#[COUGH]LORKHAN[COUGH]

[trickstarbrave]

WIP wednesday

HIIIII IM OFF WORK so i can finally post WIP wednesday stuff. which was uhhhh. yesterday.

sorry :(

at least this time i bring you guys wip from the actual next chapter of moon and star. thats right my brain let me write a bit for the next chapter i need to publish this week. what a miracle. anyways

i got tagged by @boethiahspillowbook and @probby-is-pissed (before the your-talos-is-problematic blog got nuked for no reason??? thanks hellsite)

anyways enjoy

--

“Ah ah ah…” A familiar voice followed, a touch playful. “That is a door you certainly don’t want to open, friend.”

Voryn turned sharply, glaring, before feeling all the wind knocked out of him. 

“Nerevar?” Voryn asked, breathless. 

The elf behind him certainly looked a lot like Nerevar. The same white hair and blue eyes, his expression only a bit more playful and dark than he usually saw on Nerevar’s face. Yet there was something… Off about him. Something seemed uncanny about how he looked, something not quite right. He stood a fair bit taller, now the same height as Voryn, not to mention his clothes were luxurious, completely different than how Nerevar dressed himself. Shades of blue decorated it in swirling patterns, almost looking like clouds, and they seemed to dance and move when Voryn looked away from them. Stars as well decorated the robes in fine embroidery, but more importantly were the many moons he could see all over his attire. 

“Close,” The other answered with a tilt of his head, not breaking eye contact from Voryn and keeping his hand firmly on the stone door behind Voryn. “But not quite.”

“What on Nirn does that mean?” Voryn asked, now baffled. The question warranted a yes or no, not a ‘maybe’ or ‘almost’. Still, the other figure’s smile got all the more devilish and mischievous at his question. “Are you… Nerevar’s father then…?” Voryn had been contacted by his own mother by now, he wouldn’t find it unusual if Nerevar’s parents tried to contact him with visions while the spirits were at it. 

Now the other mer was laughing. A long, boisterous laugh, mirth and joy seemingly to twinkle in the air and tickle at Voryn’s senses. It was an alien feeling, to feel something tugging at his mind and heart in such a weird way, as though his playful joy was seeping out into the air and into Voryn’s lungs as he breathed, flowing through his body. He wasn’t overcome with the urge to laugh, but it felt… Warm and fuzzy. 

“I suppose in a way?” The other finally replied, still chuckling slightly. “Again, you’re quite close.” He then gave Voryn’s cheek a little pinch, making Voryn frown as he brushed the hand aside. Voryn hated being touched by people he didn’t know, and wished he hated this just as naturally and strongly. But instead he had to force himself to move, had to think about how he should hate it. Maybe it was because he looked so similarly to Nerevar the touch didn’t make his skin crawl, but he hated how unlike himself it was to almost enjoy it. 

“Can you just spit it out then?” Voryn snapped. “Who are you? Why are you stopping me?”

The playful smile faded to a more serious expression now, his clothes taking on a more stormy blue color, and the moons going black. 

“I’m stopping you because you shouldn’t open that door.” 

“And why is that?” Voryn challenged him.

The other hummed softly, considering his next words carefully. 

“There are certain things that you are better off knowing.” He replied. “The burden of knowledge does not always make things clearer. In fact, it can make things much more difficult and painful. Warp your perception and senses.” 

Voryn hated vague warnings like that. It made him feel like a child being told no with no explanation. All it succeeded in doing was making him feel all the more frustrated and annoyed. 

“And who are you to be the judge of that?” Voryn scoffed. “I’m quite used to forbidden knowledge and secrets.” 

“I know you quite well.” The other replied. “Very, very well in fact.” The man then took Voryn by the chin, leaning in close, and Voryn felt his heart accelerate. He smelled like Neht too, and the way his breath tickled on his lips was just the same. Overwhelming desire washed over him, not even entirely sexual, just… Desire. Desire for him. For those blue eyes. For that playful smirk. For that firm hand. For those lips… His heart was pounding in his chest as though it was trying to escape, trying to leap out of him and into the hands of this stranger so willingly. 

[changelingsandothernonsense]

Been discussing OC disabilities and thought I'd throw Joshi's in a list.

-Suffers from night terrors from an early age. Eventually he finds out that these are prophetic in nature. Though that happens too late for him to do anything about it. Dreams get high jacked by gods having lovers spats and gets further complicated by his ascending. He frequently suffers insomnia and sleep walking. Sometimes the Sleeper Dreams turn him into…well a sleeper.

He's heavily ADHD/ODD coded and there's a large dosage of c-ptsd and a lot of abandonment issues that colour his interpersonal relationships. The trauma just compounds over time and he tends to act aggressively when frightened. This has led to callous actions when he's desperate.

He falls into a very deep, prolonged depression after the events of the turn of the age.

Self medicates…a lot. Mostly with alcohol but has had a few stints with recreational drug dependency. One being skooma and gods know what else during his time as a Priest of Sanguine and later Sleeping Tree Sap during the Dragon Crisis. Drinking habit started when he was in service to the Camonna Tong. (19 but think 15 year old maturity wise). He's a functional alcoholic most of the time.

He has a severe tobacco habit that started when he was working on a tobacco plantation. He ran a smuggling ring out of that labour camp. Garnered the skinny kid protection… well mostly. The smoking has given him a cough over the years. Though that's most Dunmer who come from Morrowind. Smoking being a cultural practice. Especially amongst Ashlanders.

Deaf in his left ear due to a particularly hard hit to the side of his head that burst his eardrum. Since he was in prison at the time, it was never properly healed. So now he struggles with triangulating the direction of a sound, separating different sounds and can't pick up particularly high or low frequencies. Don't whisper, he won't hear you.

Has a severely limited magicka reserves due to the prolonged use of magicka drain shackles when he was meant to still be developing his magic talents. He still has a lot of raw power but he's easily fatigued. He developed a reliance on potions to boost his stores.

Briefly gets a heart murmur after getting hit directly in the chest with lightning during a fight. Causes his heart to stop and then beat irregularly until…

Corprus and how it's ravaged his body. He's covered in burn scars and they tend to cause him discomfort. He's wearing compression style bandages under his armour. The scars are often itchy and he finds relief with bathing and specific fabrics. His heart slows significantly after this and actually beats to the rhythm of the Heart of Lorkhan now. Even after its been destroyed. He also suffers from balance issues due to having part of his right foot removed. He starts using crutches to get around before he makes himself a prosthesis. A similar issue happened to his right arm. He lost a lot of strength with the removal of his pectoral on that side. He's lucky he's left dominant.

Joshi eventually needs some sort of support to walk after subsequent crush injuries. Firstly being his pelvis- he can no longer swing his legs outwards so no riding mounts. Or his hip freezes. Later his leg gets crushed. It takes a lot of magic to fix it and now that whole side is unstable. He starts relying on magic a lot more. He's pretty much always wearing splints or using a crutch or stick in private. Josh designs himself a bit of a mechanical exoskeleton to take pressure off his hips and leg after his kid goes to college.

Nerve damage- Josh can't pick up on his body's signals after Corprus. So he can literally forget to eat amongst other things. He's got to stick to a "every 3 hours check" routine. It's hard to keep up with at times. Later he suffers significant damage to the nerves in his face from a Dragon attack. This affects his ability to form facial expressions and emote as well as causing him to struggle with speech now that half his face is paralysed.

[wellthebardsdead]

Clockwork heart pt40

Part 39 here

Timeskip because what I had planned made me cry too much

———

Wyrm: *back arched as if a kabuki dancer posing as a prawn. Blood gushing from his tear ducts as he forces the eyes of the falmer into his sockets, no longer in control of his own body, mercer laying dead at his feet, and Taliesin pulling in vain at his arms to stop him* I HAVE TO SEE! I HAVE TO SEE! I HAVE TO S- *drops to the ground in a silent scream as all the air leaves his body and the eyes of the falmer replace the Pearl and his eye completely* I… see…

Taliesin: my love?! *drops to his knees lifting him into his arms. His heart already shattered having seen Mercer attempt to kill him once* my Pearl?! My darling?! *picks up the bloodied Pearl lined with gold as the chamber begins to fill with water*

Karliah: We have to get out of here!!

Brynjolf: up there! It’s our only way out!

Taliesin: I can’t swim!!!

———

“I can’t breathe… it’s so cold. I’m cold, I’m cold- my chest hurts- I’m- I’m. Im… freezing.”

“TEACUP!!!”

———

Taliesin: *gasps for air and instinctively reaches up clawing at the figure looming over him only to see Wyrm staring back at him, the dunmer soaked to the bone and trembling as blood and tears drip from his now pink glowing eyes* m-my love. My Wyrm, y-your eyes-

Wyrm: th-they hurt- everything looks strange- b-but you! You nearly drowned! You- my Tali- I- I tried to pull you up but you were too heavy!! K-Kaidan- he-

Kaidan: *coughs up a lung of water and slaps Taliesin on his side* I swear to fock if you die I’ll bring you back just to kill you kyself.

Taliesin: *coughs out a laugh as he sits up and pulls Wyrm in close stroking his face* am I the only one worried that he shoved two strange rocks into his face?!?!

Inigo: *fur soaking wet* c-considering everything we know about him I should say yes, but no, it is very concerning.

Brynjolf: he? He absorbed them? *kneels down to be eye level with Wyrm and look at his eyes, only to be flung to the side as nerevar body slams him out of the way*

Nerevar: *covered in snow after ignoring Wyrms request to not seek them out from their campsite, grabs wyrms face and pulls him in close staring at his eyes* the eyes of lorkhan. *lets him go and stands up punching the wall of the cave before grabbing his Mohawk in mounting anger* THE FUCKING EYES OF LORKHAN!

Karliah: the eyes of? No these are the eyes of the-

Nerevar: FALMER! IT WAS ALWAYS THE FALMER! They guarded his soul, his eyes, they’re up there now on his body trying to defend it!!! *gestures up obviously referencing the moons* if it weren’t for the heat of morrowind or the mountain they’d of guarded his heart too! It’s why the dwemer blinded them! Because they could read the elder scrolls, the scrolls of creation itself! What do they want?! What does seht want?! Why would he lead Wyrm to this?!

Wyrm: *visibly frightened watching nerevar freak out, but no longer seeing just nerevar, but the nerevarine, all forms he’d of taken. Every race, every gender, every iteration from every possible timeline* a-Ata- I’m scared- I’m- *stares ahead, jaw slack and now pink opalescent eyes glistening as they glaze over*

Voryn: *steps into the cave, covered in viscera after killing a snowbear, his third eye open as he calms Wyrm down* we are going to the nearest inn. *reaches into Wyrms pocket, retrieving the key of nocturnal and offering it to Karliah* and this is where our paths split.

Karliah: but I can’t-

Voryn: I cannot risk further harm to him… nocturnal knows plenty of sotha sil, more so than I… but look at Wyrm… look at what has become of him in pursuit of aiding you… I will not allow further harm to be done to him. If you will not take it nightingale, I will give it to the guild instead. *offers it to Brynjolf*

Brynjolf: *takes it carefully as his eyes rest on wyrm* I’ll get it to where it belongs… what’s… what’s happened to the poor lad?…

Nerevar: *staring into Wyrms eyes as Taliesin tries to dry his tears* nothing good.

[mazahua-baddie]

The Snow Maiden's Ballad

Chapter 12

She awakened with Alduin looming over her. 

“Alduin thuri, what are you doing here?” Monvahkrii asked him. He said nothing to her. 

“You’re scaring me…” Monvahkrii got up. She was smaller than him but not so small she couldn’t make a dent in his scales. 

“I needed to speak with you about something.” Alduin told her in a neutral voice. 

“I am at your command.” Monvahkrii lowered her head. 

“I have heard rumors of Miraak claiming to have the soul of a dovah.” Alduin looked at her. “Can you sense it too?” 

Monvahkrii nodded, hoping that he wouldn’t scorch her for not noticing it before. 

“Why would my father create one when he could just make a dovah?” Alduin shook his head. “Not a half assed version of it.” 

“I do not know, my Thur. Perhaps he is meant to aid you. Or destroy you.” 

Alduin’s eyes lit up like flames. “No one can destroy me. I am the World Eater. I am eternal.” 

“You are right ,my Thur.” Monvahkrii responded in a submissive tone. She had to stroke his ego a little. “You are the strongest of us but there are still more powerful beings. Perhaps it’s a sign from Akatosh.” 

Alduin looked confused. “Sometimes I wish that my father was less cryptic about things. I am not one for riddles or hidden meanings.” 

Monvahkrii was a little bit shocked that he would say something like that to her. Wasn’t he basically admitting weakness? 

“Is that why you do not like me?” She asked, looking at the ground. “Because you cannot comprehend me?” 

Alduin looked at her, his expression going from sour to confused to one that Monvahkrii couldn’t read. “I do not dislike you if that is what you are asking.” 

“Then….how do you feel about me?” Monvahkrii hoped she could soften him enough to get her next point across. 

“I…….don’t know how to feel about you.” Alduin looked away. “You are confusing for me. You care about the joor and the other dov…” 

“I guess I feel the way they do around us. Scared, confused, sad, and sometimes upset. Like what happened with the Dragon Wife.” Monvahkrii prayed he wouldn't hurt her again. 

“Why do you care so much? You are a dov. Father made us perfectly. Joors are just the proof that Lorkhan went back on his word to keep the others’ power.” Alduin seemed eerily calm. 

“I suppose so. I was in Aetherius with my sisters when Nirn was created.” Monvahkrii laid back down in her spot. 

“How was it there? I barely remember it.” Alduin laid down next to Monvahkrii. Now it was Monvahkrii’s turn to be confused. Why was he being like this? He normally wasn’t this close to anyone, not even his brother. 

“It was…peaceful. Calm.” Monvahkrii looked away. She was really curious as to why he was behaving this way. Was it Kyne's doing? Monvahkrii slowly drifted off. She felt him get closer to her at some point. Not that it wasn’t unwelcome. 

************************************************************

Thenhis’s POV 

Early in the morning, I arose from the bed. I stretched out, grabbing the dress I’d thrown on the floor. I pulled it on and started to do my hair when I heard a cough. I turned to see Soren was up. And there was Miraak in the room. 

“Ah, I suppose I came in at a good time.” Miraak spoke up. I am very glad we didn’t stay undressed after last night. That would of been embarrassing and even creepier. 

“How long have you been here?” I noticed a flame spell charging in Soren’s hand. 

“Relax, Soren. I just wanted to talk about why you were with the Nord rebels last night.” Miraak was grinning. He was a tall man with swarthy skin, dark brown hair, and green eyes. 

I felt my heart drop to my feet. The room was so quiet you could hear footsteps from the upper floor. 

“What? The walls have ears. And eyes. I can’t imagine Alduin would be too pleased about that.” Miraak was staring at his hands. 

“What the hell do you want?” I asked as I was charging ice spells in my hands. 

“I want you to do me a favor.” He smiled at us.

“What is it? Spit it out.” Soren narrowed his eyes at him. 

“I want you to give me the key to the inner temple.” Miraak grinned at us. 

Soren’s eyes widened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“What do you mean you don’t? I saw Morokei give you the damn thing.” Miraak spoke up as the room filled up with eyes on a greenish surface. 

“Is that?” My eyes widened. It was Daedric in origin, no doubt. 

“So the rumors are true.” Soren narrowed his eyes at him. “Don’t think for a moment Herma Mora will not discard you like old linens when he finds another idiot to serve him.” 

“They are. I tend to rule Nirn and he will help me.” Miraak grinned. “But you’re not telling a soul, are you? It would be a shame for Alduin to know that his beloved’s Priest is plotting against him. We both saw what he did to Aemma for hiding information from you, I imagine treason would result in a worse death.” 

“I won’t.” Soren looked at him with disdain. He sat up and grabbed the key on his nightstand. “Here. Now take your disgusting Daedra friend and yourself out of our chambers.” 

“I knew you would cooperate with me.” Miraak grinned as he walked out. “Pleasure speaking to you two!” 

Once Miraak was away from us, Soren put his hands on his hair. “Gods, what have I done?” 

“Soren…” I told him, smoothing his back. He looks up at me. “Oh, Thenhis.” We lean our heads in together. I was terrified out of my mind. There was no stopping this or turning back now. 

“I know.” I close my eyes, feeling tears running down my cheeks. “It’s okay.” 

He grabbed my hands and I grabbed his, sitting there in silence. 

[new-california-veteran]

So...I'm a Stormcloak supporter in Skyrim. It kinda feels like that's a dirty admission within the fandom, but I wanted to talk about why I think the Stormcloaks are marginally better than the empire. Note that I'm not a master debater (lol) or essayist, so this is probably gonna be messy. But no one actually has to read it so it's fine.

I feel like when people are anti-Stormcloak, they only hold that position for surface level reasons. Yes, many nords and Stormcloaks are racist. But...so is the empire. And the dominion. Literally every race in the elder scrolls is racist. Some more than others *cough* dummer and altmer *cough*

And while being anti-racist is an objectively good and moral position in the real world, the world of the elder scrolls is not the real world. There are gods and magic and monsters. There is more going on in Mundus than on Earth.

I'm not a lore master by a long shot, so I encourage anyone engaging with this post to do their own research on anything I say, but I feel confident enough to assert some things here. In the world of the elder scrolls, a gods power is directly tied to the prayer and belief they receive from mortals. The stronger the faith, the stronger the god. So when you have a god of men joining the divines, it causes a problem for certain people. Certain people who...disagree with mortality. Enter the thalmor.

The thalmor (and I guess elven kind at large, but I only really know of the altmer making a stink about it) view mortality as a prison. They long for the days when everyone was an immortal spirit. Basically a little god/demigod. So they seek the means to unmake the world.

A little side note of explanation: When the divines led by Lorkhan created the world, it cost them a lot of their power. Like a lot a lot. And some of the spirits that came with them were pretty pissed when they realized that they would eventually dwindle and become mortal. Others, specifically those who followed and believed in Lorkhan were cool with it (The schism between what would become men and mer) Seeing it as simply the next stage in existence within their new world. It's also a bit fuzzy whether Lorkhan tricked the divines into doing this or not. But considering they kicked his ass and yeeted his heart into the ocean, I'm inclined to believe he did. Or maybe they betrayed him in an attempt to seize power over the new world for themselves. Whatever, it's not important right now.

Back to the thalmor. So the thalmor are trying to unmake the world and reclaim their long lost divinity. To do that they need access to various towers dotted across Tamriel. I think there's one in each province, but I'm not super 100% sure on that. They also need Talos out of the way. You can imagine a god of men might be slightly opposed to a bunch of elves trying to unmake the world. Kinda fucks over everyone. So naturally they need to keep Talos out of the way. But how can they do that? That can't very well kill a god in their current fleshy predicament, can they?

No. But they can limit his power. And to do that, they need to restrict belief in him. Now I'm pretty sure the great war was about gaining access to the towers around Tamriel. But men proved slightly more resistant than the thalmor anticipated. So they settled for the next best thing with the white-gold concordat. Outlawing the worship of the god of men. See where all this is going? I know this has been a long read, and if anyone is still here I am finally getting to the point. Promise.

Now, with the worship of the god of men outlawed by a foreign power, some men were (justifiably in your opinion or not) pretty pissed about it, as you might imagine. So they rebel against what they see as an occupying force stripping their beliefs and identity from them. Fighting for sovereign rule of their homeland. And even if you ignore the whole "unmaking the world" angle, I'd hope you could at least accept the religious freedom aspect of the Stormcloak's fight against a crumbling empire of men too weak to protect the basic religious freedom of its subjects.

[bitchwhoreofastorm]

inspired by @vosh-rakh

"Aren't you in agony?" one of them had said to the other. "Isn't the pain unbearable? Don't you want to make it stop? Don't you want to stop existing, if only to escape it?" But, nature of this beast, they can't remember which one of them said it, or whether it matters at all.

His name is Ebonarm. Ebony for blood, arm for an action taken, things the parts of him once loved.

"He made this world for mortals," one of them had said, "And he loved mortality, so mortal we shall be.

"This world hates the presence of daedra," had said the other, "So we should revoke being daedra, if we mean to amputate ourselves."

So Ebonarm is mortal. He has a man's body and a beard the color of dried gore on a blade, and he wears his long hair in a ponytail on the top, though the sides of his head are shaved clean. "Reymon," he introduces himself in pubs along the road outside of Alinor, because it’s a good mortal’s name, and he likes the idea of being good and mortal, with a good mortal life.

"What if we become him again?" one of them had pondered, when they were still separate enough to ponder to each other. "What would we do in this new world?"

"Fight, I suppose," had said the other with a shrug, "Just as we always did, just as we always do."

So Reymon is an adventurer. Reymon roams and Reymon fights. He cuts down daedra, he prowls forests and embarks on quests as is the fashion amongst mortals, he slays monsters because he loves the slaying. Daedra come to dread and hate him, and he makes no friends in all the land, and he is accustomed to this.

"Aren't you ashamed?" one of them had said to the other. "How can you live covered in his blood?"

But some stains are bound to linger, and Ebonarm goes with black armor and black hands.

"Do you think I will be missed?" One of them asks, in Ebonarm's voice. There's come a lull in the fighting, and he sits within a forest meadow, not far from the road. He's resting his bare mortal feet in a cool still pond, fed by a small new spring trickling from an ancient fountain which someone had whimsically erected here long ago. His handsome head is bowed, his hair framing his face in a tangle, and his eyes, gleaming, reflected in the flat of the sword on his lap.

"Surely not," Ebonarm answers himself dismissively, "For who would ever miss me, and why? I am serving my purpose well enough here, but whose purpose ought I serve in the first place? The world can get along fine without me." He drags his hand along the edge of the blade, cleaning away dust with his palm, a habit he’s had for longer than he’s been alive. "Surely this guilt means nothing-- what have I to be guilty of! I have done well by fighting Daedra, that is a great service. And why else-- why shouldn't I continue to exist like this, as long as I please?"

"Because it is merciless," answers a voice from behind him. "Because it is wrong."

Ebonheart does not turn to greet Stendarr. So absorbed in himself as he is, he’s hardly noticed Stendarr’s being there at all.

"Ah, brother!,” he says nonetheless. “How long have you been there?"

"I've been following you from the start." Stendarr's voice is sonorous, sorrowful, and when he steps forwards his steel footsteps are heavy as a sin. "I've come to stop this, for the sake of justice."

"What is that word?" asks Ebonarm. "Justice? Ah, I've heard it in tales. But what injustice, brother, have I committed against you?"

"Not against me." And Stendarr is a great powerful shape in the reflection. "Against each other."

"Each other, Stendarr! To whom do you refer? Myself and my blade, perhaps?" Ebonarm lets loose a jolly laugh. "What injustice have I dealt upon my blade?"

"Trinimac. Boethiah. Enough."

"So it's my armor I've wrought injustice upon?"

Stendarr takes another heavy step forwards, hammer in his hands. "I've heard them call you Ebonarm," he says. "I know why you chose that name. Boethiah wore his blood like grief, and Trinimac, that blackened sword..."

"Then you understand everything."

"... But that's not his blood you wear. It is yours. This is a mockery of his will. Lorkhan wanted us to heal, and here you are gouging into each other for the pleasure of being wounded."

"What mockery!" Ebonarm laughs, feet still in the water. "Shut up. Shut up, you brute. Why are you here, you who didn't lift a hand to save him-- why do you pretend at caring, when you hated-- or were we friends? But what silliness, Stendarr! What is all of this?"

Stendarr raises his hammer. "Mephala sent me, but I do this out of my own pity."

"I do not want your pity, and what do you know of Lorkhan? And stop speaking to me. My name is Reymon. Why are you my enemy, ought we not fight together? But I do not--"

"Remember, I did not want to break you!"

"I want--"

But with Reymon's bare feet dangling still in the water and the blade heavy on his lap, Stendarr moves too swiftly to evade, and the hammer shatters their back.

-

There is no fight.

There is no him.

There is mossy green light when Boethiah wakes, drenched and shivering, hoisted from the spring. Stendarr's hand is gentle on her forehead, the ebony mail clings as always to her skin, but she feels raw and bruised, bleeding and empty as a cavern, pathetic as she coughs up water against a steel plate.

"He's gone," Stendarr promises, in an apologetic voice. "He fled the moment--"

"Shut up," Boethiah hisses, pushing away his hand. On Nirn they are all corporeal, a disgusting sensation, and the grass she's resting on is hideously soft. She pushes herself to her knees, pushes soggy hair from her eyes, touches her chin and presses nails into the skin of her lips. "Just, shut up. Why did you do that? ... Did Mephala really send you?"

Stendarr is silent for a long time.

"Stop shutting up, then! Since when do you take orders from a Daedric--"

"I came of my own volition," Stendarr admits sheepishly.

Boethiah stares at him.

"I loathe to see him hurt you," says Stendarr. "I loathe to see the strong harm the weak--"

"The weak!" Boethiah shouts, leaping to her feet. "The weak, Stendarr! You worm! You hag! I'll-- I swear, I'll--"

"I'm sorry!" Stendarr shouts, also rising to his feet. "I wanted to protect you!"

"Fetch your protection! You loathsome wretch! You abomination upon Lorkhan's dream, I-- no, shut up! How dare you laugh at me! How dare!"

Because Stendarr, indeed, has begun to laugh, clear and jolly as Boethiah tries to strike him.

"I'm glad you're back," says the stupid, gullible, smiling Stendarr. "I'm very glad you're back. What would this world have been without you?"

And Boethiah can only ram her fist against his chest-plate, ashamed to think that, not long ago, she'd agreed to forsake her existence at all.

[kagrenacs]

Explaining the Iceberg #8

In which the theories get worse as you delve deeper. (some content is cut because it’s not appropriate/something I would want to discuss)

Coldharbour/Clockwork Tamriel: Coldharbour has many locations that resemble Tamriel, and often are outright taken from it. C0Da seems to indicate Sotha Sil’s final goals for the clockwork city is to recreate and ‘perfect’ Tamriel.

The Crimson Ship: During the Knahaten Flu, the Kothringi were hit particularly hard, and the Crimson Ship was full of refugees trying to find a new home. They were turned away at every port, until reaching Hammerfell. After being turned away once again, they sailed out to sea. Some years later, pirates found the ship full of corpses.

Storming of the citadel: Unsure of this, the wording is too general. It could possibly refer to the Morrowind Mainquest, when you take back the profane tools, A Covenant quest in Elder Scrolls Cnline, or the Main quest in Elder Scrolls Online

Altmeri formwars: Mentioned in an MK short story. Possibly a war from a previous Kalpa that involved the Dreugh

Yagrum Bagarn made the Numidium: He states he was a Tonal Architect under Kagrenac, there’s a possibility he may have worked on the Numidium as well.

Sons of Hora: Mentioned in the Nu-hatta, related to mantling. ‘this is the death children bring as son’s of Hora’. My guess is that it’s the ability of mortals (sons of Lorkhan, Hora?) to actually mantle deities and understand their limits.

Kaleidocules: ‘Leaky Creatia’  the power of creation, magical possibility 

Ayleids=Bird people: A race of unnamed bird people Topal the Pilot was said to have met on his journey across Tamriel. Since they occupy the same region as Ayleids did (although they seem to have been present before the Ayleids and subsequently died out), and since Ayleids have recurring bird motifs within their armor and art, it’s thought that these two groups may be one in the same.

Dragon Tusk: The name of the oversoul (cumulation of all aspects) of Akatosh/Auri-el ect. Is Aka or Aka-Tusk.

Lorkhan’s heart the egg of time: In Morrowind, the egg of time is a rebuttal paper to Kagrenac’s theories on the use of the tools on the heart of lorkhan.

Khajiit ??? Genetic memory: I can’t make out if that says lactable as in the infant formula for babies, or something else. 

The Prisoner: A name for all playable characters in tes, revolves around the concept of seeing past barriers formed previously (the prison) and overcoming these obstacles to change things.

82nd Crodo: Mentioned in the redguard forums, a community in Alinor.

City of Rockcreek: In Arena, there is a city called Rockpark. A glitch in town generation happened, and the palace to Rockpark was blocked off, rendering it inaccessible. In Daggerfall, the developers referenced this glitch in ‘Ius the Animal God’ But misspelled Rockpark as ‘Rockcreek’

Atmora-Aldmeris Invasion: Not quite sure what this references, my best guess is the invasion of the Atmorans and Aldmer from their respective continents to Tamriel.

1008 weapons of rapture: 1008 or 108 is usually in reference to Cyrodill (8+1 gods), in Et’Ada, Eight Aedra, Eat the Dreamer, there is mention of 1008 weapons of rapture. This could possibly refer to the Divines, the Middle Dawn that lasted 1008 years, or perhaps 1008 literal weapons.

Thalmor UFOs: Seems to have originated on the iceberg

King Harald and Talos die at 108: There goes that numerology again

Adamantia Scroll rocket: While this seems to have originated on the iceberg once again, there is a group of tes LARPers with the shared name Adamantia

Ghartoki: Mentioned in what my beloved taught me after Vivec reads a symbol on Nerevar’s palms (possibly some sigil, scars or just reading palms). Ghartok in Ehlnofey means hand, and in the sermons it’s often associated with the word Padhome, or change.

Thalmor and Jyggalag: The Altmer are orderly so they worship Jyggalag.

Motheaters: A little song mentioned in this thread https://www.imperial-library.info/content/forum-archives-unknown-posts

Klecksographic Lyg: Another iceberg original, Klecksography is the art of making art from inkblots, essentially this is just saying how lyg was created in a fancy way

Ha-Note is Mehrunes Dagon: https://www.reddit.com/r/teslore/comments/3o0uwk/nanote_dagon/ the original theory is here, TL;DR Ha-Note, a monster born from Vivec, renamed itself ‘City-Face’ and fled to Lyg. The ‘grabbers’ grabbed it, because they can’t create things of their own and said they’d build a Hope-Tower upon it’s face. In the Commentaries of Mankar Cameron, he states Mehrunes Dagon was built from hope.

Zurin Arctus=Versidue Shae: An apparently deleted theory, mentioned only in this post debunking it https://www.reddit.com/r/teslore/comments/9rs2ad/what_were_the_motives_of_versidue_shaie/

The King’s Cough: Mentioned in Sermon 29, another name for the Thu’um

The Catalyst: The driving force that starts an Enantiomorph 

Tsaescence: A tsaesci word from We ate it to become it, MK states it means it’s the Tsaesci word of “High Perception” In context, seems to mean something similar to CHIM.

Hero of Kvatch=Pelinal Whitestrake: See the Knights of the Nine DLC. (To expand further, there are many similarities between the two, force of change, knight to the emperor/empress)

Amiel Arctus: An old screen name for Michael Kirkbride

The Space Gods: Found in the last song of Pelinal and Eight Aedra Eat the Dreamer, like many things in tes, it’s Lorkhan.

Uriel V: The father of Uriel VI, tried his best to invade Akavir.

Otherkin: You are reading this on tumblr. You know what this is. MK made a lengthy forum post about how Tosh Raka hates the Otherkin for some reason.

Falmer are Hermaified: Horrible word, but there are resemblances between Hermaeus Mora’s shrines, and Falmer shrines.

Invisible Dragons: In morrowind, if you ask M’aiq about dragons, he’ll state they’re too high up to see. Or invisible

Alien Ayleids: A relic from the since deleted bethesda forums. MK wanted to have a plot twist where Ayleids were Aliens.

The insect god: Mentioned in the Adabal-a, or Morhaius’s memoirs. May be a since-retconned god, could possibly be Lorkhan due to his frequent connection with Scarabs.

Suicide Trolls: An easter egg in Oblivion, a poorly scrawled note and a troll found dead under a bridge across the bridge from Bravil.  

Arkay=Arnand the Fox=Zurin Arctus: Zurin Arctus is sometimes called Arnand the Fox (Seen in where were you when the dragon broke) Shor is also represented as the fox, which makes sense since Zurin is a Shezzarine. This connects to Arkay by Malacath/Orkey/Arkay, who is a trickster god (fox like) in Nordic pantheons. Malacath also got compared to a fox once. I never said these theories were well backed up.

Dwarf-Orc theory: referring to Dumac, who is sometimes called Dumalacath, or Dumac Dwarf-Orc, suggesting he has an orcish and dwemer parents. This also may imply there are cross cultural connections between the two groups (especially when you consider the Rourken clan having Volenfell, Malacath’s hammer.), meaning Dwemer blood could still be present within Orcish clans.

Tosh Raka: The Dragon-God of the Ka’Po’Tun. Became a dragon through unknown means (possibly through Dracocrysalis?) Hates the otherkin I guess.

A worn and weathered note: A curious note from Morrowind. https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:A_worn_and_weathered_note

TalOS: Talos is called a virus by Jubal in C0da. If you think of the Aurbis as a computer, Talos could be considered analogous to a Trojan Virus when you look at his place in the pantheon of Divines. He used the mantella to cheat-code the universe into accepting it as Lorkhan’s new heart to power the Numidium. An error occurred, and now the universe considers TalOS the new Lorkhan.

King of Worms = The Underking: Both are liches, both are undead, that’s about it. May stem from initial confusion of MK saying there were ‘multiple underkings’ when he meant there were multiple copies of the same person in the dragon break.

500 companions were dragons: the 500 mighty companions, an obscure text calls at least one of the companions a dragon, and some of the names were draconic sounding.

Dreamer can’t wake up: Straight from the mouth of MK, this might mean ‘the Godhead isn’t literal’ or it might literally mean, the universe can’t cease to be because the Godhead just stops.

[spiitfyres]

@crowtongued -- X

It hurts to breathe, but by comparison of Reno, he considers he’s gotten off easy. No surprise to him, with the skills he’s worked towards for so long, but that’s only so much of a consolation. He’s no sort of skilled healer for anyone but himself, and that does Reno no good here.

He covers up a wince as he breathes in and out, gingerly resting a hand over his ribs where his magic is working to heal the damage, but it still takes time, especially when fractures and breaks are involved rather than just the soft tissue. It won’t be enough to kill him though. Not on its own at least.

It doesn’t show on his face, save for some distance in his eyes, but he blames himself.

He’d known that Hircine would be wiser to his tricks since the last time they came to the Hunting Grounds, but that knowledge hadn’t been enough to evade a counter to it. He supposes he shouldn’t be surprised. Hircine is the Master of the Hunt, a Daedric Lord, a full being before Nirn was even an idea proposed to the Et’ada by Lorkhan. Twenty years is far too short a time to think he could outsmart the Prince in the long-run, even with Nocturnal’s blessing.

For now at least, Hircine is a threat out of reach, but not without a cost. He breathes out slowly and leans his back against the cool stones. He needs to get Reno to the Sanctuary – to Ster – but he didn’t have the magicka left to make another portal for them yet. The best he could do was send a crow and gather his strength, hope that Reno could hold out until then, but the scent of blood was rancid in the air of their hiding place.

He gives a low hum, absently petting a few knuckles lightly over the top of Reno’s head and red hair, focusing on careful breaths and watching for any sign of danger. For now, all is quiet. He’ll count their small blessings, however long they last.

“Just try to rest and keep up your strength until I can get us to Ster and L’vitsa. Today won’t be the day if I can do anything about it.” A promise he doesn’t know if he can keep, or that Reno can make, but there’s no point in not trying.

If Reno does die though…

His gaze briefly shifts to the cursed mer. There had been their deal… a promise made, but was it one he could keep himself? Could the Clan afford it? Reno’s loyalty was unquestionable, in this life, but he would be someone else next time. Would it be the same? Would it be forgivable if he didn’t fulfill his end?

His gaze shifted away again. Perhaps, if there was a Clan to return to… but he didn’t plan on letting it fall apart. He planned to lead for a long time. Whether the Clan would be the same without its first Eye, or even with in another life, that was another matter entirely.

He hears what’s said and a strained smile paints itself onto bloodied lips. He appreciates the hope but he knows the coldness of death. Even his vision starts to go and he knows he doesn’t have that much time left. Just enough time to enjoy these last moments of what could be considered peace. 

He doesn’t really feel the pain anymore, having already started to go numb. But he can still focus on the soft affection. He can feel that for the moment. His smile softens and he closes his eyes with a shallow breath. Even now, in his final moments, at least... at least he won’t be alone this time.

“You’ve been kind to me. Kinder than most have.” His voice is weak, yet still audible. His hand shakes as he reaches to gingerly grasp Alekt’s wrist, cracking his eyes open. It was getting darker now. But he wasn’t scared. He was ready to rest.

It’d been a long life. He’d fulfilled many things. Stayed in good company, but he had people he wished to join. His hand moves to grasp Alekt’s and he coughs, turning his head to the side as another clot almost chokes him and spills to the ground.

“But even Nightshade withers... and I must do the same.” He gives Alekt’s hand a gentle squeeze, looking at him as his vision starts to fade more. “The Clan will be fine. After all, they’ve got you and Spy as their leaders. Can’t go wrong there.

A trademark chortle before he continues. “Ya keep soaring higher. I’m really glad I got ta--” what light that had been in his eyes fades and he falls silent and still.

And the remaining ember dies down to ash, leaving a single petal in its place. At least he had gone out a bit more peacefully this time. It’s what he wanted.

[daggerfall]

My opinions about canon is that the main game series takes priority, then it’s things like eso, and then it’s the word of people who currently work on the games (or I guess if theyre talking very specifically about something they worked on). If there’s nothing contradictory we’re just having fun with a ton of lore. If it’s contradictory then what’s actually in the main games takes priority, then eso, then word of employees (which is basically slightly informed headcanon).

pretty much the same i guess? i think it also depends on the topic, like im more willing to take ESO’s queer rep as canon than i am skyrim or oblivion’s, mostly because i think they were products of their time and under more scrutiny than an online game that most people (myself included up until i actually played it, full honestly) dont consider as part of the series. i see pelinal as having a husband because they basically weren’t allowed to confirm it in game, but i think cuckbride said he wanted to make it canon. 

but for like, the more basic stuff like plot, i think eso has done a good job (for the most part) of structuring their game such that the events of eso dont have a major impact on main series games, or dont contradict anything... mostly (something something the worm cult in main series games having connections to molag bal despite mannimarco trying to mantle and kill him in eso). eso is so far in the past that the only things that connect it would be ancestors of main series characters (ervines, motierres, etc.) and the very few people who lived long enough to see the main series games (mannimarco, vivec, divayth fyr, etc.)

i do take the word of people who work/worked on TES to be mostly true, but i also like to ask “why wasnt this in the canon?” is it because it only sounds cool but has no actual affect on the game itself? (ebony being crystallized blood from the heart of lorkhan, talos lore). or is it because they couldnt find a way to cram it in without info-dumping? was is an idea that got rejected but could be canon? is it the crazed writings of a dude who left bethesda years ago who seems to think he still has a say in canon? *cough cough*

anyway it’s a little more complicated but i do think thats a good hierarchy. main series comes first, and “is actually in A game” comes next

[happywitch416]

Chapter 31

Elena's fingers moved reverently over the bow. She had never seen the level of craftsmanship and doubted she would again. Gelebor joined her. "The bow was said to be carried by Auri-El himself into battle against the forces of Lorkhan in ancient and mythic times. Its craftsmanship has no equal anywhere within Tamriel and possibly beyond." He informed her proudly.

"I do not doubt that." She plucked the bowstring and would have sworn the bow sang, a glimmer of light twisting along it. "It’s beautiful." She turned to him with a smile. "Thank you for helping us." 

"No." He shook his head and took her outstretched hand on his. "I thank you. You risked everything to get Auri-El's Bow, and in return, you've restored the Chantry. I can't think of a more deserving champion to carry it than you, Kyne's daughter."

The sun was blasting down so Serana and Elena holed up in the chantry. Elena had pulled out her sketchbook and was committing as much of it to paper as she could. She stared at what once had been a soaring archway, now crumbled into dust and ruin on the ground. 

"You were right." Elena gave Serana a look as she joined her on the bench. "About the Falmer losing their gods." 

"Oh." Elena answered softly. She looked down at her sketch of Auri-el’s statue, it didn't do it justice her little sketch against all that craftsmanship. But it was a sight she would never forget. Nor the Chantry, the Forgotten Vale, the horrifying truth about the Falmer or the fact she had killed one the last snow elves. No better than her ancestors slaughtering them. "I wonder if they want revenge like Vyrthur." 

"Against their god or the dwarves?" Serana watched her as Elena’s fingers moved again, tracing the lines of the Chantry on to the paper with the barest of glances up.

"Both." Elena murmured. "But it could be argued that their god was responsible for what happened with the dwarves too." She gave herself a shake. "And the prophecy. If he hadn't threatened you, I would question if it is all a lie." Not that Serana had needed protecting, she had just picked the former archpriest up to yell before throwing him. It had left Elena motionless a moment, mouth falling open in awe.

"Either way it tore my family apart." Elena reached out gently at her mournful tone. Charcoal left smudges on Serana’s pale skin but Serana squeezed her hand tightly before clearing her throat. "You know it's...not as shiny as I was expecting." She motioned towards the bow." Still, it's beautiful." 

"I’ve never seen better." The flash of a grin disappeared as quickly as it appeared. "What do we do now?" 

They both knew the answer, but it still took a while for Serana to give it a voice. "It's time to face my father. If we don’t, he’ll keep chasing us for the rest of our lives." Elena nodded, settling her sketchbook and charcoal back into her pack, giving Serana time. "I've been thinking about this for a long time. It's...it's not easy. But I don't think we have much of a choice." 

"It is your choice.” Elena said quietly, her tone even and without judgment and for that Serana was grateful. “And I will uphold whatever choice you make.” She met her eyes; Elena’s were so calm compared to the turmoil in Serana’s heart.

 "This has to end here and now." 

Elena stood and offered her a hand up. "Then let's face him, together." 

Serana pulled her into a tight hug and after a half breath Elena’s arms wrapped around her. "Thank you. Somehow I knew you'd understand." 

Elena gave her small nod as she stepped back, fingers grazing along Serana’s arms as she let go. "How do we want to do this?" 

"If we head back to the castle and kick the front door in, we're going to be knee-deep in his friends." Elena pulled a face that made her laugh just a little. "I could find a way to get him to come out." 

"Stand on the tower and yell that we have the bow." She broke into a grin and Serana’s horrified expression. "What? It’s not going in the front door." 

"You’re ridiculous." Serana returned the grin before sobering. "I don’t know how we will get to him." They set to packing up their gear, the sun finally beginning to set. 

After a while, Elena spoke up again. "What about the courtyard? We have that ladder there." 

Serana shook her head. "He wouldn’t come there. Wait." She stared at Elena a moment. "Could you sneak in that way?" 

Elena was quiet a moment running through her memory of the place. "Maybe? It’ll be easier now that I don’t smell like a feast." Serana shook her head at the awful attempt of a joke. "Are there any in his court that would betray him? Any help we can get." 

Serana’s lips curled into a dark smile. "I know exactly who we can ask."

Chapter 32

“So, you've returned. Is your...pet no longer keeping you entertained?” Harkon sneered.

“You know why I am here.” Serana answered him calmly, chin high and shoulders straight.

“Of course, I do.’ He let out a short derisive laugh, beginning to pace slowly. “You disappoint me, Serana. You've taken everything I've provided for you and thrown it all away for that pathetic half-breed vampire.”

“Provided for me? Are you insane?” The calm Serana had mustered cracked like glass. “You've destroyed our family. You've killed other vampires. All over some prophecy that we barely understand.” She pulled the dark sword from the scabbard at her hip. “No more. I'm done with you.” Elena watched silently from the shadows of the Cathedral. Elena made a note to thank Hestla repeatedly when this was over, between the Daedric sword in Serana’s hands and the quiver of ebony arrows on her back. She had probably saved their lives, at the very least gave them an edge.

 “So, I see this dragon has fangs.” He gave a mocking shake of his head. “Your voice drips with the venom of your mother's influence. How alike you've become.”

 “No because unlike her, I'm not afraid of you.” She pointed the blade at him. “Not anymore.”

 Harkon pitched his voice, uninterested in the sword pointed at him. He was faster than she had ever dreamed of being. “And you, I know you are here.” He turned his head slowly, trying to catch her scent. “It appears I have you to thank for turning my daughter against me. I knew it was only a matter of time before she'd return with hatred in her heart.”

 “Hatred born of your neglect.” Elena stepped from the shadows, unsurprised he knew she was there. They had planned on it. 

“A small price to pay for the betterment of our kind.” He shrugged.

“Ha.” Elena’s eyes glittered with dark amusement. “You're an insult to this world.”

“Oh, come now. You've simply used Serana in an attempt to take away what should rightfully be mine. And what happens when you've slain me? Is Valerica next? Is Serana?”

“Just you. Besides.” Her smile flashed. “I would never harm Serana. She means too much to me.” Serana’s heart warmed momentarily at that, even if it veered off course from their intended plan.

 He sighed, so little they knew, and it would stay unrealized. “The vampire is eternal, and with immortality comes the revelation that these bonds never endure. It's fleeting, momentary at best.”

"A pity then that you don’t have a heart, I was looking forward to ripping it out." The last half snarled out, sinking a bit into the powers that came with her new life just as Serana had shown her on the journey there, the cathedral's darkness receding as she pulled back on the bow, the sharp iron of the blood fountain dancing along her skin.

He laughed then. “You could have been a powerful vampire at my side with that blood lust in your veins. But you will not live to see my new world.”

“You will not touch her.” Serana swung, having circled around to his side while he traded barbs with Elena. Before it connected, a blinding light lit the cathedral with a thundercrack. They had not planned for the power of the bow, Serana falling back with a curse. Harkon yanked the arrow from his shoulder with a roar.

 Her quiver was empty as she stood over Harkon, blood running down her face and arm, the bow still miraculously steady in her hands with the last arrow trained on him. He coughed, choking on his death. “How does it feel to hold the fate of the vampire in your grasp? Exhilarating, isn’t it?” He rasped out. She did not bother to speak, and he turned to Serana. “You would kill your own father.”

“You left us no choice.” Her voice quivered. 

His eyes closed. “Then my daughter is truly lost. She died the moment she accepted a mortal into her life. You are nothing to me.” Elena silenced him before he could speak again, and they watched his body turn to ash without a word.  

They had barely a moment to catch their breath before the doors slammed open, revealing the whole court. With a tired sigh, Elena slung the bow over her shoulder and palmed the dagger from her lower back. She wasn’t going to go quietly. One stepped forward. “Lord Harkon, defeated. I never imagined I'd see the day.” His gaze went from the pile of ash and fabric to Serana. “My lady, you have my deepest sympathies. I am sure this was not easy for you.” Elena relaxed, sliding the knife back into its place. 

Serana shook her head. “He was out of control, Garan. It had to be done. I'm not happy about this. He...he was still my father.” She took a deep breath. “But I suppose my father really died a long time ago. This was just the end of something else.”

“Of course, my dear.” He said softly. “All will be well now.” He held his hand out to Elena. “My congratulations on defeating Harkon. Clearly, you are the superior vampire.” He paused a moment as Elena took his hand, her grip was strong and honest he decided. He found himself hoping she would join the court. “And thank you for keeping Lady Serana safe.” 

Elena gave him a lopsided grin and a nod, wishing for the ground to swallow her. She slipped away as Garan spoke to Serana about what would happen next. Hestla greeted her with a knowing nod and Elena accepted the slap on the back from the blacksmith without flinching. “No one will soon forget that you were the one to defeat Harkon.”

Her smile was genuine this time. “Not without help.” She turned about slightly. “Where’s Ronthil?”

“Ah.” Hestla stared awkwardly at the floor. “He said you could find him where you left him.” Elena’s brows arched but thanked Hestla again before heading to the courtyard.

 “Ronthil?” She called out softly, sliding a little when she opened the door from the destroyed tower. 

“My lady?” He popped up, voice coloring with relief as he stood. “Oh, thank goodness.”

Elena grinned. “So little faith. I told you we would do it.”

“Yes. well.” He fidgeted before clearing his throat. “If there is anything, I can assist with please let me know.”

Her smile softened. “I am sure Lady Serana will need all the help she can get.”

“Oh.” He blinked several times. “You aren’t staying?”

She took a deep breath and let it out with a hard sigh. “I can’t. I may visit from time to time if I am welcome.”

“Lady Serana will ensure it.” He blanched as Serana slid through the door. 

“What am I ensuring?”

“That Lady Elena is welcome.” He offered quickly.

Serana’s gaze went between them for a breath. “Of course, she is.” 

Ronthil studied the two of them before heading back inside, leaving them to stand awkwardly in the destroyed courtyard. Elena laughed, earning her a bewildered look from Serana. “We should go get your mother.”

 The Soul Cairn was still creepy under its purple storm laden sky. Elena’s skin crawled, invisible bony fingers trailing along her skin. Duvenhir hailed them before circling back to wherever he lived amongst the craggy towers and lightning strikes. Valerica stared at them in shock, arms having barely unwrapped from Serana. “Are you certain?”

“He died by my hand.” Elena reassured her quietly. “He is no longer a danger to anyone.”

“Then I see nothing preventing my return to Tamriel.” Valerica looked around, a smile forming. “Allow me to gather some of my things and I'll head back to Castle Volkihar.” She reached out and took Elena’s hands in her own. “And from the bottom of my heart, I thank you.” 

Elena gave her a shy, awkward nod. “What will you do now?” 

“Well, I think it's time I got back to my work as an alchemist. The Soul Cairn will offer a unique opportunity to continue my studies, and I intend to complete my research. And perhaps.” She smiled wryly in Serana’s direction. “Fix things between me and my daughter. If she wants.”

Elena’s smile grew sure. “I think she would like that.”

 Serana had followed Elena out of the main hall, they quietly chatted about nothing until they passed through the doors and stood awkwardly avoiding each other’s eyes. “What will you do now, Elena?”

Elena’s thumb rubbed gently against the bones in her wrist, her aching muscles protesting as she tensed. “I am going to spend a long time with my girls.”

“No adventuring then?”

Elena met her eyes then, her own dancing as the corners of her lips turned up. “You think I can avoid adventure with those three?” Serana laughed with a shake of her head. Elena sobered watching her intently. “You?” 

“I'm not sure.” She said quietly, staring out over the sea. Night had fallen and a full moon risen, bathing her in its silvery light. Elena committed it to memory, the curve of her jaw, the slope of her nose as she ignored the ache in her chest. “I'll probably stay here, for as long as they'll let me. I think we can rebuild here. Make my family's legacy something more respectable.” 

 “I think you can.” Elena nodded and swallowed hard. “You are always welcome you know.” She shifted on her feet. “At Proudspire with me-us.” She half stammered. “Truly, anytime Serana, the door will always be open.”

“Even if I try to make them drink milk?”

“Well.” Elena chuckled softly. “They may think about leaning on the door for a little bit.” Elena held out her hand and Serana took it, but Elena gave up on the halfhearted handshake that felt too permanent and not enough and pulled her into a tight hug. Serana returned it and reluctantly Elena let go as she stepped back. “Until we meet again, Serana.” Her warm smile did not quite reach her eyes, and she let it fall the moment she turned away. 

Serana watched her walk down the ramp, the smell of leather and lavender becoming lost in the sea air. Elena’s feet had barely reached the beach when she called out. “Wait.” Elena turned, trying not to grin when Serana hurriedly joined her. “It’s not like they need me to do anything. They have my mother.”

Elena laughed throwing an arm around her shoulders and gently resting her forehead against hers for a breath. “I bet we can find another adventure in no time.”

A Warrior’s Heart Master List

[wellthebardsdead]

Clockwork heart pt12

Part 11 here

———

*pained screaming, groaning and moaning echoing through the temple halls as servants and priests frantically rush about to try and ease the pain of the head of house dagoth*

Voryn: *now a chimer again after being blessed by Azura, his golden body convulsing and contracting in agony, feeling like he’s suffering an eternal heart attack as he rides out another seizure*

Nerevar: *A chimer again too after walking as himself for so long, now holding his hand and wiping his face with a damp cloth* He’s not stopping. Where’s Divayth Fyr?!

Councillor: he’s not here yet Hortator, Tel Fyr is far from the temple it’ll take him time to teleport here-

Nerevar: THEN MAKE HIM HURRY DAMN Y-

???: Enough yelling! Out of my way.

Nerevar: *looks up as the ancient dunmer Divayth enters the room*

Divayth Fyr: Azuras mercy how long has he been like this?

Nerevar: we don’t know, he was found like this in his office- *quickly holds him down as voryns back arches and he screams in agony again, trying to claw at his chest to rip his heart out* my love no!

Divayth: *grabs voryns face as nerevar holds him down to see his third eye literally shaking in its socket, looking in several directions in a rapid sporadic manor* hm. *places his hand over it and taps into his mind only to hear not voryn screaming, but the bellows of a dead god, and the blood curdling, familiar cries of his old friend, sotha sil* what- *staggers back as he’s suddenly pushed from his mind with the vision of a glowing orb in the darkness beneath the earth*

Voryn: *body suddenly holding still as his screams halt in his throat* Ḧ̵͖͓́e̷̯̻̚ ̵̢̼̔͋W̵͔̭̅͋i̶̪̰͑l̵̛̙̒l̷̡̗̔̈ ̸̳̚B̸͕͌̀è̷͈̥̏ ̶̣̉͋͜W̸͔͂̀h̵̞̯͘͝o̴̠̾͗l̶̨̬̐e̵͖̿͠ ̵͈̔A̷̤̐g̸̝͕̾̿ȧ̷̟i̶̳̖͌n̴̻̿.��͖͘

Nerevar: He? Who will be whole again- Voryn! *quickly pulls him into his arms as the other chimer gasps in a deep breath and comes out of his fit*

Voryn: *sobs and clings onto him holding him with one arm and his chest with the other* I saw- *coughs* the boy- the boy who walks as Seht, I saw sotha sils reincarnation, he found the soul of lorkhan, he’s hurting, it hurt him so badly, I feel his heartbeat again and it hurts! It hurts!

Nerevar: Shh it’s okay it’s alright now my love- *holds him close kissing his hair and drying his eyes before looking at Divayth Fyr for help* what do we do?…

Divayth Fyr: well, go find him. Obviously.

*meanwhile a week later in skyrim*

Wyrm: *clinging to the broken wall outside of the destroyed watch tower as the dragon flies overhead, cowering in terror*

Irileth: *firing lighting up at the beast* I thought you said you were at Helgen!

Wyrm: I said I was there when the dragon attacked I never said I fought it!

Taliesin: *firing ice up at the beast* Being present at a dragon attack does not a dragon slayer make! *coughs as he’s suddenly slapped against a rock by the dragons tail*

Wyrm: TALIESIN! *rushes over to heal him only to freeze as the dragon turns its attention to him and readies to burn him alive* No… *backs up feeling a strange energy crackle to his finger tips, rising with his fear as the dragon unleashes his fury* I JUST WANTED TO GO HOME!

———

???: come on it’ll be easy! We’ll be in and out before you know it!

Wyrm: *blinks his eyes open to see a girl in front of him, and hears himself speak with a voice not truely his own* I- I don’t want to, we’ll get in trouble.

???: nobody will notice. What? Scared you’ll disappoint Nan or mother? What’s the worst she can do? A scolding? We’ll be home before you know it!

———

Wyrm: *blinks again, opening his eyes to see the dragon in front of him, dead, and smoking as if it had been cooked in the bowels of red mountain* wh-what? *staggers back in shock* did I do that? I- *jumps as the dragons body flakes away into a wind of ash and colour as it’s soul absorbs itself into his body*

Taliesin: *sitting up in shock and awe at what he’d witnessed, both at how he’d slain the dragon and how he absorbed its soul after* How did you… do that?…

*a few hours later*

Wyrm: *unlocks the door to his new house* I-I don’t think this place will be of any use to me miss Lydia but you’re welcome to stay here when I go home to winterhold.

Lydia: *helping a very sore Taliesin inside* thank you my thane, I’ll make sure it stays clean and safe for you. *sets the high elf in a chair and starts unpacking the groceries*

Wyrm: *looks around the space in awe before sitting the dragon bones and scales on the table* it’s, very small compared to home. Not enough book shelves too… *looks at Taliesin* are you okay?

Taliesin: hm? Oh yes I’m fine just trying to figure out if the pain in my spleen is just a bruise or a broken rib gone astray.

Wyrm: I-I’m sorry I dragged you into that.

Taliesin: what? Don’t be sorry you didn’t even get a chance to protest before Irileth dragged you off. *huffs* the way Balgruuf snapped at you when you tried to leave too I was ready to slap him myself, but neither of us have the gold to pay my bail… hm, hopefully I’d have some handsome guards watching me though~

Wyrm: *sighs and sits beside him* and now I’m apparently the dragonborn… *hugs his knees to his chest, long hair draping around himself like a blanket*

Taliesin: Oh yes, just another detour to add to our journey. All based on nord superstition.

Wyrm: *sighs* I hope it is just superstition. I’m already having visions of my life as sotha sil, and seeing how lorkhan was killed too, now this…

Taliesin: …I’m sorry that was a lot for me to take in can you repeat that please?

Wyrm: I… I was found abandoned as a baby with a book, nobody can read it but when I got these special gauntlets the text translated and I saw it was a diary belonging to sotha sil, it told me about his grief, the murder of indoril nerevar and then… I started having nightmares, and then visions, and now I’m blacking out randomly and doing strange magic without realising it… what… happened to the dragon by the way?… I know I killed it but…

Taliesin: you,.. don’t remember? You touched it’s nose and then it was like it inhaled it’s own fire and it exploded out through all of its scales. You vaporised it.

Wyrm: I- I did?? Oh gods no is that what I did to the soldiers in Helgen? Hadvar said I drove them mad and they burst into piles of ash. *hugs himself tighter* I- what if I lose control when I go home? What if I hurt papa like that?

Taliesin: … *gets up and walks to him gently tucking his hair back behind his ears to look at his face* hey… it’s okay. I’m sure these, greybeard fellows are wise enough that they can help us. We’ll find a way to sort this out.

Wyrm: *sniffles looking at him from behind his knees* w-we?

Taliesin: of course. I crawled through a barrow and fought a dragon with you. I’m in this ride till the end now my friend. You’re stuck with me~

Wyrm: *heart fluttering realising he has another real friend, not one made from metal* r-really? Th- *tears up again and rubs his face* Aw biscuits.

Taliesin: *heart exploding from how unfairly cute he is* yes, really. *pats his hair before scoffing* Gods do you have any idea how long it took me just to get my hair this length?! And here you are letting your lovely hair get filthy dragging along the ground!

Wyrm: I?

Taliesin: *suddenly pulls his hair back and starts braiding it* I don’t care if I have to set aside two hours every day to put this up for you it’s going to drive me mad watching you be so careless with it!

Wyrm: *bright pink in his cheeks* I-I didn’t think it was that big of a deal-

*meanwhile*

Nerevar: *quietly packing his bag for the journey to skyrim*

Voryn: *dressed only in a loose robe after being bed ridden for several days following his fit* neht?…

Nerevar: *jumps and turns to face him* l-love you shouldn’t be standing up. *swiftly embraces him and sits him down on a comfy chair*

Voryn: *looking up at him with tired, heavy eyes* I’m coming to skyrim too…

Nerevar: No you’re not I’ll find the boy on my own and you’ll stay here with Divayth to assist you.

Voryn: we promised we’d both raise him… to adopt and look after him… you need my heart to know where he is…

Nerevar: … *kneels down in front of him and takes his hand* but what if you have another fit like that?…

Voryn: then we hurry to find him faster… please… he’s in danger he… he needs us both…

Nerevar: *sighs and nods* you’re right… *gently strokes his cheek* just please… spend the journey resting okay?…

Voryn: *nods tiredly and squeezes his hand* I will my moon and star…

Nerevar: my dreamer… *leans in and kisses him softly*

[wellthebardsdead]

Clockwork heart pt17

Part 16 here

———

Inigo: *riding on Roach, the horse Wyrm bought him with the little gold he had left so he wouldn’t have to walk* You are the dragonborn my friend?

Wyrm: *riding on Naomi, Taliesin hugging his waist with one hand and holding the reigns with the other* apparently…

Kaidan: *up ahead on Wyrms horse* apparently my arse, No normal person can move mountains with their voice like you can.

Taliesin: Or absorb the soul of a dragon like you did.

Inigo: well, I’m extra glad I did not kill you then.

Wyrm: you may as well have, something will eventually… *sighs* it doesn’t matter anyway. Once I’m home I’m never leaving again… making me the dragonborn surely must be one final cruel joke by the gods, I’m no hero or adventurer, I can’t even fight off some dogs or brandish a blade… *sniffles* papa was right about everything…

Taliesin: *strokes his hair* shhh, enough of that. You just need some help and practice is all.

Wyrm: I don’t even have two working arms…

Taliesin: … *looks up ahead at Kaidan* Kai, can I see the map please?…

Kaidan: Why? Think I’m leading us in the wrong direction?

Taliesin: no- *trying to hide the anxiety already building inside* a-are there any marked dwemer ruins nearby?

*several hours later*

Kaidan: *carrying Taliesin out of the ruins of Mzulft* Deep breaths you’re alive you’re not dead.

Taliesin: *coming down from a panic attack* we- are NEVER GOING IN ONE OF THOSE AGAIN!

Inigo: *carrying out a bag of loot* Is it a good book?

Wyrm: *holding the Lunar Lorkhan* I don’t know but… it feels strangely important given everything that’s happened to me recently… hm? *blinks spotting a building theyd missed* …Kai?? That key we couldn’t find a lock for, do you have it?

Kaidan: hm? Oh yeah- *unceremoniously drops Taliesin on his ass and fumbles around his bag for the key before handing it to him* here.

Wyrm: th-thank you. Tali are you okay?

Taliesin: *on the ground hyperventilating* I- I-

Kaidan: don’t worry I’ve got him. *pats Taliesin on the back* keep breathing you’re fine.

Wyrm: I… I’ll be right back. *watches him with growing concern before walking off to the building and opening the doors to find a store room inside* oh?… *looks around at the rows and shelves of spare pottery, parts and more* ohhh! *grabs several gears, metal plates, bolts and ingots placing them in his satchel before passing another door and immediately back pedalling as something blue catches his eye* what?… *places the key in the door and steps in as he unlocks it to see a strange shard of what he can only describe as blue glass* wow… *slowly touches it and feels his whole body seize in shock as another memory clouds his mind*

???: Aetherium? But sir we only have a limited supply left, and with the dwemer gone we don’t know how to harvest anymore, we should not start such a grand project if we are without means to finish I-

Sotha Sil: we do not need the aid of our deep elven cousins. I am aware of their methods and how we can obtain more if needs be. But in order to create my vision for our people’s future, I must first make the gateway to the plain where it shall take shape.

Wyrm: *let’s go of the shard and staggers back as he regains control of his mind* ughh- *rubs his face* Aw- shit. *huffs and rights himself* I wish that’d stop happening… *looks back at the shard before nervously poking it in case another memory sparks before quickly putting it in his satchel too and exiting the building*

Inigo: *leaning against the entrance* Anything interesting?

Wyrm: it was just a storage room but I found some gears to repair my arm!

Inigo: that is great news my frie-

Taliesin: *having a coughing fit after hyperventilating so hard he started crying* I can’t breathe- I can’t breathe-

Kaidan: *at a loss on how to help him* T-Taliesin calm down! You’re outside now you’re safe-

Wyrm: *hurries over and shuffles his way into taliesins lap hugging him and taking his hands* shhh, it’s okay, it’s almost over now… *pulls his handkerchief from his bag and wipes his face* y-your makeup is running, it’s alright Tali I-I’m sorry you went through all that just for me…

Taliesin: *sniffles and rubs his face choking back another sob* I’m- im fine- I’m fi- *coughs* w-wanted to make you happy again- I forgot h-how horrible those dreadful r-ruins are-

Wyrm: *keeps drying his face just letting him ride it out knowing how hard anxiety like this is to stop and how similar they are to his sensory overloads* I-I’m so greatful you went through it for me, y-you didn’t have to. *takes his hand to move it from his face only to feel the larger elf squeeze it a little tighter than he’s comfortable with but not in a cruel way* … *squeezes back* I’m here.

Taliesin: *breath uneven and in short bursts as he begins to steady and ground himself feeling the weight of the small dunmer in his lap, his hand in his, the sweet smell of citrus in his hair mixing with the smell of sandalwood from his robes* I… I’m… I’m okay, I think- *clears his throat and sniffles back tears* I lost myself for a moment there-

Wyrm: it’s okay to lose yourself, so long as you come back to us eventually. *smiles and dries his face cleaning his eyeliner up* I-I don’t blame you for being frightened, that centurion had you cornered, if inigo didn’t jump on it when he did I don’t think Kaidan could have stopped it in time.

Inigo: the hero again~ *snickers walking by*

Taliesin: I… *sighs rubbing his face* I’m just glad to be out of there… I only wanted to help but…

Wyrm: m-maybe next time we avoid going into dwemer ruins.

Taliesin: *nods and laughs softly* y-yes, that. That sounds like a great idea. *smiles warmly at him as he finally calms down, feeling oddly at peace as he stares at Wyrms sweet smile and gentle face* I… *finally realises Wyrm is just sitting in his lap* I- um. *clears his throat and lifts him up as he rises to his feet* d-did you find anything you can use? *sets him down*

Wyrm: yes! I should be able to fix my arm now. Thank you Taliesin. *suddenly gives him a hug before running over to the horses leaving Taliesin standing there stunned*

Kaidan: *pats him on the back* Smooth.

Taliesin: Bugger off.

Kaidan: Hehehe~

*that evening*

Wyrm: *seated at a table in the Braidwood inn as he tinkers with his arm, the group having decided it’d be best for all of them to avoid windhelm and it’s unwelcoming inhabitants* just- go- I- *pauses watching the bolt he was trying to fit into place pop out of its position and fall off the table and onto the floor* Aw biscuits… *shifts and reaches down to get it only for Taliesin to grab it for him*

Taliesin: you should be in bed little moth. *hands him the bolt*

Wyrm: th-thank you. I will be soon I just- wanted to get my arm fixed tonight… it’s just a lot harder without mr wrench to help me…

Taliesin: Mr? Wrench?

Wyrm: oh- *blinks suddenly making his Pearl eye glow and a projection of a tiny dwarven spider suddenly appearing from it* one of my-… well… I guess he’s my only automaton now… I built him from scraps and he helps me build things.

Taliesin: *staring at the projection in amazement* I?! How?! How are you doing that??!

Wyrm: huh? Oh, i-it’s one of its enchantments. I’m very good at enchanting things, I can store memories in it, it’s, like a lexicon but very small. But it mainly just helps me see. *blinks making it disappear* it’s just magicka made visible, like fire or lightning for a destruction spell or an illusion spell. I keep memories that make me happy in case I’m sad… *looks down slightly before shyly blinking again making a projection of taliesins tear stained eyeliner smudged face appear* thank you for making me happy too.

Taliesin: *visibly blushes feeling his heart skip a beat* I- I you’re welcome but did you really have to pick that- I look dreadful!

Wyrm: *giggles*

*a few hours later*

Wyrm: *sharing a bed with Taliesin as Kaidan & inigo bunk together on the other* mnn *shifts uncomfortably as the hay pokes him and the old furs itch his skin*

Taliesin: *blinks open his eyes, too uncomfortable to sleep as well* itchy?

Wyrm: *nods* yeah…

Taliesin: *shifts and gets up pulling his thalmor robe from his bag*

Wyrm: t-Tali put it away you’ll get arrested if someone sees-

Taliesin: *suddenly turns it inside out and lays it over the hay and furs* nobody will be able to tell. *smiles and lays on it, gesturing for the small dunmer to shuffle closer*

Wyrm: *gladly does as he’s asked, wanting more so to cover it with himself in case somebody comes in and sees it* th-this feels much better.

Taliesin: *yawns and nods* I agree. If all else fails we always have our bedrolls.

Wyrm: *nods and shuffles a little closer resting his head against his chest* I-I never thought I’d miss my bed so much when I left home… but anything is better than the sleeping arrangements here…

Taliesin: *visibly blushes feeling the dunmer so close* Then we’d best get you back home as fast as we can so you can rest c-

Wyrm: *blinks wondering why he paused* Tali? *looks up at him to see him frozen in place* …Tali?… *notices he can’t even hear his heartbeat anymore* … *gets up in a panic only to see Kaidan frozen mid snore and inigo mid stretch* Wh-what- what’s happening?… *looks around the room before stepping out to see the inn and it’s patrons frozen in time, the fire unmoving, the bard mid strum of her lute, a cork from a bottle of wine halted in mid air* I- *jumps and spins around feeling something touch his shoulder but unable to see what’s there* h-hello? *reaches out and feels nothing beyond a sudden and painful headache* th-this happened in saarthal too- before- before- before- *grabs the bar as his mind flashes images of the orb and the memories of creation, the throbbing of his head pounding like a drum and beating in tandem with a heart he’d seen shot into the sea* p-papa- I-I’m- dying- it- hurts- it- hurts- it- *falls silent as cool metal touches his face, a hand, elegant in design, and a now familiar, kind face smiling back at him beyond a white void… sotha sil* y-you…

Sotha Sil: *smiles warmly at him, his very presence bringing him a strange comfort* shhh… you’re not dying… You can’t die.

Wyrm: I-it hurts- it hurts my head hurts- my heart it’s so loud- wh-why m-me- why are you killing me?

Sotha Sil: *bearing a look of immense sadness and hurt on his face that his means of protecting him would cause him pain* Kill you?… impossible… *shakes his head* No matter. I won’t allow them to use you for their plans. Please bear it for a moment longer…

Wyrm: u-use me? W-who? Wh-what do you mean impossible?

Sotha Sil: *smiles* You can’t kill a god.

“Sahloknir, ziil gro dovah ulse!”

Wyrm: *gasps as he comes back to reality, only to find himself no longer in the inn, but standing atop the hill near the settlement, his nightshirt and trousers drenched from the rain… and the world eater glaring down at him as he brings forth his ally from the earth* …I’m going to die…

[wellthebardsdead]

Clockwork Heart pt20

Part 19 here

———

Wyrm: *now all clean, dressed in his comfiest pjs and standing on his tip toes peering through the now partially boarded up hole in his door and wall where his centurion punched through it. Pouting as he’s confined to his bedroom while the arch mage and his father question his friends* I can’t see- mr wrench can you?

Mr wrench: *standing on his head, extends his legs and peers out spying for him*

Savos: Okay, just to be clear here. None of you kidnapped our Pearl and the whole reason the Hortator and his councillor are here is because Wyrm absorbed the soul of lorkhan and he’s the reincarnation of sotha sil?!

Taliesin: and the dragonborn.

Kaidan: aye that’s kind of important given the current circumstances with the dragons returning.

Nerevar: I understand all of this is hard to believe. And not to add to it but we’ve already met Wyrm once before when he was a child.

Voryn: *seated in a pile of cushions looking exhausted* we attempted to adopt him when he was scared off by the orphanage matron. We’ve been looking for him for 80 years knowing who he is.

Nerevar: we, wanted to give him a chance at a new life and protect him from cultists of the tribunal but. I see he’s been well loved and cared for here.

Urag: *coughs and shakily sips his tea taking this all in as Enthir puts a blanket around him, the old orc clearly still unwell* this is too much… I don’t care what your reasonings are, my boy stays here where he’ll be safe, and I want all of you gone come morning.

Wyrm: *backs away from the hole clutching his chest as anxiety and heartbreak suddenly grips him, that he’d lose his friends so soon, that he’d be all alone again, knowing one day the few friends he has in the collage will eventually leave him too*

Voryn: *suddenly winces holding his chest before shakily getting up* Wyrm, he’s upset-

Nerevar: love- *sits him down again* shhh I’ll take care of him. I- *blinks watching Taliesin immediately run to the hole in the wall, cooing softly through it to wyrm*

Taliesin: *reaching his hand through and taking Wyrms in his, knowing full well he heard his father and that’s what set him off* Shhh it’s okay, I’m not leaving without you unless it’s in a box.

Wyrm: *sniffles and squeezes his hand tight, leaning against the wall* b-but papa won’t let you stay.

Taliesin: I’ll enrol in the collage then, I might finally graduate somewhere after all.

Savos: *watching them quietly before sighing* I’ll arrange accommodation for you all within the collage for the evening. With the cleanup effort still going on in the village I doubt they’d be friendly towards any of you. *looks at Urag then Enthir* May I speak to you both in private for a moment… *looks over at the hole in the wall to see Wyrms hand holding onto taliesins* …I don’t think this discussion can wait.

*a few hours later*

Wyrm: *excitedly placing pillows and blankets by his friends bedrolls and making sure voryn & neht will be comfortable in his bed after finding out his father agreed they were allowed to stay* th-the floor can get very cold at night I think I can find another blanket in the linen cup-oh! *kicks his legs a little in surprise as Nerevar picks him up and sets him on the bed by voryn*

Nerevar: We will be fine, but are you okay?…

Voryn: *already laying in the bed propped up by pillows, quietly starts braiding his hair* You had quite the ordeal, do you remember what happened?

Wyrm: *looks down at his hand and shakes his head* n-no. I just. Remember getting to the village and those monks put me in a barrier and one grabbed my face. I got scared and I burst into flame then, I woke up to papa holding me and there was blood in the snow… *hugs his knees to his chest* now the collage is in trouble because of me and papa is still poorly and he doesn’t like any of you. *whimpers burying his face into his knees* and if I tell him I’m leaving to fulfil my role as dragonborn I think it’ll kill him…

Voryn: *finishes braiding his hair* My guess was correct then…

Nerevar: Seht took possession of his body?

Voryn: That’s the only reason I can think of, I can’t figure out why else I couldn’t communicate with him whilst he was in that state… *blinks as wyrm sudddnly lays back against him as if wanting to be held* Wyrm?…

Wyrm: I’m sorry I keep hurting you…

Voryn: *looks at him in visible surprise before looking at nerevar to see him staring with equal surprise and an understanding gaze* oh Wyrm… *strokes his hair and gently holds him in a warm hug* it’s okay, it’s not your fault. We’ll figure this out…

Wyrm: *sniffles* it’s not okay, you can’t even stand up because of m-me. I keep hurting you a-and it’s all because of that stupid book and those s-stupid gloves!

Voryn: shhh, It’s no bother to me swee- I? Book?

Nerevar: gloves?

Wyrm: *nods and sits up drying his face before climbing off the bed, his long braid smacking onto the floor with a dull thud as he walks to the safe and opens it* I couldn’t read it for a long time, but when I got these one of the pages became readable but then went blank afterwards. *holds out wraithguard and immediately drops them as nerevar and voryn panic*

Voryn: WYRM PUT THEM DOWN!

Nerevar: *literally charges at him from the bed to get them away from him*

Taliesin: *suddenly pushes himself in front of wyrm, hand on his dagger ready* Hold it.

Nerevar: *stops in his tracks realising how bad that must’ve looked before looking to see Wyrm visibly shaking in fright* I- no I I wasn’t going to hurt him just- *leans down and picks up the gauntlets carefully* Wyrm how long have you had these? Where did you get them from?

Wyrm: *peers out from behind Taliesin* E-Enthir got them f-from some traders but I couldn’t afford them from him. B-but… Ancano bought them and gave them to me as a trade… he promised all I had to do was talk to him but… he lied. *hugs his side before gripping onto taliesins robes for comfort* b-but when I used the gloves, I could read my book but then the nightmares started. And I started losing control of myself, and it got worse when I got the hammer too.

Nerevar: Ancano- I- Hammer?!

Wyrm: *nods and casually points to the hammer sitting in his tool belt* Enthir gave it to me, said it was useless but- *grips onto Taliesin again remembering his nightmares* I know… it’s not…

Nerevar & Voryn: *both staring wide eyed*

Nerevar: …Next you’re going to tell me you have the knife as well.

Kaidan: *coughs and pulls it from his pocket*

*later after sending Wyrm to bed and promising to answer his questions after he’s rested*

Nerevar: *rubbing his face* Someone deliberately sent these here knowing they’d be found by him at some point.

Taliesin: You think… someone wanted him to suffer what he’s been through?

Voryn: a… few years before we discovered Wyrm, there was a break in at the temple in Mournhold. Where the tools of kagrenac and the masks of dagoth ur and almalexia were kept. The other masks of vivec and sotha sil were kept in the cities of necrom and blacklight. A means of keeping artefacts dispersed to hinder worshippers of the tribunal from getting their hands on them. The tools and masks were stolen, but then the other temples got raided too. And the items taken were all belonging to or related to the tribunal. Well, except for-

Nerevar: Vivec’s mask, it was mysteriously returned to us. It turned up one day along with a few other artefacts belonging to him but no one saw who left them or how they got them back.

Inigo: maybe they had a change of heart?

Taliesin: unlikely. Most likely feared being struck down by the so called good daedra. The dominions encountered the cultists of the tribunal before, they’re conniving, murderous zealots. But they are cowardly.

Kaidan: you talking about the cultists or the dominion now?

Taliesin: Ha. Ha. *looks back at Nerevar* But yes… It feels too planned for it to be a mere coincidence. It’s too strange that all of this just so happened to be where Wyrm would either encounter them or someone would bring them to him. *folds his arms leaning against the bookshelf* Somebody knows who he is. And they’re after him.

Voryn: can you think of anyone?… besides the psijic order?

Taliesin: hm… I did see a nord woman in Kynesgrove who matched the description of a blade but I can’t be certain… There’s also Ancano, but, he seems unlikely despite his actions and… motives.

Nerevar: Who is this, Ancano?…

Taliesin: A-

Inigo: Scoundrel.

Kaidan: Wanker.

*meanwhile*

Wyrm: *doting over his father while telling him about his adventure* And then we found Kaidan in an abandoned prison being tortured by the thalmor and after we freed him we climbed the 7000 steps and met with the greybeards and they taught me how to use the voice- *pauses to take a sip of his tea and pour his father another cup* And now I need to go get a horn for them so they’ll teach me more but when we got to Kynesgrove I saw alduin up close again… and he made a dragon rise up from its grave like some type of necromancy! I’d of been dead if it weren’t for Voryn & Nerevar saving me but- Oh! Right! My arm! I found out how it got broken when we arrived at riften! We met inigo in a jail cell! He thought he’d killed me and was paying the guards to keep him imprisoned because he felt so terrible for what he’d done but he’d just hit my arm- oh! And we ended up in riften after being attacked by bandits and I ended up in a vampires den! They made me very poorly and Taliesin and Kaidan saved me and took me to a priest to get heal-

Urag: *cuts him off with a gentle hug, his old but strong hands holding him tight and safe* Your friends… Terrify me.

[markynaz]

anyway it's morning I have slept a little here's some interregnum-period smuggling headcanons feel free to add your own

smuggling shit out of Morrowind should be hard because it requires an official Temple seal to pass the borders. what makes a temple seal official? It's got divine power, babey! The Dunmer are out here basically using the Heart of Lorkhan for RFID chips in second era morrowind.

sounds difficult to pass! but actually hmm wait. remember how Vivec is all about intrigue and secrets underneath the warrior-poet-beloved-to-his-people thing? and how he's the anticipation of mephala? If you know the right people (read: if you are a member of House Hlaalu, know a member of House Hlaalu, or perform the right sex act on the right person, a time honored House Hlaalu tradition) you can get a Temple priest to bless your goods with a divine seal that'll pass any Dunmer customs office. Fake RFID go brr and you're through. This does cost a small donation to the Temple, which is half of why Vivec allows it. The other half of why it's allowed involves money flowing into Morrowind from other alliances. House Hlaalu: rising to prominence through smuggling and sabotaging other countries' economies!

Smuggling in and out of Summerset is as hard as you think smuggling in and out of Morrowind should be, because unlike in Morrowind, Thalmor officials actually keep track of things and there's no culture of subterfuge and secret dealings to fall back on. Visas, trade manifests, documents at every harbor and Mage's Guild portal hall, it's all RIGOROUSLY examined. Bringing in goods that don't have the proper papers and trying to openly sell them can and will get you arrested, especially in the Isles, which have only recently opened to outsiders.

Smuggling out is therefore more popular than smuggling in. Smugglers use the bureaucracy of the Dominion to help shadow their movements - the most popular ploy being to get documentation for one export, then to use mundane means to conceal that you're moving another export instead. Magical means will almost always get you caught under the skilled Thalmor eye. Smuggling things in is much rarer, usually on commission for one noble or another - because what's the only thing that can get past the Altmer love of order? The Altmer need to show up one's neighbors with the latest foreign plant or pet or art piece, of course!

Smuggling anything in or out of High Rock is an arms race against the Crown. Different city-states and little kingdom shards have different policies, tariffs, and customs control, but with the Alliance War on, King Emeric has been pressuring rulers to please (for the love of Zenithar, please) actually crack down on smuggling - especially across alliance lines. High Rock as a region is a mercantile powerhouse, and Emeric doesn't want to be funding the other alliances' war efforts.

This arms race is almost entirely conducted at the ports and borders. Customs start requiring special seals? Smugglers figure out how to counterfeit them. Customs mages figure out a magical oil to detect counterfeits (same way they detect counterfeit coins, incidentally). Smugglers figure out something to put in the seals that reacts with the oil to create the this-is-real effect. Etc, etc, on many different fronts, all across all the different kingdoms of High Rock. Certain places that are lax with their customs requirements (cough cough Rivenspire with no central leader) become almost shorthand for cheap/smuggled goods in daily conversation. But once you have your smuggled imports through the border in High Rock, you're scotch free - checking all the open markets and shops and stalls and peddlers is far too big and costly a job to be at all worth it. Money moves fast and freely in the High Rock economy.

I'm really out here supposed to be puzzling away at a computer science assignment and instead thinking about my Breton cross-alliance-lines definitely-legit merchant lord huh

[wellthebardsdead]

To deny Godhood Final Pt1

Part 8 here

———

Shamat: *being dressed in very heavy ceremonial robes, so full of silk and jewels as if designed to keep him from running away* c-can somebody please tell me what’s so important about this gathering? I understand the heads of all houses will be there but this is a bit mu- *sneezes as a maid brushes powder across his face while another gives him eyeliner and a third paints markings on his hands and prepares to do the same for his face*

Maid: Lord nerevar is going to make you his high councillor!

Maid 2: and his husba- *coughs as another maid hits her over the head*

Maid 3: Hush! We were told to keep it secr- oh dear-

Shamat: *eyes wide, inwardly praying his friends will follow through on their plan but panicking* I marry me- *remembers he has to act as if he’s his past incarnation* marry, me?… *stands up and walks over to the mirror to look at himself* n-no. I’m not worthy after what I’ve done. I’ve shamed my house and the dunmer people he. He deserves better. I’m worthless compared to him…

The maids: *all quickly follow after him to comfort him*

Maid 2: no no my lord! You’re most worthy! You were corrupted by lorkhans heart!

Maid 1: yes! You were so devout to your oath you couldn’t even recognise our lord nerevar after the heart had tampered with your mind but you still held to your oath of guarding them as he ordered!

Maid 3: our lord mourned you for so very long and now he can hold you in his arms again! Now the 6th house will be of equal footing with house indoril! A new era for morrowind dawns this day!

Shamat: *staring into his reflection, focused on his third eye as the maids continue to fuss over him, knowing full well a new era is coming… but not the one they want* a new era… where everything will be put right at last…

*a minutes later*

Shamat: *sighs pulling on the mask of dagoth ur as the priests present it to him* I’m ready… *quietly bows his head as they surround him, flanking him on every possible side as they walk him to the main chamber of the temple, like wolves herding a lamb to slaughter*

The priests: *all suddenly stop outside the main doors and drop to their knees then into a kowtow as the guards open them, revealing a room full of officials from all the great houses, and seated at the end of the room, nerevar*

Shamat: *holds his breath and steps forward into the room, feeling panic rising in his throat as he can’t see any of his friends in the crowd, wondering if they were caught or were even able to get in* oh gods no this can’t be happening… *feels his heart stop as his eyes meet with nerevars*

Nerevar: *smiling at him warmly, waiting impatiently for him to approach and join him at his side*

Shamat: *tears forming in his eyes from behind the mask, feeling like his world is ending, takes another step forward only to hear the squelching of blood and torn flesh behind him, then a loud thud as gasps and screams of shock and terror break out in the temple* what- *looks back to see the priests dead and morag tong assassins swarming into the building*

Nerevar: *stands quickly drawing his sword* VORYN RUN TO ME!

Shamat: *knowing he still needs to keep up his appearance in case this all fails, backs up as if to run to him only for an assassin with a very odd spear to grab him and fling him over his shoulder* NEREVAR!!!

???: *the assassin* convincing. *hurries off to the balcony as the other assassins rush into the room to cause as much of a distraction as they can so they can escape*

Nerevar: *slices through several of them as he runs from the room, grabbing a shield from a now dead ordinator as he takes chase after the assassin and his ‘kidnapped’ beloved*

[daggerfall]

how many daedric princes do you reckon it would take to take down one of the aedra? *cough*cough*akatosh

wellllllllllllllllllllllllllll

my creation lore isnt the best, but we do know that the other daedric princes feared jyggalag’s power, and they cursed him into the thing he hates the most (sheogorath). so the collective power of up to all of the other daedra was enough to contain but not necessarily “take down” one of the daedra. does this apply to the aedra as well? not necessarily, since aedra and daedra are pretty different.

aedra are bound to mundus in a way daedra are not. if we believe lorkhan was killed rather than just had his heart torn and and condemned to exile (or something else) then yeah killing an aedra is definitely possible. daedra just sort of respawn, are immortal, or for lesser daedra, lack a unique consciousness such that killing them doesn’t really do anything since they are basically all the same. aedra aren’t the same, so there’s nothing really stopping them from being able to be killed i believe. or at least contained in a way that basically stops them, like lorkhan.

so we can curse probably the most powerful daedra into being the thing that are most against, and we can kill at least one aedra who maybe tricked all the other aedra into forming mundus? seriously guys my creation lore is lacking.

however akatosh is basically the aedra that most races include in their pantheon in one way or another, so he’s got a lot of worship power. and since he controls time, he is like uniquely powerful. also one of the things he embodies in invincibility. also also akatosh losing control of time literally causes dragonbreaks. do you want another dragonbreak? i dont think so. that’s how we got mannimarco turning into the moon. DO YOU WANT ANOTHER NECROMANCER’S MOON? I DONT THINK SO.