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     The Elder Scrolls III
           MORROWIND
    Skeleton Shield Replacer
                  v1.0
               by osiris		
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  Index:
  1. About the Plugin
  2. Installation
  3. Playing the Plugin
  4. Save Games
  5. Knows Bugs and Issues
  6. Credits
  7. Reusage and Destribution
  8. Version Notes
  9. Contacts
10. Visit my Forum!


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     1. ABOUT THE PLUGIN

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This is my first released mod for The Elder Scrolls III - Morrowind; something i did just for fun while keep on working on other bigger and more complex projects.

During my adventures in Morrowind, i have always wondered why the skeletal creatures are always equipped with a generic iron shield; these creatures are undeads from the outer realms, so they should carry their own unique equipment (at least in my opinion) instead of very common Morrowind stuff.

This small plug - in tries to fix this issue: from now and for ever, every skeletal creature in the game will be equipped with the Skull Shield. The shield has the ability to fortify the 'Block' skill thanks to a small enchantment, and it can be found even in tomb loots (though this opportunity is quite rare for low - level characters). Due to the enchantment, the creatures will be a bit stronger, so be prepared!
If you don't like the glowing effect that tends to hide a bit the new skull texture, you can install a no - glow mod alongside my plug - in (though see this artifact glowing in the darkness of some tombs seems quite cool to me!)

The Skull Shield has the same value of the original Iron Shield.

The original iron shield has not deleted from the game world, and can be found on the usual NPCs and shops through Vvardenfell as in the standard game.

Thinking to who still doesn't owns the expansions or can't buy them for various reasons, this mod comes in four different versions:

- MW version

  Requires only Morrowind and affects only the Morrowind creatures;

- MW + TRB version

  Requires Morrowind and Tribunal and affects the creatures in Morrowind and in the       Tribunal expansion;

- MW + BM version

    Requires Morrowind + Bloodmoon and affects the creatures in Morrowind and in the             Bloodmoon expansion;

- ALL version

  Requires both expansions and affects the creatures in Morrowind, Tribunal and         Bloodmoon.

Here's the list of the creatures affected in every versions.

- MW version:

  - skeleton
  - skeleton champ_sandas10
  - skeleton champion
  - skeleton entrance
  - skeleton hero dead
  - skeleton warrior
  - skeleton_summon
  - skeleton_weak

Doesn't affects the Skeleton Archer creature for obvious reasons, skeleton champ_sandas00 and skeleton_aldredaynia since they uses two - handed weapon and needs no shield; the skeleton_Vemynal creature has not been altered as well, as it uses the Blood Feast Shield, which i feel as an unique item that shouldn't be replaced by mods.

A note about the skeleton hero dead: this is only a corpse and not a real creature, so it's the one affected by the new dedicated leveled list created by the plug - in itself; the chance of find a Skull Shield in it will be rare as per the other two modified leveled lists that puts the shield in tomb chests, if not very rare.

- MW + TRB version: affects the creatures listed above, plus

  - lich
  - lich_profane_unique
  - lich_relvel

Doesn't affects the lich_barilzar creature, as it uses a two - handed weapon and then needs no shield.

- MW + BM version: affects the creatures listed in the MW version list, plus

  - bm skeleton champion gr
  - bm_sk_champion_bloodskaal01
  - bm_sk_champion_bloodskaal02
  - bm_skeleton_pirate
  - bm_skeleton_pirate_capt

Doesn't affects the skeleton nord creature, since it uses a two - handed weapon and then needs no shield.

- ALL version: affects the total of all the creatures listed in the previous lists.




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     2. INSTALLATION

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Just unzip the archive to your Morrowind/Data Files folder, and everything will go in the right place.


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     3. PLAYING THE PLUGIN

From the Morrowind Launcher, select Data Files and check the box next to the .esp file that you want to use. Only select one .esp at time (otherwise you will get major doubling errors)!
Then, simply play the game and enjoy the new: everytime you will meet one of the creatures listed above (with a pair of exceptions, see above), it will carry the improved new shield.
The shield can be also found in some tomb chests in Morrowind and Bloodmoon, though as a balance feature, low level character will probably not find it so easy.

Remember to use the Wrye Mash's 'Import Merged Lists' function before playing this plug - in! This mod affects two existing leveled lists (one for the MW version, one for the MW + BM version, plus a third new one created by the mod itself) or you could never see the effect of these lists!!!


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     4. SAVE GAMES

This plug - in is fully tested and will not invalidate your old saved games. However, as per every other mod, i strongly recommend the use of Wrye Mash if you're going to add this mod to an existing savegame. And as a general rule, you should always make a back - up of your old savegames everytime you add a new mod to your load list.

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     5. KNOWN BUGS AND ISSUES

None so far; this plug - in has been tested,  built with the help of Wrye's Vaccine and has been checked with TESAME; it's perfectly clean and does not contains GMSTs or any other dirty references.
If you find something wrong in this mod, please report to me soon.

Not really an issue; but in the default game, some of the Skeletons switches from shield to a two - handed weapon when starting the combat mode; i don't want to change their weapon equipment, so as per the default Iron Shield, so the new Skull Shield still will temporarely disappear when fighting with these Skeletons; it will reappear at combat end though.


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    6. CREDITS

- Bethesda Softworks for the shield mesh and for the icon (which is the default iron   shield      icon);

- Midgetalien for the Skull Shield texture, and his "Skull Shield Resource";

- Me, osiris, for placing the Skull Shield in game; and for creating, compiling and modifying     the associated leveled lists.

Many thanks to:

- Bethesda Softworks for an awesome game, and the whole modding community for their         amazing creations and the constant inspiration that comes from you!

- MentalElf for his packing utility TESFiles: everyone who mod should try it!

- Vasilyi for his very useful 'Morrowind Mod Info' utility;

- Wrye for the excellent Wrye Mash and for his GMSTs Vaccine.

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    7. REUSAGE AND DESTRIBUTION

As every mod should be, even this one is freely donated to the Morrowind community; do whatever you want with it, but remember that you must give credit to the authors listed above if you modify this plug - in in whole or in part and release it, and that you can't charge money from it.

If you release an updated version of this mod, remember to include this readme in your download.

Please do not port this plug - in and its parts outside of Morrowind and the Elder Scrolls series.

If you upload this plug - in to other Morrowind mods internet databases, please inform me before; i can be contacted at my forum (see below) or via e - mail at:

osirismods at hotmail dot it (don't copy - and - paste this, as it's obfuscated!)

Just remember to put "Skull Shield Replacer" as the subject, so i will be able to know the stuff you are talking about.

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    8. VERSION NOTES

- v1.0
   
   This is the first public release of this plug - in; i will probably work on an a scripted                 upgrade or / and patches to extend this mod to some popular 'creatures' mods later.

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    9. CONTACTS

I'm always opened to constructive feedback, comments, reports and suggestions: feel free to contact me at the e - mail address above, or sign up at my forum and post in the discussion thread!

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    10. VISIT MY FORUM!

Visit and sign up at 'The Chieftain's Chambers', my Elder Scrolls forum! A beautiful and friendly place where you can discuss and find everything about the whole Elder Scrolls universe, announce your Morrowind and Oblivion WIPs and RELs, and share your fan fictions and screenshots with the other members of the community.

Copy - and - paste in your internet browser

http://osiris01.proboards86.com/index.cgi

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Enjoy the mod, have fun!

- osiris 2007

The Elder Scrolls, Morrowind, Oblivion are property of Bethesda Softworks, Inc. a Zenimax Media Company.

