Description
This mod allows travel to Mournhold before the Dark Brotherhood attacks begin.
In vanilla Morrowind, it's not possible to travel to Mournhold until you've been attacked by Dark Brotherhood assassins. In vanilla this doesn't matter much, since you can be attacked by the Brotherhood at level 1 fresh off the boat.
But if you're using a mod that delays the DB attacks, like Expansion Delay, it's a different matter. Depending on the mod, you'll have to wait until you make significant progress in the main quest, or until you meet high level or reputation requirements, before you can even set foot in Mournhold.
This mod changes that by introducing a new mechanism by which you can be referred to Asciene Rane in Ebonheart for transport to Mournhold. The point of introduction is a rumor available from most Savants, Rogues, Bards, Pilgrims or Shipmasters about a possible method of transport to Mournhold being available from Ebonheart. Any guard in Ebonheart will refer you to Apelles Matius, who will refer you to Asciene Rane. Rane has to like you to offer you early transport to Mournhold.
In addition, a few minor supporting changes have been made:
- Dandras Vules is now disabled until you've been told where the DB can be found, to prevent you from skipping the attacks and jumping into the Tribunal main quest.
- Fedris Hler's greeting asking you to be of "service to our Lady" has been filtered not to appear until Vules is dead and you've found the DB contract. Again, this prevents you from skipping the attacks and just jumping into the main quest. (You can still skip the optional series of quests out of the Palace, but now you'll at least have to kill Vules.)
- Dialogue related to the DB attacks (such as the guards in Mournhold telling you where the DB's hideout is located) has been filtered not to appear until you're actually on that quest. In other words, just because you can travel to Mournhold early doesn't mean you can start the Tribunal main quest early; for that, you'll have to wait until the attacks begin.
- It's possible to be attacked by the DB in Mournhold, and to report the attack to a Royal Guard or High Ordinator. In this case, you will not be referred to Apelles Matius and can be told right away the location of the DB hideout, enabling Dandras Vules and unlocking progress in the Tribunal main quest.
Details
This section lists the changes made by this mod in greater detail.
Script
The script dandrasScript on Dandras Vules now disables Vules until you receive the journal entry TR_DBAttack 100 (telling you where the DB hideout is).
Journal Entries
Two new journal entries (stages 35 and 65) are added for the quest TR_DBAttack. Stage 35 is used when reporting the DB attacks to a guard in Mournhold (omitting the referral to Apelles Matius). Stage 65 is used when seeing Asciene Rane for transport to Mournhold to deal with the attacks, after she had already agreed to transport you there as part of the new quest.
A new quest (necro_mh_transport) has been added with five stages for securing transport to Mournhold before the DB attacks begin. All journal entries for this quest mark the quest as finished, so that if the quest is interrupted by the DB attacks it won't end up stuck on your active quest list.
Greetings
Asciene Rane: New greeting asking if you're seeking transport to Mournhold again, filtered for necro_mh_transport >= 50 and TR_DBAttack < 10.
Fedris Hler: His existing greeting introducing the "Goblin Army" quest has been filtered for TR_DBHunt >= 110.
Guards in Mournhold: Two new greetings created for reporting DB attacks to Mournhold guards (otherwise they'd refer you to Apelles Matius). Give journal TR_DBAttack 35.
Topic "Asciene Rane"
Apelles Matius: Existing entry (that gives journal TR_DBAttack 50) filtered for TR_DBAttack >= 40 (so it will only trigger if on the quest) and < 60 (so it won't trigger when the quest is done).
New entry created, identical to the vanilla one, but it gives necro_mh_transport 30 instead. Filtered to necro_mh_transport >= 20 and TR_DBAttack < 10.
Topic "Dark Brotherhood"
Apelles Matius: Both "perhaps you've been attacked" lines now filtered for TR_DBAttack < 60.
Guards in Mournhold: The entries that give TR_DBAttack 100 are now filtered for TR_DBAttack >= 30 (so you can't start this quest before you're attacked). Also "I don't know why" has been changed to "Are you sure", since if you gave your initial report to them, they do know why.
The entries where they refuse to tell you anything (low disposition) also filtered for TR_DBAttack >= 30 (because otherwise they'd say it even at high disposition if you haven't been attacked).
New entry created just asking why you want anything to do with those scum (same text as an unused vanilla dialogue entry). No requirements (so guards in Mournhold will say this if you haven't been attacked yet instead of pointing you to the sewers).
Topic "latest rumors"
Savants, Rogues, Bards, Pilgrims and Shipmasters: Five new entries added, one for each class, pointing you to Ebonheart. Gives necro_mh_transport 10 and addtopic "transport to Mournhold". Filtered for necro_mh_transport < 10 (so you only see it once), TR_DBAttack < 10 (so you don't see it if you're on the DB quest), and disposition >= 30.
Topic "The Mainland"
Apelles Matius: Both entries now give TR_DBAttacks 40 (a previously unused journal entry) to make dialogue filtering easier, and addtopic "transport to Mournhold" and "Asciene Rane". Filtered to TR_DBAttack < 60.
Topic "Transport to Mournhold"
Apelles Matius: Existing snarky entry filtered for TR_DBAttack >= 40 (so he'll only give this line when you're on the DB attack quest) and < 60.
New entry created referring you to Asciene Rane. Filtered for necro_mh_ transport >= 20 and < 50, and TR_DBAttack < 10. Gives addtopic "Asciene Rane".
Asciene Rane: Existing initial lines filtered by TR_DBAttack >= 50 (so she'll only ask in this way if you're on the DB quest).
New entry added acknowledging the DB threat and saying she'll continue to offer transport to Mournhold. Gives TR_DBAttack 65 and initiates transport. Filtered for TR_DBAttack >= 50 and necro_mh_transport >= 50 (for if you've already secured transport from her via the new quest).
Two new entries. One refuses transport, gives necro_mh_transport 40, filtered for necro_mh_transport >= 30 and TR_DBAttack < 10. Second one initiates transport, gives necro_mh_transport 50, filtered for necro_mh_transport >= 30 and TR_DBAttack < 10, and disposition >= 70.
New lines for asking if you're heading back to Mournhold, not mentioning anything about DB. Filtered for necro_mh_transport >= 50 and TR_DBAttack < 10.
Ten new entries, five filtered for the player having blight disease and five filtered for corprus, refusing transport.
Guards in Ebonheart: New line created, referring you to Apelles Matius. Gives necro_mh_transport 20. Filtered for necro_mh_transport >= 10 and < 30, TR_DBAttack < 10, and Not ID Apelles Matius.
Savants, Rogues, Bards, Pilgrims and Shipmasters: Five new lines added, one for each class, pointing you to Ebonheart. Filtered for necro_mh_transport >= 10 and < 50, and TR_DBAttack < 10.
Version History
Version 1.2.1 - 2021-09-14
- Fixed a bug where, if you went straight to Apelles Matius about transport to Mournhold without asking a regular guard first, he would refer you to himself.
- Improved filtering for the new "transport to Mournhold" lines for Apelles Matius and Ebonheart guards, so they won't appear after they're no longer needed.
- Cleaned plugin of unnecessarily edited dialogue entries.
Version 1.2 - 2020-05-10
- The initial rumor that's required to get the ball rolling can now be heard from Rogues, Bards, Pilgrims and Shipmasters in addition to Savants.
Version 1.1 - 2020-05-08
- Asciene Rane will no longer transport you to Mournhold if you have a blight disease or corprus.
Version 1.0 - 2020-05-08
- Initial release.
Contact
Feel free to contact me on the Nexus or Moddinghall with any comments or suggestions. You can also find me on Discord as Necrolesian#9692.
Use a mod management tool such as Wrye Mash, or just copy the plugin to your Data Files directory and select it in the Morrowind Launcher.
You can use this however you want.