Sundered Scar

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Early Sundered Scar rework by Cicero in claim SS_06.
A sulfur farmer on his way home near Darvonis in the Sundered Scar by be-a-stranger.

Sundered Scar will be a sulfurous wasteland region in Mournhold District, Morrowind. In current implementation, however, it is a rather contentless swampy region in the style of Bitter Coast. To its west is the Aanthirin region, the the East the Mephalan Vales and to the south, Alt Orethan.

Ostensibly part of the House Indoril domain, the Sundered Scar is populated only by hardscrabble Velothi villages. an area where the Indoril terraforming project at the start of the Tribunate failed. The region was left neglected where its neighbours flourished, an unacknowledged scar in the heart of Morrowind. What remained of the region eventually turned into a dangerous sulfur waste where packs of dangerous beasts prey on lost travelers.

The region in its current implementation was released as part of 2012's Sacred East expansion. It is currently being completely reworked as part of the upcoming Poison Song Expansion.

Original Implementation

Old Sundered Scar currently in TR_Mainland

Sundered Scar in its current form is a mishmash of ancient claims (often explicitly filler in nature) mostly in Bitter Coast style, but there is a large disconnected square of Grazelands in the east, a patch of Ascadian Isles near Alt Orethan around Tilmeth manor, West Gash mountains on the border, and some Molag Amur areas dotted around the border. There's a large empty lake where Ruinous Keep was originally located before being moved east to the Padomaic Ocean. Overall, the region suffers from performance issues.

The only town is Darvonis, but there are some Indoril manors, two Daedric ruins (only one with an extensive exterior), the planned player stronghold of Id Vano, three Dwemer ruins, some scattered shacks, an egg mine, and a few caves, one leading to an underground Chimer stronghold, Baan Urlai. There are also some yurts in the eastern Grazelands area. In the northeast there is the Inn Between and two egg mines.

Plan

Sundered Scar Exterior Claims

The region is currently undergoing a full overhaul, with exteriors well under construction, to be released as the Poison Song Expansion.

Sundered Scar is currently being reimagined as a place where the Indoril terraforming failed. In the distant past, this used to be part of the Chimer heartland, with major houses like Raathim, Indoril, and especially Mora having a greater or lesser degree of presence there, for a period living in something approaching harmony with the Dwemer. However, following an as-of-yet unspecified cataclysm, the region is now an ashy wasteland pocked by volcanoes and filled with sulphuric pools, geysers and various odd fungi and flora acclimatized to the harsh environment. Some Velothi settlements nevertheless eke out a living along the roads and the coast, although largely neglected by its erstwhile Indoril masters, leaving the villagers to rely only on themselves and the kindness of the Temple.

Originally, the idea for a reworked Sundered Scar was a pale purplish pumice wasteland, but that idea was discarded. Currently, the region will use largely Molag Amur assets – using the paler rock textures, and without the rock spires – but with more emphasis on sulphur with sulphur pools and, expanding from vanilla scathecraw and fire fern, more vegetation. Most of the current heightmap is still workable, but all of the statics and detailing will be entirely redone. Some of the rockier areas in the south that were Alt Orethan cells will get flattened, and some land near water level there raised as well. Foothills of the surrounding border mountains will be extended into the region to act as sight blockers, along with some low coastal hills.

Gnomey's sketch for Sundered Scar, which has now been adapted into in-game implementation.

The region should become a relatively challenging wilderness (although less so than the current concept of the Mephalan Vales), with little commerce, some pilgrimage activity. As a neglected part of the province, it is a haven for smugglers who lodge in hidden caves near the coast, as well as other that may wish to escape the watchful eyes of Dunmer authorities. For the player, there will be some opportunity for Temple questlines including that of dissident priests, possible Tong content, and bounty quests (given by the hetman). There will also be major dungeons in the region, such as Idaverrano and the Mora Ancestral Tomb. Miscellaneous quests can be used to entice the player to explore the region and its dungeons. The region will have trouble reaching its full questing potential until surrounding regions are redone.

Locations will include slightly more towns or villages will be along roads and coasts. While the Ashlander yurts will be cut, more Daedric ruins will be added (with the interiors of the extant one in SS_06 enlarged), as well as more (small-scale) Dwemer ruins, ancestral tombs (which the region currently lacks), and a few egg mines. The number of grottos and caves will also be increased. Highlighting the long-standing neglect of the region will be scattered Old Mournhold ruins, including that of a smaller town, dating mostly to Nerevar's time. There will be one new Chimer stronghold in the east. Id Vano, the player stronghold, is in the west and will end up a large location.

Critters may include the cliff racer, kwama, land dreugh, mudcrab, ornada, parastylus, rat, and TR beetles.

Gorne

The new island of Gorne in Azura's Coast – claim SS_01 by Cicero.

The current island of Gorne off the Nedothril coast will be left largely in place, with the exception of removing the 6th House content, renaming the island, moving Triffith off of it, and eventually fixing up the Indoril set cobbling or replacing the settlement with another set.

A new island of Gorne has been added north of Idaverrano's current location to reflect its position as implied in our current interpretation of Poison Song and, evidently, concept maps Ted Peterson used as a reference while writing the book. The island itself is not part of Sundered Scar proper, being quite far from the shore, but is also kept from being too close to Vvardenfell (so that it makes sense that Indoril didn’t get involved there) or Ammar, the next nearest stronghold.

Gorne's chapel re-imagined in Old Mournhold style by be-a-stranger.

The architecture of the island will likely be switched out with the new in-development upkept Old Mournhold set.

Settlements

  • Darvonis – a Velothi town hosting a Temple. This is the largest population center in the Sundered Scar, a hub for questing and services. Its old implementation, stemming from Kothloth's 2003 work, consisted entirely of shacks, which will be redistributed among the new small villages added in the region.
  • Id Vano – the Indoril player fortress, to be built up as a new chapel for the Sundered Scar region. It will become the largest settlement in the region. The current implementation will be redone wholly.
  • Varon – a Velothi village on the crossroads. Earlier the site of some wood shacks and Mournhold manors, which will be removed.
  • Marog – a new Velothi village on the coast north of Darvonis. The name is adapted from an old-TR Telvanni settlement up north, which will be renamed to a Tel and shrunk.
  • Kemel-Ze – the entrance to the new Kemel-Ze will be placed in northeastern Sundered Scar, to better align with the description in the book.
  • Gorne – the island chapel of Indoril Sandil, right off the coast of Vvardenfell.

Exterior Design Guide

Ref limit: 200 per cell, excluding cells containing settlements or large dungeons.

Molag Amur minus spire rocks and dead trees. More like the scathes area of Molag Amur and not the Foyada sections. The region is pretty open with lots of sulfur pools.

Ground Textures

  • MA_rock04 - common rock texture
  • MA_sulphur_rock01
  • MA_sulphur_rock02
  • MA_sulphur_rock03 - around sulfur pools
  • MA_sulphur_rock05 - around sulfur pools
  • MA_sulphur_rock06
  • MA_sulphur_rock07
  • MA_sulphur_rock08 - near sulfur
  • MA_sulphur_rock09 - rare dry sulfur spots
  • Sand_02 - underwater and coastlines
  • AI_mudflats_01.tga - underwater in the inner sea for diversity
  • AC_Scrubplain_02 - fertile areas around settlements, near AO, and by the Inner Sea.
  • T_Mw_TerrCrackedEarth_01 - underwater and coastlines
  • T_Mw_TerrCrackEarth_SS_01 - dry spots and dirt roads
  • T_Mw_TerrAshDirtSS_01 - regular dirt and dry spots and around volcanoes
  • T_De_SetInd_TxCobbleStone_02 - Stone roads
  • WG_Cobblestones - Velothi towns close to proper civilization
  • AL_road_01 - Velothi towns deep in the Scar
  • MA_lavaflow - Foyadas / volcanoes
  • MA_lavacrust.tga - Foyadas / volcanoes
  • MA_lava** - Foyadas / volcanoes

Terrain

  • terrain_rock_ma_01
  • terrain_rock_ma_04
  • terrain_rock_ma_07
  • terrain_rock_ma_09
  • terrain_rock_ma_19
  • terrain_rock_ma_25
  • terrain_rock_ma_39
  • terrain_rock_ma_49
  • terrain_ma_rock22 - uncommon
  • terrain_ma_rock32 - uncommon
  • terrain_cairn_ma_** (place near dungeon entrances as landmarks)
  • T_Mw_TerrRockMA_Plateau_** - large cliffs and volcanoes
  • T_Mw_TerrRockSS_Rock_**
  • T_Mw_TerrRockSSS_Rock_**
  • T_Mw_TerrmineralPoolSS_01/02
  • T_Mw_TerrSulphur_Pool** (activator) - pair with yellow_1024_01 lights
  • Ex_MH_Pav_Water_Spray - scale from 1.0 to 2.0 for variation, place in geyser pools (regular water, not sulfuric) - add a damage activator spawner where the spray appears.
  • volcano_steam (activator) - in sulfur pools, dried up sulfur pools and volcanic hot spots
  • terrain_rock_ac_** - Inner sea, at least a cells worth of distance away from the mainland Scar.
  • Ex_T_menhir_L_01 - Only in the cells closest to Vvardenfell, or on islands at least a cells worth of distance away from the Mainland.

Static Flora

NO FLORA_ASHTREE.

  • flora_trama_shrub_** - Uncommon huge bush, usually prefer the container version
  • T_Mw_FloraSS_Palm_** - On the inner sea coast and near water
  • (Scathecraw trees) -
  • (Sulphiric WIllows) - Near sulfur
  • flora_ash_grass_b/R/W_01 - common grasses
  • Flora_treedead_MH_** - common trees, more frequent near water and further south near AO
  • flora_muckpod_** - near muckspunge

Containers

  • T_Mw_Fauna_VentWorm_** - Around volcanic hot spots
  • T_Mw_Mine_OreSulfur** - Near sulfur pools and rocks
  • flora_rm_scathecraw_**/T_Mw_Flora_Scathecraw** - Common, large leafy bush type plant.
  • flora_plant_05/06/T_Mw_Flora_Swtbarrel_** - Common cactus
  • contain_trama_shrub_** - common huge vine bush
  • tramaroot_** - common vine
  • T_Mw_Flora_Blackrose_** - uncommon flower, away from sulfur
  • flora_ash_yam_** - uncommon in the wild, more common on the ashdirt texture
  • flora_red_lichen_**/T_Mw_Flora_LichenRd03 - grows on rocks
  • T_Mw_Flora_LichenYw** - grows on rocks
  • T_Mw_Flora_Hamumroot - uncommon, in fertile areas away from sulfur
  • T_Mw_FloraSS_AlchGlob** - in shallow water
  • T_Mw_FloraSS_RougeCam** - fungus to place in groups
  • flora_muckspunge_** - near water, pair with static muckpods
  • flora_saltrice_** - inner sea coast
  • flora_marshmerrow_** - inner sea coast
  • kollop_02_pearl - Inner sea
  • T_Mw_Fauna_EyestarCnt01 - Inner sea

Cultivated Flora

  • flora_ash_yam_** - common crop
  • T_Mw_Flora_Hamumroot - common crop

Vertex Shading

  • Under statics: 113,104,91
  • Between textures: 165,159,132
  • Sulphur stains: 162,146,83
  • Under grass and on the shore: 168,168,168

Interior Design Guide

Cavern Flora

  • T_Mw_Fauna_VentWorm_** (container) - Volcanic caves, can be paired with T_Glb_Light_Sulfur_128
  • (alchemists globe) - in shallow water
  • T_Mw_FloraSS_RougeCam** (container) - common fungus. Pair with T_Glb_Light_Purple_110.
  • flora_red_lichen_**/T_Mw_Flora_LichenRd03 (container) - grows on rocks
  • T_Mw_Flora_LichenYw** (container) - grows on rocks
  • in_cave_plant** (static) - for grottos

Assets needed

Additional links

Sundered Scar Exterior Claims

(2021) 1st Sundered Scar template meeting

(2021) 2nd Sundered Scar template meeting

(2021) Meeting with some brainstorming

(2014) Inlet Bog discussion