Cults of Skyrim returns to Special Edition with latest bug fixes, enhancements and adjustments. This version includes everything that 3.0 version of the mod had back in Oldrim... BUT! There is a catch - I've made many fixes and necessary changes for proper Special Edition conversion! Pretty sweet, right? More info in Changelog tab.

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RECOMMENDATION NOTE: I highly recommend saving before entering any dungeon added by this mod. Make a completely new, clean save, so if something goes wrong, you can either start over or leave and come back later much more powerful.
My dungeons may contain old-school traps—traps that destine you to rot to death and so on. This means if you fail once, you are screwed. If you jump into a deep hole stuffed with skeevers and there is no way out, you are doomed. That is why I highly recommend creating a new save. This mod was not designed to hold your hand and help you out of trouble.

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DESCRIPTION

Are you yearning for more hidden treasures and secret places in Skyrim? Have you missed the thrilling and sinister cults like the Mythic Dawn from Oblivion? If you feel Skyrim's exploration falls short of its potential and lacks rewarding discoveries, "Cults of Skyrim" is the answer to your desires. This mod reinvigorates Skyrim with mysteries, darkness, and the ever-present danger of cult activity.

"Cults of Skyrim" is a mod designed to enhance the player's experience by encouraging exploration, combat, looting, and learning. It utilizes Skyrim's unused spaces to include secret dungeons and locations. These aren't just randomly placed; each dungeon and location has its own unique, hand-written story, inspired by my love for Morrowind.

"Sooo... What kind of content does this add?"
- Well firstly someone recommended me to include a giant lamb inside whiterun, but i have changed my mind. (This was back then, pff, an amateur idea...). Now I had a infinitely more brilliant of an idea. Hear me out - skeever rolls. It's a mod adding a delicacy called - Skeever rolls. It involves cooking a skeever's tail to perfection and rolling it, the secret recipe is in the works, so this glorious creation will come with time...

New Dungeons and Locations: The mod introduces new secret dungeons and locations, each with its own unique story and lore.
Unique NPCs: The NPCs in this mod are more dynamic and engaging than typical bandits, with each one playing a part in the overarching narrative.
New Weapons and Armor: Discover new weapons and armors that are integrated into the mod's story and environment.
Factions: Engage with new factions, each with their own goals and motivations that enrich the game's world.
Ongoing Story: The mod's story escalates with each update, providing a continuously evolving experience.

And much more...



Reveal the secrets of little-known cults that have their own stories, politics, and understanding of the world and life. Discover their visions and understand their thinking about what is best for Tamriel. Learn from their conversations, orders, and journals, and uncover new hidden locations with unique settings for each one. But keep in mind that EVERYTHING is connected and nothing is placed just for the sake of being there.

By connecting all the dots of your discoveries and knowledge, you will eventually be led to something powerful and unknown. You will either die and retreat or win and be rewarded.



I want to make a point that this mod was designed for players who enjoy challenges and miss the old-school RPG elements of discovery and secrets. For those who engage with these elements, there will be rewards. I want to note that, so far, there are no custom-voiced characters, and the story is written on paper... or if you prefer, pixels...

This means you will, or at least should, use your head and the ability to actually read stuff. It is not very time-consuming and does not draw you away from the game itself because the text was designed not to contain a lot of words. Most of us don't like a lot of words... But you can be proud to tell your teacher that you have read a journal or a book. Just don't mention how long it was...

This mod contains a lot of custom-made NPCs with their unique stories and characters. Each dungeon tells its own story and lifestyle. You will understand relationships between different NPCs and get some useful tips to survive and achieve the rewards you want.



I want to point out that the majority of NPCs are not leveled. This means they have their own fixed levels, so sometimes you will have to get the hell out of certain places and take your sweet, weird revenge later on. Or you will encounter weaker enemies and crush their skulls! It depends. It's unpredictable.

If you don't use any gameplay overhaul, I recommend setting your difficulty to Master or Legendary. I personally use mods which increase difficulty considerably beyond Legendary, but that's my personal taste.



Another point. 'Cause I like making points. Though I've already told you that this mod is hard and rewarding, that doesn't mean it is in some way player-unfriendly. You might encounter boss-like NPCs sometimes, and you should love it. Who isn't tired of one-hitting those stupid bandits since 2011? So, use some tactics and take preparations. Learn from your environment.

The mod was intended to be rather difficult at some points. If you discover a high level location at low level - technically you shouldn't be able to clear it without returning back stronger. I've used to play at Legendary difficulty with a bunch of other mods which increased difficulty. So high level mobs are powerful. Maybe even making preparations with those 500 potions laying around in your inventory is a valid idea this time to mitigate some damage types, etc. At least that was the idea.

However, even back then I got comments like: "enemies could be beefier" when I thought they may be a bit too strong! But at the same time I don't want to make them too powerful, so your feedback on difficulty would be amazing.

If you will provide it - provide your level, area of my mod (dungeon name or NPC name), any other mods you use for difficulty and any other details you may think are important. (put it in the comments or send me a private message) If I would receive feedback from people playing it hard that my NPCs are too weak even at supposed hard places then I would make adjustments. I never received complaints in the past, but it was intended to be on the harder side especially if you are playing on high difficulty.

The mod was intentionally designed to have unique NPCs. I use leveled NPCs to the very minimum. That's why you shouldn't feel like it's just another walk in the park when you are fighting NPCs of this mod. So please share your constructive feedback. If difficulty is perfect - share it as well.

My lovely point #4

Generally when you are in a location and let's say something is locked and you think to yourself, maybe I missed or need a key from some entirely other dungeon? Maybe the key was hidden in some random part of 3 part dungeon? Maybe it's bugged? No it's not. 

As far as hidden keys goes - if they are hidden it's in a small location like a small house. You just have to look around. If you already managed to access a dungeon - you don't need a key from some other dungeon you never discovered yet. For example - Bruthal's house. Everything you need is in the house.

Another example - you may find some trap doors. If you looted all unique NPCs and they didn't have a key for that or maybe the key is for something else and you are confused - maybe there is a lever. If it's hidden - it's close by. If there is a key - one of the NPCs had to have it.

My point is - there won't be any scenarios when you can't progress a dungeon because you didn't pick something from another dungeon (if you were able to access the dungeon - everything you will need is there, you won't be stuck). Also if something is locked and all NPCs are looted, found no key for the lock - it's probably a lever you missed or it's hidden close by. There are cases when keys are hidden, but it's in small locations where it makes sense.

You will never need to backtrack and search every part of a big dungeon for hidden keys or something. You either didn't kill someone who has it, didn't see a lever close by or if the key is indeed hidden - it would be something like inside a small house.

I definitely didn't design this mod to make you roam aimlessly unable to progress or getting into a dungeon where in the middle of it you would need something from another dungeon. That's not fun. Hidden things here and there are interesting but not in a way where you are getting frustrated or start to doubt if something is broken or not.

If you would need something from another dungeon - it would be something that let's you access the dungeon in the first place. And I don't even think there are cases like that. Because who knows which place you will discover first. These places are connected in Journal references by cultists, but not by technical restrictions.

So please don't think something is bugged or that you need to search for secret things in large areas. If you are stuck - send me a private message.

COMPATIBILITY

Should be compatible with pretty much any mod which doesn't modify same exact vanilla cells.

There seems to be some cell conflicts in mods like Landscape and Water Fixes, I believe it's a good idea to let my mod overwrite those changes. There are not that many changes in Tamriel exterior made by this mod. I've tried to place everything in more secluded/unsed areas with least likelihood of conflicts. So the minor things this mod would overwrite for mods like Landscape and Water Fixes shouldn't be of concern.

LORE

Blacksun Cult

Once a small, obscure group, the Blacksun Cult became formidable with the discovery of Xengar's Crystal of Knowledge. This ancient artifact sparked rumors of Xengar's return and the prophecy of raising the Black Sun over Tamriel. The cult's ranks swelled with renegades, lost souls, and twisted individuals seeking power.
High-ranking members possess exceptional strength and knowledge, and every cultist gains unearthly powers from Xengar's Crystal. Their reputation is blood-soaked; they attack without hesitation and their plans remain shrouded in secrecy, known only to their leaders.

Jady

A pivotal figure in the Blacksun Cult, Jady led the expedition that unearthed Xengar's Crystal. Infused with its ancient power, she wields formidable magic, including the creation of Zealots. Since the arrival of the Mirallian Cult, Jady has vanished, causing a decline in the cult's power. Speculations about her motives and whereabouts abound, but her influence and the power she wields remain critical to the cult's destiny.

Zealots

Created by the high-ranking cultist Jady using Xengar's Crystal, Zealots are abominable copies of humans. These creatures, brought to life through dark rituals involving black soul gems and demonic curses, are stronger and more knowledgeable than their original selves. Recognizable by their red skin and white hair, Zealots are feral and unrecognizable even to their creators.

Mirallian Cult

Originating from Morrowind during the Oblivion Crisis, the Mirallian Cult is an old, powerful group veiled in mystery and secrecy. Recently, sightings of strange Dark Elves in Skyrim have raised alarms. Known for their cannibalistic rituals and worship of fire and blood, the Mirallian Cult is intelligent, blending seamlessly into society while pursuing their dark goals.

Nightdust Dwellers

These elite Khajiit rangers from Elsweyr are unparalleled in their archery skills, able to shoot multiple arrows simultaneously. Known for their agility and deadly precision, Nightdust Dwellers strike from the shadows, ensuring their targets never see them coming. Their rare appearances in Skyrim are usually fatal for their prey, leaving no survivors to tell the tale.