Dungeons and Dragons - Forgotten Realms
A total conversion mod for Skyrim
A total conversion mod for Skyrim
A complete overhaul of Skyrim based on the Dungeons and Dragons RPG systems, the idea is to remake over Skyrim the Forgotten Realms Scenario and it's heroes and legends. New races, monsters, quests and main quest, items, weapons and armors, a complexity system to forge, enchant and also create new spells. Choose yourself from a Paladin Dragonborn and bring the light to the shadows or take advantage of the shade as a Rogue Halfling and steal the most valuable artifact in the dungeon without being perceived by their keepers.
Very first, close this tab if you:
- Are a super fan and have all the series of the Nudes mod for males or females of Skyrim, for us that's not Roleplay.
- You love to wear a Complete Perfect Rare Legendary Daedric Armor of Destruction where every part gives you a super power, and you are a level 5 newbie (but a console master).
- And the most important, if you say yourself a Lawful Paladin and when you see someone's living in the middle of a forest, you enter his home and see rare items and gold, you think 'Kill and Loot!'.
Remember, the roleplay its the main source of the project, do you think that Aragorn from Lord of the Rings was a Lvl 5 Newbie Ranger killing like he does !? Its taken time, so if you want to be a Dragonborn, a hero among the people, wearing a mighty armor and carrying a legendary Holy Avenger, you must train and earn experience, and the best way to do it is roleplaying. Good Roleplay !
Map and Enviroment
· A complete remake of the map based on Forgotten Realms will be released in parts, as the first one shall be 'The Icewind Frost Borders Campaign', and will include the whole province of Icewind Dale, its quests and creatures, ranging from NPC Humans until the mighty Frost Giants.
· The environment itself is the main feature of the mod, since all the gameplay will be based on it. Mountains of rock must be well designed to make the Jump Climbing glitch impossible, where the player can reach the top of a mountain, even if its walls are vertical.
· Wild animals become smarter and follow a level of intelligence to make the AI more complex. A good example is the wolf of the steppes, where a player when you find one eating the wolf will growl when you see the player and will attack if unsheathing his sword or come very close to the meat.
· Different climates make the character feel cold when not wearing a winter coat in the mountains, to the feeling of warmth on top of volcanoes when wearing full armor. That are somethings that may intervene on player acts like camp and sleep or fight with a Fire Elemental, where the heat of the enviroment will blur the player's vision.
Character Creation
· New races ranging from: Humans, Orcs, Half-Orcs, Elves, Eladrins, Dwarves, Halflings, Drows and Dragonborns.
· A complete overhaul of the stats system bringing Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Constitution, Wisdom and Charisma, giving the player choice a whole new character every game he starts.
· The feat is also a new feature of character creation, it ranges from the simple actions of the player until the fighting itself.
· The return of the Auto-Name device, where it is generated based on character's class.
· The early history of the character as well as their place of beginning are now based on race of the player. Thus, an Eladrin not take off your adventure being a prisoner of war.
· Skills and their use is back in Skyrim, but with even more usefull acts like being grab by a Giant will test your Acrobacy Skill, while disable a trap or open a locked chest in a dungeon will test your Thievery Skill.
Character Evolution
· The Alignment its also a feature that will return on Forgotten Realms Total Conversion, where every single act that the player make will slowly direct him to be a Lawful Good or a Chaotic Evil, that may open new answers on dialogs until the reach of respect from some creature types.
· Classes are one of the features that will return from Oblivion, but with the main difference being that the player will not choose it at character creation, but its evolution, ranging from the player some habits such as stealing and sneak in dangerous places can transform it into a rogue even some missions like killing five types of Giants making it a Giant Slayer.
· The player's experience will also improve into a Dungeon Master that may aprove or not its roleplay, giving it or not his experience points based on his acts while on a quest or a simple talk with someone.
· The Feats will also be a very peculiar feature since that make possible to the player become even more different from others.
Fighting
· Every battle with an evil creature must be epic, so we want to mix the cam tricks and the animations (also first person) making it very like to Modern Warfare series, where a characters fighting with a Skeleton Army will see attack animations much more than normal. It will include a pack of combos with every type of weapon, ranging the simple dagger until the dual-axe.
· The creature AI, also commented some items up, its one of the main features of this part of the mod, where every single creature on Forgotten Realms will follow a Inteligence Table, ranging from the skeleton with the Intelligence level three, to the human level of intelligence twenty-one. This Intelligence Table is the base for the creature's acts so, if a Skeleton see a shinning light, he will never suspect that's a trap, different from a Human that will also alert his companions.
· A complete set of new monsters bringing all the Dungeons and Dragons Monster Guide to Forgotten Realms Total Conversion. It includes the symbolic Beholder, a giant eye with eyed-tentacles, the whole set of Dragons, ranging the mighty Gold ones to the wild White ones, and also the Goblinoids, ranging the weak gnolls, the bugbears, the hobgoblins and the goblins itself.
· The limits of the mounts its the characters tame capability, ranging from the simple horses, giant eagles, dinossaurs and the mighty dragons.
· Adding some ideas to the item above, the Mounted Combat its also a good feature if you dont want to get down of your horse to slash a little spider and back to the horse again.
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I'll be adding more ideas minding thats a WIP. I'll accept help from any kind but for now we will keep this on the paper only.
See Ya ! (sry for bad english - pt-br nature language =P)
The Best Skyrim Special Edition Armor Mods on Xbox One, PS4, and PC
Skyrim is packed with all sorts of different armors and items you can use on your character. However, with these mods on, you can expand your armory with all sorts of cool (and even weird) equipment. Here are the best Skyrim Special Edition armor mods on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
BDO Shudad Armor v2 (PC, Xbox One)
This mod adds a new set of equipment imported from MMO Black Desert Online. You’ll be able to craft the armor, boots, gauntlets, and helmet – and all will work for either male or female models.
Darth Vader Armor (PC, Xbox One)
With this mod, you’ll be able to craft Darth Vader equipment as well as a saber hilt, which you can enchant with a saber blade once you pick up a lightsaber mod.
Ashara Princes of the Woods (Xbox One)
This mod adds Ashara Princes of the Woods armor to Skyrim through 17 different armor pieces, 6 fur complements, and 8 wigs. Between those pieces and various color options, there’s 122 new items to try out.
Nazgul Armor (Xbox One)
With Nazgul Armor, you can dress as the villainous Lord of the Rings riders. This set is light armor with Dragonscale-level stats and works for male and female characters. One of the best armor mods you can get.
Skyforge Dragonbone Weapons and Dragonplate Armor (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Now you can wield the mythical Skyforge to create stronger versions of Dragonplate armor (and Dragonbone weapons, if you’re into that too).
Incarnate Creatures (PC)
Incarnate Creatures adds craftable armor that, when equipped, turns you into a fantastic creature. Here’s the list of possibilities: Minotaur, Dwarvcenturions, Dwarvcommander, Dwarvdolls, Dwarvgynoids, Dwarvtrooper, Ebony Knight, Flame Lord, Knight of Order, Malaburo, Mara, Molag Bal, Molag Bal Rusty, Skeletons, Chicken Man, Ashlotte, Draugir, Drowner, Drowned Dead, Rotfiend, and Greater Rotfiend. Hands down one of the better mods out there.
Skyrim Se Hidden Wip Mods List
Auroran Armory (PC, Xbox One)
The Aurorans are special Daedric creations that have appeared in past Elder Scrolls games. This mod places Auroran equipment pieces in dungeons throughout Skyrim, meaning you not only get to don their iconic gear, but also will have to work appropriately to acquire it.
Ebony Archmage Armor (PC, Xbox One)
It’s hard to feel like a badass mage in Skyrim, given you’ll be walking around in nothing but cloth. It may be time to take up the Ebony Archmage armor set and let Tamriel know who’s boss. Cons: the helmet does not always seem to work on Argonians and Khajiit. Pros: comes with a scythe.
Armored Robes (PlayStation 4, Xbox One)
Armored Robes is another great mod for mages, adding robes with armor ratings to your crafting options. It’s one of the best mods you can download.
Witcher 3 Viper Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Witcher 3 Viper Armor lets you run around in the Viper school garb of Geralt, the protagonist of last year’s hit RPG, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Note: the set is made for only male character models.
Morag Tong Master Assassin Armor (PS4, Xbox One)
The Morag Tong is a powerful secret society, and as such, Morag Tong armor should pack a little more of a punch. This mod adds a set specially enchanted for assassins and with stats equivalent to Glass tier.
Heavy Armor Hood (PC)
For those who enjoy the strength of Heavy Armor, but don’t enjoy covering their faces with giant metal blocks, there’s Heavy Armor Hood. This mod drops a Deadric-level hood near Windhelm with the stats of heavy armor, but the appearance of a cloth hood. Definitely one of the best mods worth getting.
Daedric Blue Light Armor (Xbox One)
With the Daedric Blue Light Armor mod, you can craft awesome Daedric gear that weighs half as much as the standard armor. Also, it glows blue!
Hello Dovahkiins Ehh X-Men (Xbox One)
This mod adds three Wolverine equipment sets, a Wolverine follower, Wolverine claws, a Wolverine chest — basically all the Wolverine you could need. One of the best X-Men mods out there for sure.
Soul Eater Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Another custom equipment set, Soul Eater armor is attained by slaying Crusix, soul eater and angel of death.
Crom (PC, Xbox One)
The Crom mod adds a number of craftable armors that turn your hero into a skeleton, either clothed or bare bones (hah). Basically, putting on this armor takes off your skin. One of the best freaky mods you can get your hands on.
Craftable Nocturnal Robes (PS4)
The PS4 doesn’t get a lot of armor mod love because of Sony’s restrictions on the use of external assets. This mod looks to help by providing craftable Nocturnal Robes.
Death Knight of Tamriel (PC, Xbox One)
Conquer Skyrim as an icy Death Knight with this mod. Defeat the ominous Ashenrune at Arcwind Point to claim his armor and learn to summon a fittingly spectral horse.
Witcher 3 Feline Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Need even more Witcher 3? This mod adds the Feline armor set to Skyrim: Special Edition.
Ciri Armor Mod (Xbox One)
For the female Witchers out there, this Ciri armor mod will put you right on The Path.
Triss & Yennefer Armor Mod (PC, Xbox One)
Skyrim has room for sorceresses as well. This mod will grant you armor that decks you out as either Triss or Yennefer from The Witcher 3. Witcher fans definitely shouldn’t miss out on one of the best mods in the game.
Knight of Molag Bal Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Molag Bal, the Daedric Prince of domination, harvests souls and created Vampires. If you hope to be even half as hardcore as him, you’ll need this Knight of Molag Bal armor.
Full Specifications What's new in version 2Version 2 improved column views.GeneralPublisherPublisher web siteRelease DateOctober 06, 2008Date AddedOctober 06, 2008Version2CategoryCategorySubcategoryOperating SystemsOperating SystemsWindows 2000/XP/VistaAdditional RequirementsWindows 2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista, Microsoft.Net Framework 2 or laterDownload InformationFile Size334.24KBFile NameHardwareScannerDemo.exePopularityTotal Downloads36,047Downloads Last Week25PricingLicense ModelFree to tryLimitations20-day, 10-host trialPrice$99. ![Scan for new hardware](http://ftp1.digi.com/support/images/2000_select_add_device.gif)
![Scan for new hardware](http://ftp1.digi.com/support/images/2000_select_add_device.gif)
Corvo Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Corvo is the assassin protagonist of another Bethesda game, Dishonored. You can bring him right over to Skyrim with this mod.
Animated Dragon Wings (Xbox One)
You’re the Dovakiin, so you better look the part. This amazing mod grants you dragon wings that not only make you look cool, but also increase the following stats: health, magicka, stamina, and shout recovery rate. One of the best mods you should have on your list.
Battlemage Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Another great option for spellcasters, this mage armor set is well hidden within the College questline, and offers great stats and starting enchantments at either light or heavy weight classes.
Northborn Fur Hoods (PC, Xbox One)
This mod adds a series of craftable fur hoods, so that your character has something more realistic to wear during the cold seasons of Skyrim. It’s also compatible with the famed Frostfall mod, offering maximum cold protection.
Ezio’s Brotherhood Armor (Xbox One)
If you spend most of your time in Skyrim stabbing things, you might as well do it dressed as Ezio from Assassin’s Creed.
Mortal Kombat Scorpion Trilogy (PC, Xbox One)
Be Scorpion from Mortal Kombat. If you want to tear your enemies apart and pull of fatalities, now you can do it with style with one of the best mods.
Armor All Playable (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Turn any armor into either light or heavy equipment with this mod, ideal for anyone looking for more equipment freedom. Hands down one of the best mods you can get.
Legend of the Beast Slayer (Xbox One)
Become a Beast Slayer with this custom heavy armor set, craftable after completing a special quest picked up from books in Whiterun.
BDO Shudad Armor v2 (PC, Xbox One)
This mod adds a new set of armor imported from MMO Black Desert Online. You'll be able to craft the armor, boots, gauntlets, and helmet - and all will work for either male or female models.
Darth Vader armor (PC, Xbox One)
With this mod, you'll be able to craft Darth Vader armor as well as a saber hilt, which you can enchant with a saber blade once you pick up a lightsaber mod.
Ashara Princes of the Woods (Xbox One)
This mod adds Ashara Princes of the Woods armor to Skyrim through 17 different armor pieces, 6 fur complements, and 8 wigs. Between those pieces and various color options, there's 122 new items to try out.
Nazgul Armor (Xbox One)
With Nazgul Armor, you can dress as the villainous Lord of the Rings riders. This set is light armor with Dragonscale-level stats and works for male and female characters.
Skyforge Dragonbone Weapons and Dragonplate Armor (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Now you can wield the mythical Skyforge to create stronger versions of Dragonplate armor (and Dragonbone weapons, if you're into that too).
Incarnate Creatures (PC)
Incarnate Creatures adds craftable armor that, when equipped, turns you into a fantastic creature. Here's the list of possibilities: Minotaur, Dwarvcenturions, Dwarvcommander, Dwarvdolls, Dwarvgynoids, Dwarvtrooper, Ebony Knight, Flame Lord, Knight of Order, Malaburo, Mara, Molag Bal, Molag Bal Rusty, Skeletons, Chicken Man, Ashlotte, Draugir, Drowner, Drowned Dead, Rotfiend, and Greater Rotfiend.
Auroran Armory (PC, Xbox One)
The Aurorans are special Daedric creations that have appeared in past Elder Scrolls games. This mod places Auroran armor pieces in dungeons throughout Skyrim, meaning you not only get to don their iconic gear, but also will have to work appropriately to acquire it.
Ebony Archmage Armor (PC, Xbox One)
It's hard to feel like a badass mage in Skyrim, given you'll be walking around in nothing but cloth. It may be time to take up the Ebony Archmage armor set and let Tamriel know who's boss. Cons: the helmet does not always seem to work on Argonians and Khajiit. Pros: comes with a scythe.
![Mods Mods](/uploads/1/2/3/7/123755277/346544101.jpg)
Armored Robes (PlayStation 4, Xbox One)
Armored Robes is another great mod for mages, adding robes with armor ratings to your crafting options.
Witcher 3 Viper Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Witcher 3 Viper Armor lets you run around in the Viper school garb of Geralt, the protagonist of last year's hit RPG, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Note: the set is made for only male character models.
Morag Tong Master Assassin Armor (PS4, Xbox One)
The Morag Tong is a powerful secret society, and as such, Morag Tong armor should pack a little more of a punch. This mod adds a set specially enchanted for assassins and with stats equivalent to Glass tier.
Heavy Armor Hood (PC)
For those who enjoy the strength of Heavy Armor, but don't enjoy covering their faces with giant metal blocks, there's Heavy Armor Hood. This mod drops a Deadric-level hood near Windhelm with the stats of heavy armor, but appearance of a cloth hood.
Daedric Blue Light Armor (Xbox One)
With the Daedric Blue Light Armor mod, you can craft awesome Daedric gear that weighs half as much as the standard armor. Also, it glows blue!
Hello Dovahkiins ehh X-Men (Xbox One)
This mod adds three Wolverine armor sets, a Wolverine follower, Wolverine claws, a Wolverine chest -- basically all the Wolverine you could need.
Soul Eater Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Another custom armor set, Soul Eater armor is attained by slaying Crusix, soul eater and angel of death.
Crom (PC, Xbox One)
The Crom mod adds a number of craftable armors that turn your hero into a skeleton, either clothed or bare bones (hah). Basically, putting on this armor takes off your skin.
Craftable Nocturnal Robes (PS4)
The PS4 doesn't get a lot of armor mod love because of Sony's restrictions on the use of external assets. This mod looks to help by providing craftable Nocturnal Robes.
Death Knight of Tamriel (PC, Xbox One)
Conquer Skyrim as an icy Death Knight with this mod. Defeat the ominous Ashenrune at Arcwind Point to claim his armor and learn to summon a fittingly spectral horse.
Witcher 3 Feline Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Need even more Witcher 3? This mod adds the Feline armor set to Skyrim: Special Edition.
Ciri Armor Mod (Xbox One)
For the female Witchers out there, this Ciri armor mod will put you right on The Path.
Triss & Yennefer Armor Mod (PC, Xbox One)
Skyrim has room for sorceresses as well. This mod will grant you armor that decks you out as either Triss or Yennefer from The Witcher 3.
Knight of Molag Bal Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Molag Bal, the Daedric Prince of domination, harvests souls and created Vampires. If you hope to be even half as hardcore as him, you'll need this Knight of Molag Bal armor.
Corvo Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Corvo is the assassin protagonist of another Bethesda game, Dishonored. You can bring him right over to Skyrim with this armor mod.
Animated Dragon Wings (Xbox One)
You're the Dovakiin, so you better look the part. This amazing mod grants you dragon wings that not only make you look cool, but also increase the following stats: health, magicka, stamina, and shout recovery rate. One of the best mods you should have on your list.
Battlemage Armor (PC, Xbox One)
Another great option for spellcasters, this mage armor set is well hidden within the College questline, and offers great stats and starting enchantments at either light or heavy weight classes.
Northborn Fur Hoods (PC, Xbox One)
This mod adds a series of craftable fur hoods, so that your character has something more realistic to wear during the cold seasons of Skyrim. It's also compatible with the famed Frostfall mod, offering maximum cold protection.
Ezio's Brotherhood Armor (Xbox One)
If you spend most of your time in Skyrim stabbing things, you might as well do it dressed as Ezio from Assassin's Creed.
Mortal Kombat Scorpion Trilogy (PC, Xbox One)
Be Scorpion from Mortal Kombat. If you want to tear your enemies apart and pull of fatalities, now you can do it with style with one of the best mods.
Armor All Playable (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Turn any armor into either light or heavy armor with this mod, ideal for anyone looking for more equipment freedom.
Legend of the Beast Slayer (Xbox One)
Become a Beast Slayer with this custom heavy armor set, craftable after completing a special quest picked up from books in Whiterun.
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.One piece requires a compatibility skeleton: http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/26800/?
-About the mod: The mod is a work in progres.It is a collection of dressess,that can be obtained through console or in a chest in the teple of mara.see readme
– PERMISSION TERMS OF USE:Do not reupload this file anywhere else. Do not repost on Nexus. This file is an exclusive of this blog. Please if you want to share your body conversion Link it in Comments or in your blog.
-Pictures:
-Credits :Â Osare for base choker and sleeves, Ashara for dimonized dress, Dimon99 for UNP -nsk13 for Gwelda armor, Naihaan for wedding dress, Tsuke76 for vest -xinafay for kitty corset, tiwa for minidressess,CDproject Red for witcher 2Â meshes,R18PN for the Amy Armor
Warning: This article contains explicit descriptions and discussion of sexual violence.
The desire to see videogame characters naked existed long before whispers of Tomb Raider nude codes. These days, by way of game-altering player-made mods, turning that desire into reality has never been easier. Despite Skyrim being rated 'Mature' by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, the base game is actually very light on sexual content—just a few offhand references and some suggestive clothing. However, Skyrim also has one of the most flexible modding frameworks of any game, enabling amateur artists and programmers to change the original content in ways that the developer never intended.
Using mods, you can now add elements of survival games, rework the combat, or turn all the dragons into . And with those same tools, modders have also been able to turn Skyrim into a sexual playground encompassing almost any kink imaginable. At first I imagined my headfirst dive into the world of Skyrim sex mods would be an evening spent bumping uglies with werewolves or inciting orgies in Whiterun—and it largely was. But my quest to see what Skyrim’s sex modding scene offered also opened the doors to far more controversial sexual content that I wasn't prepared for. This is a community that hasn't left many stones unturned.
Sex in Skyrim
Ashal isn't exactly the type of person I'd expect to be running the largest adult modding community on the internet. He's quiet and aloof—not like the digital Hugh Hefner I had in mind when I first set out to meet him. But if there's one person you could attribute to the massive community of adult-themed mods, it's Ashal. More than just owner of the massive sex mod community, LoversLab, his SexLabs mod is the paint and canvas that allows thousands of modders to bring their desires to life inside of Skyrim. To date it's been downloaded over 2.7 million times. While the mod does nothing by itself, it provides a foundation of thousands of animations and basic game functions that others can expand upon. A sexual arousal system, for example, essentially quantifies how horny a character might become from witnessing various sexual acts.
When we first talk, it's hours after midnight—the only time Ashal can talk freely without risking his housemates overhearing our discussion. Despite LoversLabs' massive popularity and the $2,000 a month it earns through Patreon, no one in Ashal's real life knows what he does for a living. 'My parents know I run a community site—I leave it at that,' he says.
LoversLab and its roughly 1.5 million members are responsible for thousands of mods that meticulously cover every aspect of sexuality. It's such a massive community that even on a Monday morning there are over 1,700 active users. The mod Schlongs of Skyrim, to take one example, provides an exhaustive suite of options for tailoring every aspect of a character's penis to make it look just right. And then there are mods like Devious Devices, an incredibly in-depth series of BDSM mods that give players every bondage or domination tool they could dream of. Devious Devices doesn't just stock your inventory full of whips and chains, but also includes quests to provide some erotic inspiration for roleplaying.
'I prefer mods with a bondage-themed focus and the ones that add erotic content to the game without making sex scenes their sole reason for existence,' says Kimy. She's a 30-year-old software engineer who manages Devious Devices after inheriting it from another member. 'I don't want to see sex scenes for the sake of seeing sex. I want them embedded in a meaningful story or setting. A lot of [LoversLab] mods actually provide just that, which to me is their main benefit over [porn]. My specific focus—bondage—isn't even necessarily pornographic in nature. Bondage play can involve or result in sex, but doesn't have to.'
Aside from sex, roleplaying is probably the most common theme on LoversLab. The appeal isn't always the sex itself, but the way mods like Devious Devices weave sensuality and play into the stories players are telling through their characters.
Like Ashal, Kimy says her status as one of the most popular sex modders is a closely kept secret. 'I suppose it's sort of natural, given that we're still living in a society that shuns every notion of expressing sexuality in public or in the media beyond holding hands and kisses,' Kimy says. 'We might be friends for life with someone and discuss every imaginable topic with them—except sex. That one is usually only touched, if at all, very superficially so. I sometimes imagine what my friends would say if I told them that I was creating bondage mods. If they were honest, I would probably hear 'cool, I am into cuffs and ropes, too!' surprisingly often.'
But LoversLab is different. The anonymity of it lets people like Kimy shed their fears of judgment and express themselves both online and in Skyrim. Ashal tells me that 'no kink-shaming' is one of the community's biggest rules. For him and Kimy, LoversLab is a welcoming place for people of all sexual inclinations—even ones they don't agree with.
Nothing to the imagination
That includes popular LoversLab mods like More Nasty Creatures, which allows you to engage in all manner of sexual encounters with the local wildlife of Skyrim. With the push of a few buttons, you can watch a giant use your Dragonborn like a Fleshlight. Though they make my skin crawl, I'm sure someone out there has risked a hagraven's diseases just to say they've fucked one. And, of course, you can consume more of dragons than just their souls.
'I'm painfully uninterested in [bestiality],' Ashal says. It feels a little ironic then that he must carry the burden of his community's sexual fetishes by programming the functionality into SexLabs. 'I only added it because so many people were asking for it. I was like, fine, I'll spend the next month watching bears give oral sex to my character so I can finish this feature.'
But it turns out that bestiality with mythical creatures only scratches the surface of the uncomfortable subject matter available via LoversLab.
With just under a million downloads, the fourth-most downloaded mod on LoversLab is SexLab Defeat (it uses the SexLab name, but Ashal isn't affiliated with it). Because nothing shatters the illusion of roleplaying quite like dying, SexLab Defeat introduces a host of scenarios that occur in lieu of death. In concept, I'd love to see more roleplaying games make death more interesting than a timeout or loss of progress, but SexLab Defeat's solutions center around rape.
Using SexLab Defeat, players can sexually assault NPCs at will or become the victim of a sexual assault themselves. Built on Ashal's framework, the mod uses many of the same animations and features, but presented outside of the context of consensual sex. It's not the only mod like this. Others simulate sexual assault to a troubling degree, including victims exhibiting emotional trauma by crying after their assault is over.
Necrophilia, bestiality, and rape mods are all common and popular on the site. In fact, the only thing that is strictly off limits is anything involving children. I ask Ashal about LoversLab's loose policies, especially with regards to rape. 'I obviously don't condone that kind of thing,' he says. 'That's where people get confused, they think that fantasizing about it is the same as condoning it. I wouldn't agree with that—there's a line between fantasy and reality.'
Given the incredibly damaging consequences of real world sexual violence, I was troubled by the idea of players acting it out, even in a fantastical context. I reached out to Heather McPherson, an AASECT certified sex therapist, licensed marriage and family therapist, and founder and CEO of the Sexual Health Alliance to get an expert opinion. I asked her if there's any correlation between fantasizing about rape and a propensity to carry out a sexual assault in real life. 'There's no correlation, the data is very poor to back that kind of statement up,' she says. 'We have a lot of fantasies, some include sex, some don't, but there's a lot of things we fantasize about that we never actually want to do. It's a way for our mind to work out things or heal certain parts of ourselves, it's a way to better understand a situation and work through things that we're feeling.'
Research into the psychology of rape fantasies suggests similar conclusions. published by Joseph Critelli and Jenny Bivona, researchers at the University of North Texas, combined 20 studies to explore why between 31 and 57 percent of women 'have fantasies in which they are forced into sex against their will.'
The answer to why such fantasies are so common is of course complicated, but at no point do the findings suggest a correlation between a fantasy involving forced sex and wanting to experience such a scenario in real life. In fact, the term 'rape fantasy' is even misleading because the nuance of such fantasies can be a lot more complex. 'Our society idealizes and romanticizes sexual aggression as an expression of passion and 'how much' someone cares or is overcome by desire,' Dr. David Ley, a clinical psychologist and sex therapist, writes to me in email. 'Such fantasies also appear to be ways in which people may overcome histories of sexual trauma or fear of sexual trauma. Ultimately, the 'why' is less important. There are many, many different reasons for these fantasies. The more important thing is for us to accept and acknowledge them as a part of human sexuality.'
Understanding a forced-sex fantasy from the perspective of the victim has been the subject of many studies, but there's much less research exploring the fantasy from the other perspective. If fantasizing about being forced into sex doesn't correlate to a desire to experience rape in real life, can the same be said for fantasizing about raping someone?
'Research on rape proclivities and behavior suggests that only around 6 to 8 percent of males engage in actual rape/sexual assault across their lifetime, but around 40 to 60 percent of males report fantasies of it, or of forcing a person into sex,' Dr. Ley writes. 'UCLA researcher Neil Malamuth's work suggests that there is a small group of men, perhaps around 5 to 7 percent, who are at risk of engaging in sexual violence by virtue of their predispositions, and that things like violent media (such as porn or perhaps videogames) may increase the chances those men will act violently. But, the important thing is that it is the predisposing characteristics, such as antisocial personality, misogyny, substance use, mental illness, which really drive the risk. Violent media serves a very small part.'
But even Dr. Ley acknowledges that this is still a contentious area of science. With so many other factors to consider, like the majority of rapes going unreported and varying cultural attitudes toward sexual violence, the research is far from conclusive. That's why the the laws around pornographic material involving simulated rape are also different according to country. In England, for example, the amended the ' of 2008 to ban the possession of pornographic images that depicted consensual or simulated acts of rape. But it’s unclear if videogame mods fall under that definition. In the US, however, there are no such laws beyond those intended to prevent the distribution of child-related pornography.
I reached out to Bethesda get their perspective on modding sex into Skyrim. After all, there is precedent for developers because of controversial subject matter. However, highly open games like Skyrim can be modified in any number of ways by users who are part of communities which publishers don’t control. 'We do not police mods available on third party sites,' a spokesperson tells me, adding that the company only maintains restrictions on mods that are uploaded through their own site. The result is that communities like LoversLab are effectively self-regulating. Distribution platforms like Steam might enforce certain standards, but game developers can’t account for all the ways their games might be reprogrammed and hosted elsewhere.
Fantasy and reality
I reached out to SexLab Defeat's creator, Goubo, to get his perspective. He tells me that he began working on the mod as a way to teach himself programming and that his version is actually a port of an already existing mod called Defeat. 'Rape fantasies are absolutely not something I would enjoy in real life in any way really,' he writes. '[Actual rape] is something that disgusts me and [shocks] me like every normal person .. but at the end of the day my brain can make the difference between fake and reality. That's the whole point and judging from the popularity of my mod I guess I'm not alone. It is a fantasy and it stays that way. It's just a taboo one that people have a hard time discussing.'
Goubo also argues that mods like SexLabs Defeat also make Skyrim more 'realistic' by suggesting that a sexual assault would likely be the outcome if a group of bandits managed to capture a female Dragonborn.
'My own mod features some non-consensual sex as well, but at no point it suggests that forcing someone into a sexual act is OK to do,' Kimy says. 'And, to me, that's the important difference. Sexual violence is a reality. Women are exposed to it on an absolutely daily basis. I am not aware of too many women who didn't fall victim to verbal or physical sexual violence at least once in her life. Showing this in a fictitious context is OK, maybe to a certain degree even necessary. But glorifying it is not. That's where I personally draw the line.'
Kimy suggesting that exploring sexual violence in fiction might be necessary is an interesting argument. During my research, I also spoke with Dr. Chris Rose and Dr. Victoria Beck, researchers at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. They are in the process of publishing a study that measures what impact, if any, exposure to sexual violence in videogames, primarily Grand Theft Auto 5, has on a person. Their preliminary findings weren't what they expected. 'What was actually happening was [the test subject's] rape myths and their attitudes about victim blaming were getting better,' Dr. Rose says.
While sex is almost a universal theme of every mod on LoversLab, where to draw the line is a decision that falls to each member. The internet age has taught us that there's a much wider spectrum of sexuality beyond what each of us might find comfortable. But Skyrim modders go further by exploring these subjects through interactivity. 'No kink-shaming is a core tenet of the site. These are all destructive things in the real world I'd never even dream of condoning, but there is a disconnect between real life and a fictional or virtual roleplay context,' Ashal reiterates.
When I set out to first write this story in November, I never expected to discover such uncomfortable subject matter. But it's also a topic that clearly warrants examination and discussion.
Mods like Defeat, and the players who use them, are only one part of LoversLab—but they also represent a dilemma that stems from having the free and open communities we often celebrate as PC gamers. Modding has always been seen as a vibrant expression of creativity, a kind of dialogue between gamers and developers that gives rise to amazing projects like the , essentially a new game built inside of Skyrim. But mods also enable creators and players to explore interests and taboos that can deeply upset or concern many people.
The freedom of the internet already provides many ways to explore these ideas, and maybe mods are just another expression of the desire to do so. But whether some of these mods are even legal, the cultural implications and psychological impact they have, and who should be responsible for regulating them are all questions we should be considering carefully.