The inspirational level-up messages have always been one of my favorite aspects of Morrowind's writing. Unfortunately, new messages cease after level 21, with the same message replaying with each subsequent level up. They also generally don't reflect my character's journey at this point. Expansions and mods (like, for example, the excellent
) have made the core game much longer and optionally more difficult, and your journey rarely ends so early.
Stylistically, I've done my very best to make the new messages blend in, even down to punctuation. This means no new specific references to Tamriel or lore; instead, you'll see generalized nuggets of wisdom reflecting your character's usually positive mental state on advancement of his or her skills that could apply to any situation.
With these new messages, your journey takes you from a novice (levels 1-10) to an enthusiastic learner (levels 11-25) a more seasoned adventurer (~levels 25 to 50), to someone with misgivings and nostalgia (~level 50-60) and finally to a god--or something very close (~levels 60 onward). Rather than showing up in order and being followed by the new messages, the original messages (with a few of them slightly modified for consistency, and one of them from Oblivion) are integrated throughout all 70 levels of this mod with the intent of fleshing out this narrative. You'll never go too many levels without seeing one of vanilla Morrowind's high-quality messages until the last few levels.
Simply ctrl+f the Morrowind .ini in the Morrowind folder for [Level Up] and replace the 21 level up messages with the messages in the text file.
If you are using Mod Organizer (highly recommended!), click the wrench/screwdriver icon for the ini editor and modify the messages there instead.
If you use any messages I originally wrote, it would be nice to receive some credit and to see a link to this mod, but I am leaving open permissions here.
. I still wrote these messages from the ground up because I had a different approach and philosophy, focusing very closely on the narrative and consistency with the original writing style, but I did take significant inspiration from some of the later messages in LUM. I particularly liked the start of one of the messages, which referenced a line from the opening cutscene; this line in turn became my default message.
View below. Download the text file for formatting purposes; I can't guarantee that anything copied from here to the ini will work perfectly.
Spoiler:
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Level2=You realize that all your life you have been coasting along as if you were in a dream. Suddenly, facing the trials of the last few days, you have come alive.
Level3=You've struggled like never before, been pushed to new extremes. Keep moving and you might just live to see another sunrise.
Level4=Lesser victims of circumstance would have given up, but for some reason, you're still here, and you're still fighting. All that matters is whether you're ready for what will happen next.
Level5=The possibilities for failure and success churn before you like a boundless, uneasy sea. Fate doesn't give you a choice, but so far, you've risen to the occasion. Keep going.
Level6=Rest feels like a luxury these days. But it gives you a moment to clear your head, to think about your next steps. For the first time in a long time, you may already be on the right path.
Level7=Indecision and self-doubt are inevitable, but the longer you survive, the more success you have, the more they look like excuses. Maybe you're made of stronger stuff than you know.
Level8=All the energy and time you've wasted... it's a sin. But without the experience you've gained, taking risks, taking responsibility for failure, how could you have understood?
Level9=Fear isn't your worst enemy; trepidation, ambivalence, and indecision are. Now you act without wavering, and fear is the soil that nourishes your courage.
Level10=You woke today with a new sense of purpose. You're no longer afraid of failure. Failure is just an opportunity to learn something new.
Level11=No one is quicker to find your weaknesses than you are. It keeps you ahead of the game.
Level12=On some nights, your muscles ache and your brain is a storm of confusion. But it feels all the sweeter when you wake up refreshed and more capable than ever.
Level13=Don't think about it. Just apply yourself, keep your eyes on the target, and everything else will fall into place.
Level14=You realize that you are catching on to the secret of success. It's just a matter of concentration.
Level15=Being smart doesn't hurt. And a little luck now and then is nice. But the key is patience and hard work.
Level16=With every step you take, you find new obstacles to overcome, new puzzles to solve. And you don't want to miss a single one.
Level17=Your path is filled with digressions and distractions. But most of your real growth happens on roads you never planned to take.
Level18=It can be hard to focus on one task when there are so many possibilities. It's not always a bad thing to let go, to follow your instincts wherever they lead.
Level19=It may be new to you, or it may have been a distant memory. But this potential, this drive, this is a good feeling, and you understand now that you were underestimating yourself. You won't make that mistake again.
Level20=So that's how it works. You plod along, putting one foot before the other, look up, and suddenly, there you are. Right where you wanted to be all along.
Level21=You find yourself reaching for something intangible. Lean forward just a bit more today and tomorrow it will be in your grasp.
Level22=A new day brings new challenges, new tasks to complete and new rivers to cross. You've never felt so alive.
Level23=Everything you do is just a bit easier, more instinctive, more satisfying. It is as though you had suddenly developed keen senses and instincts.
Level24=It's the most amazing thing. Yesterday it was hard, and today it is easy. Just a good night's sleep, and yesterday's mysteries are today's masteries.
Level25=Once, you drifted aimlessly on the currents of fate, tumbling towards an uncertain future. Now, with discipline, courage, and some luck, your clawing fingers have finally taken hold of your own destiny.
Level26=You resolve to continue pushing yourself. There are things about yourself that even you have yet to discover.
Level27=You know it's in your nature to persevere and overcome insurmountable odds... otherwise, you wouldn't be standing here today.
Level28=The secret does seem to be hard work, yes, but it's also a kind of blind passion, an inspiration.
Level29=You can't believe how easy it is. You just have to go... a little crazy. And then, suddenly, it all makes sense, and everything you do turns to gold.
Level30=Trials and glory await.
Level31=Today you wake up, full of energy and ideas, and you know, somehow, that overnight everything has changed. What a difference a day makes.
Level32=Sure, you can become stronger, or smarter, or wiser, but you'll never feel more eager or motivated than you do right now.
Level33=Your best is probably good enough, but that hasn't stopped you from pushing yourself past your limit.
Level34=You're getting more confident, but you're not going any easier on yourself. Your body still aches and you're still weary. You haven't forgotten how far hard work has brought you.
Level35=You keep telling yourself not to get carried away. Then you cross another boundary, meet another goal, and you find yourself with new expectations about what the next day will bring.
Level36=You've been trying too hard, thinking too much. Relax. Trust your instincts. Just be yourself. Do the little things, and the big things take care of themselves.
Level37=Not long ago, you ran from danger or towards destiny. Now, you pause, reflect on your circumstances, and press on with clear-minded intent.
Level38=You sense yourself more aware, more open to new ideas. You've learned a lot about Morrowind, and about yourself. It's hard to believe how ignorant you were, but now you have so much more to learn.
Level39=There are still mountains to climb, skills to perfect, endeavors to fulfill. Your ambition is limitless, but it begins to feel less like insatiable hunger and more like the path to tranquility.
Level40=The results of hard work and dedication always look like luck to saps. But you know you've earned every ounce of your success.
Level41=Every task you've completed, every challenge you've overcome, every fear you've conquered... these are the many roads you've traveled on your perilous and wonderful journey.
Level42=No one told you that it would get this easy. Then again, no one could have guessed how strong you would become, or how hard you would work to get here.
Level43=You've been through enough adventures to fill ten lifetimes and a dozen volumes, but you're not nearly done. Whatever's next, you're ready for it.
Level44=Few hear the call to greatness, and fewer still heed that call. You have heard and answered, and are blessed with enviable purpose.
Level45=You rarely find yourself looking backwards. You have things to do today, at this moment, and there's no time for regrets or wistful sentimentality.
Level46=Good habits stay with you, and your rigor and discipline keep you on the path of greatness.
Level47=Whether completing small tasks or tackling massive obstacles, learning and growing always makes you feel more certain of your calling and the decisions you've made.
Level48=There are still mysteries beyond your reach. But it won't stay that way for long... your past efforts have already taken you further than you could have dreamed.
Level49=You're really good. Maybe the best. And that's why it's so hard to get better. But you just keep trying, because that's the way you are.
Level50=Raw instinct can get you far, but it's no substitute for your wisdom and experience.
Level51=Self-improvement no longer gives you the rush it used to, but at the end of the day, the results of your effort are unquestionable.
Level52=Life isn't over. You can still get smarter, or cleverer, or more experienced, or meaner. But your body and soul just aren't going to get any younger.
Level53=Contemplating your achievements, success begins to feel like an inevitability.
Level54=Now you just stay at your peak as long as you can. Few are stronger in Tamriel, but there's always someone younger, a new challenger.
Level55=With the life you've been living, the punishment your body has taken... there are limits, and maybe you've reached them. Is this what it's like to grow old?
Level56=By superhuman effort, you can avoid slipping backwards for a while. But one day, you'll lose a step or miss a detail, and you'll be gone forever.
Level57=Most of the fears, loves, and dreams of your former life now linger in the shadow cast by your glory. You can stand in place and keep them close, or move forward and leave them behind.
Level58=Reflecting on how far you've come, on your capability and determination, you finally realize that there is truly nothing left to fear.
Level59=Many memories have faded, but the light of your future burns more brightly than it ever has.
Level60=Your every step resounds beneath the weight of your legend.
Level61=Though the count of your triumphs is incommensurable, you know your pursuit of excellence will never end.
Level62=One day, your breath may falter and your heart may fail. Even the divine have fallen. But if legacy is immortality, you already walk among the gods.
Level63=In your dreams, you scan an infinite horizon and see nothing beyond your grasp.
Level64=You experience a new, surprising type of loneliness... the sobering knowledge that you may never again meet a worthy rival.
Level65=You have mastered many skills and toppled many foes. Most importantly, you have forged and shaped and refined yourself into a living paragon.
Level66=What path lies before you? What wisdom does a paragon seek? All that remains is revelatory enlightenment or madness.
Level67=You look to the heavens and see your legend hewn in the stars.
Level68=You have the rare opportunity to rebuild the world in your image. So what are you waiting for?
Level69=Your foes fear you and your allies regard you with honor. Your name is spoken in hushed whispers and raised in jubilant song. Your exploits are etched into the annals of history. You are peerless.
Default=Many have fallen, but you remain.
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