#beastlyburden

[dalamusrex]

(Tommy) “Who said anything happened?”

"I heard a shout. I thought--well, I was worried, is all. Apologies. I hope I am not interrupting anything."

[whatoddities]

Friendly reminder that I no longer have access to the following blogs thanks to Tumblr:

Arlain - dragonbornguard (created 9 years ago, 31 pages of content) Tommy - lifesadogfight (created 6 years ago, 41 pages of content) Arlow - notalwaysthiscuddly (created 8 years ago, 39 pages of content) Sibby - sibjorn (created 9 years ago, 61 pages of content) Signy - eternaltaxidermy (created 9 years ago, 33 pages of content) Cyril - riftenriffraff (created 8 years ago, 24 pages of content)

I do still have access to the following, but some of them may be replaced or merged with a blog I lost:

Tortulja - tortulja Shad - honortoprove Bo - bloodshonor Bart - quickerpickerupper Asher - scoundrelsfolly Thias - bolstertheranks Dram - bedlamdram Nelle - gravecuriosity Arlow and Tommy - beastlyburden

[dalamusrex]

(Tommy) “To lose someone is to carry a piece of them within us forever.”

"Mm," Dalamus hums in agreement, nodding mildly. He leans back in the wooden bench where he sits beside Tommy.

"The pieces start out like shards, I think." He pauses to think on his metaphor, watching as people pass by. "They lose most of their edges over time, like a river polishing glass over years. I spent a very long time attempting to avoid loss by never growing attached. Sometimes I long for the simplicity again, but I could never go back to that, knowing what I know now. Having had what I have had."

[dalamusrex]

(Arlow) “Loss changes us in ways we can never fully comprehend.”

"It certainly does..." Dalamus heaves a sigh, lets the comment sit in the air between them for a moment, then takes a sip of his wine.

"I would love to say that it always turns out alright, but often it just hurts like Oblivion for a while, and then you drag your bloody self out of it. Or have friends drag you out of it, kicking and screaming. ...I suppose not everyone is lucky enough to have friends willing to do such a thing."

[dalamusrex]

(Arlow) “Would you like a drink? ...well... if you can drink mead or wine, that is.”

"I would love some wine, if you have it. Preferably red. ...I swear it is a coincidence--it just tastes better than white. Mead is a bit too sweet for my tastes."

[dalamusrex]

What is Dal's most unusual habit?

This one took a while for me to think of an answer for! For all of Dal's eccentricities, his general habits are surprisingly mundane.

He paces when he is upset. He self-soothes by pushing a hand through his hair. He touches his face, especially his scars, when thinking absentmindedly. He cleans his teeth every day and chews mint to make his breath smell nice. He makes the bed when he wakes up. He goes for a walk or run when he has pent up energy. Etc, etc.

But one thing stuck out to me: the way he speaks, and the way he addresses others.

Dalamus has a very particular way of speaking, and it is entirely deliberate! He does not use contractions in his speech. In general, he projects his voice clearly, and speaks at a measured pace. This is his way of making sure he always sounds as comprehensible as possible (there's no mistaking "can't" for "can" if he says "cannot" instead).

He also does not tend to shorten names, unless the name is given to him shortened and he is unaware of one's full name. One example is that he knows Tortulja's full name and addresses her as such, rather than her nickname Tort, even though he is aware of the nickname. But when meeting Oriinthel, she introduced herself as Ori, so that is what Dalamus calls her as he is not privy to her full name. It's just his way of making sure his speech is clearly understood and consistent.

In lieu of nicknames, he will use terms of endearment. His favorites are "darling" and "sweetheart", or occasionally "love" or "my love". "Darling" is sometimes used sarcastically, while "sweetheart" is most often genuine affection. "Love/my love" is typically used for a romantic partner but is not necessarily exclusive to them. Sometimes he will create his own nickname for loved ones, such as Tommy's nickname "Hla Shud" which means "little tooth" in Dunmeris on account of Tommy being a young werewolf.

If Dalamus does use shortened names or contractions, it is often an indication of severe stress or at the very least, surprise. Loved ones are acutely aware of this, but those who don't know Dal that well probably wouldn't connect the dots.

[dalamusrex]

(Tommy) “All of this running and hiding has made me so miserable.”

"Yes, I.. I imagine it would." Could he compare stories? Should he? Dalamus ran and hid for a time, but it was after willingly leaving a terrible home.

But Tommy had a family that he loved, that loved him, and it was wrenched away from him, suddenly and violently, in blood and flames. Dalamus had nothing at all that could compare to that.

"Listen... I know others have offered the same, and perhaps better. But, I hope you know you are always welcome in my home if you need respite or rest, Tommy. It is the least I could do."

[dalamusrex]

(Tommy) “It’s just that… this day… this day is really hard for me.”

Ah... Dalamus' face fell upon hearing the heartbreak in Tommy's voice. Right...

Dalamus moved to sit beside the young werewolf. He did not know what to say. He had never suffered the same sort of tragedy which Tommy had endured. Not even close.

He placed a hand on Tommy's back, rubbing slowly back and forth, hoping it would offer some modicum of soothing. "Is there.. anything I may do to help?"

[dalamusrex]

(Arlow) “Each new day is… it’s a chance to be somebody better.”

"Sometimes 'better' is so tiring," he admitted. It was not flippant, not sarcastic or bitter. He said it with surprising honesty and sincerity.

"Sometimes I miss the simplicity of being unacceptable."

[dalamusrex]

MEET THE MUSE!

LEGAL NAME: Dalamus Rex DATE OF BIRTH:  5th of Evening Star, 3E404 NICKNAMES:  Dal. (the brave might use Dally or Dally-bear) GENDER:  Cis Male (he/him) AGE:  230 as of 4E201 (appears 30, the age he was Turned into a vampire), RPed as 250 to account for 20 year old daughter, but I’m not strict with timelines (ew math) SPECIES: Half Dunmer on his father’s side, half Bosmer on his mother’s side. Vampire (Sanguinare vampiris strain). PLACE OF BIRTH:  Blacklight, Morrowind CURRENT LIVING CONDITIONS: Lives in a house in Riften, Skyrim SPOKEN LANGUAGES:  Dunmeris, Tamrielic, basic Bosmeris OCCUPATION:  Thief of the Thieves Guild, specialty in stealth, infiltration and lockpicking. Occasional gem collector for Madesi. Occasional bodyguard/mercenary work. CRIMINAL RECORD:  Cannibalism, murder, assault, battery, trespassing, resisting arrest, assaulting a guard, escaping from prison, theft, theft of a horse, probably more I can’t think of

DRINK I SMOKE | DRUGS  Drinks wine, can’t get drunk off it. Does not smoke or do drugs.

LIKE[S]:  Friends and family, bonding with them via shared meals or physical affection and time spent together. Horse riding. Reading. Tea. Baths. Cleaning. Dressing well. The rush of combat. Blood, of course. Sex. Naps. Cool breezes. Running. Nighttime. Winter. Jewelry and gemstones. Daggers.

DISLIKE[S]:  Magic. Aedra & Daedra. His father. Authority. Being told/demanded what to do. Being physically grabbed/restrained. Summer. Bright light. Vampire Hunters (except a choice few). Other vampires (on principle). Mercer Frey. Sudden, loud noises. Surprise hugs. Talking about his feelings. Miscommunicating. Rain and his clothes getting soaked with water. Birds.

FEARS: His father, dragons, daedra, magic (especially healing, necromancy, and illusion), cliffracers & birds, abandonment, loss of mental faculties

PERSONALITY TRAITS:  Clever. Sarcastic. Stubborn. Loyal. Stoic. Sadistic. Charismatic. Flirtatious. Dramatic. Irritable. Meticulous. Neat. Observant. Organized. Perfectionist. Practical. Compassionate. Competitive. Eloquent. Romantic. Serious. Shrewd. Blunt. Aggressive. Paternalistic. Formal. Restrained. Melancholic. Vain. Open-minded. Adaptable. Hardworking.

(PHYSICAL INFORMATION)

HAIR COLOUR: Ink black EYE COLOUR:  Crimson iris, black sclera HEIGHT:  5′ 11 (~180cm) WEIGHT:  ~150lbs (~68kg) TATTOOS:  None

(FAMILY INFORMATION)

SIBLINGS:  None PARENT[S]:  Evlyn (mother, deceased); Drevain (father, alive, estranged); Thurvayn (@loyalindoril, alive, adoptive) CHILDREN: Llaara (daughter); an unknown son; (he acts fatherly towards some characters, such as Tommy @beastlyburden) PET[S]:  Opal (horse), Hyacinth (dog), Topaz (cat), Ragnar the Red (kitten), Ramsey (raven)

(RELATIONSHIP INFORMATION)

SEXUAL PREFERENCE: Bisexual RELATIONSHIP STATUS:  Divorced from wife of 20 years. Currently in a relationship with Sinbadaen (@lionofmara)

TAGGED BY : @luckydxy (indirectly haha) TAGGING :  Uhh ok hang on. @dragxnsfire @aetherianxarchive @quanalil @leondxs @frxstbittcn @boarchasers @wandererfromthenorth @mage-of-markarth @lunarexplorers @aurielswaywardson @whatoddities