Prior to the release of Skyrim (cast your minds waaaaay back), Todd Howard boasted about the scalability of some of the game’s most impressive mountains. While this is largely true, some feel there was still some freedom of movement or exploration that could be uncovered.
Modder JaySerpa is back with another edition of “I Will Stop Tweaking Skyrim When You Pry It From My Cold Dead Hands.” This time, they’ve looked very much at the verticality of TES5, with a mod called Ascend. Essentially, it allows the Dragonborn to climb their way up “10 hidden mountain peaks” dotted about the land.
The video above shows how it works. JaySerpa also says they haven’t done anything with the “vanilla records,” which means it’s pretty much compatible with any other downloads you use.
Skyrim + climbing = “Climbrim”?
Upon finding one of these peaks – four in Solstheim, the rest in the base game – you’ll see little hints as to where you can scale the mountain. This could be bits of red cloth, gusts of wind, or subtle light indicators. These will help you stay on track, though the modder says they can sometimes lead you astray.
You’ll also notice in the video that the player has the option to actually “climb” up the side of the wall. Vanilla Skyrim doesn’t have this, and I’m not sure if Ascend comes with the function built in. However, the mod description page does say this is compatible with something like Skyclimb, but it seems as though the paths laid out should be sufficient.
As for why you would do this: well, there are some hidden rewards and Easter eggs hidden about some of the nooks and crannies. You might even get a few perks. Of course, the real reward is getting to see this cold slice of Tamriel from heights (possibly) never experienced before. Imagine looking down at the Throat of the World.
JaySerpa is also running a small competition for anyone who wants to take pictures of the view from the very tops of these lofty mountains. The prize will be “any game of your choice from the Nexus Author rewards store” or $50 to a charity in your name. Just submit your screenshot on Nexus Mods.
Once again, we have to marvel at the dedication people have when it comes to modding Skyrim, as well as other games. The fact that The Elder Scrolls 5 is still the subject of discussion (case in point: this article) kind of speaks volumes about the game’s longevity, but it probably wouldn’t be anything without all this fan-made content.
