Modding on the Spectrum

Goooooood Morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well. It is Morndas the 13th of Morning Star. Wage slaves lament the weekend is over. Hide if you can, or work if you must, It's Morndas again. 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...

Our brew of the day is Arpeggio, and the biscuits are Sweet Loren's sugar cookies. Checking the hot sheets we have 48 new with the usual eclectic mix of jiggles and pointy sticks. Let's see what catches the eye of an old cat over a fresh cuppa or two.

VendeClarion released two today, and both are interesting

Faction Masks
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138885
A nice twist, it doesn't add masks, it alters existing items in related locations. You'll want to read the mod page.

Abandoned Prison - Standing Stones Add-on.
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138908
"This mod simply adds all vanilla standing stones on a shelf in Abandoned Prison, to be used with Alternate Start and Humble Beginnings - A Lightweight Class Mod. But can be used without." The old cat uses a book in the cell that allows you to pick your 'birth sign'. Not an unreasonable cheat. Thanks

kahvipannu84 released Draugr npc armor Cubemaps
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138880
"Adds missing cubemap reflections to (npc) Draugr armors." A little too shiny for an old cats taste, but an improvement to be sure. Thanks

SKYKLF released Dragonsreach Water Displacement Fix
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138934
Adds the missing ripples when you swim in the pools. Another of those tiny fixes you can't unsee LOL. Thanks, the old cat never noticed that before.

sothasimp released Rustic Repose - A Common Bed Replacer
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138889
"Here's some rustic common beds for the mines, shacks and farmhouses of Skyrim. BOS Color Variance and Use Those Blankets patches available as always :)Here's some rustic common beds for the mines, shacks and farmhouses of Skyrim. BOS Color Variance and Use Those Blankets patches available as always :)" I like the look of the frame. It would match up with Renthal's new chairs quite well. Not thrilled with the wood textures though. Looks more like a salted pretzel than debarked wood. Pass, but nicely done.

Lastarvek's Serana
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138873
"Here is my take on everyone's favourite vampire princess." Definitely going for that goth by choice look. Interesting. Thanks

Not really a mod of the day, but we'll finish up with a first mod for once.

Hag Alchemy by gardaland as their first mod. Welcome
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138961
"Add unholy options to your magic arsenal, from brews to poisons, this mod has all the tools you need to defile your way to success. Doesn't touch the regular alchemy system."

Not the old cat's cuppa... he couldn't deal with the skin shaders, but the concept that the hags have their own form of alchemy has merit "from a time before men or mer" Only there have not been many alchemy tables in hog locations the old cat can remember. This mod evidently uses the few that exist and flags them.

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 Sundas the 12th of Morning Star and a quiet predawn here on warm sands. The blessed moons will be full tonight, and the goddess' crazy puppies will be making mischief so be on your guard. Anyway, it's time for this one to tend the inn again. Excuse please while the fires are stoked, and fresh water is put to the flame...

Our brew of the day is from Indonesia, and the biscuits are Ginger Zingers. Checking the hot sheets we have 60 new mods Mostly jiggles, dangles, accessories, patches and pointy sticks. Let's see what catches the eye over a fresh cuppa... definitely a fresh cuppa.

RickFastly79 released Tundra Driftwood Remover as their second mod.
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138789
"Simply removes the "TreeTundraDriftWoodTree01-02" meshes, resulting in a uniform look for the tundra, especially with green tundra overhauls" This is the follow up to remove tundra shrubs. The old cat is sensing a pattern here LOL.

AKColdCuts released Alvor's House Reimagined
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138808
"Reimagined Avlor's Home by turning the upstairs into a Blacksmith shop, moving the living space downstairs, adding a nook for the daughter, and a bedroll by the fire for Hadvar or the player." Your game your way. Alvor services the mill not the army, but okay, why not?

While we're already in Riverwood...

murrayj released two today. Ice dragon fight fix, and Camilla Gets Married
https://next.nexusmods.com/profile/murrayj/mods?gameId=1704
She'll marry whom ever you decide to help.

And while we're talking about weddings...

davidgilbertking released Argonian Engagement Ring
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138787
"The ring is craftable and wearable. Requires 1 silver ingot and 3 flawless amethysts to make. CCOR patch available. In the CCOR recipe, the silver ingot is replaced with a silver ring." (Awww, In real life Polina said yes. Congratulations David)

And finally, The great humanitarian and conservationist TCBFlash has followed up on their No fall damage for flying mammoth mod, by protecting deer from the Skyrim gravity.

No Fall Damage for Deer
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138813
"Flying deer can now land softly without dying or getting hurt. (Vanilla or Skytest Realistic Animals versions available)"

Next up... No fall damage for horses and they get the hat trick

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

Goooooooood Morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well. It is Loredas the 11th of Morning Star and a peaceful predawn here on warm sands. The blessed moons have set for now, but they will be gibbous tonight and full tomorrow. You have been warned. When dealing with the goddess of the hunt, it is best not to be the one being hunted. This is always true yes? This one says it is. Anyway it is time once again for Ah'vrie to tend the inn for our most honored guests. Excuse please while the ash pits are emptied and the fires rebuilt. You may want to cover your tankards for a bit. This can get a tad dusty... There, much better no? Ah'vrie always likes to begin the weekend with happy fires, and a happy fire needs to breathe. Now to compost the ash, scrub the kettles, check the garden, and put fresh water to the boil... An innkeeper's life is glamorous yes?

Our brew of the day is Inspirazione a Roma. A new addition. Smooth and complex with boxwood overtones, and a lasting finish. This could grow on me. Pairs well with the Tate's chocolate chip biscuits I chose. Not what I would call an everyday roast, but yum. This will do. Checking the hot sheets we have 47 new mods with all the jiggles, accessories, patches and pointy sticks we've come to love. Let's see what catches and old cat's eye this day...

FullerxspectruM released Craftable Soul Gem Fragments ? It's a first mod LOL Welcome
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138692
"A simple mod to convert useful soul gems into useless fragments."
*scratches head* Your game your way. Thanks

L3e7 released Verdant Riverwood as a first mod. Welcome
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138678
"This mod adds some flora to the town of Riverwood" And nicely added at that. Both reasonable, and pretty. Have a cookie. The old cat loves a subtle touch.

Crabsnake released A Bed in Riverwood as their first mod. Welcome
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138717
"Adds beds and storage to Alvor's and Gerdur's houses in Riverwood, so that you have a spot that feels a bit more like a place to stay in Riverwood, regardless of whom you followed from Helgen." See a need fill a need. This is the soul of modding. Have a cookie

But wait, there's more... Everyone loves Riverwood today

Ivy - Riverwood Timber Rest - Player Home
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138697
"A treehouse with no loading screens near Riverwood, nestled in nature’s embrace. Perfect for Bosmer or adventurers, it features a cozy starter home, riverside serenity, and a charming island retreat."

Now this one gets it. Ivy made this house just for the old cat. Ah'vrie could write a backstory just based on the tree house alone. We love this mod. Make sure to read the mod page, several patches available. Instant download, 2 cookies Her game, my way ;-)

DefiniteIntegral released No More Corpses as a second mod. Welcome back
"This mod will remove corpses using scripts." No offense intended to the author, but those scripts can be glitchy, and this is their second mod. I'd stick with 'Bring out your dead' over at AFK mods. In Arthmoor we trust.

aherk released Innkeepers only show room if asked
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138679
"Innkeepers won't walk you to your room unless you ask them to."

You're damned right, and nicely executed my googly challenged friend. You'll have a place of honor on the pile. ;-)

Pieter82 released Whiterun Tree Additions
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138095
"My take on adding trees to Whiterun. ESL Flagged."

Pieter does nice work, but like so many others, this one misses the mark. His game his way, but Whiterun is too cold for Aspen, and the scaling them as large as the tallest pines. Not for old cats. Too much rock on this hill. Small and medium pine trees would look so much more natural, and not detract from the Gilderglean

A special shout out to sanseberia

3sebIronbindExchangeAltar
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138660
"This mod adds an “Altar of the Unknown Warrior” on the mountain behind the “Ironbind Barrow”, west of the “Wayward Pass”."

Our Japanese friend has been modding for years but as most of their mod pages are posted in Japanese first, they may get overlooked. I believe It was written for 1.5.97. The old cat is not recommending the mod so much as applauding the creativity of the author. Certain clutter items common to dungeons are brought to the alter and converted to tokens. Gather enough tokens and you can 'buy' unique magical items at the alter. All the rewards are vanilla models with reasonable buffs. This one gets a cookie.

And that brings us to our mod of the day. Another unexpected gem.

Lucaoys has been fixated with dragons since they started modding 6 months ago. Their dreadful Alduin last week was pretty good, but this one offers choice, and we love choice.

The mod is Choose your Odahviing, but we'll post the collected works
https://next.nexusmods.com/profile/Lucaoys/mods?gameId=1704
"A collection of mesh/model/skin replacers for Odahviing, with upscaled textures and new eye models and textures, and enhanced gameplay if you choose so."

9 models to pick from The old cat likes 'Crowned' You can tell this is a labor of love. Lucaoys loves their dragons, and we're the ones who profit. 3 cookies. We love choice.

And that will do for today. The ale was delivered fresh last night, and there's a fresh batch of mead almost ready. Ah'vrie is trying a different blend of roasted barley and wheat the mash, and we're also trying lingonberries instead of juniper in a smaller test batch. It's mudcrab scrambles for the early meal, and we'll plan the late meal when Ah'vrie returns from the markets later. As always there will be a hearty stew simmering all day for those that prefer. 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!

Goooooood morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well. It is Fredas the 10th of Morning Star and thenk the divines the weekend is nigh at hand. It's a lively pre-dawn here on warm sands. The blessed moons are gibbous tomorrow and full on Sundas so don't go out without your silver weapons this weekend. Remember this one's simple rule. If you show up smelling of wet dog, you'll be tasting this one's mace not his mead. Anyway, excuse please while the fires are stoked, and fresh water is brought to a boil...

Our brew of the day is Istanbul Espresso, and the biscuits are oatmeal cranberry. The caravans arrived on time yesterday, and the old cat's collection of regional coffees is stocked up for a good while. Checking the hot sheets we have 39 new and a few caught the eye. Let's dive in over a fresh cuppa.

nanyuankila released an edit for Frankly HD Markarth as a first mod. welcome
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138565
Changes the color of the moss to a more vibrant green. Flagged as suspicious, but it is their first. Thanks.

HalfbitShirlock released Fortified Village Walls - Vanilla Model Replacer
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138543
"Simply replaces the vanilla wall models with more immersive fortified versions."

The old cat's views on turning the small towns into bandit camps are well known, but it's not the old cats game. Can this one just point out the shear stupidity of fortified walls around Riverwood, when there are not even gates, and you could simply cross the river? The execution is fine, the concept is stupid. Your game your way. Thanks

IconicDeath released Ethereal Skill Menu Overhaul
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138515
"Overhauls and retextures the skill menu interface to a darker fantasy style." Now this is worth a look. It's definitely an improvement in depth and clarity. The only drawback is the line drawings of the perk tree constellations themselves look jagged like someone shut off TAA. But frankly the backgrounds are so improved that the old cat could look past that. Downloaded for testing in game. Have a cookie

Renthal continues to surprise. It would seem the last year he spent trying to downscale everything seems to have paid dividends now that he's creating 'real' mods again.

Vanilla immersion boost 2k chair
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138581
"2k new model and textures" This is a beautifully rendered 'common' chair. Well worn and boasts a pattern woven wicker look. Personally I would like to see this used in a BOS mod to swap out the tavern chairs where applicable, not as a general game wide replacer. It looks like the kind of seat a tavern would buy, and well worn. This one gets a cookie.

littlehand6 released Cozy Honeyside
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138572
"An overhaul to Honeyside, with lots of customized containers"

Missed it by thaaat much! ;-) Nice little tweaks upstairs, subtle and useful. Combines the enchanting and alchemy areas in the basement; very nicely done. At this point the old cat is thinking you could have the children's room and enchanting. It's about time... Nope, Mannequins and treasure chests. We were all young once. Thanks

We have two contenders for the top slot today... Both deserve a serious look.

YeahButIronically released The Ratway Passages
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138534
"Get around Riften without ever having to set foot on the surface. Adds a small dungeon and connects several existing locations to the Ratway."

Okay, If you're contemplating a Thief playthrough this is pure gold. The TG's base under Riften was well done by the devs, Beautifully enhanced by JK and others, but it's never really had the feeling of 'Been there for centuries, the guild owns the city' This goes a long way to adding that feeling. Secret passages, hidden exits... THIEVES! This one gets a cookie. It wants to be tested in game. Tracking for my nest test restart. This was the runner up for mod of the day, and gets a cookie.

Deej asks a really good question, and then answers it nicely... This makes for a very interesting mod of the day, and earns the top slot.

Neutral Fort Greymoor by DEEJMASTER333
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138587
"Have you ever wondered why the Imperial Legion is allowed to garrison Fort Greymoor in Whiterun? Balgruuf makes it very clear he's not a fan of either side of the war and specifically tells Tullius to shove off when asked about garrisoning men in the city, and yet... there's Fort Greymoor. A major military checkpoint at a crossroads and a fort in Balgruuf's hold, garrisoned by Legionnaires."

" For years no one has been willing to address this out of fear of messing with the Civil War, but with some trickery I've made it happen. Fort Greymoor will now be garrisoned with Whiterun guards when it's cleared of bandits. Stormcloaks will still take control of it if you side with them in the war. All relevant clutter has also been adjusted as needed, so legion armor and banners are replaced with their appropriate Whiterun counterparts."

"That's it. 0 scripts, no interference with the Civil War questline, and retroactive, so it's safe to install even if you've already cleared the fort."

And that's how it's done. There's a reason this one gets two cookies and the top slot even if the old cat never does the CW again. Deej is becoming a real force in modding.

Golden age indeed.

And that will do for today. The fires are stoked, the kettles scrubbed, and the old cat needs a fresh cuppa. We-B-open!

Gooooooood morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well. It is Middas the 9th of Morning Star and a very chilly predawn here on warm sands. The blessed moons are waxing through the final crescents and will be full this weekend, so it's time once again to hone those silver weapons. The goddess' crazy puppies will be out making mischief again very soon. For now though, it's time 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 blending of Colombian Arabica, and dark Italian espresso. The new coffee shipment should come by caravan today thankfully. The biscuits are Tate's Lemon cookies. Checking the hot sheets we have 39 new mods with the usual eclectic mix. Let's see what catches an old cat's eye over a fresh cuppa.

First the obligatory shout out to Halffaces for Archery target remodel - Diverse BOS
Always great 'looking' mods, but at 410 meg no cookie or link for this one

DefiniteIntegral released Earth Forge as a first mod. Welcome (WIP)
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138328
"Convert items, corpses and souls into a form of energy, and store it in the forge. Use the energy to unlock and cast custom spells, respec your build, fill souls gems, recharge weapons, duplicate items, etc. Also acts as a teleport-accessible player home."

Well it's interesting. The old cat can't quite put a category on this one. It's a pocket universe player home that includes a new mechanic to convert any crap you pick up into "stored energy" which you can use to basically cheat whatever you want to? This would need serious testing in game. It includes a "WIP" disclaimer. You'll want to read that wall of text mod page top to bottom... Much too early for this old cats, but interesting.

ChrisKley released Fairy Tale Dragons
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138520
"This mod adds, just like in fairy tales, treasure chests and gold piles to the 10 dragon lairs in Skyrim." Well... Not to nit pick, but chests and piles of gold? Not only will it completely unbalance the game, but why would a dragon use chests? Fairy tale lore has them using the gold as a mattress. Your game your way. not for old cats

DEEJMASTER333 released Snowy Skyrim
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138427
"Makes nearly all of Skyrim have at least some chance of snowy precipitation, and slightly raises the chance of "gloomy" weathers across the board." Your game your way. Skyrim is gloomy and overcast quite enough for this old cat's taste already, but thanks

let's peek under the hood...

ianyf released SunHelm HitFX for ColdStages - ESPFE
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138545
"Get visual cues if you're actually getting colder/warmer without having to rely on magic menu" No pics, No info on the added FX, No posts, or bug sections... Not a chance. Shame too, as this one the old cat would add in a second if it was based on Frostfall shaders, and from a reputable author, with had a well constructed page. PASS

ShiroeKuroha released Mod Organizer 2 Exporter
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/137901
"Export installed mods from a MO2 instance to a separate folder that can be used to manually install them to Skyrim SE/AE (or Fallout 4)."

Shiny... Ah'vrie can see several uses for this, not the least of which is duplicating portable instances between game versions... Worth a look.

gutmaw released Snazzy Interiors - Darkwater Crossing Verner and Annekke's House
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138513
"Remodel of Snazzy Verner and Annekke's House in Darkwater Crossing"
Very snazzy... well done as always. Have another cookie

monkeyangie released Retextured Road Signs English-Spanish
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138531
"This mods changes road signs textures, they follow vanilla style but slightly improved"

Slightly improved? These are gorgeous. Much too clean, and no weathering to speak of. There are a lot of road sign retextures, but this is the first the old cat would consider as a replacer for Point the way... and that's saying a lot. I asked if the AI could also generate a duplicate of the mod on more weathered wood. The old cat knows it's AI generated and doesn't care. We'll give the puter a digital cookie

Back to skilled human modding...

toostruus released Footprints - The Soul Cairn
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138518
"Adds footprints to the player, NPCs, and creatures to The Soul Cairn location." We love Toos... Always comes up with great mods. Instant download, and another cookie

And finally... We'll offer the top slot to CarbonDice

Leonardo Weathers
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138547
"Transform Skyrim into a masterpiece of natural lighting with Leonardo Weathers, a weather overhaul inspired by the chiaroscuro technique, where light and shadow blend to create stunning atmospheric depth."

CarbonDice has been tweaking lighting and weather since they started modding about 18 months ago. But this is their first 'Standalone' release. The old cat had to do a little research this morning...

"The more technical use of the term chiaroscuro is the effect of light modelling in painting, drawing, or printmaking, where three-dimensional volume is suggested by the value gradation of colour and the analytical division of light and shadow shapes—often called "shading". The invention of these effects in the West, "skiagraphia" or "shadow-painting" to the Ancient Greeks, traditionally was ascribed to the famous Athenian painter of the fifth century BC, Apollodoro" You have to love Wikipedia...

The pics show a trend toward greater use of large swings in contrast using dynamic range as a tool for creating depth. The images are beautiful. This deserves serious testing in game, but it does not play nice with other weather mods, and that would seriously limit it's use with quite a few ENBs as well. This deserves consideration but needs to be seen in game. Screw LUX... This one gets two cookies, should play well with Relighting Skyrim, but again needs testing... This could be a keeper. Tracking

And that will do for today. The fires are stoked, the kettles scrubbed, and the floors are... don't drop your food. Now where did this one leave the mop? We-B-open!

Gooooood Morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well. It is Middas the 8th of Morning Star and a quiet predawn at the inn. Time for the old cat to get to work. Excuse please while the fires are stoked, and fresh water put to the flame.

Our brew of the day is pot luck, Ah'vrie just placed an order, but it will take another day to get here by caravan. For now, we'll use up what we have. We'll be baking fresh biscuits when Ah'vrie returns from the markets a little later, but there are plenty of cookies in the jar. Checking the hot sheets we have 50 new mods with the usual eclectic mix of jiggles, patches, and pointy sticks. Let's see what catches the eye over a fresh cuppa or two.

We'll start off with a little real estate...

Autistic Aussie's Farms
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138464
"Adds 3 new farms to Skyrim; Canberry Farm north west of Whiterun, Westfarm, just outside of Whiterun to the west, and Burn Farm, which greatly enlarges the farm at the Burnt Farm House as well as adding a small secondary farm."

Nice locations, but the old cat could do without all the pink trees and first era stonework. Worth a look, but not for old cats.

littlehand6 released Homes of Skyrim
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138429
"An overhaul to Breezehome, Proudspire Manor and Honeyside, with shared containers" They made it for themselves and shared, so thank you. There's quite a bit to like, but they're also a bit noobish. Not in a negative way, the old cat just has no use for basements full of mannequins and such. Your game your way.

Next we'll take a peek under the hood as it were

BecomingNplus1 released Remove FX Fog Mist and Smoke from Dungeons (BOS)
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138441
"Removes Fx (effect) fogs, mists, and smokes from dungeons, caves, crypts, dens, ruins and lairs using Base Object Swapper" This is their second FX removal mod... The old cat is sensing a pattern here ;-) Downloaded for testing. Have a cookie
(Yeah, the old cat is not fond of glowing dust either)

mostwanted112 released No Obnoxious Fire Impacts
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138380
"Removes fire impacts from spells/traps/shouts." One of the more serious drawbacks to playing in first person. The old cat will pass on this one though. The whole concept of not being 'inconvenienced' while an enemy mage has turned you into a walking torch takes away from the battle. They're not always supposed to be easy. Thanks, but pass

And now, a little Skyrim magic (of a sorts)

habel40 released Nocturnal Blessing
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138389
"One of Nocturnal greatest powers. Transform into Nocturnal Nightingale"

Okay, now this the old cat likes. It may not be exactly to lore, but screw that. You are an agent of Nocturnal. It ought to feel like a super power. Stopping to 'get dressed' is alright. Having the power to instantly transform into the armor is just plain fun. Instant download for the old cat. Now I may have to do the TG quests on this test build after all

And finally we have a new 'AIO' Whiterun NPC overhaul by LevisageDeDior

LDD - Whiterun NPC (AIO) Overhaul For SSE
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138366
"Whiterun NPC (AIO) Overhaul for SSE is a mod that overhauls every single (68) NPC you can meet in Whiterun. It introduces entirely new appearances for Redguard race. This is mod is a part of my first big project which aims to overhaul, in a vanilla-friendly style every "human" NPC."

Well it's certainly a little different, and worth a look. It makes the elves a little more... Believable? while keeping the angular appearance, though it changes skin colors to be a little too human. Makes some hair choices the old cat questions as well, but the overall look though a little younger is not an 'eye candy' overhaul. It's worth looking through the pics. We love choice(Adrian's father with teenager hair... Worth a chuckle as well)

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 Tirdas the 7th of Morning Star, and congratulations on surviving another Morndas. 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.

Our brew of the day is Istanbul espresso, and the biscuits are classic sugar cookies (The old cat baked a tray or two too many ;-) Checking the hotsheets we have 39 new mods with the usual eclectic mix of jiggles, patches, accessories, and pointy sticks. Let's see what catches an old cat's eye this day...

We'll start with a couple of 'what were they thinking' mods.

outtamercy recolored Nordic Carving - Great Portal of Dragonsreach
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138293
The recolor looks okay, but the original mod is not for old cats. Redbag's original import of the carving behind the Jarl's head looks extraordinary. adding them to the arches looks silly. Your game your way. Pass

Andyross1962 released Complete Solitude Docks and Exterior
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138227
" Complete overhaul and reworking of Solitude docks and city exterior.
Lore friendly, includes Docks, East Empire Company Warehouse, Lumber Mill and Katla's Farm"

We love choice, and the buildings and waterfront look great, but this one is obviously not a sailor. You don't park boats bow first, then park another boat behind them. LOL. That being said, the old at likes this version of the docks, but would disable at least 6 of the boats. Thanks

iimlenny released Nord War Horn 2K-8K
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138292
"This is a Mesh and Texture Replacer for Skyrims Nordic War Horn in 2K-8K"

The old cat had thought Lenny was finally past making ugly. And not only ugly, but what good id a war horn you can't sound that also stabs you in the nose? Hard pass on ugly and useless.

mizunakun released Meridia will do anything. No link for this one.
" I have duplicated the beacon and bestowed it on all living beings except you.
You are the only one without a beacon. Claim your beacon now. Now!"

Okay, let's get to some of the better choices

Dpi663 released Nimhe - Dangerous and Poisonous
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138023
"Now Nimhe will be more dangerous than ever! New Arena, two phases of the fight! Fear Nimhe! After defeating her, be careful, I warned you!"

Arachnophobia sufferers are not going to like this one... Nimhe is not only tougher, but her children join the fight, and later try an take revenge... This could be fun. but it's an early mod, and a bit over the top. Worth a look. Inigo approves.

thesignedpainter released Invisible Bandoliers and Pouches
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/92976
"This mod makes the bandoliers invisible for MAXIMUM FASHION COMPATIBILITY"

But, but, but, Every woman knows it's the accessories that make the outfit Kidding aside a little invisible buff to carry weight. The author warns if you have any issues at all with the balanced version, to unpack the BSA and overwrite the mod with loose files.

Okay, okay, let's get to the good stuff...

gutmaw has released two more snazzy interiors.
https://next.nexusmods.com/profile/gutmaw/mods?gameId=1704
Winterhold is the current flavor of snazzy. Birna's and Kraldar's houses got snazified. Beautifully done as always. Worth a look, and a cookie

And finally we'll close up with a tale of two grass mods...

napoleonofthestump released BIOMES I (part 1)
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138300
"Another grass overhaul, this time modular for mixing and matching with other excellent grass mods! Part 1 features the Reach, Marsh, and Volcanic regions."

The old cat has to admit this is a nice set of regional mixes, and the fact that they are being released as modular biomes means you can mix and match, and also add them to existing grass mods... This one caught the old cat's eye. Tracking for now, but worth a look and a cookie.

(Rom, take a look at the individual texture qualities for us if you would please.)

Lastly we have Freak's Floral Solstheim - A Cathedral Grass Overhaul
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138161
"Freak's Floral Solstheim brings you absolute diversity and style like none other to the region of Solstheim. Like its brother FFF, the aim of this mod is to redo Solstheim's grass in a way that immerses you to the max. The entire region will feel brand new and will make you feel as lost as you were the first time!"

Well this one certainly has no ego problem LOL. The grasses look wonderful, but the colors are desaturated and could use a touch of green here and there even in the ash wastes. Over all beautiful work considering this is only their second mod. Freak's Floral Fields was a hell of a first. Tracking the author for now.

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 6th of Morning Star, and hide if you can, or work if you must, it's Morndas again. It's 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 for our most honored guests. Exacuse please while the fires are stoked, and fresh water is out to the flame...

Our brew of the day is Istanbul espresso, and the biscuits are oatmeal cranberry. Checking the hot sheets we have an eclectic mix of 44 new mods, Not much catches the eye. Let's see what does over a fresh cuppa.

This one brought a chuckle to an old cat on a Morndas. Gets a cookie just because LOL

tcbflash released No Fall Damage for Mammoths
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138198
"Flying mammoths can now land softly without dying or getting hurt. (Vanilla or Skytest Realistic Animals versions available)" Wins the Skyrim conservation award

GOsteW released Less Annoying Spriggan Health Regen
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138168
Nerfs their health regen to 50%, and allows them to take damage while healing. your game your way. They can be annoying especially in groups, but that's also what keeps the battles fresh. The old cat will pass, but thanks.

Otellino released Functional Road Signs
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138212
"Functional Road Signs is a small, lightweight mod that gives you a new way to fast-travel to settlements throughout Skyrim; by interacting with Road Signs!" You'll still have to travel there once for the sign to 'work' Basically a more immersivce way to click on the map marker. Your game your way. The old cat prefers his horse.

olivierbest released Drengin's Blue Palace - Only Mesh - Parallax Version
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138189
"parallax version of Drengin's Blue Palace - Mesh Only Replacer " It's not a mesh swap the old cat uses, but thanks

Styyxus released Enchant Expensive Items
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138230
"Simple mod that makes enchanting more expensive items worth something. Enchantments on expensive items are 20% stronger"

Okay, The old cat may still be nursing his second cuppa, but please, the strength of the enchantment is based on how expensive the item is? Oddly enough the old cat could see an argument for a metric where certain types of enchantments store more mana in the presence of a flawless gem? But not just a blanket buff based on price. Your game your way. Thanks

And finally a totally unexpected mod of the day, even for old cats... Bad followers

MW Scums Of Sacrifice - Purposely Awful Followers by Lexa0100
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/137928
"Because I wanted some NPCs ready to be offered in sacrifice to Boethiah and/or Mephala, that the world would be better off without."

Finally a valid reason the old cat would bother with a follower. Now your stupid beast of burden can also be a lamb to slaughter. This one gets a cookie, might be a poison cookie though

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

Gooooood morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well. it is Sundas the 5th of Morning Star, and another crisp pre-dawn here on warm sands. The blessed moons have set, the paths are closed, and 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 Inspirazione a Napoli, and the biscuits are ginger zingers. Checking the hot sheets we have 49 new from the usual suspects. Let's see what catches an old cat's eye this morning.

jeremiah1499 released MyHouseFalkreath as a test file. No pics, no info.. no link. But it's a first 'mod' so welcome to the dark side Bwahahahaha

Curtainosphere25 released Magic Anomalies Weakened - SE
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138154
"Magic Anomalies now level at 1x your level with a minimum level of 1 and a maximum of 25. Therefore, a level 14 character will end up facing level 14 Magic Anomalies." Simple and clean... Those damned things are always tanky. Thanks

RogueUnicorn00 released iLluminous Elementals
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138128
"Adds real light to elemental creatures using Light Placer " Which of course requires community shaders... etc. The old cat will stick with ENB for now, but it is good to see alternatives getting developed. Thanks

Weird when the modding universe seems to reflect your current game...

Iconic's Meridia's Beacon
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138070
"Retexture for Meridia's Beacon and related beacon clutter, optional multilayer parallax beacon in many different colors." (Ah'vrie sort of likes the teal colored one... needs to be more reflective/refractive. The upscaling looks good. Thanks.

Windstad Mine - Skyrim Special Edition - Experimental by Ziron999
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/137982
"A fix for next generation graphic areas. Many next gen areas conflict with building mods. This creates a new canvas for artists with landscaping being fixed."

The old cat's issue with Windstad mine is with landscape fixes for grass mods, and was resolved with a simple load order correction. However there is still an issue which seems linked to Ranger cabins. There is also an issue with Ryn's Ustengrav, but the old cat doesn't use that one. Every game is different, this 'fix' is being created for a mod list.

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

Goooooood Morning Tamriel!

Ah'vrie wishes you well. It is Loredas the 4th of Morning Star and a quiet predawn here on warm sands. This one was up late actually hunting dragons for once and apologizes for being tardy. The blessed moons have long set and it is past time this one tended the inn. Excuse please while the ash pits are emptied and the fires rebuilt. Ah'vrie likes to start the weekend off with happy fires, and a happy fire needs to breathe. You may want to cover your tankards for a bit, this can get a tad dusty, and Khajiit know not from free refills... There! Much better no? Ah'vrie's mother used to say a happy fire warms more than the room. Ah'vrie misses her... Anyway, now to compost the ash, check the garden, scrub the kettles, and put fresh water to the flame.

Our brew of the day is from Indonesia, and the biscuits are classic sugar cookies. Checking the hot sheets we have 54 new mods and a scant few caught the eye. Let's dive in over a fresh cuppa or two...

upp1er released Super Enchanter as a first mod
"Simple mod that changes effects of perks Fire Enchanter, Frost Enchanter, Storm Enchanter, Insightful Enchanter, Corpus Enchanter from 125% to 200%, perk Extra Effect from 2 enchantments to 3. Inspired by SmithyPete's Six Enchants per Item." no link

ThunderPerfectMind released Expanded Ingredient Availability
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138062
"Expands availability of ingredients from Dawnguard, Rare Curios, and Saints & Seducers to additional merchants in Skyrim and Solstheim. Optionally expands availability of ingredients from Beyond Skyrim: Bruma, The Cause, Goblins, and Plague of the Dead as well." Another for the pile... Not the first.

JJerem released HAG - Occult Orphan Rock
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/137996
"An overhaul of the Orphan Rock location. Reimagined with a horror theme, and adds a small dungeon."

Your game your way. The old cat's only complaint is the tree is twice the size of the gildergleem. Breaks all the lore for the tree. Hard pass for old cats, but interesting.

Chlamydia1 released A simple Blue Palace terrace
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138075
"This mod adds a small terrace to the empty rooftop of the vanilla palace building. The door for the terrace is in the Blue Palace staircase (the left side staircase if you are using JK's Blue Palace). Just pretend it leads to another staircase that then takes you to the roof. :P"

Pretty... keep working at your craft, and you won't have to pretend it's a finished mod ;-)

And finally micyey ported by Pymous to SSE as an AIO

Immersive Settlements SE AIO
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/138022
"This lore-friendly mod aims to improve player immersion by expanding Skyrim settlements."

The old cat has to admit, this is the first expansion mod that really seems lore friendly. adds one or two houses in each location with matching architecture... Worth a look. The old cat won't bother if the buildings aren't also occupied, so pass, but well done.

And that will do for today. The Ale was delivered on time and the new batch of mead is ready. We're serving medallions of marinated venison on a bed of diced roast potatoes and caramelized onions with a poached egg on top for the early meal, and Ale braised saber cat with sauteed carrots and twice baked garlic potatoes for the late meal. As always there will be a hearty stew simmering all day for those that need to ward the chill.

The fires are stoked, the kettles scrubbed, and the old cat needs another cuppa. We-B-Open!