#florentius baenius

[nerevar-quote-and-star]

Florentius Baenius: Bite the vampire first to establish dominance.

Isran: That's not how vampire hunting works—

[fabeong]

I guess it’s obvious at this point that Florentius Baenius is my favourite TESV NPC but while we’re on the topic...literally every priest of Arkay in this game has something going for them.

- Runil (Falkreath): Ex-thalmor just trying to make amends he needs a hug i love him also has prophetic dreams about you bc why the fuck not

- Andurs (Whiterun): Looney-tunes level of incompetence (babes, not only did you lose your amulet but there are literal skeletons roaming the hall of the dead isn’t it entirely your job to prevent that??)

- Alessandra (Riften): At least 3 different strains of daddy issues and in serious need of a holiday. Also apparently unaware of a grave being used as a highway to the sewers beneath her...

- Verulus (Markarth): Apparently quite tasty™

- Helgird (Windhelm): "Well, she's dead. But I guess that's not unusual, at least not for somebody in here. I mean, someone who's not me, that is.” what a Queen 10/10 job-appropriate sense of humour. 

- Styrr (Solitude): Would likely be the most stable of the lot if it weren’t for, ya know, an undead Wolf Queen trying to come back from the grave. Someone get this man a coffee he is tIRED.

I think Arkay has a type and that type is Not Quite Right

[oblivions-dawn]

The Man, the Priest, the Legend: Florentius Baenius

We don't talk about my guy Florentius enough and he doesn't have enough lore in game so FUCK IT. I gave him some because I don't know if I'll get to go over it in my fanfiction [specifically, the Great War stuff. Fingers crossed that I do, but in case I don't, that's what this post is for].

Yes I do in fact believe that his connection to Arkay is, in fact, real. Some of the shit he says is uncanny, and the other shit is downright scary. It isn't unheard of for Divines to speak to mortals [remember the quest where you save a little Karthwasten girl named Fjotra from Forsworn, only for her to become the new sybil of Dibella?], so it isn't too much of a stretch to say Arkay gives Florentius all the tea on everyone around him.

Florentius can train the player in Restoration, and he's the guy you go to for alchemy ingredients. He's a healer, and damn good at it. He's old enough--in my mind--to have served some time in The Great War, where he no doubt mastered these abilities and witnessed some truly awful and gruesome scenes. I imagine he got into the war after his fall out with Isran, which makes it extra painful [and I love painful]. He of course rejoined the Vigilants after, as he didn't know what else to do.

That being said, I don't think Arkay was ALWAYS with him. Rather, I think Arkay came to him after The Great War. Runil, the grave tender from Falkreath, turned to worshipping Arkay after the war on the side of the Thalmor. Florentius, then, most likely knows Runil, and perhaps they're even friends after sharing a similar experience.

Going back to Isran, they're ex-boyfriends. They have the chemistry! And I just can't ignore the 'goofy sunshine and grumpy asshole' trope and I love them being a bit of a parallel to Vigdis and Serana. Of course in my fanfiction they get back together because, well. I can. The way Isran is just so ANNOYED when you ask him about bringing Florentius to the fort is too funny. I love annoying the man whenever possible what can I say--

Anyway. Due to Florentius' knowledge in the healing arts AND his connection to Arkay, he's very capable of performing miracle-level bullshit if he's desperate enough. I won't spoil my fanfiction, but he does exactly that . . . with a bit of intervention from another Divine as well. [Someone really didn't want her to die.]

OH, and because of his experiences in The Great War, I think that's often why Florentius is . . . goofy. Funny. Sarcastic. It's how he copes with the trauma. When he is serious, the entire room seems to shift and it's just .. . so good. I don't know the voice actor's name, but serious props to him for accomplishing so much emotion just through voice. It's fantastic.

If you didn't want to read all of that: basically, Florentius is easily my second favourite NPC in Skyrim, if DLCs are included. EASILY. He's awesome and I love him.

[lord-rosenth0rne]

Florentius Baenius: Your friend! Kidnapped!

Me, a Stormcloak: Okay! Who is it!? Serana? Tolfdir?! Brynjolf?! Ralof?! Can't be Cicero, he'd tear them apart... Where do I have to go?!

Florentius:

Me: ... *inhales hard* And Arkay said we were friends...?

**Because I'm too NICE (more like I want to get this quest out of my journal), I grumble my way through Sunderstone Gorge to get to this Thalmor Wizard**

Me: *opens the cage* THERE. QUEST DONE! HAPPY!?

Thalmor Wizard: *is actually a SHE and in Elenwen's voice* The hospitality of the Thalmor Embassy is at your service.

Me: *eye twitches and I proceed to embed an Ancient Falmer Arrow with my Daedric Bow into her forehead* >8[ *heads back to Fort Dawnguard to beat the hell out of Florentius to deliver that to Arkay* I EXPECT THIS OUT OF SHEOGORATH OR CLAVICUS VILE! NOT THE GOD OF DEATH!

[elavoria]

tesinktober2022 prompt 21: gods

“I once killed thirty vampires with my bare hands, you know. Ask Arkay, he’ll tell you.”

Florentius Baenius and his patron, Arkay.

[elder-dragon-reposes]

Sun's Dawn - Does your OC have a love interest? What is their relationship like?

First Seed - Does your OC have any enemies or rivals? How did these rivalries start?

Frost Fall - Where is your OC's primary residence? What city is there favourite?

FOR WHATEVER OC OF YOUR CHOOSING :)))

Sun's Dawn

Kynadora’s love interest is Miraak. He and she are a slow burn, and most of their relationship can be defined as a tall, stoic, and strong warrior being brought to his knees by the gentleness he receives from the chronically tired but kind Kynadora.  That is after they get over the main story of the Dragonborn DLC. Baura’s love interest is Brynjolf. By the time we run into the Thieves Guild when Kynadora is tracking down Esbern, they are already together. They get together shortly after Baura returns with Karliah to the Guild, but before Baura, Brynjolf, and Karliah become Nightingales. Lasinia is part of what I will refer to as the Dawnguard Polycule. It includes her, Florentius Baenius, Gunmar, and Sorine Jurard. They all really just want to make each other happy and do so very well. It does however slightly confuse Isran.

First Seed

I’ve already answered this ask for Kynadora, which should be under the ask meme tag. Baura, as part of the Thieves Guild, has a main enemy in the City Guards of Skyrim. Much of the time however if Kynadora or Lasinia (upon their reunions) have enemies they are counted among Baura’s. Them and anyone else who dares to cross her guild. So the Thalmor are part of the list of her enemies twice for what happened to Kynadora and Etienne. The Silver-Bloods of Markarth are also people she tends to anger or rob if possible due to the events of the Forsworn Conspiracy, though she chose to kill Madanach and escape alone. As a follower of Meridia, Lasinia has a distaste for anything undead. Which is what drew her to the Dawnguard originally. She is less likely to go out of her way to fight against her sister and Kynadora’s enemies, but that doesn’t mean that she makes their jobs easier for them either. Harkon’s court is her primary enemy throughout the game, but she does have an interesting rivalry with Janus Hassildor. He is on her “no-kill list”, but that doesn’t mean that they get along at the best of times. She does however respect him for what he has done with his vampirism, especially in comparison to other undead.

Frost Fall

Kynadora owns a lot of properties throughout Skyrim. Her favorites have to be Riftweald Manor, a gift from Baura and the Guild for when she is in Riften, and Myrwatch which I have slightly moved the location of. It is closer to the true middle point between the Throat of the World, Solitude, and Windhelm and makes traveling, especially in the post-game much easier. Her favorite cities are Riften and Solitude but she does quite enjoy spending time in Helgen once she is done with rebuilding it. Windhelm and Whiterun would be higher on the list, but she isn’t as able to escape certain titles and responsibilities as she can in the other three. Baura loves Riften, where she owns two houses. She owns Honeyside as well as Shadowfoot Sanctum. The Sanctum is more of a residence for her to use when she needs to lay low in Riften for a bit longer. Honeyside has her true heart. She is also a Thane of Riften. Lasinia spends much of her time in Fort Dawnguard, but her favorite city is actually Morthal. She owns Windstad Manor there and is a Thane.

[nostalgic-breton-girl]

Whiterun, Morthal, Riften!

Whiterun - Do you tend to do Bleak Falls Barrow before or after meeting with Farengar?

after... i'm always determined to fly straight to whiterun with the news from helgen so that riverwood can be safe. like it will affect anything material in the game. the golden claw can wait a bit there's a literal dragon

Morthal - Do you enjoy exploring dungeons and ruins? Why or why not?

i mean there's not much else to do is there. it does get a bit samey after a while though. kind of a mindless run of blowing stuff up and not questioning the map layout. and then you go to morrowind and realise that dungeons can actually make logical sense

oh i am too hard on skyrim... some of the ruins are pretty impressive. the dwemer ones are imaginative. and thinking up the best way to vapourise as many enemies as you can in one go is always fun

Riften - What's your favourite guild? How do you feel about their questline?

i don't much favour any of them if i'm honest. have already mentioned that i find the thieves' guild more interesting and imaginative than the other major guilds, but still lacking... actually if i'm allowed to call the dawnguard a guild, then i might say them, since dawnguard blows the rest of skyrim out of the water like a dragon reanimated after a thousand years in a lake. and all the characters are kind of off the wall which is always a plus

[the-elder-polls]

don't see your favorite here? choose your favorite from this list and then go to the #dawnguard tag on my blog to find the other part of this poll!

[uesp]

"It is my sworn duty to see Arkay's wrath delivered to all the undead. It's usually a good bit of fun, too."

--Florentius Baenius

[jiubilant]

Florentius Baenius

i'm sorry i don't even know who this is

[nerevar-quote-and-star]

Florentius Baenius: Isran's in the kitchen again!

Isran, peering at a cookbook: "Beat three eggs." In what, hand-to-hand combat?

Sorine Jurard: Get. Him. Out.

[fabeong]

Sometimes a skyrim family is...

You, the last Dragonborn, mythical warrior of legend

Three dragons

A team of housecarls all at varying levels of done-with-this shit

A former daedric cultist turned priest of mara

Another priest, but this one hears the god of death in his head 24/7

A vampire who hunts vampires

And the last snow elf

(inspired by the incredibly-cool @ego-osbourne)

[oblivions-dawn]

And, of course, some love for our favourite members of the Dawnguard. We'll be seeing them again soon~!

[myhandsarentsmudgediusedigital]

Aedric Champions: Choosing

Summary:

In which the Aedra decide to choose some champions for themselves from the regular mortals (a.k.a. NPCs) of Skyrim. The world might be about to end, after all, and why should Akatosh get to have all the fun?

A series of one-shots.

Characters: Akatosh, Arkay, Dibella, Kynareth, Julianos, Mara, Stendarr, Zenithar, Hadvar, Onmund, Erandur, Elisif the Fair, Viarmo, Florentius Baenius, Shahvee

Rating: Teen and Up

Warnings: None (yet)

Word Count: 2362

The Divines watched from above as Alduin clawed his way out of the time wound he had been trapped in for the past five thousand years. The roar he let out could be heard from Aetherius. Out of the corners of their eyes, the Divines saw Akatosh’s youngest child cover his ears, wincing. Martin had only been in Aetherius for two centuries, and he was still a bit intimidated by the place, mostly sticking with Akatosh and his family. And Talos. That was probably why he was here now, because Akatosh was here as well, his giant golden snout nearly touching the viewing pool.

The view focused on Alduin as he soared across the skies of Tamriel until he turned, diving towards a town. Zenithar winced. “Oh, that place is doomed.”

“Indeed,” said Akatosh, sighing. “It always is.” He moved his claws on the surface of the pool, moving the view from the diving dragon to one of many carts entering the town. The town below was heedless of the danger, and the Legion was still taking prisoners out of the carts in an orderly manner.

Out of the focused-on cart jumped several people with their hands bound. Kyne, also known as Kynareth, facepalmed at the sight of Ulfric jumping out. “Where’s the problem child now?” she asked Akatosh snarkily.

“Now, now,” said Stendarr gently. “This isn’t Talos’ fault. Last I heard he was actually yelling at Ulfric to cut it out through one of the other pools.”

Kyne snorted. “Hmph. If he hadn’t been so insistent on trying to install himself on our level this wouldn’t have happened at all. I never saw Reman provoking this kind of hissy fit.”

Dibella shushed them as a figure with a particularly powerful aura hopped out of the cart. They were dressed in rags, had their hands bound, and generally really looked like they wanted to be anywhere else but here. “Is that them?”

Akatosh nodded. “Indeed.”

“Another prisoner,” noticed Julianos. “That’s…what, the fourth hero that’s started out as one?”

Akatosh chuckled. “It’s not just me. Azura chose one as well.”

“Is that the new trendy thing, then?” asked Dibella. “Choosing prisoners as your destined heroes?”

“Isn’t that something you should know, oh Blessed Lady?”

The Divines watched as the prisoners were checked off of lists held by Legion soldiers. One by one, until they got to the last prisoner. The red-haried soldier holding that particular list looked confused, looking from the list to the prisoner to the list to the prisoner again. “Who are you?” he asked.

Arkay side-eyed Akatosh. “You didn’t just teleport them into the cart, did you?”

Akatosh shook his head. “No, no. The Thalmor put them there. Though…I may have pulled a few strings to make sure things worked out right.”

Alduin landed on Helgen’s tower, prompting everyone to finally notice him. Mara shook her head. “Why here?” she asked. “Why put them in so much danger right away?”

Akatosh held out a claw and a golden web appeared above it. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be right away. In some timelines, the Dragonborn enters Skyrim through other means. But one way or another, they must witness the razing of Helgen.” He closed his claw and the web disappeared. “In most timelines, it’s just better to get it over with. Besides, it gives them a fresh start.”

“So this town is doomed no matter what?” asked Zenithar.

Akatosh nodded in confirmation. “It’s always the first town that Alduin sees. And since he’s still angry from being thrown through time, that’s what he takes his anger out on.”

Kyne clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “You need to discipline your children better, old wyrm. Such conduct is unbecoming of a child of the gods.”

“Oh, discipline is the least of what he’s getting when he gets back here. You mark my words.”

Martin had come up near the front now, trying to get a better look. He had to stand on his tiptoes as the viewing pool was angled for the larger forms the Aedra were taking at the moment. “They’re not going to jump, are they?”

The Last Dragonborn did, in fact, jump. Martin sighed. “Lord Akatosh, is suicidal bravery a requirement for chosen heroes?”

“Yes.”

The view followed the Last Dragonborn as they had several near misses with fire, falling debris, and the flaming rocks that Alduin had summoned. “It’s Dagon all over again,” Martin whispered.

Arkay shrugged. “Well, both are beings based on destruction and ruin. It makes sense some of their tactics would be the same.”

“But the end result is different,” explained Akatosh. “Had Dagon conquered Nirn, Nirn still would have survived, in a different form. But if Alduin wins…Nirn is just gone. And not just Nirn. Oblivion and Aetherius will be devoured as well, as will all the souls within. It is necessary, at times, for the universe to be wiped clean. But now is not nearly the time for such a thing.”

“But Alduin’s doing it anyways just to be a brat,” groaned Kyne. “If he can’t be the only one worshipped, then nobody can be worshipped.”

In the pool, the Dragonborn was standing between a Stormcloak soldier and a Legion soldier, each beckoning them to come to their door and escape with them. “The first divergence point,” said Akatosh, bringing up the web above his claw again. There was a glowing orb at the intersection of two of the web strings.

“Two Nords both trying to get an elf to go with them,” noted Julianos, smirking. “Not something you see every day.”

“Go with the Legion, go with the Legion,” chanted Kyne under her breath, crossing her fingers.

“Wow, you really don’t like the Stormcloaks…”

“Really? You think? What gave you that idea, Arkay? I-“

Kyne was cut off by Dibella’s prehensile hair muffling her speech. “You can stop now, they chose the redhead. Hm…” Dibella poked her finger at the pool. “I think there might be the beginnings of something there~”

“Of course there is,” said Mara. “Escaping certain danger such as this always creates a bond.”

As they spoke, the glowing orb on the web moved down one of the strings while the other dimmed.

“Are they seriously still getting attacked?” asked Stendarr as the two escapees fought against people in blue chainmail. “There are more important things to be worried about right now!” he yelled at the pool. “For Anu’s sake, Alduin is already trying his best to snuff you out!”

“They can’t hear you, you know,” said Julianos. “Only one in every ten thousand is that sensitive.”

“I know, I know…”

In the viewer, the redheaded legionairre turned to the elf in rags. “Who were you swearing by just then?”

The elf looked back confused. “I…wasn’t swearing by anyone, I was just telling them to fuck off.”

The redhead blinked in confusion. “Oh. I thought I heard…nevermind, let’s keep going.”

Kyne glanced at Julianos. “You were saying?” Julianos just shrugged.

Akatosh nodded. “That’s enough for now. They should be safe from here.” He looked to the others. “I must go and make some preparations. I trust you’ll make sure Nirn doesn’t fall apart when I’m gone?”

The rest of the Aedra chuckled a bit. “No promises!” called Stendarr, raising his goblet.

Akatosh shook his head, folded his wings into himself, and disappeared in a shower of golden sand. Martin looked to the Aedra and bowed respectfully before departing the same way.

The seven who were left looked back to the viewing pool, which was focused on the cave entrance the Last Dragonborn and the legion soldier had exited through. Mara sighed. “So, once again, the Dragon God has let the fate of the world rest on a single pair of shoulders.”

“Yeah, you’d think he’d have learned his lesson after last time,” said Zenithar. “Well, I guess that was technically two pairs of shoulders but still…”

Kyne stirred at the pool with a taloned finger. “It doesn’t have to be like that. If you so wish.” She looked to the others. “Why let the Old Wyrm have all the fun? We’ve chosen champions before. We can do it again for this.”

Julianos nodded. “She’s right. It’s only right that we should all work together to save the world we helped create, isn’t it?”

“Even if we didn’t know what we were giving up when we created it…” said Arkay, but there was no malice in his voice.

Dibella smirked at Arkay. “You say that like you don’t already have a champion picked out. Or have you been jabbering in that priest’s ear just for fun?”

Arkay put up his hands in surrender. “Ah, you caught me. Look, my domain is cycles, you know that. I know when a cycle needs to end, and now is not that time.”

Dibella put her hand in the pool, and the view zoomed out to show an overhead view of all of Skyrim. Even from this high, they could still faintly see the smoke from Helgen. “Alright…I choose…” The view zoomed into the northwest of Skyrim, showing a bustling port city. It then zoomed in further to show an Altmer in fancy clothes speed walking down the street, clutching several piece of parchment. “That one.”

Zenithar leaned over the pool. “Hm, not your usual type.’

Dibella shrugged. “He’s well-spoken, and you can’t deny he’s kind of a dilf.”

“Dibella what in the name of the primordial blood does that even mean?”

“Besides, I can’t use my Sybil, she’s nine.”

“You know what, that is fair.”

Kyne nodded, guiding the viewer to go through the doors of the large palace that stood on the cliff. “Very well. My chosen will be-“

“The new jarl lady, right?”

Kyne blinked as the aforementioned woman came into view. “How did you know?”

Dibella smiled. “Lucky guess.” Behind her back, Mara held her hand out expectantly. Julianos sighed and handed her a few assorted crystals and coins. “So, who’s next?”

Stendarr touched the pool, zooming back out to the full view of Skyrim. “I think I know who mine will be.”

He pinched his fingers, zooming back in to near the center, near where the smoke from Helgen had been rising. Walking along the road were the legionnaire and the Last Dragonborn. “Stendarr, you can’t choose that one,” Zenithar chuckled. “Akatosh already has dibs.”

“Not the Dragonborn,” corrected Stendarr. He pointed at the legionairre. “An ally within the legion is valuable. And I can sense that he has a good heart.”

“You’re just happy he could actually hear you.”

“And here I thought you would pick one of your devoted Vigilants,” snarked Kyne.

Stendarr glared at Kyne, a fierce sight from the god of mercy. “They. Aren’t Mine. They’re just a stupid, ignorant bunch of people with swords who think they know best and can just go around and…ugh! They don’t even do anything productive…” Stendarr sighed. “I need to call Sanguine after this, I need a drink…”

“You have a goblet right there-“

“Anyways, I’m next!” said Mara. She zoomed back out and headed north on the map, up to the part of Skyrim where it snowed constantly. Not that describing it that way narrowed it down much. She zoomed in on a tower just outside a town, showing a figure in orange robes praying outside. Mara sighed. “Erandur, honey, I know you don’t want to go in there. But you have to get inside somewhere or you’ll freeze.”

The figure’s head perked up and looked around. He picked up the knapsnack sitting by his side and started hiking away from the tower, back towards the town. “Another one of your adopted strays?” asked Arkay.

“She’s the goddess of motherhood, what did you expect?” asked Dibella, twirling a piece of hair around her finger.

Arkay shrugged, acknowledging Dibella’s point. He moved up to the viewing pool and zoomed out again, heading southeast. He frowned and tapped the surface a few times, zooming in on a ruin. “Odd, he should be right outside…oh dear.” He guided the view into the ruin, and eventually in the back found a priest sitting in a cage, looking very put out. “Florentius? Are you alright down there?”

The priest perked up. “Oh, finally! I was wondering when you’d be back. There’s some lady vampire down here and she’s charmed both the Vigilants I was working with!” Stendarr facepalmed.

“Hang in there, Florentius. Someone will be there to get you. Just stay put.”

Florentius crossed his arms. “I don’t think I have much choice…”

Arkay zoomed out from the cave, looking concerned. “Don’t worry,” Mara reassured him. “That’s why we’re all choosing champions, right? So they can help each other?”

Next up was Zenithar, who moved north back towards the snow line. Kyne side-eyed him as he moved into Windhelm. But he didn’t go inside the city itself, instead zooming into the docks right outside the walls, focusing on an Argonian in a dress hauling cargo and humming to herself. “She’s been praying for help in improving the lot of the dock workers,” explained Zenithar. “Unfortunately, the…leadership…of Windhelm has made that difficult. Perhaps with a little more power, she can help them herself.”

The last of the seven was Julianos, who took the view even further north, across a long stretch of frozen wastes, until it got to a castle-like building that towered over a ruined town. “Of course it’s a mage,” said Stendarr, chuckling.

Julianos tapped the pool a few more times, allowing them to see inside the building. He finally zoomed in on a large meeting hall, where several mages in robes were practicing wards. Julianos spun the view to see the mage’s faces and pointed at one of them, a broad Nord. “That one. I’ve been watching him for a while now, to be honest.”

“I thought you said the Nords had forgotten you,” said Kyne.

“Well, this one didn’t.” Julianos shook his head. “He didn’t suppress his magic even after growing up in Windhelm, of all places. That is certainly commendable.”

“Then we’ve all decided?” asked Arkay.

“It appears so,” confirmed Kyne. “Now we just need to make it official.”

[snowy-weather]

I finally joined the Volkihar vampires in my most recent playthrough of Skyrim. I usually pick the dawnguard side.

I'm actually really enjoying being an evil vampire. XD And the characters on the Volkihar side are just as fun as the dawnguard guys! (though I do kinda miss Florentius Baenius and his questionable conversations with an aedric god. XD That guy is fun!)

But yeah, the Volkihar vampires are cool! I'm loving Garan Marethi because.... cool redhead dunmer vampire! He's not as deep as some other characters but I still like him.

And Ronthil! Poor little meow meow. D: When I found out he's not allowed to sleep in a coffin and instead sleeps behind a bookcase on the cold, stone floor my heart broke. This poor little dude. He's so eager to help and please but he doesn't get any appreciation for it. D: (Also he has the same hair as Ralis, lol! Even the same colour.)

And Vingalmo seems like he's a creep. XD I don't know why, I just feel like he's creepy and not just in the cool vampire way. XD

Anyway, having a lot of un!

[babyblueetbaemonster]

Practicing magic on innocent people of Skyrim.

I know I'm laughing but I'm genuinely sorry about it Isran.