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Tcz

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Tcz

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About this mod

Vampire themed decorations for Castle Volkihar. Adds paintings, tapestries, a cooking pot in the kitchen, and idle markers for NPCs. Also fixes some idle positions. Main mod should be compatible with many mods. Optional downloads include silverware replacer and other décor.

Requirements
Permissions and credits
Changelogs
Castle Volkihar is the home of a vampire clan.
It is a gruesome place with human remains scattered everywhere.

I didn't change any of that, but I did add more things to look at besides bones.
Due to the location, I'll keep the main screenshots limited.

This mod adds vampire themed artwork from the Elder Scrolls games.
The artwork is vampire/Molag Bal themed, and all art is safe to view/SFW.

Parts of this mod are modular: download parts you want.
You only want some drapery? See the optional downloads.

New:
- Optional download: dead vine plants in library.
- Main mod version 2: this minor update includes 3 new paintings, gargoyle statue clutter, my fixes to Dawnguard's leaning idle positions in the library, and my freed camera angles for Lord Harkon's chairs.
- Optional download: drapery (curtains).
- Optional download: silverware replaced with goldware. Choose between vanilla matching goldware or wSkeever's SMIMed matching items.
- Optional download: stained glass in a hallway and Molag Bal statue by mandragorasprouts. See bottom of page.


In the main mod:

- 22 paintings, mostly in the dining hall.
- 2 tapestries.
- Cooking pot in the kitchen. (Thrallmaster needed a method to feed the thralls.)
- Idle markers for NPCs. Example: thrallmaster walks around the kitchen doing stuff.
- My fixes for rail-leaning idle markers in the library in the original game. (NPC hands won't sink into railings or hang in the air. USSEP and Rebuilt do not fix these.)
- My camera angle fix to Lord Harkon's 2 chairs. (You can rotate camera while sitting.)
- Chair swapped in Lord Harkon's room to make a matching set.
- Bats in the thrall pen.
- Decorative clutter in the main hall: 2 drapes, ivy, 2 gloomblossoms, and more gargoyle statues.

Blacksmith merchant inventory modified to include:
 - Vampire clothing.
 - Royal vampire armor, including the unique female color variant of Valerica.
 - Mourners clothing.
 - Akiviri sword (as seen on the moth priest, it is not temperable and visually looks identical to a Blades sword or Lord Harkon's sword. Edit: I recall some mod makes it temperable, probably WACCF or USSEP).
 - Crossbow and bolts (because I prefer crossbows).
 - Removed PerkInvestorWhiterunBlacksmithList (same as USSEP), but unlike USSEP I replaced it with PerkInvestorSolitudeBlacksmithList (technically the Castle is in Haafinger, I haven't truly explored this change yet, but wanted to give myself this option). 


*Optional download:
Drapery
Drapery (curtains) uses your textures and models. No assets added.
Drapery improves the grandeur of the main areas (dining hall, library, etc), but I tried to keep it moderate for grungy style castles.


*Optional download:
Silverware swapped for goldware.
Goldware comes in 2 styles: vanilla (uses your textures) or a matching option to wSkeever's SMIMed goldware for a brassy/less blinding version.
Both options are independent and standalone--SMIM or wSkeever's mod is not required.

How is this different from a simple texture swap?
I thought Lord Harkon's castle a perfect place to add the jeweled goldware in the game. So, I changed the models for the bloody silver items to bloody jeweled gold items. This adds variety--not every cup is jeweled.
- Vanilla version: bloody items still say "silver" as I considered compatibility with other mods, but may change this in future.
- Most goldware converted to moveable static: this means you can kick items around, but you can not pick the item up and steal it.
- Bloody items are now jeweled.
- AnimatedObject items are now gold: this applies to waiters holding gold serving platters and NPCs holding gold cups.
Note: I gave up looking for the data handler of animated items (buried in a quest or script) so I went with a replacer item. Be aware this may introduce gold items to other silverware parties. I'm not bothered by gold at the one quested Thalmor party, but I don't use serving wench mods, so I recommend a different mod using BOS or AOS for those users if gold appears.
- Again, this does not use Base Object Swapper or AnimObject Swapper as I introduced different jeweled models and am not using SKSE in my current playthrough (shocking, I know). The day after posting, someone added a BOS/AOS swapper you can use instead.


*Optional download:
Stained Glass and Statue
I love mandragorasprouts' statues, but I wanted a non-replacer version for the Molag Bal shrine at the Castle.
This optional download is independent--you can have both his mod and this mod installed at the same time.
During questing, Lord Harkon locks the chapel so vampires can't enter. This mod gives vampires a place to pay homage to their deity when the chapel is closed.
I also experimented with stained glass windows here.

*Optional download:
Dead plants
Dead vine plants in the library and some red fern and tundra in planters.
Uses your meshes and textures. No assets added.


Compatibility
All plugins are ESP-FE flagged ESL.
This mod only edits the 1 cell DLC1VampireCastleGuildhall (the main Castle Keep).
I didn't change the navmesh, lighting, or NPCs. No scripts. 
Everything is nice and clean in SSEedit.
I safely hid/disabled 2 flags and 1 wall mounted bear.
Therefore, this mod will probably go nicely with other mods.

Snazzy's Furniture and Clutter Overhaul:
I have paintings in the same place as Snazzy. Snazzy's paintings always conflict with mods, and I never use those paintings. There should be a mod or two on Nexus that will remove all his paintings. example

Arthmoor's Castle Rebuilt:
Recommend loading below Arthmoor's Castle Rebuilt or 2 paintings may have 2 flags covering them. 


A word about the art:
The art is lore-friendly, but none of the source material was 4k. Do not expect high quality. I am not a graphic artist.
Results will vary depending on your ENB, lighting, etc.

Would this work in LE?
No, most textures are compressed to BC7 format. Both textures and meshes would need to be converted for LE. You can do it yourself.

Share your screenshot and let me know if you like it.
What castle style do you prefer?
If there is interest, I may share expansions on the mod.