Level Abstract The Elder Scroll V: Skyrim

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Level Abstract: The Bootleg Bandits

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Version 1.0

Designer: Guy Cockrum

Document Date: 11/9/2014

Intended Level Delivery Date: 12/14/14

Level Abstract The Elder Scroll V: Skyrim

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Document Revisions Table

Version Description Requestor Date

0.1 Started document Myque Ouellette 11/9/14

0.2 Finished document for initial submission Myque Ouellette 11/10/14

1.0 Updated document to reflect changes made after

gameplay milestone Myque Ouellette 12/08/14

Level Abstract The Elder Scroll V: Skyrim

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Table of Contents Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 3

Table of Figures ............................................................................................................................................. 4

Quick Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 5

Hook(s) ...................................................................................................................................................... 5

Gameplay Highlights ................................................................................................................................. 5

Setting Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 6

Mission Difficulty....................................................................................................................................... 6

Mission Metrics ......................................................................................................................................... 6

Characters ............................................................................................................................................. 6

Visual Themes ....................................................................................................................................... 7

Key Theme References .............................................................................................................................. 8

Level Summary ............................................................................................................................................ 11

Campaign ................................................................................................................................................ 11

Context ................................................................................................................................................ 11

Backstory ............................................................................................................................................. 11

Aftermath ............................................................................................................................................ 11

Objective(s) ............................................................................................................................................. 12

Overview Map ......................................................................................................................................... 12

Level Flow ................................................................................................................................................ 13

Flow Summary – The Bootleg Bandit Cove Area ................................................................................ 13

Flow Summary – The Bootleg Bandit Distillery Area .......................................................................... 14

Level Progression Chart ...................................................................................................................... 15

Quest Descriptions ...................................................................................................................................... 16

Main Quest .............................................................................................................................................. 16

Side Quest 2 ............................................................................................................................................ 16

References .................................................................................................................................................. 17

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Table of Figures

Figure 1: Image showing the cold beach theme of the bandit cove [3] ....................................................... 8

Figure 2: Image showing the theme of Cold mountain range for the cove [4] ............................................ 8

Figure 3: Image showing what the moonshine still looks like [5] ................................................................. 9

Figure 4: Image showing theme of interior cave full of moonshine barrels [6] ........................................... 9

Figure 5: Image showing theme of a dark cave [7] ....................................................................................... 9

Figure 6: Image showing foliage and moss which grows deep in the bandit cave [8] ............................... 10

Figure 7: Image showing theme of the bandit cave [9] .............................................................................. 10

Figure 8: Overview Map of “The Bootleg Bandit Cove” ............................................................................. 12

Figure 9 - Forest area located in The Bootleg Bandit Cove. Player encounters three wolves here. .......... 13

Figure 10: Interior map of "The Bootleg Bandit Distillery" ......................................................................... 14

Figure 11: Level Progression Chart ............................................................................................................. 15

Level Abstract The Elder Scroll V: Skyrim

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Level Abstract

Quick Summary “The Bootleg Bandits” is a single player quest set in the Skyrim universe, which facilitates any play style.

The player starts the quest by talking to Crum, who is a drug pusher, located at the Riverwood Bridge.

He gives the player a sample of Skoomashine, which the player must drink to continue with the quest.

After drinking the Skoomashine, the player character collapses and enters a dream. In the dream, a

spriggan named Gaea approaches the player and pleads for him to help her out. After the dialogue, the

player wakes up in Crum’s house, which is located in the Bootleg Bandit Cove. The player then talks to

Don Guillermo to advance the quest. He asks the player to kill a nest of spriggans who are invading their

Moon Sugar crop. The player enters the Bootleg Bandit Distillery, which is the cave where the bandits

create Skoomashine. The player confronts the spriggan inside the cave who ends up being Gaea - the

spriggan from the dream. Gaea asks for the player’s help and offers to help the player destroy the

bandits. The player can choose to kill the Spriggan or side with them and take out the bandit settlement.

Once the player kills either the Spriggan or the Drug Lord Guillermo, the quest ends.

Hook(s) At the end of the quest, the player must make a meaningful choice on who to side with and who to kill.

The hook is that players have the freedom to make their choice however they please. Players who

roleplay as good characters will choose to side with the spriggans while evil characters will side with the

bandits. Although the reward is the same regardless of the choice, players find meaning in their choice

due to the consequences resulting from their actions (either killing Guillermo or Gaea).

Gameplay Highlights After the player character consumes the Skoomashine, they drop to the ground and black out. After the

blackout, the game loads a scripted scene in which the Gaea talks to the player giving them some

exposition. The Refined Skoomashine the player revives as a reward for completing “The Bootleg

Bandits” causes the player to black out and wake up naked in Whiterun with a bounty of 1000 gold. This

is a fun moment the player can experience after the quest, which allows the player’s imagination to

wonder what their player character did to end up in this predicament.

The player can choose to do an optional quest for Scarlet that allows them to use her ax, which does

bonus damage to spriggans. The hook to this quest is that Scarlet lends the ax to the player and expects

the player to return it to her. Players can choose to kill Scarlet for the ax, return the ax, or ignore the

quest and keep the ax.

If the player chooses to side with the spriggans, they help the player fight against the bandits resulting in

a large battle in The Bootleg Bandit Cove. If the player chooses to side with the bandits, they must fight

Gaea and tough spriggan enemies alone inside The Bootleg Bandit Distillery.

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Setting Summary Theme Exterior: Cold, windy, fresh snow, icy water

Cave Interior: Rocky, green, growing plants deep in the cave, Cluttered, drug smugglers den, illegal distillery House Interior: Dirty, cold, poverty stricken

Mood Exterior: barren, cold, poor, crates clutter beach Cave Interior: dark, cold, cluttered with alcohol. House Interior: poverty, cluttered with alcohol

Setting Exterior: Small Skyrim village with coast and docks Cave Interior: Skyrim cave House Interior: Skyrim house

Time of Day Can happen any time of day

Season Winter

Weather Cold with icy winds

Mission Difficulty

Position Difficulty Reasons Beginning 1 The player consumes Skoomashine to be taken to The Bootleg Bandit

Cove

Middle 3 Player fights a few wolves in the forest on their way to The Bootleg Bandit Distillery

End 8 Player either fights a hoard of Spriggans or fights all the Bandits in The Bootleg Bandit Distillery and at The Bootleg Bandit Cove

Scale: 1-10 (1 is Easiest and 10 is Hardest)

Mission Metrics Play Time 20 Minutes

Critical Path 2 Skyrim cells length ~ 4 square miles

Physical Area 4 Skyrim cells length ~ 8 square miles

Characters

Character Description Dragonborn The Dragonborn is the player character who must choose to side with

either the bootleg bandits or the spriggans.

Crum Crum is the NPC that starts the quest. He is a pusher for the Bootleg Bandits and offers the Dragonborn a free sample. Crum also speaks to the Dragonborn after they wake up from the dream. Crum directs the player to Don Guillermo to continue the quest.

Don Guillermo Don Guillermo is the leader of the Bootleg Bandits. Guillermo offers to reward the Dragonborn if they kill Gaea, who is destroying the moon sugar plants needed to make the Skoomashine.

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Gaea A Spriggan Matron that first appears in the Dragonborn’s dream and asks for their help. She has lived in peace and seclusion in the isolated cave to the north of Skyrim and has figured out how to cultivate life within the frozen cave for her and her kin to survive. Guillermo uses the fertile ground for his crops and starts killing Gaea’s kin. She asks the Dragonborn to help stop these atrocities.

Scarlet A strong mercenary hired by the Bootleg Bandits to protect the town from the Imperials, rival gangs, and spriggans. She spends most of her time drinking in the pub and does not think Guillermo is paying her enough to fight Gaea. The Dragonborn convinces her to lend them her ax, which cuts down spriggans with ease.

Bootleg Bandits Various Bootleg Bandits inhabit The Bootleg Bandit Cove and The Bootleg Bandit Distillery. They become hostile towards the Dragonborn if they side with the spriggans.

Spriggans The spriggans located on the Bootleg Bandit Cove are Gaea’s kin. They are not as tough as normal spriggans because they live in the cold. They become hostile and appear if the player sides with the bandits.

Visual Themes

Theme Description Cold The objects in The Bootleg Bandit Cove have a light snow texture on them.

The ground textures have snow-covered grass. Snowdrifts cover the base of all the mountains and create some mounds in front of the houses. Floating ice chunks and icebergs float of the coast. Icy winds also blow through the cove. The Bootleg Bandit Distillery is icy and cold at the entrance but gradually tappers off once the player walks deeper inside.

Bandit smugglers den/moonshine still

The first large room of the cave contains several stills for making moonshine. Stores of moonshine, moonshine ingredients, wood, and shipping crates clutter the area. The cave is naturally dark and the bandits only use lanterns to illuminate the area.

Green/ growing plants Deep in the cave, the cave starts turning green. The last chamber in the cave is host to the Bootleg Bandit’s moon sugar plants. Additional growing ferns and plants grow alongside the moon sugar plants. All the rocks in the area have a mossy texture.

Poor Village The interiors of the bandit homes contain common furniture items like chairs, tables, and cabinets. The Bootleg Bandits are heavy drinkers and they have more booze laying around than food. The foods they do have are simple things like bread and apples. The Pub similar to the other interiors and features a cellar with Booze. The Pub has a bar and common tables and chairs for the patrons to sit. The Pub only sells bread, alcohol, and cheese.

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Key Theme References

Figure 2: Image showing the cold beach theme of the bandit cove [3]

Figure 1: Image showing the theme of Cold mountain range for the cove [4]

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Figure 5: Image showing what the moonshine still looks like [5]

Figure 4: Image showing theme of a dark cave [7] Figure 3: Image showing theme of interior cave full of moonshine barrels [6]

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Figure 6: Image showing foliage and moss which grows deep in the bandit cave [8]

Figure 7: Image showing theme of the bandit cave [9]

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Level Summary

Campaign

Context

“The Bootleg Bandits” is an optional quest the player can receive while wandering in Skyrim. The player

can start the quest anytime and starts when the player talks to Crum, located on the Riverwood Bridge.

The quest takes the player to a new area far to the north of Skyrim. Although the main mission acts as a

stand-alone quest, the player can accept an optional quest from Scarlet in The Bootleg Bandit Cove.

Backstory

Don Guillermo leads the Bootleg Bandits who have developed a potent alcohol that causes

hallucinations when consumed. Guillermo built his hideout in a cove far to the north of Winterhold. The

island is perfect for his operation since it is isolated and contains a fertile cave for growing moon sugar –

a component of Skoomashine. Shortly after creating his first batch, Spriggans emerged from deep within

the cave and halted production. The spriggans are on the island because they sought seclusion from

everyone in Skyrim. Their leader, Gaea, figured out a way to turn the icy desolated cave into a lush

fertile area where she and her kin can live comfortably in seclusion. Don Guillermo and his gang

threaten their peace so the spriggans angrily fight back to protect their home. When Don Guillermo

meets the Dragonborn, he sees an opportunity to force the Dragonborn to take care of the spriggans.

Gaea appears in the cave to protect the precious plant life that grows deep within. After the Bootleg

Bandits planted the moon sugar plants, the plants started sucking out vital nutrients from the soil, which

starts destroying Gaea’s sanctuary. Gaea does not want to see her precious garden destroyed and asks

the Dragonborn for help twice - once in a dream and once again, when they meet in real life.

Aftermath

If the player sides with Don Guillermo, the player has access to all the alcohol around The Bootleg Bandit

Cove and The Bootleg Bandit Distillery. Don Guillermo also gives the player 500 gold and three bottles of

Refined Skoomashine. Consuming the Refined Skoomashine causes the player to wake up naked in

Whiterun with a bounty of 1,000 gold and temporarily lowers stamina. The player can access their

equipment from their inventory after waking up.

If the player sides Gaea, the player has access to everything in the The Bootleg Bandit Cove and The

Bootleg Bandit Distillery. The player can also loot Don Guillermo’s body for the key to his secret chest

and his great sword that deals bonus damage to spriggans. The payer loots the chest for 500 gold and

three bottles of Refined Skoomashine.

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Objective(s) The overall objective of the quest is to tilt the war of Bootleg Bandits vs. Spriggans in favor of

one side over the other.

The player makes the choice after meeting Gaea the second time.

o Choosing to side with the bandits causes the spriggans to become hostile to the player.

The player ends the quest by returning to Guillermo after they kill Gaea.

o By choosing to side with the spriggans, the player must kill all the bandits inside The

Bootleg Bandit Distillery in order to help Gaea escape the cave to fight Guillermo. The

quest ends when Don Guillermo dies.

Overview Map

Figure 8: Overview Map of “The Bootleg Bandit Cove”

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Level Flow

Flow Summary – The Bootleg Bandit Cove Area

1. The player wakes up in Crum’s house from the dream. Crum directs the player to Don Guillermo

to continue the quest.

2. Player meets Don Guillermo and Guillermo tells the player to go to “The Bootleg Bandit

Distillery” to defeat the Spriggan.

3. The player enters the forest area on their way to the Bootleg Bandit Distillery.

Figure 9 - Forest area located in The Bootleg Bandit Cove. Player encounters three wolves here.

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Flow Summary – The Bootleg Bandit Distillery Area

Figure 10: Interior map of "The Bootleg Bandit Distillery"

1. The player opens the door to the sanctuary using the key Don Guillermo gave them.

2. The player meets Gaea and chooses to either side with her or side with Don Guillermo. One of

two events takes pace:

a. The player decides to kill the Spriggans. Spriggans ambush the player as he attempts to

kill Gaea alone. After the battle, the player talks to Don Guillermo for their reward.

b. The player decides to kill Don Guillermo. Gaea asks the player to kill the bandits in the

cave to help her escape. She then joins the player in the large battle against the bandits

and Don Guillermo outside in The Bootleg Bandit Cove.

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Level Progression Chart

Legend

1 square = 15 sec.

Riverwood Bridge

The Bootleg Bandit Cove

The Bootleg Bandit Distillery

Crum's House

Don Guillermo's house

Challenge Highlight

Wow Moment

New Weapon/Skill

Cinematic

Figure 11: Level Progression Chart

Time (min) 0 0:30 1:00 1:30 2:00 2:30

Terrain/Objective Talk to Crum and drink potion Player meets Gaea in dream Wake up in Crum's house Exit to Cove

Opponents

Challenges

Wow Moments Player blacks out after drinking Skoomashine Player finds out they

New Skills/Weapons

Cinematics Gaea talks to player in Dream

Time (min) 3:00 3:30 4:00 4:30 5:00 5:30

Terrain/Objective Player explores area, talks to NPC's, visits houses

Opponents

Challenges

Wow Moments are in a new area

New Skills/Weapons

Cinematics

Time (min) 6:00 6:30 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30

Terrain/Objective Enters Don Guillermo's house player talks with Guillermo Player agrees to help Guillermo Exit to Cove

Opponents

Challenges

Wow Moments

New Skills/Weapons

Cinematics

Time (min) 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30

Terrain/Objective Player enters Distillery Player explores still Player speaks with Gaea

Opponents

Challenges

Wow Moments Player discovers distillery operation

New Skills/Weapons

Cinematics

Time (min) 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30

Terrain/Objective Player decides which faction to kill Player enters cove

Opponents

Challenges Boss fight: Gaea (if player decided to help Guillermo Boss fight: Guillermo (if player decided to help Gaea)

Wow Moments Spriggans ambush the player or Spriggans appear to fight bandits in distillery and cove

New Skills/Weapons

Cinematics Spriggans spawn to attack player or attack bandits Bandits ambush player (if player decided to help Gaea)

Time (min) 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30

Terrain/Objective Player returns to Guillermo for reward

Opponents

Challenges

Wow Moments

New Skills/Weapons Player recives reward from Guillermo or Guillermo's chest

Cinematics

Spriggans or bandits (depending on player's decision) Bandits (if player decided to help Gaea)

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Quest Descriptions

Main Quest 1) Player confronted by Crum near Riverwood Bridge (exposition)

2) Player receives drink from Crum and is told to drink (dramatic premise)

3) Player passes out from drink and dream about Gaea, a Spriggan in need (exposition,

foreshadowing, inciting incident, first culmination)

4) Player awakes from dream and is greeted by Crum in his house (exposition)

5) Player meets Don Guillermo and is told to defeat the Spriggans (exposition, premise, midpoint)

6) Player goes to “Bootleg Bandit Distillery”

7) Player meets Gaea and decides which faction to side with (choice, dramatic situation, climax)

8) Player kills leader of opposing faction (denouement, obstacle)

Side Quest 2 S1) Player watches Scarlet kill a spriggan after leaving Crum’s house. (plot point)

S2) Player talks to Don Guillermo about Scarlet. (Exposition)

S3) Player confronts Scarlet about her ax (first culmination, obstacle)

S4) Scarlet gives the player her ax (midpoint)

a. Or the player can kill scarlet for the ax (choice, dramatic situation, denouement)

S5) Player completes “The Bootleg Bandits” quest and must return the ax to Scarlet (denouement,

choice),

a. The player can kill scarlet for the ax (choice, dramatic situation, denouement),

b. Or the player can keep the ax and ignore Scarlet (choice, plot twist).

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References [1] – Cover image - http://www.thefix.com/content/drinking-drugs-video-games00392#slide7

[2] – Skyrim map icons found in maps - http://static-3.nexusmods.com/15/images/110/410231-

1352855418.png

[3] – Screenshot of icy water from Skyrim for theme section -

https://tespostcards.wordpress.com/category/skyrim/winterhold-hold/

[4] – Image of icy mountains for theme section - http://www.desktopaper.com/wp-

content/uploads/original-icy-mountains-high-resolution-wallpaper.jpg

[5] – Image of moonshine still for theme section - http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/daniel-

eskridge.html

[6] – Image of wine cellar underground for theme section -

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Wine_cellar2.jpg

[7] – Cave image for theme section - http://www.gamerswallpapers.com/user-

content/uploads/wall/o/88/TES-V-Skyrim-Cave-Screenshot-Wallpaper-GamersWallpapers.com-.jpg

[8] – Green mossy cave image for theme section -

http://www.snoron.com/green_plants_inside_the_cave-wallpapers.html

[9] – Image of green cave from Skyrim for theme section- http://i.ytimg.com/vi/TE6-

g_KrdaY/maxresdefault.jpg