Skyrim modder immersively overhauls Talos shrines to ensure their surroundings evolve during your playthrough

Modders have put an awful lot of effort into making sure Skyrim has continually evolved and expanded in the years since it was first released into the world.

Many have focused on changing the game by overhauling iconic quests, creating fresh mechanics or simply adding interesting details that can aid immersion to it, with a few even going as far as re-creating areas from previous Elder Scrolls games or attempting a little bit of satire.

If you’re one of those players whose mod list is focused on trying to make Skyrim as dynamic and realistic as possible, a new mod might be worth taking a look at.

Wish your version of Skyrim conveyed the controversy surrounding Talos worship a little more thoroughly?

The mod in question is called ‘Environs - The Shrines of Talos’, and is the work of modder Siberpunk, who previously made some similarly in-depth changes to the quest centred around clearing out Kolskeggr Mine and overseen some gradual repairs to Whiterun’s Western Watchtower.

This time, they’ve decided to turn their efforts to the various shrines of Talos that can be found scattered across the province, with the aim of helping the player: “to see the impact of the Civil War and the Thalmor presence” on these places.

The mod does this by adding some new NPCs and clutter connected to the various shrines to the game and ensuring that the status of these extra details changes depending on the player’s level or whether they’ve completed certain quests.

For example, if you help the Imperial Legion to take control of Riften, the shrine of Talo that can usually be found near the graveyard entrance to the Thieves’ Guild’s hideout will disappear and the garden surrounding it will deteriorate, reflecting the Thalmor stopping the city’s priests from maintaining the area.

Outside of the city, if you visit certain unmarked locations in the wilderness, you might find new worshippers tending to remote Talos shrines, or as is the case at Weynon Stones Shrine in The Pale, stumble upon the bodies of some murdered pilgrims, which might have decomposed into skeletons if you visit the site towards the end of your playthrough.

Not all of the shrines to the controversial ninth divine you can find in the game are affected by the mod at current, but Siberpunk suggests they may add to it in the future if inspiration strikes them.

Regardless of whether you’re now planning a long trip to visit all of the locations the mod affects, make sure to follow us for more updates on The Elder Scrolls 6 and the interesting world of Skyrim modding.

You can also check out our mods of the month for January 2023 or our new series where we ask an AI to answer some of the biggest ‘What-ifs’ in gaming, such as what would happen to the land of Skyrim if the Dragonborn was executed in Helgen, which you can watch below.