Creating an esp master

It is often said that an esp file cannot have an esp file as a master, but this is not true...

Basic Procedure:

1) Convert the esp file that will be the parent, to an esm, via this method: [1]. To simplify the process, a duplicate of the file should be copied elsewhere.

2) Create the the esp child mod in the CK as normal, with the new parent esm file as a referenced master

3) When the child esp file is done, the copied esp parent file can be brought back into the data folder, or the parent esm file can be converted back to an esp

4) Open the child esp file with Wrye Bash [2], and left click once on your file

5) In the bottom right corner of the window is a list of the file dependencies. One of the entries in this list will be the esm version of the parent file. Left click on this entry (hit okay if a window opens and left click again), and choose "Change to..."

6) Select the esp version of the parent file, and choose "Okay"

7) Click save below this dependencies list

8) Remove the esm from the data folder (and delete if you don't plan to create any more child mods)

9) The child file should now correctly alter the parent esp file