The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is no stranger to game-changing expansions. First-party DLCs like Dawnguard, Dragonborn, and Hearthfire added new questlines, new sandbox items, and new locations to Skyrim's already massive open world. Though Bethesda is no longer releasing such content for the popular fantasy RPG, Skyrim's passionate playerbase has taken up the torch themselves.
Bethesda games are known for their popularity with modders, and Skyrim isn't any different. In the 13 years since its release, Bethesda's modding community has created an innumerable amount of mods for Skyrim. Their contents have brought the likes of graphic overhauls, new weapon types, a Thomas the Tank Engine-themed reskin of dragons, and more to Skyrim. These have all helped to renew interest in the game over a decade after many players' first playthroughs. For anyone looking for a new narrative experience from Skyrim, modders have that covered too. Most recently, the team at High Tale Creations released a new DLC-sized mod that pits the Dovahkiin against an entire island of supernatural foes.
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By now, most players have traveled with every follower in Skyrim. These mods offer up some fresh faces to fight at the Dragonborn's side.
What Coven of Crones Brings to the Table
Coven of Crones is a brand-new Skyrim mod that was fittingly released this past October. The mod sees the return of the Skyrim witch Anise and uses her backstory as a gateway to an unsettling, supernatural side of Tamriel. Coven of Crones adds a hag-centric questline, a sizeable new region, weapons, spells, and more to the game once downloaded.
A Daunting New Adventure
Upon initiating Coven of Crones' main questline at Anise's cabin near Riverwood, players will uncover a conspiracy set in motion by Anise and the mod's titular followers. The only way to halt the insidious plan in its tracks is to travel to a dangerous new land off the coast of Skyrim and destroy the coven for good. Coven of Crones' quests feature voice-acted dialogue, discoverable lore to expand upon the mod's setting, and a batch of unique NPCs for the player to interact with.
Exploring the Blighted Marsh
Coven of Crones adds an entirely new map region to Skyrim called the Blighted Marsh. Hidden within the Sea of Ghosts, the Blighted Marsh was once an island inhabited by druids until it was taken over and corrupted by Anise's hags. The dark, twisted island is inhabited by many monsters and features multiple dungeons where a brave enough adventurer can find weapons and spells exclusive to this mod. High Tale Creations uses sound design, weather effects, and custom lighting to make the Blighted Marsh an immersive environment comparable to those in official Bethesda expansions. While the Blighted Marsh is smaller than the map featured in the recent Fallout: London mod, it is roughly the same size as Solstheim from Skyrim's Dragonborn expansion.
How to Play Coven of Crones
Coven of Crones is currently on PC and is one of the many Skyrim mods available on Xbox. There is no word on whether Bethesda and High Tale Creations plan to bring the mod to PlayStation in the future. The latest version of Skyrim is required to download Coven of Crones, and High Tale Creations recommends starting a new game to avoid potential complications with existing files.
Coven of Crones can be accessed through Bethesda's Creation Club, which allows players to directly download approved mods in games like Skyrim and Fallout 4. Unlike certain mods, Coven of Crones does come with a price tag. Players wanting to explore the Blighted Marsh will need to spend 500 Creation Club credits, which costs $4.99. While many fans are upset with Bethesda's continuing monetization of mods within its games, Coven of Crones' verified status in the Creaton Club means that High Tale Creations will receive royalties from purchases of this mod.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 83%
- Released
- November 11, 2011
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda Softworks
WHERE TO PLAY
Winner of more than 200 Game of the Year Awards, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim celebrates 10 years of adventuring in stunning detail. The Anniversary Edition includes a decade worth of content: the critically acclaimed core game and add-ons of Skyrim Special Edition, plus Creation Club content released on or prior to November 11, 2021.
EPIC FANTASY REBORN
Skyrim reimagines and revolutionizes the open-world fantasy epic, bringing to life a complete virtual world open for you to explore any way you choose.
LIVE ANOTHER LIFE, IN ANOTHER WORLD
Play any type of character you can imagine, and do whatever you want; the legendary freedom of choice, storytelling, and adventure of The Elder Scrolls is realized like never before.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU PLAY
Choose from hundreds of weapons, spells, and abilities. The new character system allows you to play any way you want and define yourself through your actions.
BATTLE DRAGONS
Battle ancient dragons like you’ve never seen. As Dragonborn, learn their secrets and harness their power for yourself.
- Engine
- Creation Engine
- Cross-Platform Play
- no
- Cross Save
- no
- Expansions
- Skyrim: Dragonborn, Skyrim: Hearthfire, Skyrim: Dawnguard
- Franchise
- The Elder Scrolls
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- yes
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- How Long To Beat
- 35 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium (Special Edition)
- File Size Xbox Series
- 29 GB (DECEMBER 2023)
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
