A)Introduction - What is this all about?
B)Guild Members - Associated Mods
C)How does it work? - Download what? From where?
D)Overriding Principles - Where my head is at . . .
E)Still to Come - Future additions to the Blacksmiths' Guild
F)FAQ
G)Known Issues/Conflicts
H)Permissions etc.
I) Change Log

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A)
Welcome to The Blacksmiths' Guild[/size]

This mod is designed to allow enhanced access to some of the best weapon and armour packs on Skyrim Nexus, at the Blacksmiths' Guild Cavern. All without adding clutter to your crafting menu! No longer will you have 100+ items under 'Steel' and/or 'Miscellaneous' at the forge . . .

The Blacksmiths' Guild Cavern is located above the eastern road (from Whiterun) into Rorikstead. Follow the cairns/flags to the cave entrance and see what lies within. Map marker for fast travel after your first visit.

Each of the Guild Member Weapon and/or Armour packs has their own dedicated forge where only that equipment can be forged - no vanilla clutter; no other mod clutter!

Vanilla forges will now only produce vanilla and non-Blacksmith Guild mod items. The 'Forge of Bethesda' within the Blacksmiths' Guild Cavern is the 'in-house' vanilla forge.

All items can be improved at any grindstone or blacksmith's bench in Skyrim; no need to return the Blacksmith' Guild to make improvements. However, there are a number of grindstones and blacksmits's benches within the Blacksmiths' Guild Cavern for your convenience. You will also find a number of tanning racks, smelters and wood-chopping blocks. This really is the complete blacksmith's paradise!!!

All containers (barrels & sacks) within the Blacksmiths' Guild Cavern are 'safe storage.' Added convenience! Just store your ingredients in containers near your favourite forge and you are ready to rock whenever the mood strikes you.

The Argonian Bar & Grill is open 24/7 for food and drink. Te-Quílláa, the manager, will offer you food and drink and even some 'vanilla radiant quests.' His staff, Rúustii-Niáll and Ruum-Punzch, are on hand to serve you food and drinks. Te-Quílláa's younger brother, G'ohld-Fénnz, is apprenticing to the Thieves' Guild but mainly hangs around the bar - he is always willing to buy your stolen goods.

When facing the bar, there is a door in the cave wall to the right. Through this door are sleeping areas: to the left (past the 'water closet') is a room with three beds, one of which is free to use. Straight down the corridor is where the bar staff live; no free beds! To the right is a locked room - will be unlocked in a future update . . .

[size=+1]Notes:[/size]
1)Only NordHammer, the Guild manager, acts as a weapon/armour merchant within the Guild Cavern, and only from 8 am - 8 pm.

2)Until you download a Guild associated mod, all forges within the cavern will be designated as 'novice' and will act as a vanilla forge; the forge will then 'drop' all vanilla items and become the 'GuildMaster' forge upon linking that forge to its mod (READ B and C below!!!)

3)Until you download a Guild associated mod, all 'Apprentices' within the cavern will work in their associated forge area 24/7; the 'Apprentice' will then become a 'GuildMaster' upon linking to their mod and will then work 8 am - 8 pm and hang out in the Bar & Grill until morning.

5) Console command entry direct to Blacksmith's Guild Caverns coc 001gcav

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B)
Associated Mods[/size]

[size=+1]Dragten's Bandoliers - Bags and Pouches[/size]
-Blacksmiths' Guild Membership http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=17705
-Bandoliers http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=16438 Version 1.0

[size=+1]Gizmodians Oblivion Weapons for Skyrim[/size]
-Blacksmiths' Guild Membership http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=17523
-Gizmodian http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=13665 Version 1

[size=+1]Hothtrooper's Custom Armour Collection[/size] (six armour styles, ten armour sets, one forge!)
-Blacksmiths' Guild Membership http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=17532
-Baratheon Armour http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=14715 Version 1
-Hedge Knight Armour http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=13961 Version 1
-Redguard Knight Armour http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=13500 Version 4
-Vagabond Armour http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=13230 Version 5
-Vanguard Armour http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=16238 Version 3
-Warchief Armour http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=13366 Version 4

[size=+1]JaySuS Swords[/size]
-Blacksmiths' Guild Membership http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=18319
-JaySuS Swords http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=1002 Version 13.c

[size=+1]Malos Weapons[/size]
-Blacksmiths' Guild Membership http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=17527
-Malos Weapons http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=5174 Version 3

[size=+1]Weapons of the Third Era[/size]
-Blacksmiths' Guild Membership http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=17531
-Weapons of the Third Era http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=12892 Version 1.4.1

[size=+1]Witcher Ultimate Experience[/size]
-Blacksmiths' Guild Membership http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=17581
-Witcher Ultimate Experience http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=9198 Version 1.7
- Bow of Iorveth add-on http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=18439 Version 1.2

[size=+1]The Witcher 2 Models [/size]
-Blacksmiths' Guild Membership http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=17886
-The Witcher 2 Models http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=5588 Version 0.5

[size=+1]Witcher 2 - Viper Assassin-Blue Stripes-Roche-Ves[/size]
- Blacksmiths' Guild Membership http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=17635
- Witcher 2 - Viper Assassin-Blue Stripes-Roche-Ves http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=7807 Version 3

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C)
How Does the Blacksmiths' Guild Work?[/size]

Download my main mod file (SmithGuild.esm; Main File, this page!), download your favourite associated mods, download my SG_*forge*.esp mod for each of your favourite mods - and win!

*****Full, step-by-step instructions are given on each Blacksmiths' Guild Membership page*****

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[size=+1]
D)
Overriding principles in designing the Blacksmiths' Guild:[/size]

- 'Normalize/Balance' weight/damage/gold values across all included mods towards vanilla
-Most weapons usually +1 damage/-1 weight compared to vanilla 'equivalent'
---Daggers usually +1 damage/-1/2 weight compared to vanilla
-Some minor variations ie. katanas lighter than swords
-Armours balanced to vanilla Perk equivalent. Ie. if armour has Ebony level stats that armour requires ebony components to forge - even if it looks like leather . . . aesthetics vs. balance?!?!?!?!?!?
-Get some bandits, bandit mages and bandit bosses to spawn with some of this kit!

Basically, the aim is to take the great looking weapons and armours modders have uploaded to the Nexus and get them all to blend seamlessly into the Skyrim world. And with each other. One big happy family. With total avoidance of game breaking stats/imbalances, and total avoidance of crafting menu 'bloat.'

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[size=+1]
E)
Future additions to the Blacksmiths' Guild[/size]

Work In Progress:
Andragorns Armory - http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=10135

Lore Friendly Armour Pack (by Rahman530) - http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=6684

Sabre Gear Mod Pack - http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=12583

Witcher 2 Helmet Pack - http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=7159
Witcher 2 Shield Pack - http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=7328

Triss Outfitt for TES V Skyrim - http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=5135
Triss Armour Retextured - http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=4708

In the pipeline:
Bobs Armory - V.1.b available at http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=12060
-To be released to the Blacksmiths' Guild on arrival of V.1.c

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[size=+1]
F)
FAQ[/size]

You:
I think weapon/armour 'x' should be category 'y' with stats 'z'!
Me:
Great, open CK and do it yourself.

You:
I think recipe 'x' should be 'y'!
Me:
Great, open CK and do it yourself.

You:
I think weapon/armour 'x' would look better in colour 'y'!
Me:
I ain't in charge of meshes, man; textures ain't mine either . . . talk to the original authors - they might help you out?!?

You:
Wow, thanks! Looks dope!
Me:
Thanks to you too; nice to know the effort is appreciated! And don't forget to thank the original mod authors for their 'product' - I'm just the lowly delivery boy . . .

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G)
Known Issues/Conflicts[/size]
1)Ironically, causes CTD when used with my Frostfruit Manor mod; I assume that there is a conflict between the navmesh changes I made on neighbouring cells in the two mods. Bummer!
2) NPC forge workers are not fully scripted . . .
3) Location conflict with 'The Reserve' - http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=8651 - no CTD reported just big trouble with fast travel markers etc. May be able to 'console code coc' to use both?!?

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[size=+1]
H)
Permissions etc. [/size]

Feel free to mess around with the Blacksmiths' Guild for your own personal use.
Please PM me to discuss anything you might like to add/change before you re-upload anything to Nexus.
Do not port to Steam - I know where you live . . . BANG!
Further Credits/Permissions detailed on each of the Blacksmiths' Guild Membership pages.

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[size=+1]
I)
Change Log:[/size]
V.1.07 - added Wicked Jester's Bow of Iorveth to Witcher Ultimate Experience mod (Jun 12, 2012; Does not affect Core Module)
V.1.06 - added JaySuS' Swords (Jun 06, 2012; Does not affect the Core Module file)
V.1.05 - added Lord of War's Witcher 2 Armour Models (May 30; Does not affect the Core Module file)
V.1.04 - added Dragten's Bandoliers, Bags and Pouches (May 26, 2012; Does not affect the Core Mod file)
V.1.03 - Correction of 'blue face' issue - with BIG thanks to Lrsamways (May 26, 2012)
V.1.02 - added Witcher 2 - Viper Assassin-Blue Stripes-Roche-Ves (May 25, 2012; Does not affect the Core Mod file)
V.1.01 - added Witcher Ultimate Experience (May 24, 2012; Does not affect the Core Mod file)
V.1.00 - Original Core Mod with four associated mods (May 23, 2012)