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Level Overview“Brothers’ Nightmare” is a mod created for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. It takes place on the small island village, Somnus Bay, just off the coast of Skyrim, where villagers are having horrific nightmares brought on by an angered Daedric Prince, Vaermina the Daedric Prince of Dreams and Nightmares.
It is a single-player mod with a final moral choice in the end with multiple endings. There are also two optional side quests that tie into the main quest and provide an alternate ending where the player can resolve the issue without adhering to the Daedra's will. |
Design Goals
Tell a story through the environment.
Multiple paths and multiple outcomes.
- Village is cursed and the villagers are distressed. The environment is snowy and grey, with hints of blue. These colors give the feeling of isolation, despair, and emptiness. The flames at the end are meant to contrast the cool environment and symbolize the hope the villagers have that somehow they'll be relieved of the curse. When the player enters the dream world, the flames become blue, symbolizing lost hope and futility.
Multiple paths and multiple outcomes.
- Each character in the village tells a different part of the story.
- Two Side Quests that add choices to the Main Quest's final decision, but are completely optional.
- Total of 3 outcomes for the Main Quest.
Level Walkthrough
- Player enters the level through a large stone gate. The first thing they see is the trail and trees surrounding the village.
- As they enter the village, the eldest of the two brothers, Andrel, greets the player and introduces the main questline. The player is then tasked with learning more about the curse from the villagers.
- The villagers can be found all over the village, but the Inn is the best place to find them at any time during the day. The player is directed to where they are, so that they can learn more about the nightmare curse.
- After learning more about the curse from the villagers, the quest directs the player to Ulfgar, the youngest of the two brothers. He'll give them one of the two side quests.
- One of the villagers the player talks to in the Inn also gives the player a side quest, which directs them to the Shrine of Vaermina. They can enter through the sewer grate or the ruins beneath the docks.
- Once they have spoken to all of the villagers, the player returns to Andrel at (2). He explains that Vaermina is the Daedric Prince of Dreams and Nightmares, and the only way to confront her is to go to sleep in the Inn. When they sleep in the bed in the Inn, they're transported into the Nightmare world.
- Once in the nightmare world, the player "wakes up" by a bed covered in snow. They are now in a forest and the sky is filled with fantastical colors not seen in Skyrim. Their quest marker points them towards some ruins nearby.
- Following the marker, or just exploring, the player finds some ruins with a puzzle marker (Hawk) on it. They realize this must be part of a puzzle seen in many caves throughout Skyrim and it is logged in their journal for future reference.
- Continuing down the snowy road, and towards the next objective marker, the player finds the second puzzle marker (Whale). Upon approaching the marker, they are attacked by two Daedric warriors as they reach further into the forest.
- As they reach the end of the path, the player sees the final puzzle marker (Snake), and encounters two more Daedric warriors. Once the Daedric warriors are dead, the player is free to explore the area. A pillar of light shines from the depths of the lake in front of them, and, upon inspection, leads down into a locked grate at the bottom of the lake.
- After finding the locked grate, the player must use the puzzle markers found earlier to solve the statue puzzle. The order is Hawk - Whale - Snake. Once completed, the player can pass through the open grate.
- Still in the Nightmare, the player is now in an area where water flows upwards towards the ceiling, and crystals line the walls in an aggressive manner.
- Upon entering the room at (1), Vaermina, who is standing in the center of the bridge, disappears. This symbolizes that she's watching their progress, and gives a sense of her presence in this realm.
- If the player is willing to risk jumping to one of the crystals, there is a chest waiting to reward them.
- If the player jumps off the bridge on either side, they are instantly teleported back up onto the bridge in a whirl of particles before they can hit the water below.
- The player enters the next area here.
- The player is now in a more familiar environment, similar to caves and old ruins. The route ahead is blocked by iron bars.
- The player pulls the lever to draw the bars back into the walls, while pulling the bar they can also get a glimpse of the room ahead through a window.
- After pulling the lever, the player can pass through the hall and into the main room.
- The player enters the main room here.
- Following the path, the player encounters two mildly difficult frostbite spiders, and a large frostbite spider.
- After defeating them, the player notices another statue puzzle. This time it's different. The player must match the statue to the puzzle markers throughout the room. Each puzzle marker is located by a portal, which is dissolved when the player pulls the lever.
- Two of the puzzle markers and portals are seen here: Snake opens the one on the left, and Whale opens the one on the right. Behind the portals are rewards, but also risks. Behind the Whale portal, the player encounters more spiders that ambush them.
- To exit the room, the player must set the puzzle marker to Hawk and pull the lever.
- The portal disappears and the player exits.
- Upon exiting the cave area, the player is taken to the final area, the burning village. It is a warped version of the real village, burning and covered in the corpses of villagers.
- The player is force-greeted by Vaermina, who is standing in the center of the clearing with Ulfgar (4) and Andrel (3) on either side behind her. She tasks the player with killing for her and giving the soul gem produced from the death to her. Upon accepting, the player is given a custom soul stealing weapon and a soul gem.
- Before the player can do anything, Andrel asks that you spare his brother and take his soul instead. Even though Ulfgar was the one that brought the curse upon the village.
- The player can choose to kill Ulfgar, who begs for his life, or Andrel who pleads to spare his younger brother.
- After killing one of the brothers, the player returns to Vaermina and gives her the soul gem. She then disappears, and a bed appears at the base of her statue (6).
- Alternatively, if they did the side quests then they will have had the opportunity to return Vaermina's stolen amulet to it's pedestal in her shrine and she will allow both brothers to go free. She will lift the curse as well.
- The player sleeps again to return to the real village.
- After waking, the player leaves the Inn.
- They are directed to speak to one of the brothers, Ulfgar if the player spares him and kills Andrel, or Andrel if both survived or Ulfgar was killed. They have a final dialogue where Ulfgar laments at the loss of his brother, or Andrel thanks the player for saving them. The player also receives a reward for their help, even if the outcome wasn't what they expected.
Post Mortem
What Went Well?
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What Went Wrong?
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What I Learned?
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