#and this is why oblivion > skyrim forever

[thequeenofthewinter]

Work-in-Progress Wednesday

Today, a letter from Rikke to Galmar because why not?

Tagging, but as always, you are under no obligation: @oblivions-dawn @dirty-bosmer @bougainvillea-and-saltwater @tallmatcha @skyrim-forever @bostoniangirl21 @vivifriend @umbracirrus @sylvienerevarine @stormbeyondreality @fallen-chances @ladytanithia

Galmar,

I hope this letter finds you well and that everything is going to plan back in Windhelm as I can certainly tell you things have changed in Cyrodiil. While I know that we all knew what was coming, I don’t think anyone could have prepared us for what I have seen here—and what we will see in the future. I’ll try to keep things as brief as possible in the interest of time and possible Thalmor spies.

They’re here, and they’re everywhere, but that isn’t something you don’t already know. Don’t roll your eyes at me. I can see you doing that through this parchment clear as day. What I mean to say is that they are here in a manner which are so engrained into normal life that in some ways you wouldn’t expect it: a merchant walking down the street wearing the newest Summerset trends all trimmed in fanciful needlework, a couple sitting on a park bench in Talos Plaza enjoying highly-tariffed imported confections, or even the gravedigger with neatly-manicured fingernails.

No one does those things anymore. 

Then, there are the ways you do expect. The puppet Elder Council all handpicked and placed there by Alinor. The air of oppression that is here here—a thick fog which would have Ulfric tossing and turning in his bed at night if he could feel it. I, for one, am glad he is not here. He should not have to experience this again.

Everything feels exactly as it did before Red Ring, where the air is so dense that I can barely breathe. As if something is coming, waiting to break over us at any second and with one false move everything will come tumbling down. I know it. You’d know it too if you were here. This is exactly what the Empire was trying to avoid in the first place, but perhaps it was already here just hiding under the surface. Divines know I am tired of asking myself this same question every night.

However, not everything is negative. Do you know what else there is? Hope. That same small shining beacon of determination which led us to hold the city all those years ago. It’s still here, burning bright as dragon fire. I have spoken to some of those who remain here. Our mission was successful. There are people here—regular, normal, everyday people who are ready to fight…and there are also some old contacts who are ready to take arms. What other option is there when we know what is coming? We were the ones there the first time, and we are the only ones who know that they’re capable of. I don’t know about you, but over my dead body will I allow this to happen again. There was too much carnage and too much loss. For better or worse with Ulfric in charge, I will finish what we started or see you in Sovngarde.

Take care and take caution. As I said, everything appears to be calm and stable on the outside, but the Aldmeri Dominion’s specialty is patience…and distraction. I don’t know when they’ll strike or when I’ll be coming home, but what I do know is that I’ll be waiting for you.

Yours,

Rikke

[msviolacea]

why you should play elder scrolls online in 2023

Okay, I've been considering making posts about "why to play X game I love" but finally decided "what the hell, no time like the present." And since ESO is on my mind today, it gets first dibs!

What is ESO??

It's an MMO set in the Elder Scrolls universe - think Skyrim, Oblivion, Morrowind, etc. It's the Elder Scrolls theme park in the same way that FFXIV is the Final Fantasy theme park. But, in the same way, it's not exclusively for people who have experience with the previous games - it's a fun, immersive fantasy world whether you know anything about previous lore or not.

You should play ESO if ...

You like immersive fantasy worldbuilding. Listen, if there's one thing the Elder Scrolls team can do, it's worldbuild like motherfuckers. Do you want a story that reaches back thousands of years and covers dozens of countries/empires/territories, where you can find lorebooks around every corner, and expansive essays on the internet about the briefest of details? ESO has you covered.

You love overland exploration. This is ESO's bread and butter. The explorable areas are expansive and varied and absolutely gorgeous, and the game is built for the player who just wants to travel and collect things and see the sights. Tamriel has pretty much every biome you can imagine - you want medieval Britain? Head for High Isle! You want an Arabic-style desert? Alik'r Desert is your place! Rugged arctic landscape? Listen, there are FOUR SEPARATE Skyrim areas for you. You're like "I just want weird fantasy things that don't look like anywhere on earth?" Vvardenfell and its surrounding areas have you covered. You can explore as you play the story, you can go on a hunt for the perfect screenshot location, you can find an RP location that fits your character exactly, you can make it your goal to complete every exploration achievement in the game ... you can do it all.

You want a game where exploration isn't gated behind your level. ESO made the switch to what they call "One Tamriel" fairly early in their development cycle - this means that all mobs and quests are synced to your level in the overworld, and you can start or go anywhere you want no matter how low level you are. You can play through the storyline in release order, or you can say "I want to start in the newest expansion," or you can go "listen I'm only here for vampires in Western Skyrim," all of these are valid and possible ways of playing. You don't have to go "man the new expansion looks great but I have to put in HOW many hours to get there??" It's all available to you from level 1!

You love decorating houses. Listen, if there is one thing ESO does better than any other MMO (at least the ones I've played), it's the housing system. You can own ALL THE HOUSES. SO MANY HOUSES. Small and large and every conceivable style! You can buy land with no house on it, and build your own structures! You can decorate without having to learn how to glitch or press six buttons at once! And housing feeds very well into the rest of the gameplay - you earn furnishing plans from pretty much every conceivable gameplay system, so it becomes an excellent reason to go do your daily stuff and explore. And the housing community in ESO is one of the most creative groups I've ever seen, I could watch their YouTube videos and streams forever.

You like MMOs that allow you to play mostly solo. None of the story progression is gated behind the need to group up. There is plenty of group content, but it's all optional. There are bosses across the landscape and in public dungeons that require multiple people to kill, but you'll always come across people who want to help kill them without having to group up. And with the last few expansions, you now have companions - NPCs you can unlock and have follow you around everywhere. They can be set and geared to perform any role - tank, healer, DPS - and the AI is good enough at any of those to get you through pretty much anything overland you want to do. (And as a side note, some of the companion quests are really good, and they've been getting really, really good voice actors for the companions themselves - see: Laura Bailey, Brandon Keener - and they have fun dialogue as you wander.)

A couple of caveats:

If you play for story, your mileage will vary. Don't get me wrong, ESO has some very, very good stories within it! But it's not a linear story a la FFXIV or single player MMOs - it has a main storyline for the base game zones, and each DLC/expansion has its own storyline that sometimes connects into what happened in the base game, but for the most part ESO's story is a fragmented experience, and you have to go searching for the stories that connect most with you. Can you find them? Yes, but be ready to put in the time to look. (My personal recommendations? The vampire story that starts in Rivenspire and continues in Western Skyrim and The Reach is my absolute favorite; Elsweyr is also very good, but is more of a direct continuation of the base game story than anything else, so would probably need that context going in. A good portion of the fanbase will cite the larger Morrowind-Summerset storyline as the best the game has, and it's very good, but didn't quite stick with me as much as the others mentioned.) ESO tends to be more about the story of the world at large than about the stories of individual characters.

And speaking of story, the game is absolute balls at directing you to places where starting the story would make the most sense. If you want to experience the story in a vaguely linear fashion, here's what to do when you create a character - immediately head to whatever city is your chosen faction's starting city (Daggerfall, Auridon, or Stonefalls), and wander around until you trigger the "Soul Shriven in Coldharbor" quest. That starts the base game main story, and is the best place to start as a brand new player. The other tip: the fancy striped quest markers are indicative of the "main" story quest in each zone, do those when at all possible.

And speaking of factions, those only matter if you want to play PvP - and only Cyrodiil and Imperial City PvP at that. Otherwise, it's just flavor these days.

In conclusion:

ESO is my comfort "explore and collect" game - I find it very chill to just wander around, level new characters, dig up antiquities (ANTIQUITIES, my favorite side system, seriously I could look for leads and dig things up forever), collect materials to sell in my guild trader, and vaguely achievement hunt while listening to music or YouTube. The scenery is beautiful, the character creation is robust and turns out very cool looking characters, and the combat system is simple enough that I easily remember how to do things even if I've been away for a little while. And it is free-to-play, after buying the game; you don't need a subscription to access anything you've purchased, you just miss out on a few good quality of life features. (The craft bag, I could not live without my craft bag, seriously.)

Some version of ESO will be free on the Epic Game store starting tomorrow - my assumption is that it will be the version that contains all DLC/expansions except the Necrom chapter, which was just released last month. I highly recommend picking it up if you play on PC, just to check it out, if anything above sounds appealing to you! (And if you want to splurge, I can very highly recommend Necrom - the new class it introduces is maybe my favorite class to play yet, the two companions it introduces are fantastic, and Apocrypha is a fascinating area to explore if you like creepy eldritch horror type stuff.)

If you want to know more about ESO, just give me a shout! And if you're a mutual who decides to try it, hit me up, I have many gifts to give people!

[memaidraws]

On Repeat Playlist Tag Game

Rules: Shuffle your repeat playlist 10 times and tag 10 people. Tagged by @flymmsy 😘

If you've ever wanted to laugh at my musical tastes, no better opportunity now, folks!

I know a lot of you guys are within the venn diagram of shared/mutual fandoms, so what I'll do for this (to make things interesting) is assign a pairing for each song and a wee rationale as to why ;)

Tagging: @defira85 @atypicalacademic @dirty-bosmer @henbased @braindancer @feykiller @vasiktomis @circlejourney @chickenparm @sweatandwoe (sorry if you've been tagged before!)

SHEPARD / GARRUS (Mass Effect) Okay, Reina's technically not 'Shepard', and this is a big cheat because Jeon Somi is her voice claim haha. Definitely a song she's released out of spite when Garrus all but disappeared to play vigilante on Omega ;)

MARTIN SEPTIM / MARINA CORVUS (TES IV: Oblivion) Listen, listen, this song is so perfectly them it actually kind of hurts a lot. To people that surrounded Martin, Emperor-to-be, Marina was exactly the kind of troublemaker they needed him to stay away from. But to Brother Martin the man made of flesh? She was everything to him uwu

GORTASH / DURGE (Baldur's Gate III) Come on now, the lyrics are PERFECT for a Durge lamenting about the big dumb crush she's got on Enver and oh my god? He likes her back? (She says, kicking her feet in the air, after a bloody massacre, much to Sceleritas Fel's dismay)

MAYOR HANCOCK / LEE (Fallout 4) UGH oh my god so I know Lee Know from Stray Kids is his faceclaim but this song is very much them. Wanting to run away, seeking freedom where they can take it? Not wanting to take shit for all the crap that's been thrown their way? Yeah <3 Maybe for a modern AU <3

GORTASH / DARK URGE (Baldur's Gate III) It's not cheating! If Kill! Kill! Kill! was from Durge's perspective, I can see this being from Gortash's perspective (the fact this is one genuine emo/alt??? perfect for Gorty's aging rockstar look). Like come on, it's in the name, the lyrics, the screamo bridge? Davey Havok knows what's up.

ONMUND / ALREK (TES V: Skyrim) Oh man. Oh man so this particular album from Bastille has been very Onmund/Alrek coded to me (for reasons I won't get into yet ;D) But this is very much like Alrek watching the world quite literally burn and the only thing he can think of is courting the cute mage and throwing all his cares into the wind. After all, when the world's ending, why does any of it matter?

CAPT DELACOURT / MC (Heart of a Sky Pirate) Hey, my otome game officially lives on an app, so this counts ;D But these more upset, shanty-esque songs definitely reminds me of Delacourt and his romance route. Throwing your cares to the wind (literally) and having a grand ol' time no matter where the adventure takes you.

F!SOLE SURVIVOR / CURIE (Fallout 4) Hear me out: I think Parker's (my sole) romance with Curie is almost highschool puppy love. And it doesn't help that they both have some pretty huge baggage that they need to work through-- so having someone to lean on and love in a way that's easy, carefree and happy? Yeah they're gonna hold onto that <3

STELLE / MARCH 7TH (Honkai: Star Rail) Forever crying that my Caelus is getting so many better pulls than my Stelle, but fwiw, I definitely think Stelle and March have a very fun, easy-going relationship. Kinda need to when you're Trailblazing across the galaxy in a giant space train (and angering gods along the way, oops!)

GALE DEKARIOS / TAV (Baldur's Gate III) Hear me out: I think these two would be so into each other in the way that they absolutely would not leave each other alone. You think Astarion/Tav is bad? These two have it worse. To be more precise, my Tav for this romance, Rae, is very much into exploring his romantic curiosities with Gale. No one else makes him feel as safe and wanted uwu

[dirty-bosmer]

First Line, Last Line, Best Line

The gist of this game is to share the very first line of your current fic WIP, the very last line of it, (you may cheat a bit if your last line is too spoilery) and your favorite line so far. You don't have to explain why. You can just leave it there with no context.

I was tagged by @thequeenofthewinter and @snowberry-crostata— thank you very much 🥰

Tagging: @atypicalacademic @justafoxhound @goddess-of-sorrow @kookaburra1701 @gilgamish @expended-sleeper @zomboidatomic @skyrim-forever @dumpsterhipster @chennnington @burningsilence and whoever else comes across this post :)

From the next chapter of my Oblivion fic, The Illusionist (progress is going slow, what can I say 😅)

First Line

Nim didn’t remember the house being so brittle before, but every creak of the floorboards came hoarse, summoned from deep within the wood, a wail like each step she took was splintering a poorly set bone.

Last Line... that I've written thus far

“Love me,” Elianna said. “Show me kindness. Show me anger. Put your hands on me, and shape me into something not entirely new.”

Favorite Line

Whatever it was, Nim hoped he was there, that with every step closer those memories might crystallize, that his ghost might leap out from the walls, come back to haunt her, and even if it was only a gelid, spectral touch, it would be better than feeling nothing of him ever again. 

[runevex]

When people say Starfield starts slow and gets a lot better, they are right. But I think I have figured out why that is.

I have played a lot of Starfield at this point, I'm at about 13 hours.

The first 10ish hours were spent kinda aimless and confused, and then it all clicked into place. I think the reason is that this game, to a great extent, is allergic to tutorials.

The game has an incredibly brief intro, as compared to other BGS titles. There's a fairly short (comparitive to Skyrim) cutscene; a mandatory fight; a cutscene and flight tutorial that you can skip; and a short mandatory dungeon. After that, the game just throws you into the thick of it.

If you follow the "main story" there are a few more very brief text screen tutorials (think, the lockpick tutorial in Fallout 4, just a text box). But basically, you are fully on your own to figure out how the systems in this game work. And there are a LOT of systems.

It takes about 10 or 12 hours to piece everything together to really get an idea on what exactly this game is doing, what it's about, what the point is.

Now, I understand why it has done this. Starting a new playthrough of Skyrim, Fallout 4, Fallout 3, Oblivion... The intro/tutorial takes forever to get past. Then even when you think you are done, you really aren't. For example, Concord in Fallout 4 is still tutorial. Bleak Falls Barrow in Skyrim is also still tutorial.

Starfield does not do this. It's more like Fallout New Vegas. Make a character, and go. The difference between Starfield and New Vegas however is the number of game systems you need to understand and keep track of.

New Vegas doesn't really ever explain the Reloading Bench to you. You just have to figure it out. But, that's one game system that you honestly never have to actually interact with. Starfield immediately has about a dozen game systems that you do need to have a baseline understanding of.

I'm sure the idea behind not having tutorials is to respect the player's time on subsequent playthroughs.

I am also sure the reason that so MANY content creators got early access to the game, was to have video guides explaining game systems made to replace the tutorials in a sense. However in the absence of YouTube videos or proper tutorials, it takes about 12 hours to actually get into the right groove with this game.

If you did not pay $30 for a week of early access to this game, which is a more than valid stance, I think you won't have this problem with the game as badly. By that point, enough high quality video guides will exist and be posted by reputable gaming YouTubers that you won't need tutorials in the same way.

I also think that on subsequent playthroughs, we will all be glad that the game does not hold your hand and drag you anywhere.

However Starfield as it exists now does not have enough tutorials for you to really have the game click for a while. Once it does click, it's an amazing experience.

So don't be afraid to watch video guides explaining the game systems. You are doing yourself a disservice if you don't.

[dragonbored]

riverwood, kynesgrove, and riften for the skyrim asks!

i triumph once again (in my mission of pleading for asks)

Riverwood - Hadvar or Ralof? Why?

none. lokir

Kynesgrove - What’s your favorite non-major city/town/settlement?

hmm… HMMMM…… i’m a bit partial to rorikstead (erik…..)

i Do also like dragon bridge it’s fun to go thru that fancy ass bridge to visit solitude. i think it should be bigger though. as should every settlement in skyrim. yet another thing oblivion did better…

(i don’t actually know if the cities in oblivion are that much bigger but them having multiple inns makes it feel that way) (i just love oblivion)

Riften - What’s your favorite guild? How do you feel about their questline?

i just answered this [insert link i can’t be bothered to add] [click me tag. if u even care]

thank u for the ask… i am forever in your debt

[ladytanithia]

WIP Wednesday

tagged by @thequeenofthewinter

Trigger warning: prelude to SA, nothing terribly graphic.

Future chapter of The Best-Laid Plans Oft Go Awry.

tagging @dirty-bosmer @skyrim-forever @gwilin-stay-winnin @mareenavee @thechaosdragoness @thana-topsy

“My jarl, I’ve helped your people as you asked,” Miranja told Siddgeir with a respectful bow.

“Yes, about that thane title…” Siddgeir said, eyeing her shrewdly. “There are some things you must know about this position that would be better discussed in private.”

Miranja’s hackles rose. So far, no other jarl had indicated there was anything secretive about the position she’d been granted. This didn’t feel right. Nonetheless, ignoring the voice of alarm in her head, she followed Siddgeir when he rose and went to his private chamber, figuring she could defend herself against one man if it came to that.

Once the door was closed, Siddgeir got right to the point. He drew very close to her but refrained from touching her. “Before I give you the pleasure of becoming a thane in my court, I’d like for you to give me some pleasure. Understand?” He reached up and lightly toyed with the lock of hair that had loosened at her temple.

Oh, she understood, all right. What an ass! “Jarl Siddgeir, I don’t know what kind of woman you think I am, but I don’t use sex to get special treatment. My work for you throughout the hold should speak for itself. If you think I’m going to sleep with you to become a thane, then you’re sadly mistaken, and you can shove your thane position straight up your ass.”

He actually seemed to be amused and aroused by her defiance. “Sweetheart,” he said condescendingly, “your reputation as a crimefighting sellsword isn’t the only reputation that’s followed you here. Now, if you want to keep that choice piece of land I gave you, then you’ll return the favor with a choice piece of ass. Call it an agreement between friends.”

Miranja was too stunned by his audacity to know how to respond. She really wanted to keep that land – aside from Proudspire, it was her favorite property. Plus, she was concerned about who in Oblivion might have told him about her sexual activities and who else might be in the know. Or was he bluffing?

Before she could respond, he spoke again. “If you want to play hard-to-get for a little excitement, I think I can play along.” He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and balled it up in his fist. In the couple of seconds it took her to realize what he planned to do with the handkerchief, he had grabbed both of her hands and squeezed them tightly together in one hand, then grabbed her head with the hand holding the handkerchief and pulled her toward him.

Gods, why was she always so slow to think to use her Shouts?

He kissed her forcefully, pushing his tongue into her mouth, exploring, then he withdrew and stuffed the handkerchief into her mouth before she could use a Shout against him. And why didn’t she take the opportunity to bite his gods-damned tongue off? Was she afraid of punishment? Or did she…

[talldarkandroguesome]

15th of Second Seed, Sundas

I got an invitation from Mother to have a meal with her.

Of course such words fill a mer with fear. Mother rarely wants to meet at her home unless I have done something worth lecturing or berating me over. I can only guess what fresh pocket of Oblivion this lecture is going to send me to.

It completely spoiled my day.

I had enjoyed a wonderful morning with Sildras just before that. He had wanted to hear some music and he sang along as I played the qanun. It was good to have something to share with him. We could bond even over just this.

He told me that he missed little Khes and his other younger siblings in The Clan. And I thought about how much he must have enjoyed that time where he was actually spending day after day with other children and able to safely play and be himself. I know that it is hard for him to do anything similar back in Mournhold. There are no other children of our class in his age range and unfortunately, if I do not want to have further lectures from Mother about propriety, I cannot allow him to just run off and play with any child his age. If we still had any servants with children his age, then we could allow it without any worry.

It feels awful that the only way to allow my son to play with his peers is to be disguised as something we are not and travel away from home. What sort of message does that send to him? My heart grieves for the way class structure shackles him to loneliness. I had two peers and a cousin of similar age. But Sildras has no one. Everyone is far too old to be a peer or they are an infant. He just happened to be born between the generations. It is poor luck.

I know that at Shad Astula there are few near to his age. Even with the expansion of students from across the Pact, most are not children. The majority are Dunmer who are not yet adults by our social standards, who are in training. Another portion are those of a slightly lower class who have earned entrance through deeds that prove their abilities and have come to learn as adults. And the rest are mostly those from Black Marsh or Skyrim with skills and connections that have deemed them worthy of furthering their training at our prestigious institution. 

The number of young children who are enrolled is infinitesimal. It is the exception to the rule. I hear that there is the daughter of a Redoran Councilor who is being considered entrance upon her twelfth year as well, but she is still a couple years younger than Sildras and so he will not be able to enjoy her company until then. Unless her parents have an arrangement as we do with Sildras, where the year before that time, he is attending in half day sessions to accelerate his studies.

I hear that the family is currently located in Vvardenfell, so they would have to relocate to one of the Redoran Mournhold estates, or at the least to Deshaan. They have holdings in the east of the region, so there is no reason why they could not also consider the option. I will not pretend to know Redoran politics enough to speculate further, but suffice to say, they have many options.

There is a meeting tomorrow night with Sildras’ professors to discuss his educational plan. Normally Avon would attend, but as I feel disconnected to my son’s education and Avon is not speaking to me, I have decided to go myself. If Avon is willing to accompany me, I would be delighted, but, given his scarcity in my presence of late, I do not expect that he will have any desire to spend so long with me. Perhaps since it is in regards to Sildras’ future he will reconsider.

The Three only know what will happen moving forward between us. I should like to think that he will not remain angry at me forever, but Ervis managed to carry his grudge against me for over a century and a half, so who is to say that Avon will not do the same.

[thequeenofthewinter]

Work-in-Progress Wednesday

Hello and welcome to another edition of my screeching madness. Today we have a special different POV...those of you who remember the elf from last snippet? Well, here he is...(And even if you don't remember him you don't need to.)

Tagging: @oblivions-dawn @dirty-bosmer @umbracirrus @sylvienerevarine @bostoniangirl21 @arisenlicious @skyrim-forever @vivifriend @tallmatcha @changelingsandothernonsense @bougainvillea-and-saltwater @ladytanithia @your-talos-is-problematic @throughtrialbyfire

Late summer rain pours from the sky making the grey and lifeless scenery of Hjaalmarch appear ever more bleak and dull. Mud cakes to the sides of Elisindir’s boots, causing them to squelch as he drops the latest letter his mother has written him onto the ground. The swampy water or mudcrabs will take care of it, and he is beyond caring at the moment.

Why can’t just once in his sorry, sodden life someone have the tiniest sliver of faith in him? He has done many things, written many articles, and it was even by his hand that the Emperor now lies dead? Does she not remember this?

A pale hand reaches up to slick back his the dripping strands of his hair once again. At least the weather fits his mood. He sighs and stops for a moment, looking up at the sky and allowing the drops to wash down his body. If only they could weigh him down further like the heft of of his boots. He could sink right down into the marshes and disappear. Would she even care? He doubts it very much.

After all, he is but nothing but an afterthought. He merely exists to be remembered as secondhand.

Maybe he truly belongs here, scattered, pale and forgotten just like the ghosts whose spirits reportedly wander through this accursed swamp.

He would deserve no less.

For now, however, he must pick up his leaden feet and trudge himself back to Solitude—the irony of which is not lost on him. He is well and truly alone out here.

As he begins to walk North, the familiar screech of a saber cat reaches his ears over the din of the rain and wind whipping around him. He shivers for a moment as he has heard tales of those who come face-to-face with one of Skyrim’s most vicious beasts. Up until now, he has been lucky enough to avoid them, and he starts walking faster away from the noise until he hears a faint shouting in the distance. At first, he is unsure if he really hears it or if it is just a trick of the wind, but then it comes again a bit louder. Is that—?

No. It can’t be. Not here and not now of all times.

Elisindir turns to look behind him, as if he could confirm what he hears in the distance. No. No. No. You cannot stop, and you cannot go back there. If you have continued to stay alive in this Divines-forsaken country, it is only because you have kept your head down and done as your mother said. You are not a hero. You do not amount to anything. Do not start now because it will only end in more disappointment.

[memorymessage]

also, skyrim and oblivion tiktok goes hard

i feel like a lot of people don't know that jeremy soule, the composer for the elder scrolls sound tracks since morrowind, is a PoS predator

but damn... streets of whiterun and masser and secunda got me on my knees beggin for my life man

Like

You cannot run forever

No

Gotta learn your lesson child

yeah idk why i just started singing kevin abstract

[babyblueetbaemonster]

Long post if you want to read what I got so far for each ocs.

Jokir:

Friendly goofball. Dragonborn No.1. Born in some small farm near Rorikstead. Loves magic and elves despite his family's hatred toward them. Age 26 at the event of Helgen. Is a powerful Enchanter loves to collect magical artifacts. Currently lives in Dawnstar in Heljarchen Hall. Married Farkas and has two beautiful children Lucia and Runa. His morality is ''if no one sees, it ain't crime'', but won't tell you 'cause he's a good liar. Stop killing dragons after he learned the Bend Will shout because hanging out with dragons is cool.

Naythaa:

The righteous Spellsword. Dragonborn No.2. Lived in eastern Morrowind with some Telvanni refugees (pretend that's lore friendly) and trained to be a body guard. Travel to Skyrim looking for Aetherium. Age 58 when she first set foot on Skyrim thus has more experience in combat, problem solving and such. Level 100 in all magic skills. Currently lives in College of Winterhold. Will visit her husband Farkas at least once a month in Lake View Manor.

Sundros:

Baby killing machine. Nerevarine. A literal 15 yo kid got sent to Seyda Neen for some prophecy. Very positive, open minded and imaginative. Contracted corpus and stay forever young. Even Azura can't stop her from worshipping the Almsivi because they're the cooler tribunal (things end badly). Really wants to talk things out with the Sixth House because they got along quite well (things end badly). Leave everything behind and travel to Solstheim. Help building the Raven Rock from scratch.

During the Oblivion Crisis, she's doing the Hircine's Hunt (pretend that's lore friendly so I can explain why she's not helping with the crisis and that's why there're no oblivion door open on Solstheim). When Brara Morvayn and her people traveled here to seek refuge, she convinced the East Empire Company to let House Redoran stay in Raven Rock. She served as one of the Redoran Guard ever since. Never reveal her Nerevarine identity, not even to her adopted son Dubak.

Acelta:

Gentle sad elf. Hero of Kvatch. Bastard child got passed around from relative to relative. Sold to slaver by them. Got sent to Imperial prison for something he didn't do. Fought in Arena and traumatized by all the killing. After escaping the prison, he joined the Mages Guild, walked the Pilgrimage of the Nine Divines, and closed every Oblivion Gates as his responsibility. With all the stress and trauma piled up, losing Martin finally broke him. He went in a strange door and closed it from the inside.

Dubak:

Scary looking cinnamon roll. Dragonborn No.3. Adopted by Sunny (she didn't tell him she's the Nerevarine) and lived in Solstheim. Growing up accompanying his ma on various missions, he's a skillful fighter. Travels to Skyrim at age of 36. Met his best friend Inigo the Brave. Made a tiny tent in Farlkreath hold, but his passion of crafting let him build more and more. In the end he built a big castle and an entire village. He even have private army for some unknow reason (Build Your Noble House is a fun mod).

Viceeraud:

I actually don't have too much story for him. All I have is he stole from the Mages Guild and got kicked out, so he joined the House Telvanni to learn magic.

Caythees:

Feral Criminal. Caythees the Chameleon is a Fighter's Guild member by day, skillful thief by night. Contracted Vampirism after she stole the Elder Scroll so she left the Fighter's Guild, afraid some hunter may kill her for what she's become. Joined the Dark Brotherhood for they don't view her as a monster. Later cured her Vampirism and fought in Arena for the thrill of killing.

Taraelan:

Bloodthirsty monster. Born in Markarth and grow up Namira worshipping cannibal. Joined a group of bandits and become a vampire (sometimes master vampire will stay with bandits for some unknown reason). Joined the Dark Brotherhood later on. His motto is "Sneak is for the weak" and will kill people in broad daylight. Have high bounty in every hold. Currently lives in the Abandoned House in Markarth. Has a crush on Muiri.

[irascible-iridescent]

If i cant shoot the bad guy’s head off then whats the point?

[mooshs-crack-headcanons]

Serana falling in love with Dragonborn!s/o

So I've been burnout lately so in attempts to get back into swings of things, here's a self indulgent request that no one asked for and I guess I write for the elder scrolls now.

From the very moment she fell out of that coffin at Dimhollow Crypt, Serana would never saw her life leading up to this point where she is now; from the treacherous journey to the Soul Cairn leading to the reunion with her mother, the beauty of the Ancestor Glade, the dangerously stupid fall down Darkfall Grotto, to getting your hands on Auriel's bow to put an end to the prophecy and the life of her father - all these things done with someone as amazing as you right by her side and she’s forever internally grateful for everything that you’ve done.

Now even with that, love is something that’s...a delicate matter for her for lots of good and valid reasons given everything vile that came with becoming a daughter of coldharbour and that she really doesn’t know all that much about the current state of the world since her thousand year slumber, so commitment isn’t something that she’s ready for a very long while. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have feelings for you, over the course of your father-slaying journey together that’s something she is most definitely aware of with the particular moment she can recalling being aware of it these feelings swelling in her being when you were marching around, sparkling, with a slab of tree bark in your hands muttering curses to any god that came to your head as you were swarmed in Ancestor moths. It was...adorably cute and it was such an amusing sight to behold. 

After Harkon’s defeat and with Skyrim safe from the Vampire overrule threat the two of you continued to journey the land together, traveling from Hold to Hold and getting into more and more adventures and fetch quests together. Everyday didn’t have a single boring quality to it, the town of you were always going out and killing or looting something together, even with her ‘undead’ status she never felt more living. 

In the down time the two of you did have, a hobby the two of you share is storytelling (Usually when you have to make camp for the night or when you stay at inns) for both of your benefits; when it’s her turn you get to learn about what the world was like before the Septim Empire and when it’s yours Serana gets to hear tales of what it was like while she was sleeping, most notably the tale of the Oblivion Crisis which was the start of the downfall of the Empire and why it’s...how fucked it is today. 

With her Vampire powers, Serana tends to heal herself very quickly now while you as dragonborn do as well, you still get very beat up from time to time especially when it comes to having to deal with giants and their mammoth herd or when roaming large dwemer ruins and fighting off the old machinery of the ancient dwarves. So there's times where she has to deal with your injuries whether it being finishing up killing the last few foes in the room or just sitting on the floor with you waiting for you to heal back at the relatively decent but sometimes slow at times pace because you either forgot to buy enough of the necessary potions you need the last time you were in town or you chugged all of them down much earlier on dealing with a hard enemy. When this happens you either tease and joke at each other whether it be by the predicament you're in or Serana just mentions something like the one time you got so wasted with a daedric prince you proposed to a Hagraven (and breaking said Hagraven; Moira's heart) because that's something she's never going to let you down on, which leaves you with heat on your cheeks as you further repressed that whole night back out of your head. But on the bright side with her teasing it does make her giggle, which makes the embarrassment quite worth it.

Much later into your companionship together our both of your mutual romantic feelings know, and again with love/commitment being a thing Serana isn't yet ready for, you surprise her, when she turns down your confession and starts explaining herself you stop her - giving her one of the most loving gentlest smiles she's ever seen and tell her it's fine that after everything that happened she deserves time for her own personal recovery for her build up trauma and that your more than happy to support her by standing at her side as her partner in arms, dragging her in your silly dragonborn shenanigans - killing dragons, helping people in need, and maybe stealing the occasional sweet roll that whenever she feels right, you'll be waiting for her to go at the pace she needs to whenever that may be. 

Your words mean more to her more than you could possibly realize as she tackles you in an off guard hug, her face tucked in your neck/chest (depending on your height) and she mutters out a thank you, her voice barely above a whisper as everything just hits her at once. She does love you and a part of her screams at herself that she doesn't deserve someone such as amazing and caring as you but as she clings onto you something else tells her with this wonderful ache in her dead chest to never let go and lose herself in the feeling of being held by you. 

Sometime later down the road, after Alduin has been slayed, the rocky civil war settled, and the Holds at peace at last you and Serana pack up to leave Skyrim, the taste of adventure still not yet quenched and Serana still curious on what the state of the rest of Tamriel is like after a thousand years of slumber, this time hand in hand as you set off past Skyrim's border and set off for your next destination. Together at your own pace, now and forever. 

If you like what you read please consider reblogging! It means the world for writers and artists!

Tagging list

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How to be added to the tagging list + additional info

[comradeacerbus]

Miraak Headcannons (for fanfic)

Okay, so, I’ve been planning a Skyrim fic for some time now. I started one, but it fell through due to a lack of proper planning. Now that I know what I’m doing, I’m gonna try again! I’m just posting some notes on everyone’s favorite jackass here because I needed something to post. Obviously, since this is my fic, I’ll be referencing my granola-crunching pacifist Dragonborn, Haldis Ragnardottir.

Bethesda didn’t give us much to work with but that just makes it more interesting. I’m just getting a feel for his personality now so I can keep him consistent.

* Miraak was already getting up there in age by the time his revolt against Alduin fell through, so he’s a bit old and grey now. Maybe in his sixties physically, though he looks more past his use by date because of how Oblivion has affected his outward appearance.

* Stupidly tall because, yknow, Atmorans.

* He’s a dirty old man. He doesn’t come off that way initially, but internally, Miraak is a pervert. While he won’t get physical with women, he won’t hesitate to say something pervy.

* Just because he’s a bit pervy doesn’t mean he’s promiscuous. He certainly has game, I imagine, but he feels he’s too old to go throwing his weight around. It’s mostly for his own entertainment

* He loves to make people uncomfortable, especially our little baby Dwagonbown. Constantly picking on her, saying weird pervy shit, just constantly flustering her for his own amusement.

* A really good talker, can worm his way out of any bad situation with his words. He’s also a natural politician. He can make any insane remark and easily justify it to anyone who’s willing to listen to him.

* He’s no liar though. Not unlike Odahviing, he might not tell the whole truth, but he won’t tell much in the way of lies. He’ll just manipulate the truth. It’s no wonder he was so able to lead a cult, really.

* Literate in multiple languages. Obviously the Imperial language spoke in Tamriel and Dovahzul, but he is also fluent in Daedric and has dabbled in Falmer and Dwemer dialects as well, though he dislikes the cultures themselves as an Atmoran. He probably started looking into them out of sheer boredom in Apocrypha.

* He’s definitely looked into more than just languages in his time in Oblivion. He’s looked into various magics, histories of ancient civilizations, Aedra, Daedra, trades, and everything in between. In other words, Miraak knows his shit about a lot of things.

* In spite of how much he knows about a wide range of subjects, a jack of all trades is a master of none. He’s not talented in all the fields he’s studied, but he’s honed his main skills to a fine point. Namely the art of shouting, various styles of swordplay, and the main schools of magic.

* He frowns very strongly upon thieving and sneaking about. Subtly is one thing, but being sneaky and deceitful is a whole nother ball game to him. He dislikes the idea of assassinations, especially the use of poison. He much prefers the ancient Atmoran-Nordic tradition of openly challenging an authority figure for his seat.

* Under all the arrogance, Miraak actually does have some wisdom to him, and he does learn from his and others’ mistakes. He likes to pretend that he didn’t change after narrowly escaping Apocrypha, simply because he doesn’t want to admit that what he did was wrong, but he certainly has changed some of his views.

* Simply speaking of Oblivion’s Princes makes him uncomfortable because he wants nothing to do with them now, though he’d never admit that he’s afraid. He might be garbage in a lot of ways, but he’s definitely still human.

* Apocrypha has most certainly disfigured him, as well as the night Vahlok and his legion of Dragons burned his temple to the ground. He has some burns scars on his chest and some smaller ones on his face. They no doubt would have been worse, were it not for the metal of his mask. Apocrypha has made his skin pasty and his hair white and nasty looking no matter how much he cleans himself or walks around in the daylight. His sclera are also darkened permanently. He doesn’t wear his mask anymore, and instead prefers his hood when he returns to Tamriel, but he won’t usually show his face to anyone, aside from the Dragonborn, because he’s ashamed of what his choices have done to his body.

* He’s of an ectomorph body type. He’s super tall and towers over Haldis, but he’s not especially muscular. He’s got the broad shoulders of an early Nord, but he’s actually quite skinny. I imagine he tries his best to bulk up with his robes. The other cult leaders most certainly poked fun at him for him.

* After he and Haldis bury the hatchet and accept that they’re stuck together, I imagine he starts to see her as a niece/granddaughter/little sister figure. She doesn’t know much about shouting combatively, and he knows that her overall lack of fighting experience is likely to get her killed, so he begins teaching her from the ground up. It’s initially a thing out of necessity, but he later grows to enjoy it. Not like he’d admit it.

* He may have changed a little since his imprisonment, but he’ll still keep his pride forever. It’s what got him stuck with Herma-Mora, and it’s what got him through so much time in Oblivion.

* The main thing he was worried about for the time of his imprisonment was that he’d turn into a Seeker, but his will as a Dragonborn is likely what kept him from turning, so he’ll cling to his arrogance and his stubbornness till death does him part from Mundus.

* Yeah, he’s old fashioned and very stubborn, but he’s not unreasonable. He’ll listen to one’s argument, but with how well-spoken he is, he usually “wins” the debate, ultimately.

* Even if he is reasonable in the realm of debate, he will stop at nothing to get what he wants, even if it means using or hurting people to do so. This is a result of his inner Dovah. Haldis finds this rather insufferable and it’s one of the main reasons as to why they fight.

* When he gets drunk, he’ll sort of “forget” it’s not the Merithic Era anymore and will start speaking to people in Dovahzul and then get pissy when only Haldis can understand him. He doesn’t normally like to drink in his ripe old age, though, so it’s not something that happens often.

* A similar thing will also happen when he gets angry. He never loses his temper, but when he gets frustrated, he’ll start belting out Dovahzul rapidly.

* He may also speak Dovahzul to Haldis when trying to be subtle. For example, Haldis has to deal a lot in Skyrim’s politics as a diplomat, so if Miraak needs to tell her something or remind her to say something, he’ll tell her in Dovahzul so she doesn’t look dumb.

* The Dovahzul he speaks is a different dialect, though, given their difference in age, so things have been lost in translation from time time, resulting in small, humorous mishaps. He also finds Haldis’s accent when speaking Dovahzul to be very irritating, and mocks her for it quite a bit, usually saying that she sounds like she has a speech impediment.

* As her accent gets better, in his almighty opinion, they’ll have entire conversations together in Dovahzul when they’re alone, like out on the road or something.

I might reblog and take on some more here later. This is just some basic junk that’s not really organized. Also I did not proofread but shhhh

[foulserpent]

skyrim gets a lot of flack for its writing but i think oblivion is by far the worst in terms of the “whys” of its storyline. characters do things and things are the way they are entirely bc the plot demands them to, instead of making like. really minimal writing effort to have them make sense? like a lot of these things have reasonable answers but they arent really in the text at all

like

why didnt uriel septim bother to find out anything about his secret bastard (who he evidentally kept hidden intentionally) so he could send you right  to him instead of to jauffre?

(literally everything surrounding martins backstory and the logistics of his birth)

why didnt uriel septim in any way attempt to prevent the oblivion crisis that he had pretty solid foreknowledge of?

why didnt uriel septim attempt to avoid his death considering the prophetic foreknowledge of its time and place?

why doesnt jauffre come with you or at least send a bladesman with to retrieve martin so they can take care of that business right away?

why DOES he so easily lose the amulet of kings?

what technically stops the mythic dawn from opening an oblivion gate at least adjacent to cloud ruler temple?

why isnt there any acknowledgment whatsoever about dagon’s previous invasions and subsequent banishings? why cant anything like that work again?

why CANT the dragonfires be lit after dagon crosses over? its not his first time on mundus

why exactly is the “solution” to summon the avatar of akatosh something apparent to martin? we sure as hell arent in on it (also what exactly does martin do to himself to trigger that bc genuinely its not that clear)

basically what are the mechanics of literally all of the amulet dragonfire emperor equation?

why exatly does martin’s sacrifice apparently close the barriers forever? could a previous septim have ended the covenant in the same way and accomplished the same task?

[view-from-over-the-controller]

The Music Of Skyrim - An Instant Transportation Tool To Another World.

Skyrim, A world of cold mountains, calming streams,  glistening water, and the gentle trickling of them as they run by, tall sprawling trees filled with dancing deer, deep dimly lit caves with damp glazed walls filled with secrets of the past, thick crisp snow crumbling beneath your feet. Stunning skylines lit by angelic rays of the sun or the glowing moon. 

Thatched roofs of small warm cottages and houses, towering cities of cobblestone bustling with stalls and shops. 

Large echoing Wooden halls filled with the booming voices of Nords, glowing fires surrounded by drinkers of mead and wine readying themselves for the timeless classic “The Dragon Born Comes”. 

From the shadowing mountains covered in crystal white snow to the towns, openings, and forests Skyrim’s fantasy world is one of the finest places to escape into and lose yourself in. 

But there is something that makes all of the aforementioned things feel so real and it’s the veil that covers it all, and seems so effortlessly intertwined with every piece of this fantastic land and breathes life into it all and makes a visually aging game feel so timeless. That is its music. 

In this short piece, I look to break down the Music from this game and why it is a magical example of how music can transport you just by listening to it to a world of wonder and fantasy. 

The Epic. 

Ahhh the pure nostalgic bliss of a memory that is the Skyrim trailer.

Drums batter from a distance as you face a wall of thick stone. “Bethesda Games Studios” flashes onto the screen. Your mind lights up with the thoughts of imperial cities and nuclear wastelands and a familiar sense of knowing that what you are about to see is going to change your life forever. 

“The Elder Scrolls told of the return” now your brain a flurry of intrigue and happiness. You hear tribal voices in unison with an orchestra. “The time after Oblivion opened” the green trees of Tamriel sprout into a forest of memories in your mind swinging claymores and shooting arrows zip by and you land in front of the fiery orange glow of a portal, dark sinister skies surround you as imps, Daedra and other terrors pour out at you. “I was there when the gates of Oblivion were sealed,” you say to yourself with a smirk of pride spreading across your face. 

“When the truth dawns, It dawns in fire” the tribal voices erupt into a unified chorus as you see a stone dragon blow fire. Now your brain explodes into a complete frenzy of excitement. (DRAGONS?!! FREAKING DRAGONS IN AN ELDER SCROLLS GAME?!!) You barely have a moment to react as the narrator says, “But there's one they fear” A tall armored figure stands with a shield breaking through dragon flames, “In their tongue is Dovakin, DRAGONBORN!” 

At this life-altering moment, the booming voices descend into the now famed “dragon born comes'' a gargantuan combination of choir, powerful orchestral tones, the familiar tune of the Elder scrolls series interwoven into the very fabric of it but in some way dialed up to the very maximum. This music makes you feel as if there is a spiraling swirling wind of a dragon all around you. A presence of size and magnitude. What a moment this trailer was a small well-constructed taste of what this game had to offer, a prerequisite to a game that would change so many lives from a storied and beloved franchise and a soundtrack that would provide such gravitas as to make you feel you are in a world filled with Dragons, undoubtedly unequivocally effortlessly epic. 

This level of music is continually used throughout the game. Most notably when you reach the Soveinguard and take on Alduin. The choir is in full voice as you reach the climax of this epic game. You, the Dragonborn, hours of experience enhancing your skills as your powers are fully amassed readily to seal away the Worldeater, with stars shining bright in the sky the fate of all existence in your hands. 

Another stand out for me is when you approach those distinct markings on the wall as time and destiny seem to call to you, your vision blurs, and those choir voices that seemingly echoed from eternity paint the picture as magic surrounds you, as the ancient power of a shout embodies itself within you.  

This amalgamation of choir and orchestra is a part of this soundtrack that will always stand out to me in its various placements in the game. It truly gives the feeling that you are playing a blockbuster fantasy and hits every time.

Just as it did that first time. your mouth was open, head pinned upwards in a flurry of fear and awe in Helgen as you saw a dragon sweeping overhead. This is my first example of how this game's music has the ability even when removed from its visuals and gameplay to take you exactly where you remember being when you first heard it. Just Magical. 

The Caves and Caverns.

The depths of Skyrim are almost entirely given character by its atmospheric music. Caves have a sense of wonder, a chasm ready to explore. Narrow, damp tunnels that glisten by torchlight. Coffins filled with gold and lifeless-looking Draugr’s ready to awaken and proverbially fuck your shit up for waking them from their slumber.

Apples and cheese are untouched for hundreds of years ready to eat (Must be some wacky Vivec style Dark Elf magic Preservatives covering them). The music in the caves gives the exploration of these dark corners of the world an ominous exciting feel. 

Tense hollow echoed sounds fill your ears in these labyrinths, gently teased orchestral strings are accompanied by dripping sounds and howling winds as if it’s calling to you as it travels through the hollow recesses of these long untouched spaces. 

As before, choirs are used when you enter into the mysterious stone halls filled with carvings and metallic steam-operated pistons in areas of Dwemmer construction, the questions rattle through your mind as you try to make sense of this empty, beautiful structural achievement left behind by an ancient and long passed race. 

This time though the choirs are subtle, gentle, and distant giving you a feeling of something akin to the great halls of Moria in the fellowship. 

The music in caves and caverns seesaws between giving you a sense of archaeological discovery and rumbling unease as danger or treasure could lurk around any corner. 

The music here gives life to these places and acts differently to my point before (which is more of a poignant thrust that makes you feel like you are in the midst of adventure and destiny) Instead, it acts as an atmospheric underlying that pads the experiences in these areas, and in my mind is the difference between feeling you are yet again, in a mindless video game dungeon but transported to a visceral, living and ancient place full of magic danger history and mystery.

The Ambience.

Now my fellow Dovahs of house Kins. We enter the most magical enthralling and nuanced part of the soundscape of this game. This is its ambient music. My heart will never stop being set alight by the majesty of Skyrim’s ambient music. I dare you to play “Awake” and not feel the internal voice of adventure whisper to you. To make you feel the need once more to walk the open world, to roam and adventure, to be smacked into the air by giants, and to refuse Skooma from the dodgy dealers who wander the moonlit roads at night.

The ambient music and all the tracks used in it give every inch of the world a feeling of wholeness. It for me seems to breathe a timeless life into this world that ignites some primal part of us. 

The part of us that wants to explore, to be told a story, that child-like part of us that was first absolved by stories of young girls in red hoods facing mischievous wolves and goats willing to cross the most troll riddles bridges. 

The music builds bridges between the game you are playing and your imagination and creates this seamless slipstream between the both which creates this amazing insatiable feeling because you are entirely in control of who you are, what you do, and where you go that at times these moments and memories are a mix between what you imagine the world to be and the amazing creation presented to you in graphics and gameplay.

This is the true magic of the ambient music of this game its ability to transcend giving context but create a connection between your sense of wonder and imagination and the actual game itself. 

This is what causes that feeling whenever you listen to it. That call to arms. That alluring want to escape back into this world and to experience its excellence again. That need to sit by the log cutter in Riverwood and watch the stream go by, and be filled with a sense of calm that's akin to this game's Shire. The need to take the walk to Whiterun filled with the piping hot news of the return of the dragons and end civil war. This near unexplainable magic is built over hours, days, months, and years of playing Elder Scrolls and taking in its lore and music. It is a true example of how music can be more than just enjoyable sound but a spiritual tool and one of the truest ways to connect our souls to the story we are consuming.

An instant transportation tool to another world.