This mod has a very cool idea! I hate it when followers disappear and you can't find them, and the only solution is to load a save game. I hope there were more mods like this. Endorsed!
Oh, yeah. One other idea I had regarding her (and I'm not entirely sure if it's feasible or not) would be to incorporate aspects from the mod "The Soul of Ilithiel" - Bind Raiza to a soul gem that can temporarily enchant a weapon (the way Ilithiel does), only using a level-based fire enchant rather than Ilithiel's reactive enchant. While wielding the weapon she's bound to, you'd gain "Raiza" as a free lesser power. Using it once would remove the fire damage from the weapon, but summon her as an ally as she is now. Using it again would dismiss her back into the weapon, restoring its fire damage. In other words, she'd either be aiding you by empowering your weapon or by supplying... heheh... fire support. It'd be a tricky thing to do, but it would make her even more interesting, I'd think.
Raiza has always been one of my favorite companion mods. But now you've gone and forced me to make a downright painful choice. Over on PlanetElderscrolls there's a version of Raiza that is 80-90% voice acted, using pre-existing dialogue, and it's been my go-to version of this mod for some time. I know I'm spoiled, but voice acting in this game is important - silent dialogue in a silent game or semi-silent dialogue in a semi-silent game works, but a silent character in a fully voiced game has always bothered me, so my choice has always been clear. And now you come out with a much better version and I'm torn between voice acting and this awesomeness. Darn you!
As for the quest to get her, I've always played it the same way in my head: I saved her from Fathis Arren during the Arrow of Extrication quest. The way I approach it is that everything that happens before that particular quest is completed predates the character's time in prison, and the only reason why the player is locked up in a cell that is supposed to be "off the books" is because Fathis is influential and pissed off over the theft of the arrow and the abduction of his favorite test subject (which also explains her loyalty to my character). That's just my own personal angle on events, but it has always worked well for me.
Very nice mod, really a unique among companion mods, she also resembles very much the Summons of Final Fantasy and the Zampakoutos of Bleach (which makes me really happy) ">.
Anyway, i still have some "minor" suggestions to improve it:
_ The magicka cost of the summon spell is a bit too high, especially for non-magical characters, i think a value between 50 and 100 (maybe 75) would be better;
_ The summon spell should be listed as a lesser power instead as a normal spell, and the icon should be replaced with a conjuration-like one (for example, the "summon flame atronach" spell's icon should be perfect for her);
_ About the quest to get her, you can simply put a special item (a jewel, a stone, a sigillus sanguis etc.) somewhere in an already existing dungeon or location, just like in Maigret's mods, without worrying too much for the lack of a background plot;
_ In her human form she should at least be able to say the common greeting phrases using the standard female breton dialogue voice, also because she always speaks fluently with other NPCs along the way and it sounds strange that she doesn't even greet her master; beside, i'm not sure suggesting you to add a "Rumor" topic to her dialogue menu 'cause it may sound a bit strange for a summoned being to talk about "mortals'" matters, but of course this is all up to you.
_ It may be a very unpopular suggestion, but as her main purpose should be to help you in battle with her amazing trasformation power, i think you should remove all that extra stuff from her dialogue menu and give her only standard followers' options (Follow/Wait/Homepoint etc.), although an Inventory Share option should be avoided (after all she is a summoned being, not a packmule or some kind of mannequin);
_ It would be really thrilling if you convert her trasformation ability into an her own lesser power, making her to fight in her human form (like a common fire mage) as well as in her trasformed one (like a flame atronach);
_ Finally, i think she is a bit too much "unique", you REALLY should make some more characters like her, of course with different appearences and trasformation powers (after all flame atronaches are not the only daedras around, and daedras are not the only creatures around... ).
Of course they are all suggestion, you are free to burn them out (but please don't flame directly at me), but if you put some of them in pratice i will be even more happy.
I've always wanted to create a quest to allow the player to earn the spell. I've gone so far as to outline a rough story line and I have a dungeon layout in mind. But I have high standards for that sort of thing and so far I haven't had the patience to implement it.
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As for the quest to get her, I've always played it the same way in my head: I saved her from Fathis Arren during the Arrow of Extrication quest. The way I approach it is that everything that happens before that particular quest is completed predates the character's time in prison, and the only reason why the player is locked up in a cell that is supposed to be "off the books" is because Fathis is influential and pissed off over the theft of the arrow and the abduction of his favorite test subject (which also explains her loyalty to my character). That's just my own personal angle on events, but it has always worked well for me.
Anyway, i still have some "minor" suggestions to improve it:
_ The magicka cost of the summon spell is a bit too high, especially for non-magical characters, i think a value between 50 and 100 (maybe 75) would be better;
_ The summon spell should be listed as a lesser power instead as a normal spell, and the icon should be replaced with a conjuration-like one (for example, the "summon flame atronach" spell's icon should be perfect for her);
_ About the quest to get her, you can simply put a special item (a jewel, a stone, a sigillus sanguis etc.) somewhere in an already existing dungeon or location, just like in Maigret's mods, without worrying too much for the lack of a background plot;
_ In her human form she should at least be able to say the common greeting phrases using the standard female breton dialogue voice, also because she always speaks fluently with other NPCs along the way and it sounds strange that she doesn't even greet her master; beside, i'm not sure suggesting you to add a "Rumor" topic to her dialogue menu 'cause it may sound a bit strange for a summoned being to talk about "mortals'" matters, but of course this is all up to you.
_ It may be a very unpopular suggestion, but as her main purpose should be to help you in battle with her amazing trasformation power, i think you should remove all that extra stuff from her dialogue menu and give her only standard followers' options (Follow/Wait/Homepoint etc.), although an Inventory Share option should be avoided (after all she is a summoned being, not a packmule or some kind of mannequin);
_ It would be really thrilling if you convert her trasformation ability into an her own lesser power, making her to fight in her human form (like a common fire mage) as well as in her trasformed one (like a flame atronach);
_ Finally, i think she is a bit too much "unique", you REALLY should make some more characters like her, of course with different appearences and trasformation powers (after all flame atronaches are not the only daedras around, and daedras are not the only creatures around... ).
Of course they are all suggestion, you are free to burn them out (but please don't flame directly at me), but if you put some of them in pratice i will be even more happy.
Laura