When I first saw elves in Skyrim, the first thing I noticed was how strange they look.
I thought the people in Lord of the Rings would be beautiful and magical with pointy ears, but what I saw was very different and even a little bit scary.
Over time, I came to see them as interesting people with interesting stories, but you can’t tell me they’re “beautiful” by human standards.
It’s hard to think that Skyrim wasn’t full of vampires from the start.
They were already there, but Dawnguard adds new kinds and makes them important to the world. If you travel a lot, you’re sure to meet other people.
Whether you are for or against them, everything will finally come back to their biggest and most isolated hideout.
In the base game, Castle Volkihar is already pretty amazing.
But with these changes, it can fit your way of playing better than ever.
I know that many of you won’t stop working on your game until everything is perfect.
So I made a list of the best mods to make elves in Skyrim look better.
8. Castle Volkihar Rebuilt – Luxury Suite Patch
This mod is a patch for Castle Volkihar Rebuilt and allows players to invite Serana to live in the Luxury Suite or the Luxury Suite Residence after finishing the Dawnguard questline.
It ensures that Serana will move to the chosen residence despite the presence of Castle Volkihar Rebuilt mod.
7. Tcz Vampire Decor Castle Volkihar
This mod adds vampire-themed decorations to Castle Volkihar, including paintings, tapestries, and a cooking pot in the kitchen.
It also adds idle markers for NPCs and fixes some idle positions.
The mod is compatible with many other mods, and optional downloads include a silverware replacer and other decor options.
6. CC’s Castle Volkihar Reborn
The mod is a texture replacer for Castle Volkihar, available in 4K and 2K resolution.
It aims to give the castle a more realistic and rustic feel.
The 2K version is recommended for average users as there won’t be much difference between 2K and 4K.
5. Castle Volkihar Rebuilt
The mess that Castle Volkihar is in is really not fit for…well, anything.
This place is amazing in terms of its building, and even though it’s in a dreary area, it fits the vibe.
It just doesn’t make sense that animals who wear some of the coolest clothes in the game would spend all of eternity with their home falling apart around them.
With this mod, you can not only give this beautiful house the renovations it deserves, but you can also do the work yourself.
Yes, this isn’t just a quick fix; you get some new game play.
The modder put piles of trash all over the land that you can clean up with a pickaxe.
And you don’t have to do all of this out of the goodness of your heart; in the end, it will pay off.
Once you’ve cleaned up all the trash, you can use the North Tower as your home. It has three storage boxes, a bed, and some basic furniture.
4. Northfire’s Castle Volkihar
Unlike the previous mod, there’s no work required here for this total graphics overhaul within the castle.
This seemingly simple edit does some truly incredible things.
Visually, Volkihar will no longer be a dusty old palace. Every texture is improved, from the stone walls to the dirt floor.
The lighting even feels brighter and warmer, and the shadows are way more realistic.
As charming as Skyrim’s vanilla graphics are… at the end of the day they’re over a decade old.
There’s no doubt that as far as retexturing goes, this modder has got the market cornered for Castle Volkihar.
Thanks to them, it’s a spectacular sight on every level.
I mean, even the dirt is pretty now.
That’s top notch stuff.
3. Volkihar Waiters
What good is a castle without a staff? No good at all.
How is my Dragonborn supposed to feel like royalty if they don’t have someone available at their beck and call?
During the Bloodline quest, there are two vampire thralls who stand by ready to serve drinks – but you won’t see them again after that without this mod.
Now you can keep them around to serve you for eternity, and also feed them if you’re feeling particularly generous.
2. Castle Volkihar Ambiance
Skyrim generally provides a nice soundtrack for your adventures, but it just doesn’t do Castle Volkihar justice.
We need something that truly captures how unsettling this place is.
Well Ramaum has got the perfect soundtrack right here.
Everything about this mod is bound to fill you with unease and trepidation. And the longer the song goes on, the more intense it gets… much like the vampire and Dawnguard related quests themselves.
The final stretch of this custom tune consists of booming crescendos & an unavoidable sense of impending doom.
Every vampire’s dream, honestly.
1. Volkihar Extended
Compared to many other locations in the game, this castle feels surprisingly big.
You can see from the outside that it’s no measly starter home… but with so many different rooms, it really seems like these vampires are making the most of the space they have.
All it needs now is a room for your character to call their own – and that’s exactly what’s offered in this mod.
As you’d expect, this extension comes with some cool perks that’ll really only benefit you if you’re a vampire.
The additions include a basin of blood and a sarcophagus, in addition to a regular bed.
Another cool feature is that the room is lit with candles that are essentially functional and you can turn on and off whenever you please.
Compared to some of the places you’ll find vampires in this game, this room is definitely luxurious.
