“A mentor and an inspiration to many”: Skywind devs pay tribute to modder Kettlewitch, whose death has left another Skyrim mod’s future up in the air
The Elder Scrolls modding community is mourning the death of David Purcell, a veteran modder known online as Kettlewitch, who passed away in mid-June after a six-month battle with lung cancer. Over many years, Purcell became a central technical figure in multiple landmark fan projects, including Skywind (a Morrowind remake) and Skyblivion (an Oblivion remake), where he specialised in complex 3D asset implementation, animation work, and technical problem-solving using modding tools. He was regarded by peers as both a skilled developer and a generous mentor within the community.
His death has cast uncertainty over the status of Thras: The Coral Kingdom, an ambitious Skyrim mod that was his passion project at the time. Fellow developers have expressed concern about the project's continuation whilst also acknowledging Purcell's lasting influence on widely-used modding knowledge and techniques. Both the Skywind and Thras teams have released formal tributes, emphasizing his contributions during critical development phases and his broader impact on community standards and problem-solving approaches.
- David Purcell, known as Kettlewitch, a respected figure in Elder Scrolls modding, died on June 15 from lung cancer after months of illness.
- The modding community mourns the loss of a prolific developer who contributed critical work to major remake projects including Skywind and Skyblivion.
- The future of several ambitious mods remains uncertain, particularly Thras: The Coral Kingdom, which was Purcell's primary focus at the time of his death.