This mod expands on the presence of one of the most underutilized creatures in Skyrim, the Shellbugs, by adding adorable Shellbug hatchlings (that unlike vanilla Shellbugs CAN MOVE and are actual creatures, not just mining resources) and by adding a fully functioning pet Shellbug follower named Shellby that will fight for you on your adventures!
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I have always loved the look (and sounds) of the Shellbugs added in Skyrim's Dawnguard DLC, and always felt that they were VERY underutilized creatures, only being found in two locations deep on your way to the Forgotten Vale, rarely even seen in-game and gated behind a very long quest. On top of that, the vanilla Shellbugs are also more stationary mining resources than actual creatures: they are entirely immobile, and only react if you hit them with a pickaxe (which only serves to make you feel like a monster lol)
This mod aims to give the Shellbugs a lot more life when you come across them by adding several tinyshellbug hatchlingsto the vanilla Shellbug locations.
These hatchlings will move around the area near their mothers, dig in the dirt, and generally provide a sense of these creatures being able to survive and reproduce, rather than just being sad, lost, forgotten things for you to chip chitin from. The hatchlings will drop one Shellbug chitin each if killed, but the emotional ramification and psychic of doing so is not something I will be able to provide support for, so treat the babies with care! (READ BELOW FOR A HUMANE WAY TO GET SHELLBUG CHITIN) At the moment the mod does NOT add additional fully grown Shellbugs, nor add them to areas they weren't able to be found in before.
This mod also adds afully functioning adolescent Shellbug follower named Shellby!
Shellby is cute: She will be your friend and follow you wherever you go (Shellby is bigger than the hatchlings but much smaller than the adult shellbugs in vanilla, she is around the size of a large dog
Shellby is fully voiced: Shellby will make cute little shellbug roars and other bug sounds when "speaking" to you (or Redcap!), in battle, or occasionally just when relaxing together
Shellby is useful in combat: Shellby will fight with a unique paralytic poison attack that triggers defensively when she is hit in combat
Shellby can live anywhere: Set Shellby's home location and she will return there when dismissed, and change her home location at any time!
Shellby has a summon spell: If she ever falls behind, you forget where you left her, or you just need to summon her from home, use the Call Shellbug Companion spell (given automatically when you recruit her) and Shellby will appear behind you ready for more adventures
Shellby interacts with Redcap the Riekling: Redcap and Shellby have special dialogue interactions via an optional patch on Redcap's mod page!
Shellby can give you shellbug chitin: One piece of shellbug chitin can be harvested safely and pain-free from Shellby once per day, providing players a way to obtain it without harming any shellbugs! Just ask her if she is molting to start being able to harvest.
Shellby can be used alongside any other follower or pets: Shellby has her own follower framework and does not use the vanilla follower or pet follower slot, making her able to be used alongside other followers or animals!
Shellby can be recruited without starting Dawnguard: Shellby can be found in Darkfall Cave in the chamber where Gelebor and the Falmer Wayshrine is, and can be recruited at any time before, during, or after Dawnguard
Notes on recruiting Shellby and lore-friendliness:
Spoiler:
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Shellby can be found in the chamber you find Gelebor in within Darkfall Cave but DOES NOTrequire the Dawnguard questline to be started or Gelebor to actually be present, and can be recruited at that location at any time by feeding her a gleamblossom (which you will find growing on a rock next to the campsite) I view this as lore-friendly enough while allowing access to Shellby for those who do not wish to progress through the entire Dawnguard questline to recruit her; though Gelebor may not be present if you go to this area before doing that quest, the Falmer Wayshrine is still there, and could have been easily already been used to provide Gelebor (and Shellby) passage from the Vale some time before the player gets there. You may need to use her summon spell (obtained automatically when recruiting her) to get her to leave Darkfall Cave, this is due to this specific location in general being very follower unfriendly in the vanilla game, occasionally all followers (not just Shellby) will simply refuse to enter or leave, but the summon spell will always bring her to your location.
COMPATIBILITY & REQUIREMENTS
***BOTH SHELLBY & THE SHELLBUG HATCHLINGS WILL USE WHATEVER SHELLBUG TEXTURES YOU HAVE INSTALLED IN YOUR GAME, HD REWORKED SHELLBUGIS USED IN THE SCREENSHOTS***
No requirements, .esl-flagged and won't take up a slot in your load order
Should be compatible with everything, as it only adds Shellbug hatchlings to two specific areas, and adds Shellby/a few gleamblossoms to Darkfall Cave. Just install and enjoy.