#Wrothgar spoilers

[feykrorovaan]

You all know Darien is probably going to show up again at some point, correct? It's not just hope. ZoS has been sprinkling breadcrumbs (pun intended) since Summerset. They wouldn't do that for no reason or to tease us (unless they're somehow legitimately evil,which say what you want, but that isn't the case).

Spoilers galore for elder scrolls in general under the cut (Main plot, Wrothgar,Elsweyr,Greymoor,Summerset

Blackwood,High Isle, and Necrom.)

Just look at Coldharbor. What happened after we "lost" Darien. We found clues that he was still alive. Including a letter written by him in Wrothgar. So it only makes sense to me that they would do so again.

Darien and/or the events of Summerset have also been referenced in every.single.chapter since Summerset.

That, to my knowledge, hasn't happened with any other characters, especially not consecutively.

In Elsweyr, you can find a deceased khajiit, and nearby there is a note,describing how Meridia was looking for a new vessel that wouldn't betray her.

In Greymoor, Gabrielle Benele says she still believes that Darien is still out there somewhere and she is determined to find him. Not only that, but there is a Meridia quest where she has apparently turned her gaze from her faithful. Now Daedric princes' attention and favor can come and go, and I don't like Meridia, believe me, but she doesn't seem like the kind of prince that would turn her back if something bigger didn't have her attention.

In Blackwood, there is a random event when you talk to a wizard and he can summon a lost spirit. One of those spirits can be an Auroran Knight with Dawnbreaker in his hilt. It's not confirmed to be Darien. But...come on. It's him.

In High Isle, Lady Arabelle references his father specifically. Not Darien specifically, but there are other generals, and captains they could have referenced.They chose him because they knew our ears would perk up at the name "Gautier". His father had a pretty forgettable role,Darien,did not.

In Necrom, if you played through the Summerset plot, you can speak to Naryu about the events of Summerset.

I don't feel like they would talk about him (or the events of Summerset) this much if he wasn't coming back at some point or at least confirmed to be alive in some way. Not to mention whenever he's brought up in streams, they are pretty tight-lipped about him, and they've never specifically said he' won't return.

Summerset was a big event. So if we do see Darien again, it's going to be big.

Sources:

Experience and

[madamefluffnstuff]

A Fresh Start

Fandom: Elder Scrolls Online

Pairing: Romantic Darien Gautier x Fem!Vestige, Platonic Bastian Hallix x Fem!Vestige

Rating: T

Warning(s): Major character death, grief, mentions of being lured into a cult, etc.

Words: 1613

AN: This was supposed to be some headcanons for @lithiumrev but I forgot and I feel really bad so I turned it into something a bit more fleshed out. And then I kinda went out of control. :,) I hope you like it!! ❤

Major, MAJOR spoilers for the entirety of the Elder Scrolls Online game (specifically the DC storyline, "Main" storyline, Summerset DLC, and Blackwood DLC. Just spoilers galore.) Ye have been warned.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Losing Darien Gautier in the battle against Molag Bal was hard. It was nothing like King Dynar, who had been imprisoned for millenia and finally, *finally* had been set free. Even though he gave his life for the cause, his passing released him from Bal's torture and he was free to move on to Aetherius. Bittersweet, sure, but a fitting end for the noble king.

Darien, on the other hand, was a borderline tragedy. It should never have happened, it was a freak accident- if he hadn't stepped forward, if someone had grabbed his arm to pull him into the protective circle, if he had heard them calling his name...

*It should never have happened*, the Vestige kept telling herself. *Where did it go wrong?* The question rang over and over in her head like a twisted, gut-wrenching mantra.

In her grief-stricken state, she wracked her brains trying to come up with a reason. Any feasible reason was better than none. But none came to her.

For a few weeks after, the Vestige stayed at the Camlorn Inn, in the city where she first met Darien. It was all she could think of to heal her hurt heart. No matter how painful it may have been, it still helped to reminisce about him.

It was no secret the two had become quite close. Even General Gautier made a some jokes. Darien's relentless, shameless, and sometimes terrible attempts to flirt were rather endearing. It didn't take long before the Vestige had developed a soft spot for him. Neither would admit it out loud, lest their reputations be tarnished.

There were many nights where the two soldiers would stay up late talking. About the weather, about the cute dog spotted by the smithy, about their training, about the upcoming battles... And then the Vestige confided in Darien her own personal quest. Now Darien was known for exaggerating from time to time, so he was understandably skeptical at first. But the look on his dear friend's face told him she was telling the truth.

He ended up becoming her rock throughout the trials leading up to the battle with Molag Bal. Countless late nights of amicable chatter helped the heroes stay sane. One of those late night chatters lead to a shared glass of good Surile Syrah Wine and a chaste (but very reciprocated) kiss on the cheek.

The Hero of Daggerfall was practically walking on air for the rest of the week after that cheek peck.

And before anyone knew it, Darien was gone. Lost somewhere in the realms of Oblivion.

It took some time, but once the Vestige felt comfortable enough, she left Daggerfall altogether with the intent of never coming back. The resumed journey took her everywhere from the mountains of Wrothgar to the ashlands of Morrowind, even to the Clockwork City. Eventually, the opportunity to go to The Summerset Isles came up. The idea of nice sandy beaches and warm weather was a very appealing thought.

But there's no rest for the wicked, or for heroes. And before she knew it she was begrudgingly roped into yet another epic quest to fix something she hadn't broken.

To her surprise, not only did it involve more Daedra (including some spider daedra she did NOT like), she was greeted with a very, very familiar face.

"Well, this is awkward. You're probably wondering how your old friend Darien became Meridia's champion and got stuck in all this sticky webbing. It's a funny story, really."

It took every ounce of willpower in the Vetige's body to not launch herself into his arms. And once his senses started coming back to him, Darien had to resist the very same urges.

Every spare moment in between fighting the minions of Nocturnal and Clavicus Vile was spent together. In the tavern rooms, the bunks in the Mages Guild, their tents while out on the field... It didn't matter to either Darien or the Vestige, so long as they were with each other.

Unfortunately the couple's happiness was short lived; Dawnbreaker needed to be repaired before the balance between the Daedric Princes was upset. And being Meridia's champion, Darien was the only one who could do it. Before he did, he wrapped the Vetsige in his arms and pulled her into the most passionate kiss either had ever had.

All of the Vestige's effort put into healing herself was completely undone. And since then, the world just wasn't the same to her.

Surile Syrah Wine tasted sour. Papers and letters with shiny golden seals or ink caused her hopes to get up, only to be dashed moments later. Spiders filled her with fury. And despite the aid Meridia gave in the battle with Molag Bal, the Vestige couldn't find it in her to forgive the Lady of Light.

*~*

Time passes differently for the Vestige. The events that caused her to lose her beloved were some time ago. Days? Weeks? Months? Entire seasons? She couldn't quite tell. She found it quite easy to distract herself, though. Tamriel is a vast land, and there's no shortage of places to explore or people to help. Things seemed to be turning around for the Hero.

Until whispers on the streets mentioned another Daedric plot. The Vestige paid attention long enough to find out it was not Meridia, but in fact, Mehrunes Dagon. She was rather puzzled by this; the Lord of Destruction had been relatively quiet up until this point. Surely it was just a case of misunderstanding?

Which was her thought process until a mysterious letter from Lyranth arrived. And soon after, a personal (albeit testy) visit from the Daedra outcast. She confirmed the presence of Dagon, and the Vestige, who at this point had a bitter vendetta against the Daedric Princes, offered her assistance to find and close the Daedric portals.

Turns out you can't swing a dead Alfiq without hitting an Oblivion portal in Blackwood. One hint in particular lead her near a place called "Deepscorn Hollow". *That's not ominous in the slightest...* she thought to herself. With a name like that it just had to be crawling with Daedra spawn.

As she rounded a hill down the trail, however, the Vestige was surprised by a sudden "Hey! Hey, over here! I need some help!"

Her head whipped in the direction of the voice to see a young man in traveling leathers tied to a post. She wasted no time sprinting over to investigate.

"Thank the Eight Divines! I could really use some help. The name's Bastian. Watch yourself, friend. I was accosted by a Dark Elf at this very spot. She went into the cave over there hours ago, but she might return at any moment."

"What Dark Elf? What cave?" she answered, confused at the lack of any men or mer nearby.

"The Dark Elf Tenarei Vels. She's a traveler I met along the road. The cave is Deepscorn Hollow—the entrance is over by the dock," Bastian nodded in the general direction. "I'm here to retrieve a fellow named Quistley Silvelle. His family sent me to find him. I think he's in trouble."

The Vestige nodded, "What do you want from me?"

"Untie me, please. The Silvelles will pay well if you help me get Quistley out of whatever trouble he's in, and I could use someone to watch my back. Interested?"

An enthusiastic nod told him all he needed to know. As she started to work the chains, he added "Oh, and check the shack. I think Tenarei dropped something during our struggle."

"I'll see if the Dark Elf left any clues behind. And I'll help you rescue Quistley."

As he stood up, the Vestige got a better look at the young man; fiery red curls and deep emerald eyes, set in a thoroughly annoyed glare. On the tall side, too. Imperial, maybe?

"Ugh. Thank you," Bastian thanked her as he rubbed his sore wrists. "Look around, would you? I'd like to examine whatever my attacker dropped..."

It didn't take long to find out this was no ordinary rescue mission; a cult was involved. A Daedric cult, at that. And cults always mean extra trouble. And of course, it seems Quistley got himself into more trouble than originally thought. Bastian pinched the bridge of his nose and muttered something under his breath.

Thankfully the aforementioned Tenarei was more than willing to help out once the situation was explained. At the expense of an expensive ring, a deal was made: Quistley's debts were settled, Tenarei didnt have to leave empty handed, and the young Silvelle was hauled back home. Complaining and caterwauling the entire time, of course.

Bastian then surprised the Vestige by asking if he could tag along. His time being the Silvelle's lackey was over. "If you ever need a friend, you can count on me."

The Vestige, on the other hand, was a bit surprised. No one had ever offered their services to her, or to be a traveling companion. Usually they tagged along long enough to finish a rescue mission or borderline espionage adventures. After a moment's consideration, she accepted. Some company on the road would do her good.

*If you ever need a friend, you can count on me."*

Bastian's words kept crossing her mind. As she kept watch one night, she pondered the situation. Since she lost Darien, Bastian was like a breath of fresh air. A fresh start, as it were. Maybe some time down the line, she'd open up to him about her past. And, Divines willing, maybe he'd open up to her too. Maybe they could help each other.

She could see this becoming an amazing friendship.

[bam-monsterhospital]

Wrothgar's Main Quest

When you look for people's overall opinions on the main quest in Wrothgar, you'll inevitably get the response that it was one of eso's stronger questlines; better written, not about a world-ending threat and so more down-to-earth and relatable, better characters, on and on. Then you go to play the main quest...

Wrothgar has the same problems as the rest of elder scrolls online. While it doesn't suffer the skeletal, bare-minimum, idiotic, did-you-just-use-chatgpt-to-produce-this? lack of writing skill more recent dlcs suffer from, Wrothgar still carries the root attitudes present all throughout eso that drag everything else down:

Spoilers for orsinium down below

The new king who is promoting change -in this case, progress- in a civilization is evil. His progressivism, enabling women of an entire species to step out of the unchallenged traditional role of marriage-slave and actually be people, is actually evil and needs to be stopped. It's toooooootally not about allowing women to be people because he too has an entire harem of wives in his palace. No really guys, he's bad news and you shouldn't go along with him or like him because he killed a guy!

His mom is eeeeevilll. Never trust an old lady. Never trust a mom, OR a momma's boy. The new religion she's pushing is pushing out the old religion, and no we're never ever going to talk about how (even in orc cultural knowledge) the otherworldly foci of these two religious movements are the SAME BEING. NEVER ADDRESSED. NEVER TALKED ABOUT. What, you want a solution to this problem? you want integration or mixing or acceptance? fuck you, this is eso. Religions that the writers don't see as xtianity stand-ins are evil cults; that's how things work right?

Lesbians? hahaha, no lesbians don't exist. Why would orc women be into other women, they're state-mandated to not be. Those two ladies running the bathhouse in orsinium? no shhh don't pay attention to them.

you have to kill the change. obviously the best resolution for this entire questline isn't to allow space for more than one way of orcish life, no. we gotta go back to the butchering mormon-izing of malacath, and every woman needs to be a wife. that's the only way.

orcs are barbarians. look at this landscape littered with ruins; those ruins are from previous attempts at building up orsimer civilization. all destroyed by humans: bretons, nords, redguard. But shhh, don't think about that. Just traipse right on in, don't feel bad for the orsimer, that's not what this is about, pshhhhh ignore it. orcs are barbarians.

Of course there are good bits to it. Eveli's character is refreshing in that she actually goes through an arc: what starts as a naive eager-to-adventure person realizes adventuring involves a lot of politics, it's all very complicated, and people will always get hurt no matter what you do. Does she swear off adventuring? No, but she needs a breather to re-think things. It's good. They butchered her in blackwood, but in orsinium she's got the foundation for an interesting character.

And honestly I think that's what people remember most about the main questline in orsinium. That it had characters who acted like characters: consistently, in ways that make sense to what was established before, y'know, the basics of writing competently.

It's been a while since I've done orsinium and I enjoyed that aspect of it back then (also i love the architecture of the city of orsinium, its tall towers and how it actually looks like a city... not to mention wrothgar is beautiful)... but woof... yeah wrothgar is not devoid of its faults. I only really touched on one aspect, and didn't even go into detail on it; just tip-of-the-iceberg stuff i could remember off the top of my head.

[dawns-beauty]

Hey, uh, Greymoor spoilers: there are lots of cliffs you can just die just by jumping off, huh?

[esoscreenshots]

What are your impressions of Blackwood are you enjoying it or is it lack luster for you?

I've been hearing a lot of mixed opinions on it-- I definitely am seeing a lot more criticism and irritation with Blackwood than with Greymoor. I warn you I have not started the main quest, done any of the public dungeons, the trial, or entered the major cities. (When I adventure in a new zone, I usually do world bosses/anchors/storms first, then delves & delve quests, then public dungeons, then areas of interest e.g. cities, pathfinder spots, crafting places, then squeeze out as much as I possibly can from every location, then do the main questline.)

Under the cut since this might get long? Also spoilers for minor quests.

COMPANIONS:

I think the companions system is great-- definitely a little grindy, and I have not seen a single piece of companion gear in my adventures so far-- but both of the characters are incredibly endearing. It's a lot more fleshed out than I thought it would be in terms of abilities, but there's only one other character to manage beside yourself, so it's not overwhelming. Costume and mount customization was nice, and I definitely did not expect it. The commentary they deliver is varied enough and I genuinely feel great when I unlock special dialogue-- I've ulted many times, and once Bastian said something to the effect of "Huh! Show-off!" and I've been smiling thinking about it ever since.

PERFORMANCE/MINUTIA:

Performance is fine; I've been stuck on one infinite loading screen, but other than that, I've had no issues with performance. There are a few occasional dev issues like spelling mistakes or missing map geometry, but they're banging these zones out like lightning and the pandemic is on, so it's understandable a few things get through the cracks.

COLLECTABLES:

I really hate the tapestry collectable so far. There are, as far as I'm aware, no hints or riddles to where they are, and they're usually in far-flung obscure corners of the map. I've only found three legitimately so far. I really wish it was more like Summerset/Wrothgar/Murkmire and you get a little riddle for each piece. Please let me know if there IS one and I've just missed it and then I'll totally remove this point.

(As an aside, I think the zones for finding the digging spots are way too big in some maps, though this one isn't as bad as I've seen. But like, damn, it should not take me five minutes of painstakingly combing the landscape to find the spot! Especially with all the perks in play! It's a weird/frustrating difficulty spike versus the ease of the divination and the digging minigame.)

ENVIRONMENT:

The environment is really nice. Seeing a return of old Argonian plants make a return alongside new animals and features was pretty cool. I do not care for Imperials (they're pretty close to Bretons as my least-favorite ES race), but even so, the interweaving of architectures and cultures has had... an interesting effect on the landscape. It's kind of cool to see wooden buildings and stone intermesh, and seeing how the landscape blends. I think it's cool. I also like the continuation of the Grapple Bow as a game mechanic. Nothing makes me feel as bad-ass as leaping over a cliff's edge to my certain doom only to grapple to my safety.

MINOR QUESTS:

The minor quests I have done I really enjoyed. The one where one of Hermaeus Mora's servants was desperately trying to escape into the real world, plus the intrigue of the sleepy town's mystery (and adventuring with Alchemy!) was really nice and had me on the edge of my seat entertained. The return of the Blackfeather Court was much enjoyed and I forgot how much I liked the Duke. The "brother was transformed into a pig" bit was also hilarious. Interacting with Nocturnal after thwarting her plans previously was... interesting. There are probably other things I'm forgetting, but I've mostly found the writing and premise of the minor quest to be a cut above those we got previously.

(I really want to advance in the Bog Dog quest, but I don't know how and I don't want to look it up until I'm really, really done with the zone and I still haven't found it.)

QUANTITY:

I've been impressed with the amount of content, though I've seen many who were disappointed or irritated that it was only "eight hours of content" and moved on once they were finished. I've gone through eight hours myself and I haven't touched any of the main story, public dungeons, dailies, 75% of the quests, and probably about half the delves. Granted, this is from the idiot who spent 80 hours in Vvardenfell when they were starting out, so, grain of salt, perhaps. I can easily see 20-30+ hours of content in this expansion. That does fall shy of my usual "a dollar per hour of enjoyment" for most video-games, but whatever; either during the next ESO trial I'll play the second expansion for free and make up the loss, or I'll find something to do. Maybe I'll play through with another character-- I have a Redguard who would really like Mirri.

VERDICT:

Negatives: The fucking tapestry haunts my dreams. Companions are maybe a little grindy in terms of level-up, and their weapons are difficult to get.

Neutrals: I have no idea if the story is any good, or if the dungeons are any interesting. Performance can sometimes be an issue, but othertimes run as smooth as butter.

Positives: I love the companion system, the commentary, the rapport system, etc. The side-quests are fun and interesting so far, and the return of the grapple bow makes my heart happy.

Overall: Got some flaws. Could possibly be considered overpriced given the amount of content, depending on how much you want to play. I think it was worth my forty bucks- I’ve been enjoying it, anyway- and that maybe the whingers might be bandwagoning.

I could feel differently if the main story turns out badly, though...

[heyitsaloy]

how bout 3 and 14 for the three ship? :)

♥ @reachfolk

MSo, this is great. It really helped me put in perspective how I see my characters. Everything below the cut.

Possible triggering content surrounding infertility. 

Also, possible spoilers for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

For Kerre and Gratoth

3. Do they see kids in their future?

Kerre is honestly a bit terrified of the prospect of having children, it's not that she doesn't want them. It's the fact that she has made so many enemies - the Dark Brotherhood, vampires, the followers of Nocturnal, Miraak's cultists, the Thalmor, the Thieves Guild to an extent, and the Stormcloaks. Along with a multitude of other people who really want Kerre dead. Gratoth, on the other hand, wants children, but she respects Kerre’s boundaries. After a few years, Gratoth manages to convince Kerre to move to Wrothgar, specifically Orsinium, and they open up an orphanage there. So, even though they don’t have kids per se, they consider all the orphans at their orphanage, called the Flockhawk Orphanage Sanctum, their children. In a way, they do have kids. 

14. What things about their s/o that makes them think their s/o is the one for them? 

For Kerre, it’s the fact that Gratoth helped her calm down from a panic attack at the Thalmor Embassy. (More about this to be posted once I finish the HC’s for them). So that made Kerre feel like she could trust Gratoth, and for a bonus, Gratoth didn’t care she was the Dragonborn, she liked Kerre for who she was an individual. 

For Gratoth, it was that Kerre is quick to defend her family and friends, no matter what. Although, she believes Kerre to be fatalistic at times, so she worries about her health. Gratoth literally is the one to make Kerre take breaks, saying that the world can stay safe-ish long enough for her to relax. 

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For Kirati and Aliin

3. Do they see kids in their future?

Kirati wanted children and Aliin wanted them as well. She had four kids, two sets of twins - identical girls - Atmeda and Liritte, and fraternal boys - Simeus and Manar. Unfortunately, she wasn’t there to see them grow up, shortly after giving birth to Simeus and Manar, Atmeda and Liritte was born the year before, she was dragged into Evergloam by Nocturnal. Aliin was left to raise the children by himself, but he devoted his remaining years to telling their children stories of their mother, and looking for her. 

14. What things about their s/o that makes them think their s/o is the one for them?

Kirati fell in love with the redheaded Breton because he was the first one to see she was struggling. Kirati had come to the temple of Kynareth to see if she could get help with her nightmares. She struggled with them following the months of Martin’s sacrifice and the final battle. Aliin was a priest of Kynareth who had devoted his life to helping others. 

Aliin fell in love with Kirati after months of getting to know her, and helping her come to turns with her past. He vowed to always be by Kirati’s side no matter what the fates had in store for them.

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For Daviya and Lylan

3. Do they see kids in their future? 

 

Daviya never thought about having kids before. As she was turned into a vampire at a young age, 23, and didn’t believe that it was possible to be cured. Once she arrived in Skyrim looking for Kerre, she met Lylan. Lylan literally changed her perspective, but she couldn’t cure herself just yet. She had to find Kirati. It took five years to find Kirati and save her, but once Daviya was done with that, she went with Lylan to Morthal for a cure. After being cured, Daviya and Lylan went on to adopt children from Honorhall Orphanage, because it was discovered Daviya couldn’t have children due to being a vampire for so long. It was there that they adopted Runa Fair-Shield and Hroar. 

Lylan was excited when Daviya cured herself, and talked about wanting children with him. He was like a child at Christmas. He was also the first one to comfort her, once she found out that she couldn’t have biological children. So, he suggested adoption, and was happy when Daviya wanted to go through with the adoption process.

14. What things about their s/o that makes them think their s/o is the one for them?

Daviya believes that Lylan was the one for her, after he renounced the Thalmor for how they treated Kerre. (Kerre was, at one point, held captive by the Thalmor) He was the one who developed a plan to go rescue her, which made Daviya believe that he cared more for others than what the Thalmor wanted him too. Also, Lylan’s sense of humor, even if it’s dad level jokes. 

Lylan believes that Daviya was for him, when they first met. She had saved him from a necromancer and their undead thralls. He was, at first, disgusted that Daviya was a vampire, believing her to be a menace to society. Over time, as he got to know her, he realized all that she wanted to do was find her sister, Kirati, and protect her descendant, Kerre. It surprised him that such a coldblooded being, would be so caring and overprotective. 

Sorry that this is so long, but once I got to writing, a bunch of ideas came flooding through. I hope that you enjoy getting to know them a bit more! 

[rjalker]

Is it just COINCIDANCE that the king of Wrothgar shares the same voice actor as Shoggreth? Is it just COINCIDANCE that the king of Wrothgar loves cheese? Is it just COINCIDANCE that the king of Wrothgar murders people in a way that even other orsimer are horrified by?

maybe.

but I THINK NOT.

(don’t tell me if I’m right or wrong I DON’T WANT SPOILERS)

[ayrenn]

#ESO SPOILERS FOR WROTHGAR

the pact and covenant both are crumbling whereas the dominion quests are literally “the dominion is getting stronger and stronger” 

like, the covenant is basically fucked after wrothgar. the orcs leave the covenant. the pact was already crumbling in the main quest and being that “save vivec” is the objective of eso:mw only makes things worse for the pact. 

compare this with the development of the dominion and the fact that ayrenn is ten times more terrifying than jorunn and emeric could ever be and it just... man.