What does this mod do?

This Mod adds the Blackwater Mansion to the borderlands of Eastmarch and The Rift. It can be found between Hillgrund's Tomb and the Lost Knife Hideout. The building itself is based on the architecture from Riften.

I created the mod for myself years ago and want to share it now, so that the working hours I have put into finally pay up. You can use it as a safe house or make it your main residence. It clearly doesn't matter. That the building is located at a terrain slope can count as a disadvantage in this case. It's not the easiest location to reach, but one of the top places in Skyrim in my opinion.

You can store your inventory in chests, shelves and displays instead of carrying everything with you. Just like with every other house or house mod.


Update of June 2020:


I've finally made navigation mesh for the mansion and it's surrounding terrain! Turned out to be very easy to apply actually. This means you are finally able to settle your family here as NPCs know where to walk and where not. (I've tested it with Custom Family Home, which is available here on the Nexus! Works like a charm) Your companion and horse will also be able to follow you around.

But that's not the only thing that has changed within the latest version. The entire mansion has become an overhaul and is now more of a home to the Dovahkiin than it could be before. Be sure to check out the details below and the image gallery, so you get an idea of what has been updated. (Read it especially if you want to update to the new version!)




A bridge leads to the mansion from the direction of Hillgrund's Tomb and replaces a fallen tree that was lying above the river before. By following the track from the street all way up to the mansion you can possibly encounter an enemy NPC, as there is a spawn marker i haven't removed for the sake of excitement.

Below the canyon there is a secret way that leads to the interior.

The interior has 5 levels. In the first level you can find the visitor hall and the dining room. The second level contains private rooms including the bedroom and a stairway to the showroom above. Level three to four include the showroom (to exhibit weapons) and the attic and also the way up the tower. On it's top you can find a forge containing grindstone, anvil, tanning rack and a workbench.

In the basement you can find a bathing place and a kitchen as well as an enchanter and a alchemy lab.

Outside there can be found a stable, two big terraces, one balcony, seats and a table but most important a smelter.


A list of changes due to the update of June 2020:

• Included navigation mesh for interior and exterior cells, so that pathfinding for NPCs is working.
  

• Added a child's room where only clutter was to be found in the previous version in case you want your family to move there.
  

• The entrance at the upper waterfalls had no function at all and thus was removed. (Back in the day I liked the idea of secret entrances behind waterfalls, but was never happy with the result.) From the inside you can still walk into the tunnel where I placed a little gimmick for those playing vampires  :)
  

• Redesigned the courtyard: Including new textures (less grass, more rocks) some plants, hay and tools around the stables and a wall that separates the way off.
  

• Added more details in the bathing room, the kitchen and the more or less secret alchemy and enchanting lab
  

• Redesigned the fireplace and the dining table in the first floor, added a little wardrobe next to the entrance.
  

• Replaced quest items with none quest items and filled the shelves with new stuff. Added a display on the second floor, a weapon plaque at the stairs and right before the private room and also a place for cleaning armor.
  

• Remade the weapon plaques inside the showroom and added little more detail to the area.
  

• Remade the cave behind the secret entrance. Also this whole area is a little bit useless because the paths you can reach via the main entrances are faster or as fast. Kept it anyway in the main version for imagining it as escape tunnel that was once build. (There is a optional version able to be downloaded where this cave was also removed just like the other secret tunnel for this very reason)
  

• Generated LOD for the area around the mansion. There was a cell which had no water in it despite being part of a river that therefore would suddenly disappear. (Near Abandoned Prison)
  

• Added many Idle Markers to the area, so NPCs have something to do. Idle Markers can be used by the NPCs to run animations. Warming the hands at a fireplace e.g.
  

IMPORTANT:

If you want to update to the new version make sure that you take everything you put inside the mansion before. Then make a savegame where the mod is deactivated so everything gets reset. In the next step you should install the new esp file and activate it again. If you don't do it like so, it would most likely end up in a mess.




If there should be any interest in future updates, let me now. Hope I will get an email in that case because I'm not online most of the time. But more important look out for bugs and tell me, so I can fix these. I do not guarantee that this mod will leave your game unharmed. Working with the Creation Kit is pain in the a** often enough, so who knows what I've done there ;) Everything should be fine nevertheless!