After a long, delightful holiday in Morrowind, I have been lured back to the Imperial City just in time to get thrown in prison again. What a way to treat a high ranking Telvanni! Oh well. She doesn't look the same anyway.

Actually, I'm starting this topic because I could use some advice on this new runthrough. This time, I am using OBSE (vrs 20), Cobl, and Crafty Bits along with all the CUO mods. I also loaded Crestview Winery and Seeyousleep for some extra fun.

What I want to know: 1st: Are you, Nakia, or anyone else using Kyama's Journal and if so, how does it work and what is the latest version?

2nd: Since Gis' latest mod removes fast travel in favor of Morrowind-style traveling services (cart and boat), I figure I will be doing more horseback riding this playthrough. (What can I say. I was raised in cowboy country, ergo, why walk when you can ride?) What I need to know is if Mounted Combat works well, particularly with spells? I am using a Dark Elf mage and she will be wanting to throw out a few fireballs at nasties as she rides by. Also, I couldn't find any documentation that says if I can load the spellcasting only and leave out trampling and similar stuff. My character doesn't want to get her horse's hoofs bloody.

3rd: Has anyone tried Princess Stomper's Scrying mod? I have it and am thinking of trying it out, but I don't think I've heard much of how well it works.

Love to hear how anyone is doing with these mods as I am, by nature, a bit timid.

Also, Scythe, I am using Almgard Castle and Seaview Castle with Gold Coast UL mod. Is it time to remove the Unique Landscapes to get the Sutch mods?

Nowena, you have moved into unknown territory as far as I am concerned. I have yet to try installing Oblivion on this computer and will only do so to play Scthe's mods. My disks are wearing out. I have two sets. If I am lucky I will be able to use the Oblivion disk from one set and the SI disk from the other. I have used crafty Bits and love it. If you haven't used it before it will be a fun experience. If you are installing OBSE you should get the redocrator mod. I'll see if I can find the correct name. Do not use it outside as it can mess up your game. You will be told to read the readme. Obey this derective. Get the mod that lets you buy your furniture for your houses. I will look up the name if needed.

I look forward to hearing how you do with all your new toys.

Hmm. Thanks. So far, I have created my first spear which took awhile to figure out, and a cutting board. Haven't loaded the Real Hunger or Thirst mods, but I have them and am considering them. Depends on whether they interrupt what I'm doing otherwise in the game. Extra activities are fun, but only when you feel like doing them. This is a game, afterall. Entertainment, right?

Are you talking about the Redecorator mod - the one that lets you move furniture and stuff around? I tried that a long time ago (hopefully, it's been updated) and had a lot of trouble getting it to work properly. Not necessarily the mod's fault. I think I'm just not too handy with the grab-and-move key. I am, however, doing a bit better with Crafty Bits than I thought I would. Love to know if that is indeed it, because I wasn't using OBSE when I tried that. Also love to know which mod you're thinking of with house furnishings.

Since I have finally tried out the sleeping mod and it seems to work quite well, I'm deciding if I'm adventurous enough to try and add the mounted spells. I've already got too much stuff to lug around (thanks to crafty bits necessary tools) and those saddlebags are looking awfully good. (Plus I'm currently broke again so I don't think I can rent a room or a house just yet. Have to work some first, or do some more quests.)

Imperial Furniture link: http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=4703

Another fun mod I use: http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=19847 Put it in its Place - Enhanced Grabbing This mod makes it possible to pick up things without getting in trouble. Just do NOT put them in your inventory. You can mess up a merchants store and hear his comments or help him clean up his store and get thanked. Requires OBSE.

I am not finding Redecorator on NEXUS so it may be on FilePlanet or removed. I think I may still have it on My Passport. Always save your game before activating it. I had no real problem with it but it does require OBSE and a pluggy. Read the readme before installing. I particularly liked because you can hang things on your walls. There is also Redecorator Assistant but I did have trouble with that one. Lots of people like however.

There are so many great mods out there that you could spend a lifetime playing Oblivion. Have you used one of the mods that adds cats? I know of two, one just adds cats and the other adds both cats and rats. The last one caused major lag (as in I couldn't move). I believe it was updated so that the guards didn't get mad at the cats for killing the rats.

I do already have Imperial Furniture - and love it! Though most houses don't have too much room for adding your own, purchased items.

The version of Redecorator I have is quite old and didn't require OBSE (since I didn't install that until just lately). Or, maybe I was using Redecorator Assistant. But, I will look around for an OBSE one. Maybe it will work better - and probably is an update. The Enhanced Grabbing sounds intriguing. Think I'll look at that one, too.

By the way, I did load and try out Mounted Combat. Works great - eh, except that I ran into one of those bandit heroes and he killed me (left my horse alone, though). And then, it crashed when I tried to load up a save game directly after. hehe. I guess that doesn't matter. I was dead anyway.

Yep. I tried Cats and Rats some time back. Slowed my computer down to nearly a stop any time I came into town. Removed it. Haven't tried it again, though a couple of the house mods I use have resident cats in them. One of those - Belda Elysium - has a cat you can send to bed, another room, feed, or pet. And, she gives buffs when you pet her.

That last mod sounds like one I would love. Yes, cats and rats did the same thing to my computer. Too bad. I think the modder may have included too many animals. It seems to be the rats that are the major cause of the slow down. Enhanced grabbin did I give you a link? It is on TESNEXUS. I love it. It really annoyed me that I couldn't pick up something from the floor without being accused of stealing. As long as you do not put an item in your inventory you are safe. Sometimes the item sticks to your hand if I recall correctly you may need to click again to get rid of it. The most fun is to go into a shop and either help the owner clean up or mess up his shop. He makes a comment and puts the item back where it belongs.

For combat I use Deadly Reflex which disabled mounted combat. I think he recommended using Mounted Combat. I am the gruesome sort and nothing gives me more pleasure then to have my mage set the enemy on fire. Lights up the caves and dungeons nicely too.

I think you'd like Belda Elysium, too. It has two servants (female dark elf sisters) with special quests and definite personalities, and a helpful skull that talks to you (along with sorting alchemical ingredients). In all, quite a fun mod, but load it before you complete the main quest. Some of the early parts of it allude to your trials in that and they would be missed if you are already champion. Look for it on PES or possibly Nexus. I got it from one of them, but I don't remember which.

I've looked at Deadly Reflex (think I have it downloaded), but it looks like it takes a lot more coordination than I have these days.

Deadly Reflex is easy to use. If I a half blind elderly lady can handle it a youngen like you should have no problem. You can freeze up oponents with a spell but then you have to go bash them with something. Bodies do occasionally fly into pies if you are using melee ifghting but it isn't horribly gruesome. Burn your enemies to cinders, make them candles or ice statues. People talk about the melee aspect but I like the mage part bgest.

Hokay, the rogue is back and it is time to get some activity going. Nowena, you bummed up your arm playing Oblivion so you must have something to report. I need to get over to the WormHole and decided which account I am using. The original is already signed up with CraftyBits so I guess I'll revert to that. How is it coming along. You must be advanced now. Building houses yet? How is the gardening? Did you get the outside grill?

Hunh! Advanced. Oh, that is funny. With Craftybits, even. hehe. Much funniness.

Well, I have advanced to the point where I hate to go out at night without my clay lantern. Problem is, it now needs seed oil or birch tar or animal fat to burn. And, wouldn't you know it, I can't find any of that at the usual vendors. I've been trying to make some, but having the devil of a time finding animal fat (base ingredient) in the wild. Turns out you have to be rather high in skills before you can skin animal fat from your creature kills. Either that, or I'm doing something wrong again. I'm going to have to have another chat with Munch. Currently, I've killed 2 bears, 3 boars, 4 wolves, 3 deer, and dozens of mudcrabs, but every time I skin one, I "botch" the job and only get bones. Good think I'm not really trying to live in the wild entirely. I'd starve and freeze.

Finally ran into the Guild Hall village and located the guy who can sell me that stuff. So, I stocked my carry inventory with all the seed oil and animal fat he had. (He didn't have any birch tar.)

On another note: I discovered Vilja has been updated again and looks very good as a companion. I downloaded and plan to upgrade my ingame version tonite (she now has over 4000 conversation topics). She was made by Emma and I found a couple of neat houses Emma made that she will interact with nicely, so I'm thinking of adding one or both of those as well.

Now, I'm looking for a good horse commands mod. I really love having a horse for long trips, but now that I have fast travel turned off, I need a way to get my horse to meet me, or rather warp to me, when I'm at a location that I decided to walk to - in order to hunt or something similar. If I'm in a different town, I can just take a cart, but when I end up in a house in the wilderness . . .