The True HIDDEN DARKNESS Of Half-Moon Mill - Elder Scrolls Detective 

Hi. I'm back :)

Camelworks: Hern and Hert from the Half-Moon Mill are vampires. Skyrim players: Yes, we kno- Camelworks: HEAR ME OUT

The thought of a pair of vampires thinking "hmm, what do we do with this corpse? I know, let's give it to that necromancer down the road" makes me think of a happy little undead village

I always just assumed Hert and Hern were so hardcore that they went outside in the sun despite the sun debuff.

Lumberjack is a dangerous profession due to the risk of being staked through the heart? That... kinda kills non-vampire lumberjacks too.

Apperantly when you are stage 4 vamp they will attack you on sight, this and the fact that Hert can be kidnapped by other vampires when you got the Dawnguard dlc and are friendly with the couple, (happens when you sell them as much as a single log of wood). Almost makes it looks like they despise other suckers.

To be fair to the couple, basically every home owner in Skyrim has at least one skull in their home. I think when you buy a furnished home in Skyrim, they just automatically supply you with skulls. I even collect them!

15:25 Doesn't everyone in Skyrim have a human skull in their house? It feels like it is an extremely common decoration. Even Heimskr has skulls in his house. Four, to be exact.

my headcanon is that the Jarl allows them to sustain themselves on "undesirables" (Mer, beastfolk, etc) and permission to use the mill as a cover in exchange for a supply of lumber to help control prices and their help in keeping the local lycanthrope population down (which would be a real problem in a densely wooded, trade rich area that's popular with Hircine). so imo they're effectively government-sanctioned vampiric lumberjack werewolf hunters :P

Camel, I can guarantee that they are indeed true lumberjacks. The trees in the river are what is called a logjam. Floating logs down rivers was the preferred method of moving them from where they were cut to the mill in times before automobiles.

As for the Helgen question, you have to remember that Helgen was a part of Falkreath Hold, not Whiterun. There may be laws in place, such as taxes, that favored Half-Moon Mill over Riverwood.

I loved the garlic fact. It made me feel like Bethesda made it so the garlic being harmful to vampires is a myth set by one vampire with an allergy thats awesome

Here’s my theory: they pay off the Jarl in exchange for “hunting rights”. The Jarl has already proven he doesn’t mind if his citizens and travelers are preyed upon on the road, as long as he benefits. Just look at how he dealt with the bandit camp in the Hearthfire DLC. That’s why they run the mill, not only to look less conspicuous, but also because they use the profits to pay off the Jarl. This allows them to live more open and freely, and gives them something to do in their spare time. That’s why someone hired the Dark Brotherhood. After all, why pay tons of money to hire an assassin when you can just tell the guards, “hey there are two vampires at this mill, go kill them,” because the Jarl won’t do anything about it.

"Are Hert and Hern real lumberjacks?"... buys 20 logs off them for 200 gold. "Yep, they're lumberjacks"

I love how no one mentions the massive scar on herts face. Specifically in relation to the werewolf book being in their house

I've been hearing a man rave about blue collar vampires for almost an hour. It's been at least 3 years since I last played Skyrim.

"They should get that repaired." *slow zoom in on the two leeks* Goddamnit you caught me so off guard.

1:57 So, fun fact about some lumberjacks, some would cut trees up stream from their mill and toss them in the river. Since wood floats, it'd easily float down stream to their mill where they'd have something to catch them like rocks or something. It's not terrible lumberjacking, it's actually smart lumberjacking.

"Blood sucking parasites?" I thought they were vampires not lawyers

there's something very wholesome about a married vampire couple donating bodies to the necromancer down the road

Serana actually tells us that the sun does not weaken her and only causes minor irritation. I suspect that these specific two vampires are actually feeding on werewolves and thus experiencing temporary added abilities from the werewolf blood.

I don't care, I just need wood to build my house

17:08 Could also be a rival vampire who they fed on. Allow me to explain. They have said it themselves that they have it relatively good where they are. If another vampire showed up and started feeding willy nilly it could attract attention of groups like the vigilantes or the dawnguard.

Keeping lumber in the water is a form of wood preservation / treatment and also transport.

"Oh no, these vampires killed at least three people" How many people has the Dragonborn killed?

Love how bethesda never bothered to fix the tail thing with dead beastfolk

Poor Vicente must have been allergic to garlic and when he became a vampire, his allergy increased to nearly to lethal levels.

The mill is called 'Half Moon Mill', and it just so happens to contain a book about werewolves, while it would be amazing to think that this was meant to hint at them being Underworld style hybrids, I think there's another possibility that doesn't require us to assume something that breaks the lore as we know it. Perhaps the mill was _originally_ owned by a werewolf, who basically had the same idea we're suggesting for the vampires; to set up a place far from any cities where he could transform in peace come the full moon. Hert and Hern stumbled upon this location and realized that such a setting would aid them for similar reasons, and killed the werewolf to take over the property (or at a stretch, maybe the mill belonged to Sinding before the cursed ring fiasco, and it was at this stage the couple took control of the mill. After all, I don't recall there being a property with Sinding's name attached to it anywhere in the game). Alternatively it's possible that the mill was originally supposed to belong to a werewolf when we discover it, but Bethesda decided to change this later on, I know that this 'out of game' explanation isn't really in the spirit of this series, but thought it was worth mentioning. Side note, I don't think the daywalking intrinsically needs to mean as much as you think, for one it's not actually correct that only those with that primordial strain of vampirism are immune to the sun, vampires of Cyrodil (i.e. the Porphyric Hemophilia strain) are immune to sunlight when well fed. More to the point though, the vampires of Skyrim (i.e. the Sanguinare Vampiris strain) are not _damaged_ by sunlight, only weakened by it, so it's entirely possible that the couple simply choose to suffer this weakness as to keep up appearances when travelers do appear to purchase lumber. I can think of something that could count as evidence towards this, but only in a the same 'it's in the game, so it's canon' sense as the hybrid theory. If you block out the sun with Auriel's Bow, the two will remark the same as other vampires, saying things like "Skyrim is ours!". This implies that they are in fact gaining the same benefit as other vampires when the sun is blocked out, which of course wouldn't be the case if they were already immune to sunlight. It's also worth noting that Serana's discomfort in the sun doesn't necessarily count as evidence against this idea. For one, it makes sense that vampires who regularly force themselves out into the sun like Hert and Hern (while doing little to block it as Serana does with her hood), would be more tolerant to it than a Vampire that spends their life hiding from the sun. To stretch things a little, the lore basically says that, as vampires starve, they become more 'vampiric' which increases both their strengths and weaknesses. With that in mind, you could argue that the fact Vampire Lords are basically identical to Skyrimian vampires, only with a powerful transformation (and according to the lore, are meant to be more powerful in general, although I don't believe this is the case in game) might mean they are generally 'more vampiric' and thus, would actually feel a greater discomfort than regular vampires in sunlight.

21:52 Can attest to their strength. She chopped that wood so hard it glitched out of reality at the speed of light.

6:23 I know that he has fangs and red eyes (an obvious sign of a vampire), but Hern's reference to and emphasized tone when talking about some kind of "hunt" sounds a lot more like something a werewolf or follower of Hircine would say. Kinda makes me wonder if Hern is a werewolf and Hert is a vampire despite the physical evidence.

When I first came across this in one my own playthroughs, my theory was that they killed and replaced actual human lumberjacks who were living there. They were the two skulls/rib cages in the shack.

The best parts of these videos aren't even the weird theories or interesting facts presented, but the hilariously TERRIBLE mods Camel reveals that he uses when he makes them. Did you see Serana, for god's sake? I almost choked on my drink laughing.

You know, like the Gray Prince of Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, Hert and Hern could be half-vampires? Many of the strengths of a full-blooded vampire, with none of the associated weaknesses.

The fact that your accent makes 'werewolf' sound like 'werewoof' to me, simply gives me altogether too much joy

In my game, Hert and Hern stay locked in their house during the day. At about 7 pm they come out, sometimes to work, sometimes to sit together on the stump nearest the bridge. Hert usually runs the mill through the night. When she says, "we so adore having visitors" you know full well what she means. Still, for vampires, they are rather nice.

12:39 vampire or not a stake through the heart would still be fatal to anyone tf

The leek joke lmfao, I’m ded

OK, you've missed a huge piece of the puzzle that explains alot. If you play through the Dawnguard DLC and join the Vampire faction, you are able to take missions for the vampire faction. These missions include maintaining and extending the Vampire spy network across Skyrim. One of these missions has you visit Hert and beat her up for not complying with the Vampire order. They are reluctant members of the Valkhir Vampire spy network.

The Lady Stone is relatively nearby in the middle of Lake Illinalta, and it gives boosts to stamina and health regeneration (which the sun would prevent). Maybe Hert and Hern used it?

I believe if you have dawnguard installed hunters around falkreath at night will sometimes transform into werewolves like very rarely.

The first time I played Skyrim, fresh out of Helgen, I headed straight for the mesmerising beauty of Falkreath. Pines have always felt welcoming to me. Firstly stumbling across the Lady Stone after a swim, I then headed for Half-Moon Mill on the distant shore. I remember my investigation and the realization about it's residents it led me to. Good times. This video took me back, Camel, thanks for the great content!

I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay I sleep all day and I work all night!~

Don’t forget the Count of Skingrad! The highest ranked vampire in the series.

I have a mod that lets you have dinner with npc’s. And my character regularly has dinner with Hert and Hern. He’s not a vampire, but provides raw meat to them and we have it for dinner. Still raw (thought it was a glitch). We eat and laugh and then I leave. Now that I know that they’re vampires, nothing will change. They are a lovely couple.

The logs at the river are, maybe for, *Body Collection?* Bandits (Or anyone interested in assassination) might throw bodies in the river, and the logs in the river would interrupt the water current, so the corpses get collected by the vampire couple. Hert states that she and Hern can get everything they need from the *"Occasional traveler"* That other people just *"Makes things complex"*

"A Werepile" sounds like werewolf hemorrhoids...

Here's another idea: The dead bodies are actually the remains of travelers killed by werewolves and these vampires are hunting and killing the werewolves by following the trail of carnage... and of course not letting the blood of the slain villagers go to waste. Their apparent ability to work in broad daylight might be the result of feasting on werewolf blood relatively recently.

“Everything one needs to live a quiet and simple life.” *Great Days intensifies*

I always thought they had killed the real hert and hern and that those were the bodies which was why people were confused about them being so close even though they were siblings

I think it's probably just a matter of coding limitations. If you're friendly with them, they can actually be kidnapped for the dawnguard quest. Because of that, they are probably just coded as citizens of falkreath instead of vampires

Is there enough lore to talk about what happened at Dragon tooth Crater? Looks like a meteor shower or a Dragon Ball Z battle took place there

18:45 Her tail is still waving. She’s not dead yet.

Werepyres would be an awesome addition and halfmoon mill could easily be used to implement them later if need be. Bethesda has effectively created a Universe that has fluid lore because of ESO and Hermaues Mora. Magnificent.

The Necromage and the ancient burial are closer to Shriekwind Bastion, which is the home of a boss vampire. As to supplying wood, in that setting, it's easier to ship wood via rivers, using the current to pull the logs or heavy barges, Half-moon mill is the best position to supply Helgen, and the wood across the river may be to keep wood bound for Helgen from being pulled by the current towards that waterfall.

Keeping wood in water isnt unheard of. Logging companies hose their logs down with water all the time, and people used to store wooden canoes under water, it would cause the bark to rot off but the dry burned wood would be fine.

Helgen and half-moon mill are in Falkreath hold, Riverwood isn't. Getting supplies from Riverwood is perhaps unreliable.

Here's an interesting little curiosity: what actually was the Eye of Magnus and, as an extension, what is the overall agendas of the Psijic Order? We are left to conclude that whatever the Eye is, it was important enough to the Snow Elves to start the war that led to their downfall. And based on the Psijics intervening there but not in the uses of Elder Scrolls or the Alduin situation we have to assume the danger of the Eye is immense. It also seems to be breaking down reality? Or something? With the rift in Aftershock and magical anomalies. This could get even more wild, though, because of the in-universe theory the Greybeards have that the Dragonborn didn't kill Alduin, just delayed him. Is the reason Alduin emerged in 4E201 that the Eye was destined to be found in 4E201, triggering a possible apocalypse and summoning Alduin? That's flimsy, I grant you, but of the several world-ending threats at play in Skyrim the reclusive supermages only were concerned with this one. And if the Eye isn't the greatest threat, why do the Psijics care so much about maneuvering you? Think about this as well: they could just take it, but they don't. They wait for it to be activated before they ship it off to Artaeum. To see what would happen? Did we give them a doomsday weapon?

Hey, I remember these two. They were my neighbors when I moved into the Hearthfire lot. Unfortunately for them I was role-playing a vampire hunter during that run, so as soon as I met them and saw those eyes I immediately pulled out *Dawnbreaker* and decapitated them both. Shame, they seemed like nice people.

I remember on my first play through ever, I walked passed this mill and went into the slaughter shack thing and picked up the troll skull, completely oblivious to the ribcage and human skull

"No other wearwolfs in Falk..." Er, Dark Brotherhood.

Maybe they were reading that book because they've already drank a werewolf's blood and, you know, when the Dragonborn drinks Aela's blood he becomes a werewolf himself. Maybe they're just afraid of becoming beasts themselves?

Watching this series always is entertaining and never fails to deliver!

i'd like to point out that each time the vampire curse is forwarded it is slightly weaker, and the victim slightly more human. for example, only a daughter of coldharbour, and her siree's can pass on major vampiric gifts, such as the form of vampire lord

38:18 Werewolf : *exists* Vampire : *Finnaly, some good hecking food*

Me: See the Stand by intro with the Camel. Ok, it's going to be a great morning today.

In the topic of vampires, the big question is: How much did Falion knew about Movarth's moves in Morthal? He was strangely absent in my game when doing the quest and... "the marsh is treacherous, you do well to not wander it at night" (Alva's journal tells about Movarth in the marsh at night) "[...] I know enough to see a vampire where others would see a man." (Alva is his neighbor) "My... talents... are useful here. I help maintain order, even if it goes unnoticed."🤔 Specially this last word, more so when combined with his absense🤔

Dang it, now I'm itching to boot up the game and start another adventure. 😛

Oddly enough, in my game, Hert only goes outside at night and she has vampire eyes. In fact, the mill’s house is only unlocked at night. And Hern never goes outside. It’s rather strange.

I remember I had a playthrough where my Dragonborn was a vampire/werewolf. She could walk in sunlight, but her stamina was very low. I did the Champions and Dawnguard afterward which is how I think it happened. I wish I didn't lose the save file. She was a special character to me.

Thanks so much for keeping skyrim alive really brings back good memories in these sad times

I can't help but judge people on their choice of female aesthetic overhaul mods lol

Maybe Vicente is literally just allergic to garlic like any normal person could be.

Very late to the party, but on my last playthrough I came over the hill by the road and happened to see Hurt disintegrating someone with the absorb health spell or whatever the vampires use. I went up to her and engaged dialogue like nothing happened. I was very confused at first until I clued in

in years past woodcutters would float logs down a river to the mill for ease of transportation if that was possible in their area and water won't destroy wood but it would protect it from parasites and drying out too quickly and cracking if it is to be used for building materials

Never did I ever imagine to hear the words "local Falkreathian hare", not to mention the context in which it was used. A lovely verbal surprise, I actually got a bit of amusement from. I must say, your script writing has gotten really good.

Drinking blood reduces sun damage for vampires, maybe they have so much supply they can just feed whenever they want

18:46 The Khajiit is dead, though the tail lives on.

During Dawnguard my character was a werewolf. When I got to the point of meeting Serana's father for the first time, he offered to make me a vamipre. I told him i was a werewolf, and he responded with saying that Vampirism will "cleanse" me of Lycantrophy and I'll only be a vampire.

Funny story, Hert was my second wife. I didn't know about her when I hit Hern and wondered across the mill after my first wife Jordis got kill exploring Steepfall Burrow. I really like Hert so i used console command to marry her. Funny part is that i'm lycon and didn't know she was a vampire until later when i did some research. She was really nice and never acted strange about it. To bad she got killed by a dragon,i really liked her.

Hern's face just looks so peaceful and happy in this video!

I haven't watched it yet but I'm wondering how your gonna squeeze 40 minutes of content from half moon goddamn mill Edit: ok then

Grerat vid but.. "No other Werewolves in Falkreath"? Except for the one in The Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary who used to be in The Companions before marrying Astrid? And "Vampires are immune to lycanthropy"? Become a Vampire, join the Inner Circle of The Companions and *boom!* Vampirism cured, you're now a Werewolf. But why do The Silverhand have all those cure disease potions and silver swords with extra anti-Undead damage? Did Hert and Herne put the Silver Hand up to it and a certain assassin blacksmith do the Black Sacrament as revenge? Hold on to your tinfoil hats, folks, we're going weird.

Anyone feel free to correct me, but I’m pretty sure the vampires in Skyrim differ slightly from vampires in other provinces. The sun isn’t deadly to Skyrim vampires. I think it’s Bethesda making up lore just to have vampire PCs not completely die after fast travel like in Oblivion. But I want to say it’s written somewhere.

I always kinda thought they were somewhat a underworld Easter egg and that they resembled the main characters who are also lovers. Selene is a vampire in the show but Michael is a hybrid between a vampire and werewolf. They are supposed to be enemies but they end up falling in love, thus they have to go on the run from the vampires and werewolves. So they are surrounded by humans that don't like them and also creatures of the night that don't like them.

Welcome back to the land of the living Camel.

Hey, I actually almost ended it all today, seeing this saved me. Ik ur probly rly busy, I just wanted u to know that u saved me camel 🐪

Some of your details, when it comes to the physical features to things, are half invalidated by your mods that change how characters and races look, my dude.

"The True HIDDEN DARKNESS Of Half-Moon Mill" *Laughs in Sithis*

"Muh pappy taught me loggin', and his pappy 'fore him"

Thank you camelworks! I’m doing another play through after a long break from Skyrim. I really enjoyed this very much!

Hey Camel, there's another crossbreed in elder scrolls. You can do it in skyrim. You get to the part in the vampire side of dawnguard where you go find valerica but before you go to the castle garden, you go do the companion quest to the point where they wanna turn you. Make serana wait outside while you go to the underforge as normal but before you drink the blood, hold the power button down to turn into a vampire lord. Let off the power button as you activate the blood bowl and you'll spawn outside the forge as a vampire lord. Then all you do is revert back, get serana to infect you, then pick the beast form power and turn into a werewolf. Boom. Now you can do both. I've had mixed results with immunity to sunlight though. It seems like you only get that if you've recently gone beast but not lord. Don't know if that helps your theory or not

Camel: The sleepy shores of Lake Illinata In the background: **Jessica, DID YOU SLEEP WITH YOUR GODDAMN TEACHER!!**

The dark elf next to the cairn actually commited suicide. A bloodied knife sits near his resting place. The cairn is the grave of a loved one.

It's amazing what could be behind such a small thing.

Wasn’t there that one vampire strain that Hircine and Molag Bal had worked on together? Creating an Monster like the Vargulf Of Warhammer Fantasy?

I never comment much XD I just throw money and say this is great keep doing the things you do.

Some lumber mills to this day store trees in rivers or lakes to age the wood and remove bark.. So maybe they know exactly what they are doing..

Perhaps they use the nearby Lady Stone to offset the negative effects of being daywalkers

I keep expecting “this is X from Fudge Muppet”. Lol

Will most definitely watch this when I get home from school today 👌