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                          The Elder Scrolls IV
                            OBLIVION plugin

                         Hashshashin Armor v2.0
			   
			   by Dimitri Mazieres
		
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Index:
1. About this mod
2. Installation
3. Customizing the mod
4. Playing the Plugin
5. Saved Games & Conflicts
6. Known Issues & Bugs
7. History of Changes
8. Spoilers
9. Credits & Usage


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     1. ABOUT THIS MOD

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This mod adds a new armor inspired by the Assassins Creed's character outfit, and requested by Eion at the Elder Scrolls Forums, as well as two variations of it with different colors and details. Also included, are two daggers and two scimitars to complete your assassin look. 
And, finally, with the help of some very talented folks at the Elder Scrolls Forums, I've managed to include a working wristblade. ;-)

The original Hashshashin armor (white) is set up as something in the level of Mithril Armor, although a bit more durable, and quite more expensive. If you want to change this, you can do so in the Construction Set (DMAC subcategory in the Armor tree -> double click on the item you wish to change -> change the AR rating to something you'd like -> Save the mod). The Dark Hashshashin and Crimson Death armors have higher ratings, based upon those of the regular Hashshashin Armor.

There are a number of optional files to customize the look of the armor. Their use is described below.

As a bonus, I've included a simple replacer for the Dark Brotherhood's hood that I didn't think warranted a separate download. You can find it in the Extras folder.

About the wristblade: It's basically a couple of gauntlets with a blade attached to one of them, taht appears when in Hand to Hand combat (unarmed, fists drawn). It provides a Fortify effect to Hand to Hand and Sneak skills while the blade is drawn.


**ATTENTION!**

Note that this mod has been made using available resources and doesn't include any new models made specifically to recreate that outfit, so if you find any inconsistencies with the original Assassin's Creed armor, that is the reason.

I've done my best to achieve a look that resembles that of Assassins Creed's character as closely as possible with what's available and the invaluable help of the people credited below, who provided resources that otherwise I wouldn't be able to create by myself.


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     2. INSTALLING THE PLUGIN

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To install the plugin, unpack the Meshes and Textures folders, and the DMACArmor.esp plugin in your Oblivion\Data folder, click Yes when prompted to overwrite, and then activate the DMACArmor.esp file in the Data Files option of Oblivion's splashscreen.


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     3. CUSTOMIZING THE PLUGIN

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I included a few ways to customize some aspects of the mod, mainly the look of the armor, in an Extras folder.

All the options described below are achieved by simply overwriting the original files with those from the folder of the option you want to use.

So let's take a look at what's included in the Extras folder:

- Alternative Two Pauldron Hashshashin Cuirass: In case you'd like the standard Hashshashin cuirass to have two pauldrons, like the Dark Hashshashin cuirass, just replace the original meshes with the ones in this folder.

- Alternative Skirt Textures: This is just nitpicking, but if you want chains with your white skirt, or leather straps with your black or red skirts, here are the textures to make it so.

- DB Hood Replacer: This replaces the DB hood mesh with one like those of the Hashshashin armors. Just copy the meshes and textures folders into your Data folder and you'll be set. No need for an ArchiveInvalidation entry or esp.

- DB Shoulder Patch: For those that want to use the armor as an alternative to that of the Dark Brotherhood, here is a texture of the cuirass that includes the DB handprint on the pauldron, both for the white and black versions of the armor. 

- DB Style Hood: If you'd rather have the hoods look like those of the Dark Brotherhood, replace the original meshes with the ones in this folder.

- Loose Pants: If you'd like your armored skirt to have loose pants that cover your boots, use these files

- No Pauldron Cuirass: An alternative cuirass mesh that doesn't have the shoulder pauldron. For the standard and the Dark Hashshashin armors.

- No Red Cloth: If for some reason you don't like the red piece of cloth around the waist in the (white) Hashshashin cuirass, replace the default textures with the ones in this folder. There are two options: the regular version, and the DB shoulder patch version, in case you opted to use the armor as an alternative to the Dark Brotherhood's.


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     4. PLAYING THE PLUGIN

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Standard Hashshashin Armor:
Go to Cheydinhal, and look for the new equipment in a place no one dares to tread...

Dark Hashshashin and Crimson Death Armors:
Wander a little through the wilderness to the north of Cheydinhal (outside the city), and see what catches your eyes...

If you need more specific directions, refer the the Spoilers section below.


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     5. SAVED GAMES & CONFLICTS

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This plugin should not invalidate your old saved games. But it never hurts to backup your saved games files.
It shouldn't conflict with any other plugins, though there may be slight conflicts if other plugins modify any of the cells affected by this one.
If you want to get rid of it, just delete the relevant files, and uncheck the esp.

Special Note: The equipment isn't leveled, so it may be a bit too powerful for a starting character, or weak for a higher level one.


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     6. KNOWN ISSUES & BUGS

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The skirt and loose pants meshes are originally for males only so, while there isn't massive clipping or other important issues when the item is worn by a female character, it may not look particularly feminine. Even so, the skirt part of the mesh covers much of the legs, so you probably won't notice it unless you try. ;-)

The inside of the daggers' scabbards aren't textured. Since fixing them would require a re-UVmap of the meshes, and I don't have any 3d modelling skills, it's impossible for me to fix them at the time. However, who looks into their weapons' scabbards? ;-)

The greaves beneath the Crimson Death armored skirt have a little clipping when in a fighting stance.

The Crimson Death's gauntlets have a very slim gap between the wrist and the forearm. It's barely noticeable, but it's still there. There's nothing I can do about it.
Also, I had to use the male's gauntlet mesh for the female's Crimson Death gauntlets because the female mesh wouldn't show up in first person view.

The original Mythic Dawn gauntlets (the mesh I used for the Crimson Death gauntlets) don't have a proper ground mesh, so I used a retextured Daedric Gauntlets ground mesh for them.

The Wristrblade script WON'T work on NPCs, so if you give it to a companion, it will only work as a regular set of gauntlets.

If your Hand to Hand skill is below 75, the wristblade's blade will clip through the character's palm during the backwards power attack animation.

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     7. HISTORY OF CHANGES

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- 1.0 - Initial Release

- 1.01 - Fixed a wrong reference to the female boots' world model. Thanks to MarkQuinn for the heads up!

- 1.1 - Changed the skirt mesh for one with tighter pants (thanks, AlienSlof!), changed the shoulder patch design for the Assassin's Creed symbol, added a couple of gauntlets options for those that don't feel comfortable with bracers, and a lot of customizing options (alternate esp, black version, cuirass without pauldron, skirt mesh alternative).

- 1.2 - Changed the skirt mesh once again, added the black version of the armor as an independent suit instead of a replacer, added a two pauldron cuirass (thanks to XMarksTheSpot), a new red variation of the armor (Crimson Death armor), a couple of great looking scimitars, courtesy of Mr. Dave, and tweaked pretty much all the textures. A lot.

- 1.21 - Fixed a wrong texture (nothing critical), and added a couple of Extras I had forgotten including before.

- 1.22 - Added individual boots for the Dark Hashshashin and Crimson Death armors, tweaked the Crimson Death pauldron and cuirass' texture.

- 2.0 - Added greaves to the Crimson Death's armored skirt,as well as an individual item, added a new NPC and a new dagger (Dark Hashshashin Dagger), tweaked the Crimson Death' cuirass texture, added the bracers from the Crimson Death cuirass to the gauntlets and made them viewable in first person. And, finally, added a much requested wristblade!


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     8. SPOILERS

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Standard Hashshashin Armor:
You can find it and the dagger in the Abandoned House, in Cheydinhal.

Dark Hashshashin and Crimson Death Armors:
A little to the north of Cheydinhal there's a burnt tree with a hanging corpse. Go there and you'll find the armors (I won't give any more spoilers than that! ;-)).

Yup, it's that easy. :-)


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     9. CREDITS & USAGE

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A VERY BIG thank you to all of the following people, without whom this mod couldn't have happened:

- Original request by Eion, at the ES Forums. Great idea! :-)
- Original cuirasses, pualdrons, bracers, boots, hood and skirts meshes and textures, and chainmail texture by Bethesda.
- Separate Dark Brotherhood cuirass and Gauntlets by Xifr.
- Original skirt mesh (v1.0) by Eldrac.
- Original skirt mesh with tighter pants (v1.1) by AlienSlof.
- Original skirt texture (v1.0 and 1.1) by AlienSlof.
- Original loose pants texture by AlienSlof.
- Original mask mesh and textures by Cryo_.
- Original white mask textures by -Xian-.
- Original daggers meshes and textures by Coolman.
- Original hood's rim texture by Chiz.
- Original "coolest-scimitars-ever-made" meshes and textures by Mr. Dave.
- Original texture resources used to make the Dark Hashshashin Dagger by Mr. Dave.
- Original black version's arm texture by Ravage.
- Xcom for the NPCs' scripts and Nightmare9870, grond and Big Brother for further help with them.
- Deathbane27 for helping me getting rid of some annoying environmental maps.
- XMarksTheSpot for mirroring the cuirass' pauldron and belt for me, as well as separating the iron greaves' plates so I could use them. Thanks a lot!
- Taliesin for figuring out what I was doing wrong that kept the mod from working properly in v1.0. I'll never again use underscores. Thanks again, mate! ;-)
- Pseron Wyrd for testing the v1.1 update and making sure that I didn't screw up again. :-P
- Altair0, Eion and Lord Domino for testing v1.2.
- VagabondAngel, for rescuing me by helping to figure out how to make the female greaves, and for producing the mesh that finally allowed me to include a wristblade. Thanks a lot! :-D
- Felic and haama for the Wristblade script. Thanks guys! ;-)
- Felic for the invisible texture.
- jesserevis1 of the Elder Scrolls Forums for testing the v2.0 update.
- TheTalkieToaster for helping to improve the scripts.
- All the people that provided encouragement at the Elder Scrolls Forums. :-)

- Me: Pauldronless cuirass mesh, Assassin's Creed design on pauldron texture, DB gauntlets' ground mesh's textures, dagger glow map, cuirasses and skirts' textures recoloring and tweaking, Hashshashin's Scimitar sheath reworking (based on Mr. Dave's textures), Crimson Death's gauntlets' ground texture, DB Hood replacer texture, Crimson Death greaves' mesh, Dark Hashshashin Dagger textures, Wristbalde's gauntlets textures, tweaking of pretty much every texture in the mod.


This plugin may be uploaded to any distribution site without asking me for permission, as long as it is unchanged.

If you want to use any of the resources in this plugin, you don't need my permission (although I'd like a little note in the credits ;-), but make sure to contact the original creators, if needed, for their respective OKs, and give them proper credit.

If you have any reason to contact me, you can do it at dimitrithelegend@gmail.com, or you can also find me at the Elder Scrolls Forums here: http://www.bethsoft.com/bgsforums/index.php?act=idx

Now, go play ;-)