Modder's Interview: Vvardenfellstormsage
How long have you been modding and what was your first mod (published or not)?
I started playing with mods in 2019, and the first mod I made was in 2020 and was called “Bracers of Baranat,” and it just added a couple of bracers based on the in-game book “The Prayers of Baranat.”
How do you approach modding?
Most of my modding approach is to try and shoe-horn concepts that I think are cool (mostly from comic books and/or anime) into existing TES lore. As for workflow, I just go where the moment takes me.
What’s your favourite thing about modding?
The freedom it allows to tell new stories in an existing universe. It is like a more tangible version of fan fiction that other people can actually interact with.
What’s your favourite mod that you’ve made so far?
My favorite published mod so far is “The Ten Rings,” which is based on the Ten Rings of the Mandarin from Marvel Comics. It’s pretty over-powered.
Is there a mod you are especially proud of?
I am especially proud of “OAABandoned Shack,” which despite being only my second released mod is my most downloaded mod. Working OAAB into the title was just good branding, lol…
Are you working on a mod these days?
I am currently actively working on a mod based on Marvel’s Moon Knight, and I am always tinkering with my magnum opus project “SageCraft,” with is aimed at bringing the Sage Mode from Naruto into TES. I am less actively working on an update to “The Ten Rings” to add a legitimate quest to the mod and also mod adding an undersea library based on the Khajiit interpretation of Hermaeus Mora.
How much do you play Morrowind, not counting play testing?
Not as much as I play with the Construction Set these days, sadly, but I will say I have logged more hours into Morrowind over the past 20 years than any other game in history.
How did you discover Morrowind?
I found a used Xbox copy of Morrowind along with a hard copy of The Morrowind Prophecies at a Gamestop back in 2003. The level of customization allowed (creating spells, enchanted items, potions, etc) blew my mind.
What makes Morrowind special for you?
The unique world is like nothing else in games, and the level of customization for the player available in the base game is amazing. The TES lore around Morrowind is also among my favorite lore in any medium. I credit the insanity of Kirkbride for much of that.
What are the mods you simply cannot play without?
The Magicka Expanded and Magic Mechanics series are always must-haves. Ashfall also has a permanent place in my list.
Are there any underrated mods that you really enjoy?
I am a big fan of the “I Wished I Had A Hobbit Hole” home mod by Darkelf. It is among my favorite house mods.
Do you play other games? Do you mod other games?
I do play other games occasionally – I went through a big Avorion phase back in 2019/2020. I also recently started playing Red Dead Redemption, though I tend to put games down after a couple of hours and never finish. I have never played a modded version of any other games besides Morrowind, nor made mods for any other game.
And by the way, what's the story behind your user name?
The Sage part of my name is a tribute to my favorite character in all of media – Jiraiya, the Hermit Toad Sage from the Naruto universe. The Storm part is because I tend to favor using shock and frost magic in all my play-throughs. The Vvardenfell part should be self-explanatory.
Anything else you’d like to share that we haven’t talked about?
I think that covers it. Thanks for asking me to take part in this!