Modding on the Spectrum

Goooooood Morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well. It is Morndas the 11th of Last Seed, and wage slaves lament the weekend is over. Hide if you can, or work if you must, It's Morndas again. The blessed moons have begun to wane, but this one thinks you should keep those silver weapons close for at least another day. Anyway, it is time once again for Ah'vrie to tend the inn for our most honored guests. Excuse please while the fires are stoked, and fresh water is put to the flame.

Our brew of the day is still Istanbul espresso as this one was too lazy to choose a new roast earlier, and the biscuits will have to wait on Ah'vrie's return from the markets a little alter. we still have plenty of fresh biscuits left over from the weekend for now. Checking the hot sheets we have 38 new. Mostly jangles and patches, so lets dive right in...

jacob1934 released alchemy_combine_calc_overlay as a first mod Welcome
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156653
"A Python script to assist in selecting alchemy recipes, with a transparent window, requires manual editing of configuration files"

Hate to poke a first mod, but with a UI like that... Keep working at your craft and you too could be saying "Do you want fries with that?" Hopefully they clean that up about 90%

JohnTheJohner released Side Quests Rewards Revamp
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156617
"Light touch-up of some of the vanilla side quests to bring them in line with the rest and make them more worthwhile."

Yet another effort to unbalance the economy... Their fifth. But in fairness getting paid 200 septems to take down a dragon solo in the early game with all the hype about dragons destroying the universe is a bit absurd. The old cat runs scarcity mods, so the side quests sort of fit right in, but maybe the old cat will look at these again as a set when the author is finished with the series. Thanks

MoSami2003 released Magic Critical Hits
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156559
"SKSE plugin which enables critical hits with magic."

This is interesting and quite well thought out. It works well along side combat overhauls like Wildcat, Smilodon, and Valravn. And excludes weapon based enchantments. Ah'vrie has no problem with this seeing as there is little difference between getting hit with an ice spike, or an arrow. There always should have been a 'chance' at a critical hit. Worth a look and a cookie. This will act as a frame work for an upcoming mod from the same author, but it's very much usable as a standalone mod. Tracking for now.

PSBoss returns with Standing Stone the Serpent
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156482
No comment

azuraphel released Khajiit Caravan Kittens Have Tents
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156609
"Patch for Khajiit Caravan Kittens and Khajiit Has Tents by Skyking. ESL"

We love the kittens too, this one gets a mention that it has off site requirements. The old cat usually doesn't cover patches, but has a soft spot for kittens. Go figure ;-)

And that brings us to our mod of the day which our lovely Gnewna shared with us yesterday, but definitely deserves the spotlight this morning.

Children of the Ash - A Dunmer NPC Overhaul by SassiestAssassin
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/122165
"Overhauls the appearance of all named Dunmer NPCs"

The old cat will simply say that this overhaul brings life to the race. Styles, personalities, regional differences... This is a keeper. 3 cookies and seriously worth a look.

And that will do for today. The fires are stoked, the kettles scrubbed, and the floors are swept. Have a seat by the fires and warm your bones. We-B-Open!

Can I hide now? ... More coffee ;-)

Goooooood Morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well. It is Sundas the 10th of Last Seed and a quiet predawn here on warm sands. The blessed moons are full, and a reminder that if you show up at the inn smelling of wet dog, you'll be tasting this old cat's mace, not his mead... It's a cat thing. Excuse please while the fires are stoked, and fresh water is put to the flame...

Our brew of the day is Istanbul espresso, and the biscuits are Ginger zingers. A truly divine pairing. Checking the hot sheets we have 40 new from the usual eclectic sources. Let's see what caught an old cat's eye over a fresh cuppa.

CRAntonV released Erase the dead - Corpse remover
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156568
"The mod allows you to instantly remove any NPC-corpses from the location, and even those that are not usually removed by the game itself."

Not the first, and wanted by many, so thanks. The clean up scripts in this game seem hit or miss at best. However, use the second spell with caution.

kuroishitam released two more 'OIF' mods today
https://next.nexusmods.com/profile/kuroishitam/mods?gameId=1704
Ore Falls on The Ground, and Read The Word Wall. Ore falls looks clumsy at best. Must be a third person thing. Calling it 'immersive' Is a dead giveaway it's not LOL. The old cat already has a read the word wall mod installed that doesn't require any sort of 'Object Impact' let alone a framework. Your game your way. Pass

Donskie62 released "A Bunch of Dear Diary Dark Mode Reskins"
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156429
More accurately they patched CoMap, and Loading Menu Overhaul for DDDM. The old cat wasn't aware that two constituted a 'bunch' But thanks (Needs more/better pictures)

Elfiemyrtle3 released Scholar's Retreat V2 yet another player home
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156547
This one's near Ivarsted, and... They lost the old cat with the Blackreach mushrooms in the front yard, and the ash on the roof... Moving right along

The old cat has an unusual 'mods' of the day on several levels. One, it's an outfit. Two. it sort of stretches the definition of lore friendly. Especially the boots, but if you can push that aside, the outfit itself is simply brilliant.

Mage's Daily Outfit by Suna203
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/155656
"This mod adds a casual light armor outfit inspired by the everyday style of a girl studying magic at the College of Winterhold."

It would seem the old cat is not the only one that thinks so...

Blind Io's Mage's Daily Outfit Recolor
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156588
"Just a few more color options for the very cute new outfit by Suna203"

Mage's Daily Outfit - My Patch 3BA by jamiedow99
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156537
"A patch for "Mage's Daily Outfit" that adds alternative 3BA slidersets to the torso armor and boots. The original mod is required."

Mage's Daily Outfit for BHUNP by urbon
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156597
"A BHUNP conversion from Suna203's outfit"

Mage's Daily Outfit SPID to mages by Tyrthemis
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156552
"Distributes to unique and female mages, this means its very unlikely a bandit mage will get it because they are not named. But college mages have a chance to get it because they are named (unique). This outfit seems cosmopolitan so I didn't want bandits or mages living in abandoned forts to have them. This is an early version of the file, I want to add some exclusions later for certain NPCs, such as Valerica or "the Caller" or Sybille Stentor. Or I might just do a targeted distribution of certain college NPCs (but still having it as a chance, so they change outfits every now and then)"

Personally I'd wait on the exclusions on the last mod, but it does favor the named college mages. Would need to be tested in game.

The old cat fully expects Xtudo to optimize the meshes as well. It's that well done. 2 cookies and worth a look even if it doesn't fit in your load order.

And that will do for today. The fires are stoked, the kettles scrubbed, and the floors are swept and mopped. Have a seat and the wenches will serve you. We-B-Open!

Goood Morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well, but it seems he is greeting an empty room. This is alright, it makes it easier to mop the floors. It is Loredas the 9th of Last Seed and wage slaves rejoice the weekend has arrived. The blessed moons are gibbous so be on your guard, and keep those silver weapons close. Anyway, it is time for this one to tend the inn. Excuse please while the ash pits are emptied, the vents are cleaned, and the fires rebuilt... There, this is much better. Ah'vrie always likes to begin the weekend with happy fires. Now to put fresh water to the flame to begin the magic.

Our brew of the day is Kahawa ya Congo, and the biscuits are ginger. Checking the hot sheets we have 43 new mods, and a few caught the eye. Lets have a look over a fresh cuppa

AceLorea released Wanderheim - The House of Secrets as a first mod. Welcome
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156466
The author is treating this as a 'find it if you can' 'WIP' mod, and promises more later... The house itself is a mash up of kit pieces from Whiterun, Riften and Windhelm, dead trees, chickens in the kitchen... And you have to find it? ... Moving right along

Elfiemyrtle3 released 3 player homes as a first mods. Welcome
https://next.nexusmods.com/profile/Elfiemyrtle3/mods?gameId=1704

Bandit lair, Peaceful garden, and a no load door hunter home that changes with the seasons. The old cat is not sure why they are designated "V2" seeing as there are no "V1"s But okay.

Yahim0 released Yet Another Fast Travel Speed Mod
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156499
A tiny ESL mod that sets the fFastTravelSpeedMult to 3.5. There's room on the pile. Thanks

Hydraaawr released Treasure Falmers
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156470
"Elusive falmers are stealing loot across dungeons and escaping through magical portals. Hunt them down before they vanish and claim their treasure for yourself! Inspired by the Diablo series." ... ? Okay, Falmer are blind and don't gather treasure or use portal magic

This ones mother taught that if you have nothing nice to say... Um, Thanks

And finally nimwraith released Death Approaches - Quest Mod
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156504
"Fall into the realm of sleep and you might awaken on the site of a battlefield. Within lies a nameless soldier, a man who questions what his life will mean once he has passed"

Sounds... Cheerful. Thanks

And that will do for today. The ale is fresh. The new batch of mead is ready. We're serving mudcrab scrambles for the early meal, and we'll plan the late meal when Ah'vrie returns from the markets a little later. We-B-Open!

Gooooooooood morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well. It is Fredas the 8th of Last Seed and thank the divines the weekend is nigh. The blessed moons might as well be gibbous so watch your tail, and keep those silver weapons close. The goddess' crazy puppies will be out all weekend. Anyway it is time for this one to tend the inn. excuse please while the fires are stoked, and fresh water is put to the flame...

Our brew of the day is Miami espresso, and the biscuits are a mix of classic sugar, and apricot, and raspberry thumbprint. (screw the shaman, weekend is here and cookies are virtually required for survival. )

Checking the hot sheets we have 40 new from the usual eclectic sources. A handful caught the eye. Lets dive in over a fresh cuppa.

A shoutout to JohnTheJohner Still adding loot, and unenchanted armor sets

longluca2404 ported DA14 A Night to Remember blackout fix as a first mod. Welcome
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156456
"Fixes progression to quest after third drink for those who never black out after the third drink" Thanks, Some might find that useful, nice first mod, I mean port.

Darkdre04 released Dre's Overpowered Magic as a first mod. Welcome
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156459
"Magic in Skyrim is extremely underwhelming, so I decided to make a mod that buffs spells, some races and perks to make magic as powerful as I possibly can without trying to break the game."

Thanks, how... Typical. Welcome, we'll add this to the pile

Sevnces released Ruins of Rkund - Overhaul as a second mod. Welcome back
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156453
"An overhaul to the Ruins of Rkund Dwemer ruin"

This was actually quite nicely done. The original location is a bit underwhelming, this brings it in line with other dwemer ruins. A few minor landscape edits, but definitely worth a look. This one gets a cookie.

FlamingDonuts released Clanky - A Dwarven Ballista Follower as a second mod.
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156443
"This is a very bare bone follower mod for the Dwarven Ballista"

Ah'vrie wonders if this one knows ballista don't like stairs or doorways? Your game your way. Forget any pretext at stealth LOL. Pass

And finally Bioblade64 released Stables beneath Dragonborn Museum
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156450
"Adds a pair of stables beneath Solitude. Easily accessible through a door in the Dragonborn Museum."

Done as a modding project, The old cat won't poke them on being to lazy to walk to the existing stable at Solitude LOL.

And that will do for today. The fires are stoked, the kettles scrubbed, and the floors are swept. Have a seat by the fires and warm your bones. We-B-Open!

Gooooood Morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well. It is Turdas the 7th of Last Seed and another sticky predawn here on warm sands. The blessed moons are almost full, you have been warned. Show up smelling of wet dog and you'll be tasting this one's mace not his mead. Anyway, it is time once again to tend the inn for our most honored guests. Excuse please while the fires are stoked, and fresh water is put to the flame...

Our brew of the day is Maluka mu Zimbabwe, and the biscuits will have to wait on this one's return from the markets a little later. For now there are plenty of classic chocolate chip cookies. Just don't touch our lovely guard badger's private stash. *shudders*

Checking the hot sheets we have 24 new from the usual eclectic sources. Lets see what catches the eye of an old cat over a fresh cuppa...

RichardLuo released Vanilla Serana SMP Hair replacer as a first non translation. Welcome
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156397
Actually it's a patch for the original mod by chikuwan. Make sure to check the requirements

captainlei1993 released Learn Recipe On Read
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156345
"A lightweight mod automatically unlocking alchemy effect of ingredients upon reading recipes with notifications. SKSE Required" Thanks, another for the pile.

braxusx released Hall of the Dead Tree to Flowers Replacer
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156384
"Replaces the Reach cliff trees in Whiterun's Hall of the Dead with mountain flowers."

Choose blue, red, or both. The old cat has no issues with removing dead interior plants that never should have existed in the first place... ('face palm' to all the interior ivy) But if you were going to pretty the place up, couldn't you also remove the skulls around the shrine? Just poking ;-)

There's really no mod of the day today. we'll finish up with an interesting outfit mash up

Orcrage released Wandering Mage Armour
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156343
"Adds a set of armored wizard robes for the adventurer"

Male only, no weight slider, and shows up in the misc section of the forge. But it is an interesting mashup. Thanks. Keep working at your craft and someday...

The fires are stoked, the kettles scrubbed, and the floors are swept. Have a seat and the wenches will serve you. We-B-Open!

Goooooood Morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well. It is Midas the 6th of Last Seed, and a quiet predawn here on warm sands. The blessed moons have set, and it is once again time for this one to tend the inn. Excuse please while the fires are stoked and fresh water is put to the flame...

Ourt brew of the day is Inspirazione a Venezia, and the biscuits are fudge brownie cookies. Checking the hot sheets we have 29 new, and not much has caught the eye, but lets dive in over a fresh cuppa and see what we shall see.

narginargillo released Simple Obvious Spell-Crafting 2 as a first non translation. Welcome
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156277
Just a noobish OP buff of the original mod, Welcome, but hard pass

littlehand6 released LH's Potion of Warmth
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156304
"Adds a potion that restores cold and provides warmth, as an alternative to hot meals."

Love the concept, The recipe was a swing and a miss. Firesalts and snowberries were perfect, adding ice wraith teeth ? really. Maybe this one should play the game before modding it. You're brewing at the cook pot. Swap the teeth for spiced wine and you have a cookie worthy mod. Worth a look, but edit the recipe. Close but no cookie

Kasala's Interior Level Design Bug Fixes (WIP)
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156288
shifts one, almost un-noticeable bit of clipping in Embershard. Supposedly more to follow. Thanks

The old cat has to chuckle over this next mod.

Better Voices for Positive Undressed Reactions by vexation1977
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156333
"Replaces the rather artificial-sounding unique lines from the original mod with more natural-sounding versions." Replacing crappy AI voices, with less crappy AI voices.

Not saying a word... the originals were pretty bad. Moving right along

We'll finish up with with another tiny but very immersive tweak by wSkeever

See Through Portals and Oblivion Gates - Myrwatch - The Cause
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156264
"Accurate cubemaps for Oblivion Gates and Portals"

Doesn't actually require Myrwatch or The Cause, The old cat has a feeling this will be adopted as recommended by many mods using portals. We'll call this a modders resource as much as a fix. Skeever saves the day for old cats again. Have a cookie

And that will do for today. The fires are stoked, yada yada. We-B-Open!

Goooooood morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well. It is Turdas the 5th of Last Seed, and another balmy predawn here on warm sands. This one is still waiting on the monsoons. They seem later every year. Don't forget the blessed moons will be full this weekend, so keep those silver weapons honed and close at hand. Anyway, it is time once again for this one to tend the inn for our most honored guests. Excuse please while the fires are stoked, and fresh water is put to the flame.

Our brew of the day is Capetown Lungo, and the biscuits are Ginger (Don't tell the shaman) Checking the hot sheets we have 40 new mods with plenty of jangles as always. Let's see what catches an old cat's eye that doesn't have a cup size...

madgbi released Skyrim Teas (madgbi edition) as their second mod.
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156208
"Adds 10 Skyrim teas that grant +25 Health for 600s (+50 for HoneyComb Tea). Works with Eating Animations (drinking animations), Stress and Fear (lowers stress), and Skypatcher (INNs sell teas). Buff synergizes with Gourmet but doesn’t require it."

Nice, but no mention of warmth, or the required keywords for survival, Sunhelm, or Frostfall. A pretty AI generated image is not quite enough.

shazdeh2 is hyping his "workshop menu" with camping and gardening.
"https://next.nexusmods.com/profile/shazdeh2/mods?gameId=1704"
That is one ugly interface. Half the size, better icons, and a neutral grey color and the old cat might even test it.

Akotor64 returns after 3 years with two beast buffs. Thanks
https://next.nexusmods.com/profile/Akotor64/mods?gameId=1704

Ah'vrie is seeing more and more authors that released one mod years ago returning. It makes this one ask are they bots? LOL

WaqasTopNotch returns with Vanilla Remastered HD - Landscape (Complex Parallax)
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156156
More upscaling magic for the series. Much better than vanilla, and maintains the vanilla color pallet. The old cat is not thrilled with turning the meshes over to the parallax generation bots. There are several examples of 'getting it wrong' in the pictures. The most noticeable being the cap stone on the Riverwood bridge. A human needs to edit these meshes. Ah'vrie will pass, but thanks.

LordWushin released Better Streets for Whiterun
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156235
"Whiterun has new roads! Should blend well with any Whiterun city texture you use!" Nice choice of textures with very little noticeable tiling. It's too 'clean and white' There's not a single river or coast in all of Tamriel where you could get that many pure white rocks. Worth a look, but not for old cats. Thanks

Farm Geese- Mihail Monsters and Animals (SE-AE)
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156242
Beautiful models as always. The eyes are a bit too big maybe. The old cat might use these as a replacer for Skytest, but still doesn't trust Mihail's spawns. he has a history...

tcbflash released Prowler's Profit NERFED
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156217
Another for the pile.

People don't get it, it's supposed to be OP. It's the devs reward for a 32 item scavenger hunt, with no quest markers. If you install a quest marker mod, then it becomes a joke. Also by the time you actually recover all the stoned in the vanilla game your already obscenely rich anyway so who cares? your game your way. Pass

Let's finish up with a Bicycle Skin for UBE 2.0 by Jebium (NSFW obviously)
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/155818

This is there second mod, which is interesting. There is some 'discoloration' imbedded in the sub surface scattering that gives this skin a more natural feel than most of the 'doll skin' mods. Highly detailed, if a bit shiny. Worth a look if you use UBE. Interesting second mod. Thanks.

And that will do for today. The fires are stoked, the kettles scrubbed, and the floors are swept. Have a seat by the fires and warm your bones. We-B-Open!

Gooooooood Morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well. It is Morndas the 4th of Last seed and wage slaves lament, the weekend is over. Hide if you can or work if you must, it's Morndas again. Excuse please while the fires are stoked, and fresh water is put to the flame...

Brew of the day is Stockholm Lungo. Later for biscuits, this one needs to go to the markets. Checking the hot sheets we have 35 new from the usual eclectic sources. Let's see what catches an old cat's eye over a fresh cuppa or three.

Wall of shame candidate incoming
ODF - Classic Overlays Compilations by ReDrew89 (or not)
"These configuration files were built by giving the file trees and ODF mod configuration article to Claude.ai and having it build the JSON." No cookie, no link, no respect. Hard pass

Moving right along...

ackadian001 released another loot buff
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156125

ZxUxBxExR released Keys Fix
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156129
"This mod makes all keys use "XXX Key" naming scheme (e.g. Breezehome Key) so they look consistent and are easier to find. Also, keys now have a weight of 0.1 for better immersion. (version without added weight in Optional files)."

This one gets a cookie, but the old cat recommends the weightless option. This one ends up carrying hundreds of keys by game end. and if you take the wax key perk? ... Oof.

GUNDAMmk0 released four today if you count a translation
https://next.nexusmods.com/profile/GUNDAMmk0/mods?gameId=1704
Dynamic sprint - player only, an IED preset that removes the junk dealer backpack indoors, and a patch to remove the magic cloaks from epic dragon combat redone. Thanks

JerryYOJ released Storm(AOE) Spell Targetting Fix - Block Friendly Fire
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156153
"Patches skyrim engine's targetting system to block non-hostile npcs from all AOE spells, most notoriously, form storm spells/shouts, ending the frustration of friendly-fire."

Much needed... if you're dumb enough to cast AOE spells while your followers are in melee
(followers are annoying, the old cat says kill them all and let the divines sort them out)

braxusx released Non-hostile Horker
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156133
"A simple ESL flagged plugin that makes horkers non-hostile, and often flee from you."

The old cat sort of likes this one, but Horkers are generally non hostile anyway if you give them a little space. Thanks

Lets see... Dmigra released Vigilants wear Full Steel Plate - Skypatcher
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156157
Personally the old cat likes the vanilla armored robe mash up. Your game your way

JK's Skyrim Better Cranes - Base Object Swapper by wSkeever
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156110
"Replace cranes from JK's Skyrim with Andyross1962's custom model cargo crane."\

Skeever has a good eye. The counter weighted design is far superior to Javier's. This one gets a cookie

And finally, The Veiled Ledger SE by venjhammet
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156120
"A fully voiced quest mod with two stories, over 30 quests in a world of shadows beneath the near city of Markarth, Skyrim."

The old cat is on the fence with this one... It requires both of his dungeon packs so expect to trip over them everywhere. So watch your step, and it uses the Ai voiced characters to give you a reason to go to them. Might be okay, the old cat won't poke, but as to reusing the old dungeons AGAIN? Not for old cats, already been there, again.

And that will do for today. The fires are stoked, the kettles scrubbed, and the floors are swept. Have a seat and the wenches will serve you. We-B-Open!

Goooooood morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well. It is Sundas the 3rd of Last Seed and a smarmy predawn here on warm sands. The blessed moons have set and it is once again time for this one to tend the inn. Excuse please while the fires are stoked, and fresh water is put to the flame.

The brew of the day is Stockholm Lungo, and biscuits will still have to wait a bit, but today feels like a fudge brownie cookie kind of day. Checking the hot sheets we have 41 new from the usual eclectic sources. Let have a look over a fresh cuppa or two...

energy99 released InitializationNotifier as a first mod. Welcome
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156108
"After starting a new game and exiting racemenu, if there are no new notifications within 20 seconds, play a voice reminder that game initialization is complete."

Oookay... um, thanks? Patience is a virtue, but I guess if you have that many mods installed that you don't know when it's actually done loading it might find a nitch. You know what, it's not a god weapon or a house in Riverwood so have a cookie. Welcome to the community

ackadian001 released Thieves' Guild Rewards Revamp. More gold rewards no link needed

Speaking of rewards... See what Ah'vrie did there

L3st4t released Magic Dragon Scales
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/155894
"This mod will make dragon drop a little scale entwined will a bit of their magic, the scale is equipable ( as an amulet ) and will give a little buff or protection against magic Esl/Flagged"

These buffs are not little, but the amulets are kind of cute. your game your way. Thanks

TheStupidDunmer returns after 8 years to release their second mod. It always calls us back

Dampwood Cottage
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156068
"A small, compact player home nestled in the pines of Falkreath Hold! Cobbled with stone, and adorned with a viewing deck and herb garden, this home is perfect for herbalist or witch characters!

Not a bad first effort after almost a decade. A bit out of place for Falkreath. Thanks

Thay's Palace of the Kings by DovahkiinaThay of course
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/153680
"Complete visual and functional overhaul of the Palace of the Kings: redesigned throne room, private royal chambers, war council room, guest quarters, and servant areas."

A bit over the top with the fires and bunting. Gives the throne room almost a Dragon's reach feel. Not for this old cat but worth a look. Thanks

Frostwoven - SerketHetyt's Iceheart Sisters Overhaul
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/154815
"An overhaul for the awesome Iceheart Sisters, Anja and Kelsa, by Coldsun."

Beautiful sculpting, and dare I say better than the cookie cutter hotties from Coldsun. They're still hotties with a heart of ice, but definitely more interesting. Worth a look.

kaijuK41 returns with Women of Riverwood Redefined
https://next.nexusmods.com/profile/kaijuK41?gameId=1704

The old cat wanted to showcase the author not the mod. Their work is definitely beginning to grow on this old cat. Lydia and Rayya have a much more 'genuine' feel than this one picked up on at first. Our lovely Gnewna noticed it straight away. The old cat took a little longer. The facial sculpting is extremely detailed. And they did a remarkable job with Delphine. Gerdur... they were obviously going for a look, but the head is too small and the neck feels stretched. She's the only one out of the group the old cat isn't thrilled with, but the twin pigtails give her the look of a working woman. This one gets 2 cookies.

Let's take a peek under the bonnet...

Kulharin released Lux - Hammet's Standalone Dungeons
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156065
"Lux lighting template and image space for Hammet's standalone dungeons."

Lux is a patching nightmare... it's nice to see the pros giving it a little support. Thanks

Monitor221hz released Knockout Extensions SKSE
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156012
"A SKSE plugin that restores the vanilla "Concussion" effect archetype and adds an unconscious (out cold) state for NPCs, allowing for non-lethal solutions. NPCs knocked out are regarded as dead for quests, allowing for true pacifist runs. Includes an optional file that adds script-less non-lethal tools and poisons using this framework"

This needs a much closer look. There are some game breaking limitations, but this is honestly the most promising framework for a pacifist playthrough the old cat has seen to date. It will not play well with mods like sneak tools, and you can break quests. Seriously needs testing in game. This one gets two cookies. Read carefully...

Hit to Switch - OIF by kuroishitam of course
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156058
"With this mod now you can hit a lever to lower a bridge, shoot an arrow to push a button from a far, and use telekinesis to pull a lever. Enjoy!"

Mixed feeling on this one. The old cat has alwas wanted telekinesis to work on lever switches, and shooting an arrow to push a button? LOL that was written for old cats. But this one has to draw the line at an arrow flipping a lever... Unless you're using depleted uranium arrows with the scorpion king's bow that's just beyond silly.

The thing is, no one is forcing you to shoot levers, and the rest of the mod is something this old cat has wanted for years. This one gets a cookie.

Lets finish up with Barbas Doggologue Add-On by Arcanyx
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156088
"Barbas Doggologue Add-On gives the Daedric doggo 200+ new lines of chaotic, snarky, lore-friendly dialogue! Naked jokes, Dragonborn burns, Daedra shade, and pure Barbas energy—because your immortal mutt deserves a voice as loud as his bark."

Ah'vrie apologizes, but this is the first bit of AI dialog crap that deserves the top slot. It's full of snark, breaks the fourth wall repeatedly, and arguably destroys immersion...

It's perfect. Instant download, and 2 cookies. This one recommends a silence the stupid incessant barking mod to go with it. the constant woof woof totally ruins the dialog. Talking dogs don't need to woof. Check out the video. This bit of AI trash is a keeper.

"You want me on speed dial, sure but don't abuse it"

And that will do for today. The fires are stoked, the kettles scrubbed, and the floors are swept and mopped. Enjoy what remains of the weekend. We-B-Open!

Gooooooood morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well. It is Loredas the 2nd of Last Seed and wage slaves rejoice the weekend has arrived. it's a quiet predawn here on warm sands. The blessed moons are waxing through the last quarter, and will be full next weekend. Time once again to hone those silver weapons and keep them close. The most powerful of the goddess' crazy puppies do not always wait for the full moon. You have been warned. Anyway, it is time for this one to empty the ash pits, clean the vents, and rebuild the fires. Ah'vrie always likes to begin the weekend with happy fires, and a happy fire needs to breathe. You might wish to cover your tankards for a bit... There, much better no? now to scrub the kettles and put fresh water to the flame.

Our brew of the day is from India, and the biscuits are Ginger. Unfortunately still not for old cats. Shaman's orders (but he might sneak one or two. Shhh ;-) Checking the hot sheets we have 34 new mods. Lets see what catches an old cat's eye over a fresh cuppa.

aesophor released Vilja - Reasonable response for I love you as a first mod. Welcome
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156041
"Now she will only respond to you "You do? In that case, why are you always staring at Lydia?" (and other similar lines) when her disposition is lower than 41."

limiting the snark to when she's a bit miffed at you seems reasonable. This is a first mod, and Vilja's a custom voiced/AI NPC so a bit of caution is warranted. Needs testing Thanks

SergeyTreacle released ENBPP as a first mod. Welcome
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156024
"a lightweight, performance-friendly ENB preset for Skyrim that delivers clean visuals and beautiful color correction — perfect for any system, no frills, just better lighting."

You know what they say about opinions. No sharpening, no increased dynamic range, weak shadows, favors the reds, desaturates the blues and greens... Pass

Mennord released MaxResist100 as a first mod. welcome
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156021
"Bethesda made the maximum resistance limit for the player 85%, and for everyone else 100%. The mod also sets 100% for the player." Not the first, won't be the last. Thanks we'll add it to the pile.

KnuckleFur released MO2 Collections Download Plug-In as a first mod. Welcome
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156002
"This MO2 plugin enables you to download mods directly from Nexus Collections by pasting in a collection URL. It streamlines downloading essential mods in a collection and integrates seamlessly into the MO2 interface."

An interesting plugin. Needs testing of course. Previously one of the drawbacks to using collections was it was only compatible with Vortex. This would allow the use of personal collections as a download organizer. It's not feature complete yet so the old cat will flag it as a beta even if the author did not. This one gets a cookie. Thanks

MonkutPaik released SAVEBOUND - A Saving Overhaul
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/155194
disables manual saves, requires you to consume a ? bell to save, distributes bells to draugr...

Sorry the old cat needs to poke. GROW UP! does mommy still pick your clothes? if you feel saving too often ruins the game... Wait for it... Don't save too often. HARD PASS!

Jawscow released Learn By Skills - Automatic Enchantment Learning
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/156009
"Automatically learn the "Fortify Skill" enchantments at 50 Skill (Such as Fortify Heavy Armor at Heavy Armor 50), plus unique "Mastery" enchantments at 100 skill." ..?..

Moving right along, lets jump to an unusual choice for our mod of the day

DrPharmDawg released Roleplaying in Skyrim - Birthsigns
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/154610
"Lore inspired reintroduction of the 13 birthsigns, each with unique effects designed to be useful to any build. Tied to the constellations, all effects wax and wane as the months change, and the strength of the bonuses and penalties will vary depending on the current month compared to the birthsign's month.

Having played enough Oblivion recently to recognize how birthsigns integrate with character creation process, the old cat is a little more open to the idea of integrating them into Skyrim. Tying the magnitude of the effects to the calendar is inspired. This is still a WIP, as the standing stones have not been integrated into the system yet.

Make sure to read the mod page carefully as your choices have consequences, and they should. 2 cookies, and for once this shouldn't be thrown on the pile. Worth a look. A lot of thought went into this. Tracking

And that will do for today. The Ale was delivered on time, and the new batch of mead is ready. Ah'vrie is serving medallions of venison, marinated in Colovian brandy on a bed of diced seasoned roast potatoes and sauteed onions, and served with a poached egg on top for the early meal. We'll plan the late meal when this one checks the garden and visits the markets a little later. as always there will be a hearty stew simmering for those that need to ward Skyrim's chill. Enjoy the weekend. We-B-Open!