OBLIVION ASTROLOGY
V1.5
by Magickman12

v1.5
Changed birthsign loadscreens to reflect OA powers and adjusted the magicka restore rate of the Apprentice birthsign.

v1.21
Fixed Burglar's bounty to be modified by 1 instead of being set to 1. Also, the perpetual bounty occurs only once a week. Hint: Most crime occurs on the weekend, so you might want to avoid the guard on Mondas (Monday).

Version 1.2
Reduced the cost for the Monk's powers.
Added a Monastery chest to the Temple District by the Temple of the One that contains magical robes, sandals and a hood. This chest is ONLY openable by a character with the monk birthsign since it requires one of his powers to be cast on it.

With this, my first mod, I wanted to clarify and empower the birthsigns. Along the way, I found it so much fun, I created some new signs to go with them. I always thought the stock abilities/powers of the signs were either useless or illogical. I thought, why does the atronach sign give high magicka and stunted magicka when these elemental beings don't have anything to do with these changes? Why does the Tower, and not the Thief sign have the Open Lock ability? And who really has gotten good use of the Serpent sign, much less thought that the Dispel ability fit in with the sign's theme? This mod is designed to make the birthsigns match the abilities and powers that they give.
First of all, go ahead and skip to the birthsign summaries below to see what they offer, then come back. I'll wait. Back? Good. I made this mod to expand the benefits of birthsigns, but in order not to overpower them, I kept a rule of thumb that stated no power would cost more than 200 magicka in vanilla rules and no lesser power would cost more than 50 in the same. Furthermore, all lesser powers cost 50 magicka to use, even though their vanilla costs would be a little lower. This is to offset having them at the beginning of the game. A beginning character, unless a mage, would have a hard time casting more than one lesser power in a single battle. Most every sign includes an ability, a lesser power and a power. Some just have a weaker range of lesser powers and some have multiple powers, both lesser and greater. Also, no powers are really duplicated among the signs. Every magical power of Oblivion is represented, I think.
The thirteen standard zodiac signs are present in this mod, though enhanced, and there are also five elite signs that have just been discovered by the Arcane University. Looking through TESNexus, I see I am not the first to come up with many of these ideas, like the Steed's gallop ability, so I guess there are some common ideas here. There are some fresh ones, too, like the Monk birthsign and horoscopes for your character. I am an astrologer myself (don't laugh, it works), so I thought we should have some horoscopes for the game, not real astrology horoscopes but the fake ones you read in the newspaper or in supermarket tabloids. Don’t take these seriously because I made these horoscopes funny and placed them in certain Mages' Guilds. Events described therein shouldn’t come true for your character. Some of them were also inspired by the Onion newspaper and fitted for Oblivion.
My next mod might be figuring out a way that the player will gain certain benefits/detriments from certain phases of the moon dependant on his birthsign. Since I am an author and not a programmer, however, I’m horrible at scripting, so it might take a while. Until then, I hope you enjoy this mod.

The Apprentice
Description
The Apprentice sign makes you a natural magician, greatly increasing your magicka by 150 points, but you will never be a master because you are slow to recover the magicka that you used, no matter the amount of magicka or willpower you have. You can however empower the spells cast at your enemies, causing them 25% more damage.

Abilities
Natural Magician--Fortified magicka 150 pts.
Slow Learner--Stunted Magicka, Restore Magicka Mag:1 (This means that no matter how much your magicka and willpower is, you will only regenerate 1 magicka/second)

Lesser Power
Empower Spell--Weakness to Magic Mag:25 Dur:30 Cost:50

Sample Horoscope: You’ve never been able to bear the sight of your own blood; lucky for you that goblin shaman will melt your eyes with a Flare spell before hacking your fingers off.

The Atronach
Description
You were born with the essence of the mysterious elemental daedra known as atronachs. This confers upon you not only resistance to the elements, but the ability to wield them with destructive force, as well.

Ability
Elemental Shield--Resist Fire/Frost/ShockMag:10 Constant

Lesser Power
Elemental Fury--Fire/Shock/Frost Damage 8 pts. each on target Cost:50

Sample Horoscope: Fortune favors the bold, but you will wonder if 23 septims and a restore intelligence potion were really worth dying three times.


The Lady
Description
The Divine Lady looked down upon your birth and bestowed you with (+10) personality and the compassion to calm even the most aggressive foe. Such is your grace that even the animals of the forest will lay their head upon your lap.

Ability
That Special Something--Fortify Personality +10

Lesser Power
Compassion--Calm on Touch Mag:30 Dur:15 Cost:50

Power
Strength of Taro--Command Creature on TouchMag:22 Dur:60 Cost:0

Sample Horoscope: Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, but those guards will seem pretty pissed, too!


The Lord
Description
You are born with the endurance and will of a natural leader. A natural commander, you inspire others to stand and fight. When things look bleak, you can use the power of the Horn of Cyrodiil to summon allies to champion your cause.

Ability
Persistence--Fortify Endurance and Willpower +5 each

Lesser Power
Call to Arms--Frenzy on Target Mag:75 Area:10Dur:20 and Rally Mag:50 Area:10 Dur:20 Cost:50

Power
Horn of Cyrodiil--summons two knights Dur:20 Cost:0

Sample Horoscope: The Lord birthsign is known for its stubborn and headstrong nature. Yes, it is. It is, too. Dammit, I’m telling you it is!


The Lover
Description
The starry Lover gazed upon your birth and gave you the gift of persuasion, letting you smooth talk people into doing what you would like. Your words are so captivating, people will literally fall for you.

Ability
Smooth Tongue--Fortify Speechcraft +10

Lesser Power
Persuasion--Command Humanoid on Touch Mag:15 Dur:20 Cost:50

Power
Fall For Me--Paralyze on TouchDur:4 Cost:0 Cost: 0


Sample Horoscope: Appearances can be deceiving, but you should have still realized after only two pints that the prostitute you were kissing was not only a goblin, but a male goblin.


The Magus
Description
The celestial Magus scryed your birth from above and deemed you worthy of his gifts, granting you the ability to shape magicka to your will. You can dispel all but the most powerful of your enemy's sorcerous attacks and can stop them from using their power for a short time. You can even absorb this power for your own benefit.

Lesser Power
Arcane Refusal--Dispel on Self Mag:50Cost:50
Check Power—Silence on Touch Dur:5 Cost:50

Power
Spellfeed--Absorb Magicka on Touch Mag:12 Dur:10 Cost:0

Sample Horoscope: You’re not the type of person that runs from trouble. You prefer to leave before it starts.


The Ritual
Description
Those born during the cosmic Ritual are imbued with the Daedric powers. This gives them a natural boost to their Intelligence and Conjuration. They can also summon a scamp to serve them and bound the very essence of the Daedra into armor for protection.

Ability
Daedric Blessing--Fortify Intelligence and Conjuration 5 pts. each

Lesser Power
Daedric Servant--Summon Scamp Dur:20 Cost:50

Power
Daedric Protection--Bound Curiass/Greaves/Shield/Boots/Helmet Dur:30 Cost:0

Sample Horoscope:
They say children are the future, but what they fail to mention is that it’s a post-apocalyptic future in which their blood will be used to feed your Dremora overlords.


The Serpent
Description
Typhon, the sky serpent, slithered across the sky during your birth. Its presence then conferred upon you the serpent's ability to shed its skin, allowing you to regenerate damaged skin. You can also poison enemies with a touch or, once a day, squeeze the breath out of your enemy with the Constriction ability.

Ability
Regeneration--Drain Fatigue Mag:1 and Restore Health Mag:2 (Fatigue recovery is slowed in order that the body regenerates its health more quickly)

Lesser Power
Bite--Damage Fatigue Mag:8 Dur:5 and Damage Health Mag:3 Dur:5 Cost:50

Power
Constriction--Damage Fatigue Mag:15 Dur:10 + Drain Speed Mag:20 Dur:10 + Drain Endurance Mag:20 Dur:10

Sample Horoscope: Your companions will not be able to describe your death without using the words “Daedric gauntlet” and “bleeding from the rectum”.


The Shadow
Description
Born in night, the darkness has stayed with you through life and people can sense it in you. You do not need the light, for you can see in the darkness well. Furthermore, you can blend in with the shadows, even in broad daylight, and no one can see you. You can see them, however, you see the blood pulsing through their hearts long before you plunge your blade into theirs..

Ability
Infamous Birth--Modify Infamy +10

Lesser Power
Stalk--Detect Life Mag:30 Dur:60 Cost:50
Darksight--Night Eye Dur:30 Cost:50

Power
Hide In Shadows--Chameleon Mag:50 Dur:20

Sample Horoscope: They say behind every good man is a woman, but if the guards find all the ones you keep in your basement, you can kiss that statue in Bruma goodbye.


The Steed
Description
Striding across the night sky during your birth, the Celestial Steed bestowed you with the ability to carry more and run longer than most. You may also sprint at tremendous speeds for short, daily bursts and jump farther than any mere mortal should.

Ability
Pack Horse--Fortify Speed +10, Feather 100

Lesser Power
Leap--Fortify Acrobatics Mag:40 Dur:10 Cost:50

Power
Gallop--Fortify Speed Mag:40Dur:30Cost: 0

Sample Horoscope: Quit beating a dead horse, the fire is out already.


The Burglar (formerly Thief)
Description
From the night sky, the dim constellation of the Thief spied your birth, imparting upon you enhanced luck and agility. You can also use magicka for your own ends, namely getting into the places that others don't want you into.

Ability
Rogue's Luck--Fortify Agility +5, Fortify Luck +10
Jailbird--Reoccurring Bounty of 1 gold (Characters born under this sign are what people would call "a sneaky-looking sort". Guards often take you in for questioning for stuff you have nothing to do with, costing you your time and a gold coin.)

Lesser Power
Open Minor Lock--Open Mag:25Cost:50

Power
Skeleton Key--Open Mag:90Cost:0

Sample Horoscope: They say crime doesn’t pay, but a bad mercantile skill and an annoyed fence make it even less profitable.


The Tower
Description
The Sky Tower loomed above your birth, granting you inherent fortifications to your natural defenses, increasing your blocking ability and giving you naturally tougher skin, as thick as a shield. You can also use the power to avoid damage from normal weapons and even reflect the damage back to your attacker.

Ability
Barricade--Fortify Block +5, Shield +5

Lesser Power
Parapet--Resist Normal Weapons Mag:10 Dur:15Cost:50

Power
Battlement--Reflect Damage Mag:20Dur:15Cost:0

Sample Horoscope: You’ve always been a lightning rod for adventure, but soon, thanks to a storm atronach, you’ll just be a lightning rod.

The Warrior
Description
The mighty Warrior surveyed the land during your birth, honoring you with increased strength and endurance. You have the ability to instill terror into your enemies to battle with your war cry. Your greatest power lies in the ability to destroy your enemy’s arms and armor.

Ability
Battle-Hardened--Fortify Strength and Endurance +5 each

Lesser Power
War Cry--Demoralize on TargetMag:15Area:10Dur:15 Cost:50

Power
Sunder--Disintegrate Weapon and Disintegrate Armor Mag:55 each Cost:0

Sample Horoscope: The combat you will see today will kill a lesser man, which is, unfortunately, what you are.


The Paladin
Description
Everyone knew you were special when you were born and word spread fast. Under the watchful eye of the great Paladin, you were born with a holy aura that you still emit today. This protects you from disease, paralysis, and sometimes, sorcery. You can also repel the walking dead by spreading your aura about them. You also have the ability to heal yourself and others, for you are not hear to merely cause pain; you are here to end it.

Ability
Holy Aura--Light Mag:5, Resist Disease Mag:100, Resist Paralysis Mag:50, Resist Magic Mag:10
Famous Birth: Modify Fame +10

Lesser Power
Healing Hands--Restore Health on Self Mag:20 Cost:50
Laying of Hands--Restore Health on Touch Mag:20 Cost:50

Power
Cast Out--Turn Undead on Touch Mag:50 Dur:30, Light on Touch Mag:5 Dur:30

Sample Horoscope: The gods work in mysterious ways, but you have a hunch that the hand growing from your ass is Sheogorath’s doing.


The Druid
Description
Nature herself was your wet nurse as an infant because the heavenly Druid looked down upon your birth. This granted you power over earth, air, fire, and water. You may make things light as air, or press people with the weight of the world. You may pass above water as if land and you may kindle your enemies as if they were a bonfire.

Lesser Power
Power Over Earth--Burden Mag:75 Dur:10 Cost:50
Power Over Air--Telekinesis Mag:20 Dur:15 Cost:50
Power Over Water: Water Walking on Self
Power Over Fire--Fire Damage on Target Mag:3 Dur:10 + Light on Target Mag:15 Dur:10 Cost:50

Sample Horoscope: There are certain species of bear that don’t attack and eat people. You will not meet such a bear this week.


The Reaper
Description
You were born during the Shade of the Revenant, a time when dark, necromantic forces fill the world. These have given you the power of death, allowing you to steal the souls of others and raise their lifeless corpses to be your slaves. Once a day, you may also summon a skeletal warrior, the trapped spirit of a former reaper, like you.

Lesser Power
Steal Soul--Soul Trap Dur:15 Cost:50
Rise--Reanimate Dur:30

Power
Death Dealer--Summon Skeleton Hero Dur:30

Sample Horoscope: You have heard the saying that you are what you eat, but no Imperial Guard will ever describe you as an “innocent newborn”.


The Strider
Description
Striding across the night sky, the cosmic ranger came upon your birth, granting you the endurance and marksmanship of a natural woodsman. You also have a natural affinity with lesser animals, as they will follow you anywhere. Once per day, you may also call a great bear to fight by your side.

Ability
Woodsman--Fortify Endurance and Marksman +5 each

Lesser Power
Animal Ally--Command Creature Mag:7 Dur:60 Cost:50

Power
Forest Warden--Summon Bear Dur:45 Cost:0

Sample Horoscope: You will begin to suspect more and more that you are just in this world to move the plot forward.


The Monk
Description
Your are not your body, you are an immortal spirit using the body as a vehicle to achieve your destiny. You are an old soul returning to the world to pay off your debts. You've taken a vow of silence, not speaking from birth. This keeps you from using magic, but you do not need it. A lifetime of training and discipline has given you ability to heal your own wounds through meditating, as well as giving you immunity to diseases and poison. You are also a natural martial artist, being adept in using your hands to take down your enemy. By striking the spiritual energy, called chi, in your opponent, you shock their nervous system and cause them to fall to the ground for just a second, but that is enough time for many of your opponents to have second thoughts about attacking you. If he keeps coming, you may deflect his blows once per day and if all else fails, you have the ability to play dead so that you will be left alone to regroup.
Lastly, you have chosen this body to be free of the heavy raiment of armor. Such material is a constant reminder of the weight of the material world, thus it often falls off you when you put it on and each time you use your spiritual abilities.

Ability
Vow of Silence--Silence on Self constant
Robes of the Holy Man--Shield Mag:20 constant and Disintegrate Armor on Self Mag:1000
Fists of Fury--Fortify Hand to Hand Mag:30 and Disintegrate Armor on Self Mag:1000
Perfect Body--Resist Disease + Resist Poison Mag:100 each and Disintegrate Armor on Self Mag:1000

Lesser Power
Meditate--Restore HealthMag:5Dur:10Cost:50 Disintegrate Armor Mag:1000
Chi Strike--Drain Fatigue on TouchMag: 400 Dur:1 and Demoralize on Touch Mag:15 Dur:10 and Disintegrate Armor on self Mag:1000 Dur:1Cost: 50
Feign Death--Set Fatigue to -100 + StopCombatAlarm (The monk has the ability to slow his bodily functions, including his heartbeat, to the point that he appears dead. His skin cools and, though his body spasms in apparent death throes, he doesn’t breathe. This tricks his enemies into thinking he has died, so they walk away) Dur:30 and Disintegrate Armor on Self Mag:1000 Dur:1

Power
Deflect Blows--Resist Normal Weapons Mag:50Dur:15 Cost:0

Sample Horoscope: While it’s true that the gods work in mysterious ways, it will become obvious that they are working against you.



Known Issues: Having a constant Disintegrate Armor effect on a character only affects one piece of armor, so the monk has to have several in place simultaneously, plus a script that repeats the spell. Even then, the game still won't affect the armor sometimes. That is why I had to have the effect apply whenever you used one of the monk's powers. However, this effect will hurt the same piece of armor over and over again, even when it is at 0, and leave the rest alone. When you equip a new piece of armor to replace the disintegrated one, then the effect moves to a different piece, but it is entirely possible that you can leave two or three disintegrated pieces of armor on and wear two or three others with no ill effect AND take advantage of the constant Shield ability. It's not what I was going for, but it's the best I can do.


Compatibility Issues: Not combatable with any other birthsign mods, of course.

Appreciation
Thanks to everyone involved in the making of Oblivion. I wish I would have found this game when it first came out.
Thanks to the fine folk at the TES Construction Set Wiki for their site.
Thanks to all the modders who have made an already great game even better. That means you.
Thanks to the modders who gave me ideas to improve this mod, including sleepsleep and WasteLandAssassin
Thanks to Gary Gygax and Tolkien for inspiration.
Thanks to my kids, Aaron and Destiny, for play-testing.