Skyrim - Wyrmstooth Mod
What do you do when a stranger asks you to go on a dragon hunt? Do you turn and runaway thinking this guy is crazy? Or do you drop everything and go? For the Dragonborn this is not a choice. Wyrmstooth is a mod for Skyrim however Wyrmstooth is not like any of your run of the mill mods, Wyrmstooth is an expansion to the game. Not only does it add another story line but also adds a new map with a Morrowind like touch while mainly keeping the heart of Skyrim at it's core.
This mod was posted onto Skyrim Nexus n the 19th November 2012 so as you can tell as of writing this article the mod has been released for months so has been updated a few time, the most recent update was on the 17th August 2013. From what I have read Wyrmstooth has been very well received with some people saying alias Jonx0r should be working for Bethesda themselves and I for one can't help but agree. Jonx0r slaved on this mod for over 1600 hours which I must say I have never put that much effort into anything...EVER! I can only applaud this guy. When Wyrmstooth first got released onto Steam people were saying.
"This looks more like an expansion than a mod"
"This mod CRIES to be fleshed out with more complex quests and plot turns IN ADDITION to more monsters/actors and stuff. PLEASE UPGRADE THIS ISLAND. it has HUGE potential. Don't stop now."
I will say one thing Jonx0r has not failed to deliver!
Now down to the nitty grittyness of the mod. Wyrmstooth starts off with an Imperial Courier called Theodyn Bienne who asks you to go meet Lurius Liore who is in charge of the East Empire Companies Wyrmstooth branch. Lurius asks you on a simple dragon hunting quest which involves running a few recruitment errands for him, you know the usual things that happen on a quest. When you finally set out to take down the dragon, the dragon Vulthurkrah turns round and tells you that he wants to fight you but only when you have proven you are worthy to fight him and let's be honest Vulthurkrah was a lot tougher opponent than Alduin but that may just be the Dragons 4x stronger mod. Even so Vulthurkrah was still a mighty opponent for my Bosmer.
When you report back to Lurius he sends you to Solitude to meet him at The East Empire Company so you can set sail to Wyrmstooth. The only thing I didn't like about this part of the mod was you couldn't board the ship and speak to the crewman but that would have made the mod a hell of a lot slower and boring. Plus it's not for everyone.
When you arrive on the Isle of Wyrmstooth that's when the real fun begins. Straight away you are delved into action by having a skirmish at a near by fort, shortly after you have to battle two dragons. An elder dragon and a regular dragon. Vulthurkrah comes later. I will not reveal to much that happens after that but what I will say is that I am either a really bad gamer or this particular dungeon crawl took me 2-3 hours to complete however this particular dungeon crawl has a few treats along the way which I will not reveal too much. All I will say is Qethgaafkiin and an army of the dead.
The NPC's in the mod were also very impressive as each character had their own unique and believable back-story. Each of which stuck to the Tamriel Lore. The four companions you recruit each have very different backstories on why they became who they were. Ranging from how they became an outlaw to killing just because they get some sick thrill off it but then again that comes with their kind. Elder Scrolls racism at it's finest. On your journey you also come across a researcher who has taken up residence in Wyrmstooth Barrow. I will not reveal what he is researching as it will reveal some spoilers but what I will say it kind of reminds me a bit of The Game of Thrones.
Another impressive feature of this mod is that it has it's own soundtrack composed by León van der Stadt. León composed four songs for this mod.
The first one is Wyrmstooth Barrow which is slow but powerful and just as sinister. The composition really adds to the effect of being in the barrow and really keeps to the style of Jeremy Soule.
The second composition is Night of Affliction. This again is slow however it is not as sinister but it still keeps to the style of Jeremy Soule.
The 3rd composition is Mountains in Dusk. This composition keeps to the style of Jeremy Soule's Skyrim however there is in my opinion a touch of Lord of the Rings.
The final composition is Dimfrost Region. Dimfrost Region also keeps to the same style however like the region itself you can feel the despair and hopelessness in the composition. This would fit into any of the other fallen Dwemer cities dotted around Skyrim.
My overall impression of the mod is that not only is a great addition to the game but it is so brilliantly done that it seems more like a Bethesda DLC than a mod. The bards of the Bards College would be proud. However like with all good games there is always room for improvement. The lip sync isn't completely synced but what do you expect from a mod? They haven't got the power of Bethesda behind them. Another problem I did have was that when the NPC's were talking they seemed to go on and on and on explaining themselves too much in a story line which has got you gripped making you want more action, it was slightly irritating but nothing so bad that it ruined the game play.
Despite these shortcomings which is to be expected from anyone who has modded a mod this size, Wyrmstone is brilliantly done. Even Bethesda didn't get it completely right when the released Skyrim. Hell, there are still some things that could be fixed even now. Just ask PS3 users. This mod has been brilliantly made and I highly recommend it to the avid Skyrim player and even the casual player as it adds a unique story to the game. Not only does it have the main quest, it has some other side quests which I haven't started yet but one does involve owning your own castle which you can upgrade as you please. Upgrading the prisons, armouries etc. So in all I highly recommend Wymstooth.
Gameplay: 8.5/10
