. 7 or more for Medium.
Name of the Tomb: Dunmer, Hlaalu.
Amount of Loot: Low or Medium (according to the above).
General Info: Check this link.

Please note that this is merely a placeholder for the actual dungeon claim until my own region claim has been approved and merged so you will not be able to download the ESM that you need to mod just yet.




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

Salacai Maru is witness to the start of the swamps and the end of the civilised regions of Steadhelm. By the screenshots, you do not see the final modded version of the claim but there is a signpost that indicates the city in one direction and the swamps (in Daedric text) in the other.

Although there is evidence of someone enjoying this pleasant viewing point (an artist's easel), there may well be more to this Ruin than meets the eye. A path runs down to 'Witch Island' by means of a set of steps. Perhaps an associate of the witch dwells within, more dangerous than the lady herself and perhaps protective of her, maybe even responsible for her negative reputation.

A sheer cliff face cuts short the open space at the top. There is a sharp drop to the swamps below. This claim, however, is open to your own interpretation.

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

You'll find the entrance for the tomb in the cell SteadhelmRegionCarthinasiaRuin (58,11) of the STLand worldspace. Use the Silgrad_Tower.esm v3.22 or a higher version. You may add a few things such as cobwebs to the exterior, if you wish.

Don't forget to select snap to grid (32-64) and snap to angle, when creating the lay-out for your tomb.

You have to use the new Velothi tileset (Static>>ST>>Velothi>>Interior>>tileset).

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

(Quoting Sandor): It's possible to include items from the 'MiscItem>>ST' category but only if it's appropriate. This may include things from the Static category like cobwebs and so on. However, modders have to use our own containers (WorldObjects>>Container>>ST) and flora (WorldObjects>>Flora)>>ST etc.
If there's no alternative they may use OB stuff (rare).

For the traps I recommend checking the OB dungeons.
Just right-click on a trap and 'use info' to check the cell in question.

For inspiration check the "SilgradCityRegionLoc0101lvl1" tomb made by Razorwing or this one which provides lots of extra information about Velothi tombs.

[TITLE]What would I find, in terms of loot, inside a cave?[/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 ruins, 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 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. For a good example of excellent use of light affecting the gameplay of a ruin or tomb, I would advise checking out the early sections of ‘Gates to Aesgaard’ by ThePriest909 which makes for a sensationally spooky and jumpy gaming experience.

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

The function of this ruin is up to you but, so that we can adapt it in places where quests use this location, please stick to the levelled lists for now. Try to make it interesting for the player, of course. If you have any specific ideas then let myself or sandor know about it.

[TITLE]Anything else?[/TITLE]

Add a pathgrid to the ruins/tomb. Playtest the entire layout and make any necessary corrections before submitting it for review.

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