#like how skyrim is perfect TO ME even with the issues

[thesaintelectric]

totk rating: 5/5 but still below botws 5/5

[moodcrab]

Fixing Skyrim's Daedric Quests

Introduction

Unlike my Oblivion character - a mere mortal who stumbled upon a shrine while lost in the wilderness, becomes somewhat obsessed with gaining the level requirement and collecting an offering, then undertakes the quest feeling like a dark god is testing their worthiness to be their champion - The Last Dragonborn has Daedric Princes falling over themselves to make them their champion straight out the gate. Level one? Who cares! No offering? No problem! Not my Summoning Day? We haven't cared about that since Morrowind! Literally told me to go fuck myself? Take the prize anyway Champ you've earned it!

Basically, much like factions, Skyrim shoves nearly all of the Daedric Quests in the player's face as soon as possible because they're widely considered to be the best and most rewarding by fans of the previous games. But the older games had them, to varying degrees, hidden away or locked behind mechanics, and Bethesda didn't want newer, more casual fans to miss them. In doing so the Princes and their cults lose that air of mystery and danger they once had.

On the other hand, it was nice to be doing something else entirely then have a surprise Daedric Quests blind side me, and it's not like the old Oblivion way was perfect. Find shrine, give offering, get quest for EVERY Prince? And just one quest and I'm the champion, dedicated my soul to your afterlife and all that jazz?

This series is going to try to maximise the good parts of Skyrim Daedric Quests, while bringing back some of the classic elements that it left out, starting with...

Part I - Namria

Quest A) A Taste of Death.

If you visit the Treasury House in Markarth you might overhear an argument between Brother Verulus and Thongvor Silver-Blood. This location change means you are unlikely to just run into this quest immediately as in vanilla, but also gives you a high chance of encountering it during The Forsworn Conspiracy, in which case it has the double benefit of acting as a kind of red herring in that quest and linking this quest with Markarth's corruption and secret society vibes.

Brother Verulus wants the city guard to stop their lockdown of the Halls of the Dead and to actually go in and deal with the draugr head on (in my alternative "Fixed" Skyrim the increased draugr population is connected with Alduin's return, who is raising his Dragon Priests to serve him, even within cities). Why doesn't he go pester the Jarl or the Captain about this, asks Thongvor, dismissively. Oh come on, don't act coy, we all know who really controls the guard in Markarth, why not let them do their job, replies Verulus. Thongvor counters that that would be a desecration of the Nordic dead, that guards putting them down like a pest would be dishonourable. What's more, perhaps if the glorious Nordic dead of the city weren't being tended to by a poncy Imperial Priest of Arkay instead of a proper old fashioned Orkey Shaman, maybe none of this would have happened. Verulus starts to lose his temper at this, and in anger implies that he knows that the draugr problem that plagues the other cities isn't the real issue here, that most of the ancient dead here are Reachfolk not Nord, and begins to demand a true explanation for being locked out but stops himself, he has said too much and leaves.

The quest begins by talking to Verulus who will ask you to investigate what's really going on in The Halls of the Dead. How you get in is up to you. If you're a sneaky type or a smooth talker you'll get in that way. You can also commit a crime to lure the guard away maybe. You could go find Thongvor who can be convinced to give you an alternative - take care of Verulus, but more on that later.

However you get into the Halls, on entering you start finding evidence of cannibalism, butchered bodies, cooking stations and so on. As you delve deeper you hear Eola, a Reachman Namira Devotee, goading and teasing you; "Not many would walk blindly into a crypt, smelling of steel and blood, but not fear... Don't you see what I am about down here in the dark? Is that disgust? Revulsion?... Or curiosity? Why don't you come deeper, and scratch that itch?" You can question her about who she is, what is her purpose here, why is Thongvor protecting her etc. but it will come down to convincing her to leave, killing her, or accepting her invitation to eat human flesh.

Now, IF you sided with Thongvor, the plan is to lie to Verulus to get him to follow you into the Halls of the Dead, this time you'll be confronted directly by Eola and Thongvor together. They intend to kill and eat you both and blame your deaths on Draugr. You can fight your way out and try to save Verulus, or you can prove yourself by killing Verulus yourself and tasting him by way of a test.

If you partake in cannibalism you will get a monologue from Eola about Namira, waxing poetic about the oldest god, The Black Fly, being the Daedric Prince of decay and squalor and all things ugly and repulsive... But also her significance to the Reachmen. To them she is the Spirit Queen who is the true god of death, not Arkay, the primal darkness that gives and takes life. You will gain the power to feast on a corps once a night or when underground, and unlock the second quest.

Quest B - A Guest for Dinner

The second quest will be even less obvious to the player and will hopefully take most people completely by surprise the first time it happens. The quest will only begin after the following criteria are met: You have used the lesser power to consume 10 or more corpses. You own a fully furnished player home. You spend the night there with either your spouse or a follower. When you sleep, a slow, loud, ominous knocking at the door awakens you.

At your door is a stranger in rags and a hideous face asking to come in. You can refuse or invite them to stay. Once inside they will take a seat at your table and ask what is being served for dinner. At this point your follower/spouse will be freaking out a little. You can offer food, like regular food, which will disappoint him and he'll leave. You can offer your spouse or follower as the meal and you'll have to attack them, the screen will darken for an gruesome audible muckbang. Or you can tell the Stranger he is on the menu, which will please him greatly and he will warn you against choking on him, depending on the disposition of your specific follower or spouse they will either join in or abandon you forever.

The Stranger, if he survives the night, will give you the Ring of Namira as thanks. If you ate him Eola, who incidentally will now double as a replacement spouse/follower, will arrive and give you the Ring. The Ring is a powerful reflect damage/magic ring, a unique enchantment in Skyrim.

[minaharkers]

OC TAG GAME ｡*･♡;

tagged by @aragorngf to categorize my ocs and make them in this picrew by crowsen!!  

♡ FAVORITE OC. (At the moment) 

Lukas Warren — Fallout: New Vegas

This was cruel to make me pick between all of my kids but I think Lukas at the moment is always kicking around my head — my sweet boy my poor little meow meow. I have so much in my head about his relationship with his family both the complicated horror story that is his family and his adopted ghoul mom Majorie and how much that really shaped his worldview <3

♡ NEWEST OC.

Caroline Clarke — Various

Cara my beloved!! She’s my OC for a post-apocalyptic RP group I’m in and I love her sm <3 She’s a hunter from West Virginia who’s still trying to getting used to living in a (somewhat) civilized part of Boston after living in the literal Appalachian woods for a solid three years with her brother. I’m excited to write with her more !! She’s a sweet person but is still sort of closed off after so much has happened 

♡ OLDEST OC.

Aerie — The Elder Scrolls V: Skryim

Aerie is definitely one of my oldest ocs!! Skyrim was really one of the first rpgs I played and honestly I feel like she’s both gone through so many iterations but also stayed pretty consistent!! We love a wild girlie who the universe had to make her a short nord to balance out the whole dragon soul thing

♡ MEANEST OC.

Ethan Warren — Fallout: New Vegas

Some people deal with their issues in all sorts of ways; Ethan decided to deal with it by razing his hometown to the ground <3 Having his father be burned instead of crucified like the Legion normally would to not give him the satisfaction of dying like jesus is understandable given what an awful person Richard Warren was, but joining the Legion and staying for years is a bad move maybe 🤔

♡ SOFTEST OC. 

Merethel Lavellan — Dragon Age: Inquisition

This was tough between Merethel and Ophelia but I think he’s someone who’s got a quiet compassion to him. The role of inquisitor does chafe on him a lot with him being more comfortable behind the scenes and being with people one on one as a healer. But I think people tend to underestimate how intelligent he is at first with his gentle nature, because he definitely learns how to play the “game” of politics in his own right by the time of Trespasser (even if he is very eager to get rid of the Inquisitor title).

♡ MOST ALOOF/STANDOFFISH OC. 

Endaryn Ravel — The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Even before he lost his place at the Arcane University in Cyrodiil after being booted to Morrowind because the Emperor Said So (rip 😔) , Endaryn is someone who just wants to be left alone to study!! And stuff KEEPS happening to him and he just wants to finish his thesis can he please stop getting weird dream messages from Dagoth Ur

♡ DUMBEST (AFFECTIONATE) OC. 

Leondas Vendicci — The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

It’s not that he’s dumb, he just lacks any and all self-preservation or self-respect! <3 Jk, but Leondas is definitely the guy who acts first and thinks about it later when he realizes the consequences. A fuck around and find out kind of guy, you might say. But yeah, definitely the type to run into Oblivion portals without much of a plan. But he’s MY favorite dumbass so it’s okay

♡ SMARTEST OC.

Ophelia Faye — Fallout: 3

WOMEN! IN! STEM! Ophelia’s definitely the most intelligent; (I did actually give her a 10 in her Intelligence SPECIAL score). But I would say it’s pretty much all like science and medicine based intellect, and she’s the most comfortable in a lab or med bay than out in the Wasteland.

♡ OC YOU’D LIKE TO BE FRIENDS WITH IRL.

Euurydia Daeron — Star Wars: The Old Republic

I have NO idea if Dia and I would actually hang out IRL but she’d be the most fun to hang out with. She’s the perfect extrovert to adopt an introvert like me and talk my ear off and convince me to try one drink and suddenly it’s 2 am and we’ve been cantina hopping in the Lower Promenade on Nar Shaddaa for hours

tagging: @statichvm @chuckhansen @denerims @indorilnerevarine @risingsh0t @leviiackrman @florbelles @unholymilf @fashionablyfyrdraaca

[ilinalta]

not that I am a gaming industry expert, but hear me out (and we can't turn back time but hear me out)

TES6 will never live up to the expectations because by the time it comes out it will me approx. 20 YEARS!!

AND THIS IS THE MAINS ISSUE. THEY WAITED TOO DARN LONG.

expectation change, technology changes, similar games that further change the industry come out and at this point we are at the verge of TES6 becoming Half Life-fucking-Three, where its probably better that it does not exist, so that it is not crushed in a vacuum of thirsty fans

in a semi ideal world we would have a not great but fun TES6 coming out sometime around 2018. which doesn't even seem like an absurd time, seeing how they released Skyrim in 2011, Fallout 4 in 2015 and nothing else worth anybodys attention in between (sic!). this could give a perfect timing to release a better TES7 around now. which, again, is still quite a generous time frame.

In the ideal ideal world we would have a perfect TES6 written by OBSIDIAN who would have singlehandedly fixed every issue Bethesda ever introduced to the lore, with deep relatable characters and unforgettable plot and we would now be waiting for TES7.

BETHESDA!!

[mabeysomeclasspecting]

Hi! I'm preemptively sorry for any mistakes, english is not my first language, but yeah classpect time! The only thing I know for sure is that I'm a Prospit dreamer, other things are confusing as hell to me, so thanks a lot for reading all this and trying to make sense of it! <3

What are your interests/hobbies?

I tend to switch hobbies often bc I operate on a "if I'm not perfect at it immediately I should stop trying" conviction but I tried drawing, crocheting, collage making and web design. Even though I myself am shit at most things creative I'm very good at seeing mistakes in other people's work. Regarding interests, I'm into psychology (it's my uni major), philosophy and history. I love long video essays about an obscure topic, I love learning in general but more in a sense of being smarter than others and making knowledge about a topic part of my personality. I like video games but I play like three games on repeat for 20 years I have 5k hours in skyrim since 2011. I'm also into religion/mythology, spirituality and tarot cards but I don't really believe in all that, it's just interesting from a psychological and historical viewpoint.

How do you see yourself?

I'm unsure who "myself" even is, I made a list of my personality traits once (one of them was "lesbian" so that's a personality trait ig) and that didn't help much. I'm a social chameleon, able to be whatever people want me to be, but I do hold strong beliefs and morals and judge others harshly, just sometimes without showing it. My beliefs are mostly black and white in nature, I'm annoyed at people who are trying to stay in the middle and don't have strong opinions bc goddamn I'm ready to die on any hill. I'm intelligent, aggressive and emotional, but cooperative and friendly if I like people, I like to be important but only in a positive sense. I'm also pretty hypocritical bc of the social chameleon thing.

How do you think others see you?

Almost all of my friends were scared to interact with me at first, so it's either a scary bitch who criticized people for breathing or a contemptuous bitch who thinks she's better than everyone. It used to upset me, I don't think I'm scary or arrogant, but at this point I made peace with it and leant into a proud hater persona more. My gf says that I'm really lovely and kind and helpful (but still a little arrogant) and her opinion is the only thing that matters. And a lot of people think I'm smarter than I am.

How do you interact with your friends?

Jokey bullying but sometimes jokes get away from me and I'm unintentionally crossing a line, that was a point of a lot of arguments, I can be real hurtful at times. When people hurt me unintentionally I throw a fit, which illustrates the hypocrisy I brought up earlier. To make up for being terrible I do acts of service, if my friends need literally anything I'll get it for them. I try to help mentally as well but I offer solutions instead of empathy and that's not what people want usually.

What’s important to you?

I have beef with the concept of fate, I hate predisposition and the idea that our narratives are already written, fatalism is my number one enemy, the whole shebang with Mind and consequences of our choices is my number two enemy, I can do whatever I want. I have a lot of feminism based morals and a lot of opinions about politics. My solutions are extreme but I'm sure they'll work. Murder is okay in self-defense type beat. I cherish my friends a lot and feel horrible if I hurt them. I have a lot of trinkets that bring me memories, they are mostly useless but they are important to me and my memory issues.

Describe the ideal you, what kind of person do you strive to be?

I wish to know myself fully and simultaneously know everything else ever. I think people scared of too much knowledge are cowards. And the ideal me would be a lot less aggressive and anxious all the time, I think mental health issues are really holding me back.

Hello!

Aspects: Light, Mind

Classes: Thief, Prince

I think you're either a Thief of Light or a Prince of Mind!

I hope this helps :)

[bougainvillea-and-saltwater]

Top 10 Skyrim Characters

I was tagged by @blossom-adventures (thank you so much! 🥰) to share my top ten Skyrim characters, so here we go:

Miraak. Not only because I'm writing a fic about him, but because I truly believe he had potential both as a character alone and concerning his bond with the LDB. Bethesda did not do him justice and his story was written hastily and with many plot holes, however, this is why there are many wonderful fics with amazing headcanons that reconstruct his past and his personality, so he doesn't seem like the ultimate black villain with absolutely no motives for his actions.

Paarthurnax. He is this old and wise grandpa we all run for advice and in contrast with Miraak, Paarthurnax was written in-depth: even though a villainous dragon, he overcame his dominant nature through effort and was redeemed.

Vilkas & Farkas. The wolves of my heart! I love how they have been written with completely different personalities despite being twins, and I wish they were my best friends (or my protective big brothers! 🤗).

Brynjolf. He has big brotherly vibes too; he is this friend who will pick a cute nickname for you (this soft-voiced "lass" is everything, I swear!). What I love the most about his character is his loyalty to the Guild and his undying faith/trust in the Dragonborn from the first time he sees them until the very end when he declares them as Guild Master.

Speaking about the Guild, I absolutely love Karliah, too. I can't get enough of this melodious voice she has, and her beautiful purple eyes. Also, she is the reason why the Dragonborn is still alive after Mercer's betrayal and attack (nursing them back to health and all), plus, I adore her tragic romance with Gallus - calling her his "little nightingale" inspired me quite a lot for another cute bird-like term of endearment in my own fic... 😇

Serana. I mean, I am emotionally attached to her. Mostly because she has a veryveryvery similar personality to my own LDB (and a rather shared traumatic experience), but truly, Laura Bailey's soothing, smooth voice is amazing; I could listen to it all day! (Also, I think I can spoil this, Serana will make a big cameo in my fic, and she will play an important role in the story... 👀).

Teldryn Sero. My favorite follower in-game, and the best elven character in Skyrim. He has lived a long life himself, and he cannot help but be constantly snarky with witty remarks that make me want to smooch him! 😘 I love that he is also a spellsword, like Jia, and together they always make the perfect duo!

Delphine (& Esbern). Yes, I like Delphine. She may not maintain the best relations with my LDB, because of this Paarthurnax issue, but she is a character I admire, and I think she and Esbern are well-written. Despite their age, they don't hesitate to fight with fearlessness, they are brave and dedicated to their oath as Blades, and they hate the Thalmor. Anyone who hates the Thalmor is a friendly character.

Jarl Balgruuf & Jarl Idgrod. Probably the most likable, honorable Jarls. I love Balgruuf's wisdom and Idgrod's ability to see visions - despite being stigmatized by it.

Ulfric Stormcloak. The truth is, that the questline about the civil war I don't usually complete it, because I don't really want to choose a side. So, I'm neither an Imperial nor a Stormcloak. But Ulfric is the epitome of a gray character - he is not bad, per se, but he is not good either, and some of his motives are unclear. I personally love complex, gray characters that I end up loving to hate; makes me try to comprehend their deeper intentions, and thus I know that their development is meticulous and well-written.

Now for the tags! I tag: @miraakulous-cloud-district @illumiera @kiir-do-faal-rahhe @prettytamagnii @b-lizi to reveal their top 10 Skyrim characters! 🥰🥰

[insecateur]

Pokemon tl graph anon here again

On one hand i get it. Details are nice but sometimes i can get TOO lost in the details. I also perfectly understand while yes, pokemon world is loosely based on real world, it is not a 1:1 parallel. In OG anime they already had video calls, maybe the existance of mice that can shoot thunder has altered how technology works idk

I guess in some sense is more to keep myself tethered in time? Like how long time has passed between events, ages of characters, etc

But then again i feel pokemon is a franchise where you can do whatever you want w those details

Anyway sorry for that ramble

yeah i always kind of figured if it took place in an equivalent of our world it was pretty obviously way ahead of us technology-wise - i personally try to avoid mentioning as much rl stuff as i can in fic but i don't think there's anything wrong with doing that. i think coming up with pokémon equivalents of real life stuff is kinda funny actually.

i think wanting to have a clear timeline is a good thing !! i just don't rly like thinking about this stuff bc i get worried i'm going to lose track of things and make mistakes sksksks i think it's just a different approach tho. i did end up having to try and come up with a clear(er) timeline for slawcs once it grew beyond One Fic and it's been A Struggle And A Half i try to stay kinda vague but you know. you DO NEED TO HAVE TIME HAPPEN--

but that's why i was mentioning taking a set point like for example telling yourself pokémon xy took place in say 2013, you don't even need to rly take that year into account but you can use it to be like, okay so then (using your catwoman example) the movie came out in 2004 so if you decide that augustine is say 38 in pokémon xy (completely random age i picked just now for this example) you can be like okay then in 2004 he'd be 29

i know some people keep like spreadsheet with this stuff in it to not get lost, my issue is that i worry that if i do that i'll just get way over my head and stress out about it and try to make it perfect sksksks. there's actually someone i know casually who writes skyrim fanfic and literally keeps track of like. the phases of the moon so that it's accurate in their fic EVEN THO I'M 100% SURE LIKE 1 OUT OF 15000 PEOPLE WOULD EVEN NOTICE but if it's important to you yk.

and i do think that having a good sense of time is important to write coherent stories at least long term. for me i only rly worry about it on any level for slawcs bc it takes place on a longer stretch of time and the rest of my stuff is more nebulous (my mutual pining series is also on a longer time span but it's more vague i guess it matters less to me for that)

uhhh idk what my point was . basically i think wanting to make sure what you make is more grounded is good !!! i just can't relate to people who r really determined to make the pokémon timeline make sense lol, IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE, it makes so little sense they literally made the multiverse canon so it would make more sense that it doesn't make sense. and tbh i love that for them

[nientedenada]

Eight Myths of the Gray Quarter

Originally posted on r/teslore. It went over very well, one of the subreddit's most popular posts that year, though I did get called names by some alt-right types: Most memorably this comment which characterized the post as

"full of modern day bullshit, racism hysteria, deportation of immigrants (Myth#8), he points out some dialogue and makes up his cookie dough theory on it"

For reference, I'm a woman.

The Eight Myths

1. Racism is like a light switch. Either “on” or “off.” 2. Ulfric/Torygg gave the Dunmer homes in Windhelm 3. The Dunmer don’t work or contribute to Windhelm 4. The Dunmer of Windhelm Don’t Pay Taxes 5. The Dunmer Choose to Live in the Gray Quarter 6. Niranye Proves That The Dunmer Could Fit In If They Just Tried 7. The Argonians Are Outside To Protect Them From the Dunmer 8. Ulfric/the Stormcloaks want to deport the Dunmer/Argonians/other races.

Been trying to figure out a good way to present a whole bunch of issues, so forgive me for doing it as a listicle. A very long listicle with essay-like sections.

Myth #1: Racism is like a light switch. Either “on” or “off”.

Many discussions about the Gray Quarter, Skyrim, and Tamriel seem to pivot on the idea that people are either racist or not. Fans argue whether Ulfric Stormcloak, Galmar, and the Stormcloaks in general are racist or accepting of other races. If they are found to be racist, that seems to be the capital sin. If they’re not racist, the Stormcloaks are A-ok.

This is not how people work. Racism is a spectrum of behaviours, beliefs, and prejudices, and it’s quite possible for someone to hold racist ideas and think they’re fair and open-minded. There’s actually a pretty good example of how this works right in the Stormcloak quest. Contrast these two conversations between Galmar and the player.

PC: Do you oppose anyone who's not a Nord?

Galmar: I oppose tyranny. I oppose those who tell me how to live, what to think, and what to believe. I am a man. Skyrim is man's homeland. That is a fact, a fact I'm proud of. There is no shame in that. Read your history.

Instead of rushing to deny his racism, he obfuscates, avoiding the question and engaging in a bunch of coded language that really does read like yes, he opposes non-Nords, but won’t exactly say it outright because it’d sound bad. He has a perfect prompted opportunity to deny this and doesn’t.

The voice actor’s direction for this line btw reads “defending his patriotism (and bigotry)”

But then, if you discuss joining the Stormcloaks and aren’t a Nord, he'll say.

But first, tell me. Why's an Elf/lizard/Breton/foreigner/cat/orc/Redguard want to fight for Skyrim?

You can ask a question back.

So, you only take Nords? Galmar: You mistake me. I'm not saying no - just wondering about your intentions. We're not looking for sellswords. The Stormcloaks need dedicated men and women who're devoted to the cause and willing to die for it.

Or you can call him directly on his assumptions.

Skyrim is home to more than just Nords. / Skyrim is my home. Galmar: "Fair enough. But are you willing to die for your home?"

He'll accept other races seeing Skyrim as their home in the end. I suspect he really would be outraged if someone said he was bigoted against all non-Nords, because he is quite happy if those non-Nords prove him wrong and turn out to be true sons and daughters of Skyrim.

That level of racism is pretty common in Tamriel. In Windhelm itself, Suvaris Atheron will complain to the player that the Nords are racist against the Argonians as well as the Dunmer, but if you read her logbook, you’ll find many racist comments about Clan Shatter-Shield’s Argonian employees. She even has cut off their rations as punishment on occasion. Self-awareness and reflection are not these people’s strong points.

The question to ask isn’t “Are the Stormcloaks racist?” but “What kind and level of racism do we see in the Stormcloaks?” So I’m not bothering to parse here whether Ulfric is racist. Of course he is. What that actually means in context is the more interesting topic. (For example, I’ve already written how I think the racism baked into Ulfric’s society influenced his actions in Markarth.)

Myth #2: Ulfric/Torygg gave the Dunmer homes in Windhelm.

This is so obviously untrue it’s almost not worth debunking, but I’ve seen it said enough, perhaps influenced by Rolff Stone-Fist’s ridiculous comment:

I know the High King invited them here, but he didn't ask me or anyone else first. Maybe he should have.

The bulk of the refugees from Morrowind came soon after the Red Year in 4E 5. As Ambarys Rendar says,

When the Red Mountain burned, you could scarcely breathe in Morrowind. So we came west. Windhelm is the first city on that road, and here we are. If we had known the Nords would be so unwelcoming, we may have kept walking.

The Decree of Monument by Skyrim’s Jarls is dated 4E 20 and speaks as if the stream of refugees was already a distant memory that needed preserving:

This tower once served as a meeting place where those brave souls who achieved safe passage to Skyrim would find loved ones, and leave notice for others who could not be found. [. . . ] We, the Jarls of Skyrim, hereby decree this site as monument to the struggle of those who fled their native home of Morrowind in the time following the Red Year.

The large Dunmer presence in Windhelm was status quo when Ulfric was born. Neither he nor any Nord alive made the decision to let them in.

Myth #3: The Dunmer Don’t Work or Contribute to Windhelm

I’ve read too many arguments that the reason the Dunmer haven’t been accepted into Nord society in Windhelm is that they’re too proud to work. That they stick to themselves and don’t contribute to the larger society. This is asserted in-game by Rolff Stone-Fist:

They're parasites. They're living in our city, under our protection, but what do they do for us? Nothing!

To justify why he’s harassing Clan Shattershield’s Shipping Manager, Suvaris Atheron.

In-game book The Scourge of the Gray Quarter says:

Predictably, the lazy, discontented rabble has descended into squalor in an area now delicately referred to as "the Gray Quarter" of the city. They were not expected to contribute and so have not.

And contrasts the Dunmer of Windhelm to the Dunmer of Riften:

A number of the dark elves have made their homes there, but they are expected to earn their livelihoods as is any other citizen of the great city. They ply trades as merchants, work in the temple, and serve in the keep. Honest labor, to be admired from a race that was so recently in such dire straits as to even warrant this discussion.

Are Windhelm’s elves actually lazy non-contributors? Well, The NPCs we meet in-game are only representations of the larger in-lore populations. But I think it’s fair to say that they’re created to give us a general impression of the lore populations. And when you run the numbers, here’s what you get.

There are ten Dunmer NPCs in Windhelm. All of them are gainfully and seemingly stably employed in legitimate businesses.

Of the ten, five: Suvaris Atheron, Faryl Atheron, Idresa Sadri, Voldsea Giryon, and Luaffyn work directly for Nords. Two: Belyn Hlaalu and Aval Atheron are their own bosses, but produce goods for the Nord population. Two: Ambarys Rendar and Malthyr serve the Gray Quarter. Revyn Sadri is a pawnbroker in the Gray Quarter, and it’s unclear who his clientele are. (The local guards do point you towards his shop, for what it’s worth.)

They aren’t necessarily happy about working for Nords, and there’s some dissension in the community over it. Faryl Atheron says his brother Aval is ashamed of him and their sister Suvaris for working for Nords, and that he’s glad he’s working far outside the walls where no one will see him regularly. Ambarys Rendar harasses Suvaris Atheron about not having proper Dunmer pride. Ambarys Rendar also has recorded conversations where he keeps bothering Scouts-Many-Marshes about working for the Nords. And to come full circle, Aval Atheron respects Rendar but thinks his views are a little extreme.

The Windhelm Dunmer seem like a very tight-knit community that have lots of issues with each other and the local Nords, but who still support each other, putting up with old cranks like Ambarys Rendar. (Malthyr figures the guy is completely helpless without him.) They absolutely do contribute to Windhelm.

I have a theory, by the way, that the real problem in Windhelm isn’t that the Dunmer won’t work, but that they’ve done too well from the point of view of the Windhelm poor, wounded war veterans, orphans and widows. The beggar veteran Angrenor and ne’er-do-well Rolff are taking their resentments out the Shatter-Shield’s shipping manager. Why should these Dark Elves have jobs when our veterans don’t? they might ask.

Since the author of Scourge of the Gray Quarter also complains about the Gray Quarter being crime-ridden:

Of the ten Dunmer NPCs, only two have criminal corrections. Revyn Sadri (who tries to get in on Niranye’s suppliers, even after she implies they’re criminals) and Suvaris Atheron. (who’s in charge of paying Clan Shatter-Shield’s protection money to local pirates – which is ironically, a good example of how she’s contributing to Nord business.)

Meanwhile, in Riften, things are way less stable. There are twelve Dunmer NPCs in Riften. Nine of the twelve are employed in legitimate businesses. Three are full-time criminals: Orin Dral, Sarthis Idren (skooma smuggling bandits) and Ravyn Imyan (thieves’ guild).

Among the legally occupied Dunmer, Romlyn Dreth is stealing and reselling the mead from his work. Niluva Hlaalu is on the verge of losing her job because of her Skooma addiction, so may not be gainfully employed much longer.

Of the nine legally occupied Dunmer, four work for Nords: Indaryn, Romlyn Dreth, Niluva Hlaalu (all at the Blackbriar meadery) and Tythis (Riften fishery). Four are independent operators who serve the entire population: Marise Aravel (merchant), Brand-Shei (merchant), Dravyn and Synda Lanith (farmers). Dinya Balu is a priestess of Mara.

Of course, practically everyone in Riften either co-operates with organized crime: working for Maven Black-Briar, paying protection money, or gets steamrolled. The Dunmer of Riften haven’t “properly assimilated themselves into the Skyrim way of life” (is there really such a thing?), they’ve assimilated themselves into Riften’s way of life. Which is not something anyone except Maven Black-Briar should appreciate.

Myth #4: The Dunmer of Windhelm Don’t Pay Taxes

This is sparked by the Decree of Monument outside Windhelm which reads

Let it stand in honor for those who had the strength and spirit to accept Skyrim's offer "untithed to any thane or hold, and self-governed, with free worship, with no compensation to Skyrim or the Empire except as writ in the Armistice of old wheresoever those might still apply, and henceforth let no Man or Mer say that the Sons and Daughters of Kyne are without mercy or honor."

“Untithed” and “with no compensation to Skyrim or the Empire” are interpreted as meaning the Dunmer of Windhelm don’t pay taxes. Supposedly, that’s why they keep living in the Gray Quarter, and it’s also why Ulfric doesn’t want to pay to fix the place up.

This doesn’t fit in with the rest of the lore on several levels. First of all, Viola Giordano directly asserts that the Dunmer in Windhelm do pay taxes.

Oh, really? So that Dark Elf took my ring. So typical of his kind. I think the Jarl should hear about this. Maybe double his taxes. No, triple them. That should teach those people a lesson.

Even if the Dunmer of two centuries ago were exempted from taxes, why would Ulfric Stormcloak honour such a promise? And if it were honoured, why would everyone complaining about the Dunmer, including Rolff and the author of Scourge of Skyrim never mention what would be one of their greatest grievances against the Dunmer?

We can also easily demonstrate that the terms of the Decree don’t apply in modern Skyrim. The Dunmer of Skyrim are not “self-governed” any more than they’re untaxed. They are subject to the laws and commands of the Jarls of their holds.

Last, and certainly not least, there’s a place the language of Decree completely matches up to. A place that was given to the Dunmer refugees, is un-tithed and self-governed: Solstheim.

And Solstheim is explicitly identified as the subject of the Decree in the novel Lord of Souls ,pages 133–134:

"I had many unpleasant surprises after returning from exile in Oblivion," Sul said. "I knew that Vivec City was destroyed. Vuhon told me he had seen as much when he was torturing me. But it wasn't until I went there that I understood how badly my homeland had been ravaged, or how they had suffered from the Argonian invasion. Still, I had an idea. But that Skyrim had offered Solstheim as a haven for my people, after ages of enmity between our races... for that, I was unprepared." "'Untithed to any Thane of Hold,'" Attrebus quoted, "'and self-governed, with free worship, with no compensation to Skyrim or the Empire except as writ in the armistice of old wheresoever those might apply, and henceforth let no Man or Mer say that the Sons and Daughters of Kyne are without mercy or honor.'"

There’s no evidence that the Gray Quarter aren’t paying taxes. Resentment connected to the Decree is more likely to be that the Nords gave the Dunmer an island to go to, but they didn’t all go there.

Myth #5: The Dunmer Choose To Live in the Gray Quarter

This is somewhat related to the previous one about taxes. If they don’t live in the Gray Quarter because it’s a tax haven, why do they live there? Because they’re insular and prefer the safety and tight-knit Dunmer community? I think, even if they could live outside the Quarter, it’s likely it still would be the most popular place to live. But there are quite a few people who point blank say that they’re limited to the quarter.

Alfarinn, the wagon driver, says they were “forced” to live there.

It's not the friendliest for outsiders. The Dark Elves were all forced to live in the slum called the Gray Quarter. The Argonians can't even live in the walls. They're all stuck out on the docks.

Malthyr Elenil:

Windhelm is divided into four quarters. The Gray Quarter is the one that's home to all the city's Dark Elves. If it looks to you like an impoverished slum, that's because it is. Ulfric prefers that we live in squalor. He has nothing but disdain for anyone who isn't a Nord. He tolerates us, but that's the extent of his hospitality.

Malthyr says that “all the city’s Dark Elves” live in the Gray Quarter. This uniformity would be impossible if there was a choice for them to live outside it. Someone like Belyn Hlaalu, who likes to tout his success, and is himself a horrible exploiter of his poor Nord employee, is still living in the slum. Why?

Ambarys Rendar:

Well you see where we have to live.

Aval Atheron:

I'm a Dark Elf and I live in Windhelm, so yes, I live in the Gray Quarter. You must be new around here, or you'd know they don't let my kind live anywhere outside that slum.

It’s very clear that the Dunmer in Windhelm aren’t allowed to live outside the Gray Quarter. If you’re Dragonborn, you can chart new territory and live in Hjerim, but the Dragonborn, as the Graybeards would attest to, is an exception.

We don’t know when this rule was made, and it’s very likely it predated Ulfric. But it’s definitely enforced under Ulfric’s reign and we do know that he personally made the rule that Argonians had to live outside the walls, so it’s not out-of-character.

Scouts-Many-Marshes:

Did you know it was his decree that forbade the Argonians from living inside the city walls? I hope in his next life, he's reborn as an Argonian forced to live in a slum because of some bigoted Nord dictator. I'm joking, of course, but I'm a lot happier seeing the Empire running things in Windhelm."

Myth #6: Niranye proves that the Dunmer could fit in if they just tried.

Ah, Niranye. One of my favourite Skyrim NPCs, and Nirn’s greatest bullshitter. Niranye who says she just got here from the Summerset Isles, but turns out to have been working as a fence in Skyrim for the Thieves Guild for many, many years. Niranye whose boasts about Altmer superiority and her connections to Windhelm’s organized crime have somehow been taken in fandom as proof that the Dunmer just aren’t trying hard enough.

Here’s what Niranye says:

It was difficult at first. The Nords of this city are, at best, suspicious of outsiders. But in time, I made the right friends and proved myself useful enough that they don't give me trouble anymore. The dark elves are too proud and naive to understand the way things truly are, and so they continue to dwell in that slum.

"The right friends", "proved myself useful", "don't give me trouble." She's talking about fitting into Windhelm's semi-organized crime circles, despite the discrimination, (“the Nords of this city are, at best, suspicious of outsiders) and 100% of her dialogue and the Summerset Shadows quest revolve around her criminal activities. Not exactly a model for the Dunmer as adaptive citizens. The Nords are already complaining the Dunmer are a bunch of criminals.

When I’ve pointed this out before, people were skeptical that the ordinary people of Windhelm are aware of Niranye’s shadiness, so here’s a run-down of her dialogue.

Trying to get Captain Lonely-Gale to join forces in a smuggling operation: Niranye: "Captain Lonely-Gale, it's always a pleasure to see you. In fact, I'm glad you're here. There's something I'd like to ask you." Lonely-Gale: "A pleasure to see you as well, Niranye. What can I do for you?" Niranye: "I was wondering if you still had many associates in the shipping profession. I have a business proposition for any sailors who might be looking to make a few extra septims." Lonely-Gale: "If that business proposition includes smuggling, forget it. The sailors I know are plenty good at finding trouble without any help from you." Niranye: "You're such a wet blanket, captain. Can't a girl have a little fun from time to time?"

Offering to use her network to help the priestess of Talos, if she pays Niranye: "Hello, Jora. I'm glad to see you. In fact, I was just thinking about you and your husband." Jora: "Is that so? And what were you thinking, exactly?" Niranye: "Well, I've heard awful stories about these Thalmor, and how they're rounding up everyone who still worships Talos. The interrogations are quite merciless, from what I've heard. I fear for you and your husband, should the Thalmor come here. But perhaps there's a way I can help." Jora: "I doubt Ulfric would let Thalmor into Windhelm without a fight. But please, do continue. How would you help us?" Niranye: "Well, let's just say that I know some people who are experts at helping others disappear when they need to. They are discreet and thorough, though not inexpensive. I hope you'll keep that in mind, should the worst come to pass." Jora: "We accept the risks that come with our faith, but I'll keep your offer in mind. Thank you, Niranye."

Revyn Sadri has figured it out and wants in Revyn: "Niranye, I just have to know―what is your secret?" Niranye: "My... my what, now?" Revyn: "You know. Where do you get your goods? I am always amazed at how you manage to sell things so cheaply." Niranye: "Oh, just a matter of finding the right suppliers." Revyn: "Well, I'll want to meet them next time they're around. Maybe you can give me an introduction." Niranye: "I'll consider it. Many of the people I deal with are... secretive. You know how it is." Revyn: "Of course! I understand completely. You just put us in a room, and I'll do all the talking. No worries at all."

And then there's Torbjorn Shatter-Shield who mentions that there are rumours going around about her criminal involvement. Torbjorn: "I've been meaning to speak to you, Niranye. Rumor is, you've got ties with the Thieves' Guild." Niranye: "One should never pay too much attention to rumors, Torbjorn. You have piqued my curiosity, however. Please, do continue." Torbjorn: "It's a bad time to be a criminal, what with these murders going on. In fact, thieves have been known to kill, if there's a profit in it. This war's been hard on all of us." Niranye: "Not that I'd know anything about it, of course, but it seems to me that the last thing a thieves' guild would want is to draw attention to itself." Torbjorn: "The eyes of the law are everywhere these days. The guards are looking for a killer, but who knows what else they might turn up? Good day."

Aside from her Summerset Shadow quest dialogue, that's all Niranye's dialogue and it paints a picture of her being the known person you go to in Windhelm when you're doing something a bit on the edge of the law without being a pure bandit. People like Torsten Cruel-Sea, who has some Thieves Guild connections himself, suspect her of doing even worse, but these other conversations attest to ordinary knowledge in Windhelm.

A better model for an Altmer who’s established himself in a position of trust within Windhelm is Nurelion. The people of Windhelm trust an Altmer to make up their medicines. That’s a large measure of trust in this climate.

But the truth is, despite what Niranye says, the Altmer aren’t facing any of the same issues in Windhelm. People might be suspicious of the Altmer as Thalmor spies (though that doesn’t show in-game), and multiple TES games have demonstrated the rest of Tamriel’s annoyance at the Altmer’s superiority complex. But there wasn’t a huge Altmer wave of refugees to Skyrim. The Altmer in Skyrim fit into their cities and towns as individuals who negotiate their own place within the society. Niranye can thus choose to live outside the Gray Quarter. The Dunmer in Windhelm can’t.

Basically, Niranye just feels that if they were Altmer, they would be smarter at manipulating Nords. But being dumb naïve Dunmer, they’re doomed. There’s no reason to buy into her story. For my money, Suvaris Atheron and Belyn Hlaalu seem like they’re objectively much more successful than Niranye.

Myth #7: The Argonians Are Outside To Protect Them From the Dunmer

This fannish invention has no support in game or lore. I wouldn’t, however, be surprised if there’s tension between the Dunmer and Argonians. As previously mentioned, Suvaris Atheron is awful towards the Argonian workers she oversees:

These lazy Argonians better get their tails moving.

Her logbook demonstrates that the attitudes of Third Era Morrowind are alive and well:

Punished one of the dockworkers for laziness. Two days rations -- empty stomach means less good work for a few days, but he'll work hard from here on out. Found the Argonians had completely fouled up the operations in my absence. No surprise, there. Need to see to the old one's skooma supply, that should keep them motivated.

Scouts-Many-Marshes also hints that tension runs three ways:

I wish the Nords, Argonians and Dark Elves in Windhelm got along better.

But Argonian-Dunmer enmity is never identified in game as reason for the ban. The Argonians complain about the Nords, not the Dunmer. The Dunmer don’t bother much about the Argonians. When Brunwulf is asked about the ban, he identifies the Nords as the obstacle to removing it.

I'd like to, but it's not as simple as that. Most of the folk in the city believe as Ulfric did, that outsiders should not be trusted. Until those people learn to accept the Argonians, they must remain outside, for their own safety. Old habits don't die easily, and we Nords can be as stubborn as stone.

Idesa Sadri, the Cruel-Seas’ nanny, says that she takes the Cruel-Sea son down to visit the Argonian Assemblage so he can see how lucky he is: rather patronizing on her part, but apparently they’re allowed in.

And unfortunately, the best dialogues illuminating Argonian-Dunmer relations in Windhelm are never actually heard in-game, since Ambarys Rendar and Scouts-Many-Shadow’s A.I. never brings them to meet. But these two don’t prop up the idea that the Argonians live in fear of the Dunmer.

Scouts: "Why do the Nords bother you so much, Ambarys?" Ambarys: "Why do you even need to ask? They treat your people as bad as they do mine." Scouts: "I think that's just their way. The Nords don't like anybody who's not a Nord, but they're not bad people, deep down." Ambarys: "Look around you. Don't you know what their little war is about? They want all non-Nords out of Skyrim. That means you and me." Scouts: "Oh, I doubt that very much. Who would load their ships, then?" Ambarys: "Just you wait and see."

Ambarys: "How much do they pay you per day?" Scouts: "That's really none of your business..." Ambarys: "How much?" Scouts: "Eight septims per day, plus lodging." Ambarys: "Eight septims for breaking your back, and then you live in squalor. How much is your dignity worth?" Scouts: "If it's all the same to you, Scouts-Many-Marshes prefers to eat and drink in peace." Ambarys: "Sorry, my scaly friend, you've come to the wrong place. Around here we don't ignore what's happening in the world."

Myth #8: Ulfric/the Stormcloaks want to deport the Dunmer/Argonians/other races.

This one comes up a lot, with references to “Skyrim is for the Nords!” and “True sons and daughters of Skyrim”. My housecarl Lydia likes to scream the former at every Dunmer necromancer and mudcrab she meets. (which is perplexing to her Dunmer thane and husband) I wouldn’t find these slogans offensive on their own. Skyrim belongs to the Nords, not foreign overlords. And the true sons and daughters of Skyrim are its people who will fight for its freedom. I think that’s what Ulfric would say anyway, if challenged on the subject. But the slogans don’t exist in a vacuum, and as I’ve surveyed here, there are lots of reasons to be a bit leery of Ulfric Stormcloak’s nationalism.

HOWEVER, it’s wrong to state as fact that Ulfric and the Stormcloaks want to or plan to deport anyone. They haven’t made any move to do it or discussed doing it. As quoted above, it’s Ambarys Rendar’s theory that Ulfric wants to do it. Rolff Stone-Fist doubtless would be on board with it.

You can imagine a situation in which Ulfric or someone else proceeds to deporting the Dunmer/Argonians/others, but it’s not a part of the Stormcloak agenda at the moment.

[chaoticdumpsterfire]

Roleplay Partner wanted!

So, as you can see, I’m new to this website and honestly I have no idea how several things work around here -  so please: If you’re interested contact me via the given options below!

I’m looking  for roleplay partners for some long term writing via Discord or Email, I’m sure that Tumblr will be possible as well as soon as I figure this website out, have patience with me.

I’m also looking for a friend(?), someone I can send stupid memes or stuff that reminds me of our OCs. I want someone I can geek around with, maybe even play some games together? I’m looking for the whole package I guess. If you’re only here for the RP that’s of course cool too!

Some things about myself you should  probably know

-       I go by River, Z or Zero

-       I’m 20+ years old

-       my pronouns are He/Him and They/Them

-       I have around 10 years of experience when it comes to Roleplay

-       My timezone is GMT/UTC

 Things I have to offer

-       a shit ton of OCs coming from all different backgrounds, settings and/or fandoms (I usually have a Pinterest board for each of them, no faceclaims)

-       characters ranging from cute, cuddly over assholes with a god complex to mentally ill crashes

-       characters with health issues, disabilities and mental struggles

-       humans, humanoids, aliens, demons, supernatrual creatures

-       a burning love for dark and taboo themes

-       a lot of time on my hands

-       love and passion for the things and characters I write and create

-       a strong will to put a lot of effort into the RP to make it as fun as possible for the both of us

-       3rd person, paragraph style writing with multiple responses each day

-       an open mind when it comes to world building or plot development

-       a very dirty and dark mind when it comes to it, I write from vanilla to extreme NSFW

-       I’m completely okay with writing multiple characters in one RP or several scenes

-       I’m wiling to write a few canon characters too, though only those I’m comfortable with

 Things that are important to me

-       I only write M/M parings (Yes, that includes trans men, Femboys and NB sweethearts!)  I’m not comfortable with F/Futa or any roles close to that, sorry!

-       please only contact me for a RP if you’re 18+

-       anything involving minors, animals or anything close to that is an absolute No Go

 Things I want from you

-       ideas of your own – a one sided RP is no fun after all

-       active engagement in the world, the characters and their relationships to each other and the  things happening around them  

-       don’t ghost me, I can’t stand that

-       creativity while not creating one God character after another. Perfect is impossible and terribly boring

 Some Fandoms we could bond over

-       League of Legends

-       Overwatch

-       Genshin Impact

-       Stardew Valley

-       Rainbow Six Siege

-       The Division 1

-       Fallout

-       Skyrim

-       Cyberpunk

-       Harry Potter

-       The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings

-       Star Wars

- Criminal Mind

- CoD

- Supernatural

-       Hannibal (the TV series)

-       Sherlock (the TV series)

-       Marvel & DC

-       Tributes of Panem

 Tropes and Settings

-       Supernatural

-       Sci-Fi

-       Space Adventures

-       Pirate Eras

-       Wild West

-       Future

-       A/B/O

-       Ancient times

-       Eldritch Gods

-       End-times/Apocalyptic

-       Mafia & Underground

 That’s really all that comes to mind! I’m sure I have missed something somewhere but I guess I can always add these things later. If you made it to the end of this, thank you for reading!

I HAVE A HUGE BRAINROT PLEASE HELP

If you would like to contact me:

Discord is: плакса#2379 // cryoriver

Email is: dumpsterfire.sterling@gmail.com  

[themattress]

My Top 30 Favorite Video Games

Inspired by @ultraericthered’s Top 30 Favorite Anime post. 

Although I’m doing mine in countdown form, ‘cause it’s more fun that way!

30. Super Mario Bros. - Arguably the first “blockbuster” game to be released, not only does Super Mario Bros. still hold up over 35 years later but it’s a gift that keeps on giving with how many different incarnations, remixes, fan games using its assets, etc. that we have now.

29. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - OBJECTION! While I cherish the entire original Phoenix Wright trilogy of the Ace Attorney franchise, I’ll always be the most partial to the original outing. The sheer audacity and hilarity of the concept, which is grounded by endearing characters and compelling mysteries, shines brilliantly in this little, easily accessible game. 

28. Trigger Happy Havoc: Danganronpa - While similar in many ways to Ace Attorney, Danganronpa boasts a variety of more actual gameplay than mere point-and-click text scrolling. But what really makes this stand out, beyond gameplay or even the strength of its concept, story and characters, is the atmosphere it creates. For good and for ill, traversing the pristine, neon-lit hallways of the abandoned Hopes Peak Academy looking for clues as I’m forced to play by Monokuma’s twisted rules is an experience that will stay with me forever.

27. Star Fox 64 - Beyond all the entertainment this game provides through memes, it’s really just a fun, reasonably simple but just moderately complicated enough game that’s accessible to any player even if they usually don’t go for aerial shooters. It’s also one of the earliest console games that I ever played, so of course it’s going to hold a special place in my heart.

26. Batman: Arkham City - It’s an impressive feat when an open world game can still feel so claustrophobic in all the right ways, and that’s what Arkham City accomplishes. This game is essentially The Dark Knight to Arkham Asylum’s Batman Begins, escalating the action, suspense and sheer Batman-ness, providing unlimited opportunities to enjoy yourself playing as Gotham’s defender and facing down the greatest Rogues Gallery in comic book history.

25. Red Dead Redemption - Look, I know that Red Dead Redemption 2 is technically the superior game. But its complicated story, sprawling cast of characters, and vast canvas of a world can be pretty daunting, whereas I feel like the original Red Dead Redemption struck a much better balance. Allowing open world freedom within the confines of the straight-forward story of John Marston’s redemption really makes you feel like you’re in an old Western film, and the way that choices you make as a player impact the way that film ultimately turns out is one of the strongest arguments for video games being worthy of consideration as true art.

24. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - So, ten years ago an open world adventure video game series releases its fifth entry...and to this day, we’ve had no sixth, in favor of expansions and updated re-releases of said fifth entry. But that’s not a sign of laziness; it’s a sign the developers know they hit such a peak in quality that they have no need to rush anything further out the gate, as Skyrim is a gift that keeps on giving. Addictive in how unlimited in possibilities it is, with each playthrough never being the same as the one before, Skyrim is a gaming masterpiece that I don’t think I’m going to get bored with playing anytime soon.

23. Super Paper Mario - This may be an unpopular opinion, but I vastly prefer this game’s action-platform-RPG hybrid gameplay style to the prior installments’ traditional turn-based RPG style, which feels more at home in stuff like Super Mario RPG and the Mario & Luigi series. But gameplay aside, I think this has the strongest story of any Mario game, trading in the usual “save the kingdom/princess” fare for saving all of reality, with legitimate emotion and drama and even character development. It’s one of the Wii’s shining gems, to be sure.

22. Epic Mickey - This game’s graphics are by and large unremarkable, its gameplay is fraught with issues (that camera is unforgivable), and it’s nowhere close to the best on its system or genre. But Epic Mickey is a case study in where the effort put into crafting the game’s world and story, not to mention the obvious love and respect for the material being worked with, pays off. Any Disney fan will love this game for its story, which puts Mickey front and center as an actual character rather than a mascot and dives deep into his history as he meets his “half-brother” Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, and its mystical, unique atmosphere - what the graphics can’t deliver, the fucking music more than makes up for. All of the game’s flaws mean nothing compared to the sheer heart on display, and I treasure it greatly as a result.

21. Batman: Arkham Asylum - I already mentioned that Arkham City is the superior game, but as was the case with Red Dead Redemption and its sequel, personal preference strikes again. The simpler story and narrower confines of Arkham Asylum just appeal to me slightly more, and I feel like the borderline horror atmosphere this game has could never fully be replicated by all of its sequels and spin-offs. Also, you can play as the Joker in this. WIN.

20. Metal Gear Solid - And on the subject of Arkham Asylum, it owes much to this game, which created the template of a lone badass hero having to use stealth and weaponry to liberate a government-owned island from the lunatic terrorists that have taken over. Hideo Kojima famously never wanted this game to have any sequels, and I can definitely see his point, as it’s a complete and wholly satisfying experience in of itself and I don’t feel like it’s ever been topped. At the very least, it’s certainly the most enjoyable of the series to me.

19. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask - Also, speaking of “borderline horror atmosphere”, we have the freakiest game that the Legend of Zelda series ever put out. What was supposed to just be a gaiden to Ocarina of Time mutated into this beautiful monstrosity that’s become just as iconic. Nobody who plays this game is ever going to forget that fucking moon and all the constant jumping back and forth in time across three days as you try to prevent the apocalypse of Termina. It’s the kind of gaming trauma that’s well worth experiencing.

18. Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories - Like Majora’s Mask, this game is a case study where you can take a bunch of recycled assets and gameplay, and then make something unique from it if you have a well-crafted story with a dark and disturbing atmosphere. It’s hard to experience or appreciate the transition between Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II without playing this midquel, which takes the narrative and characters to deeper levels without being pretentious about it and sets the stage for the proper console sequel perfectly. And if you can’t get into it being on Gameboy Advance, then just play the PS2 remake (which is arguably the superior version anyway) and you’re good! Just...don’t mind the cards, OK?

17. Sonic CD - And now we have another game about jumping back and forth through time to prevent an apocalypse! See the common threads at play here by this point? Sonic the Hedgehog is at his best in 2D gameplay, and I personally enjoy this the best out of all the 2D games in the series. As obscure as the Sega CD was as a system, it was powerful enough to take the blue blur’s speed to its maximum level, set alongside beautiful graphics and a kick-ass soundtrack (well, two different kick-ass soundtracks; and I actually prefer the US one). 

16. Pokemon Black & White - While there were advancements made to story and graphics and gameplay features in the third and fourth generations of the Pokemon series, nothing felt as truly ground-breaking as the second generation games until the fifth gen with its Black & White games. This was arguably the game series’ peak in quality on all fronts, but its specifically the story that lands it on this list, as its well-written and paced, subverts many formulaic elements from the previous games, is set in one of the most unique regions in the Pokemon world, and has a timeless message that has only grown more relevant with age. 

15. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - The whole series could really go here, but fortunately the most recent entry is the perfect embodiment of said series, with every playable character there’s ever been and then some. The sheer variety is unmatched by any other fighting game out there, and its story mode, “World of Light”, is quite possibly the greatest video game crossover in history given how many characters are featured as both fighters and spirits.

14. Super Mario 64 - I’m pretty sure this game used to be higher in my favor, but replaying it on the Nintendo Switch recently has made me aware of how, as the first game on the Nintendo 64 and the first 3D platformer, it’s poorly aged in several areas. However, I must stress that it is still a very good game. The fun of going to the various worlds within paintings in Peach’s Castle hasn’t changed, nor has how smoothly and seamlessly Mario managed to make the jump from 2D to 3D. Just like Super Mario Bros., the number of games that owe something to this one is too great to count, and that’s an achievement that remains timeless.

13. Dark Chronicle - Also known as Dark Cloud 2. I hadn’t heard a damn thing about this game before renting it on a whim many years ago, and I was caught off guard by just how good it was. It’s got a simple but effective story and likable characters, a timeless atmosphere, beautifully cel-shaded graphics, dungeon-crawling gameplay, action-RPG combat gameplay, literal world-building gameplay, and even a fishing minigame! This game can actually stand besides the Zelda series without shame; it’s truly an underrated gem.

12. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - Oh, speaking of Zelda, this game goes full Lord of the Rings-style epic fantasy with it and it is glorious. Between the near perfect gameplay, beautiful 3D graphics, and one of the best stories in the series (with one of the best characters: Midna), Twilight Princess’ most prevalent complaint from critics all the way up to its own developers is that it wasn’t even MORE expansive and awesome given how long it was hyped, and if that’s the biggest issue with the game then I’d say it’s in pretty good shape.

11. Super Mario Galaxy - Super Mario 64 may be held back a little by how its aged, but no such thing is holding back Super Mario Galaxy. Super Mario Odyssey might be as good or possibly even better, but I just don’t hold the same feelings of amazement and respect toward it that I do for this game. From the blitzkrieg-style attack on the Mushroom Kingdom by Bowser to the discovery of Rosalina’s space station, this game had me hooked from the first few minutes, especially with it blaring that awesome orchestral score the whole way through. To this day, I maintain that this is Mario’s greatest 3D adventure. It’s simply magnificent.

10. Final Fantasy X - Ha! See what I did there? This game has caught flak for some of the awkwardness that comes from being the first fully 3D entry in the series, but I think that’s tantamount to nitpicking when compared to all it does right. To me, this was the last really good installment of the main Final Fantasy series, with a story and world so brilliantly developed that the game earned the immediate breakthrough success and acclaim that it found in its native Japan. 20 years later and, as the HD remaster has shown, it still holds up as one of the most engaging JRPG experiences I’ve ever had the pleasure of having.

9. Banjo-Kazooie - At the time, this was basically Rare’s copycat version of Super Mario 64, although considered about as good. Now, however, there’s a difference: the aging issues I mentioned for Super Mario 64 don’t apply for Banjo-Kazooie. Whether replaying it on the Nintendo 64 or on whichever Xbox you’ve got, this game is still just as fun, imaginative and hilarious now as it was back then. It’s quite possibly the greatest 3D platformer ever made.

8. Pokemon Crystal - The definitive edition of the Gold & Silver games of Pokemon’s second generation, taking what was already a phenomenal advancement and improvement to the first generation and making it even better with additional features such as the ability to play as a girl for the first time and a more clearly defined storyline centered around the legendary Pokemon featured on the game’s box art. Pokemon had been written off as just a passing fad up until this point. This was when its staying power as a video game juggernaut was proven.

7. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Talk about a win right out of the gate for the Nintendo Switch! This game returns the Legend of Zelda series to its roots while also applying all that has been made possible in video games since the original game’s release, and the result is an enthralling, addictive, open world masterpiece that has set a new standard of quality for both the Zelda series and for many modern video games in general.

6. Kingdom Hearts II - The Final Mix edition to be precise, although in this day and age that’s basically the only edition people are playing anyway. This game is the apotheosis of Kingdom Hearts as both a video game series and as a concept; filled to the brim with Disney magic and Square Enix RPG expertise and paired with some of the most refined action-based gameplay there is. And when it comes to bringing the original Kingdom Hearts trilogy’s story to a close, does this game ever stick the landing. The series could have ended right here and I would have been completely satisfied (and its reputation would be a lot better off, too!)

5. Pokemon Yellow - While I maintain that this game, the definitive edition of the original first generation Pokemon games, still holds up as fun to play even now, I’ll admit that it’s pure bias that it ranks so high. It was the first proper video game I ever played, there was no way I was leaving it off the top 5! Its blissful nostalgic atmosphere is always such a delight to return to.

4. Banjo-Tooie - Remember when I said Banjo-Kazooie was “quite possibly the greatest 3D platformer ever made”? The “quite possibly” is because its in stiff competition with its own sequel! And personally, I’m in Banjo-Tooie’s corner; something about how inter-connected its worlds are and the addition of so many things to do all while maintaining your full moveset from the original game is just beautiful to me. Both it and its predecessor are like obstacle courses that I never tire of running through, which is the hallmark of brilliant game design.

3. Kingdom Hearts - Another case where the sequel may be the superior game, but my own personal preference leans toward the original. And in this case, it’s a highly personal preference: this game and my memories of playing it for the first time are so very dear to me. The characters and worlds of Disney put into an epic crossover RPG was like a dream come true for me and no matter how far the series it spawned has deteriorated, nothing can detract from the magic of this game. It’s got a certain, indescribable feel and atmosphere that’s never truly been replicated, and that feel and atmosphere still holds up whenever I revisit it. The gameplay may not be the best, particularly when compared to Kingdom Hearts II’s, but the charm of the story and the characters and the world and the very concept more than makes up for that. As far as I’m concerned, it’s one of Disney and Square’s greatest masterpieces.

2. Final Fantasy VII - I was aware of the hype this game got and was totally ready to call it overrated, but damn it, it got me! I don’t know what it is about this game with its blocky early 3D graphics, poor sound quality to its excellent soundtrack, and frequently mistranslated script that proved to be so gripping and enjoyable to play through, but man did it ever Limit Break its way into my heart. This is considered a JRPG classic for a damn good reason.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Do I really need to explain this one? It’s famous for being frequently cited as one of the greatest video games ever made, and like Final Fantasy VII, its hype is well-deserved and totally justified. Whether you’re playing it on the Nintendo 64, the Gamecube, the Wii, the 3DS, and hopefully the Nintendo Switch in the future, there is a magic quality to this game that permeates through every step you take in its fully 3D world. It’s a triumph that has stood the test of time, cementing the Zelda series as truly legendary.

[nostalgic-breton-girl]

Not sure if you've answered something like this before but what are your thoughts on Delphine as a character? I always just feel she's so... devoid of motivation, and I really desperately want to like her! It always feels to me that the blades was put into the main plot just to create conflict and not really... add anything you know?

i feel like i’ve talked about delphine in bits and pieces before and i don’t want to give you an essay, but she is one of my favourite characters in skyrim and i really think she could have been more than she was

i think the issue is that all of her character development, if there was any, is done either before the game or off-screen. and that they end her questline at what feels like the middle. the blades aren’t an afterthought -- they’re very much linked with the legend of the dragonborn -- and so it shouldn’t have felt that way. delphine is really fascinating...

what she must have gone through! i don’t blame her for almost anything that she does in the questline, it’s the natural result of her tribulations. the request to kill paarthurnax shouldn’t have felt like it came out of nowhere given -- whether you agree with her or not -- i do comprehend why she thinks as she does. the issue is that you’re left hanging there, that you never interact with her again if you don’t kill him, and barely if you do. nothing really comes of it

honestly i think what she did to malborn should be seen as more unforgivable than what she did to paarthurnax, but even there you can reasonably argue that delpine’s almost ruthless actions are down to the circumstances and her mental state; and characters don’t have to be anything like perfect, everyone makes mistakes, some bigger than others. that’s how you make a story

but that’s where there’s a gap i guess. we know she’s been through a lot. seen so much, lost so much. yet she narrates what happened like she didn’t suffer through it, and so the emotional connexion is missing. she, and her story, remain impersonal, aloof

i think it’s a real shame she’s seen as so down-and-out bad, in terms of the paarthurnax matter. like, i don’t think i trust paarthurnax as much now as i used to, i’m not sure he should be seen as some kind of unproblematic, completely reformed goodie. that’s not how skyrim works at all, morally grey is the order of the day. but the writers mistook morally grey for let’s give all the characters one blatant underdeveloped character flaw and... yeah

[foulserpent]

watching that skyrim xikeel vid made me realise i have no idea what ur ideal voices for everyone is. what do ned xikeel solvej and dusty sound like / how do they talk?

copied and slightly edited from an old post

ned: his original voiceclaim was jerma. he has a light boston accent canonically, voice is deeper and gayer and less nasally and less like a funny cartoon animal than jerma’s. its also a little rough from his smoking habit and having lived 20 years in vvardenfell, though not an obvious “smoker voice”. heres this.

he talks pretty quickly and stumbles over words a lot, but not really in a way that strikes you as “nervous”

he gestures a lot and pretty much cannot talk without hand and ear gesturing

niviiran: annie clark/st vincent’s speaking voice. this is the only one that id say is perfect as is. also she has the lore friendly boston accent too but its not as pronounced as ned’s

talks pretty evenly and calmly, not monotonous persay but very “chill” sounding and usually sounds just slightly disinterested (regardless of if thats true)

solvej: the closest ive been able to find is ulfric’s voice actor (he talks normally near the end), like theres other comparably deep voices but thats the one that seems closest to what im thinking. so with that as a jumping off point

kind of deep and mellow voice but can slip into a quiet silky threateningness or a big booming shout

shes very soft spoken for the most part

has a pronounced nordic accent

dusty:  talking heads era david byrne is a good enough claim for dusty’s speaking voice, just like. less perpetually dazed sounding. but similarly pitched and spoken. 

has some speech impediment issues, mostly in the form of cluttering and selective mutism. is sometimes hard to understand when agitated

tends to speak in short sentences instead due to this

xikeel: very difficult for me to pin down. the skyrim female orc default and morrowind female argonian defaults are both close-ish to what i imagine 

she has a unique intonation, monotonous yet perpetually sounds a little cheerful

her sentence structure is a little weird sometimes and its not just a second language thing, she kind of just spills thoughts out from her mouth however they may come. 

shap: i still have no fucking idea who to compare his voice to even though he has a speaking voice i can picture clearly in my mind. think of orville peck’s singing voice and try to imagine that as a speaking voice (OP’s actual speaking voice doesnt fit at all). like very deep, pretty smooth, someone you could imagine singing good country folk music.

hes not really soft-spoken but pretty mellow, and tends to speak slowly unless excited 

[maureen-corpse]

In most cases, Skyrim lends itself really well to roleplaying/mentally fleshing out the story yourself. You can collect followers and imagine that the player character gets to know them as they go on their adventures. Not even just followers! You make Breezehome your home base, and you come back to Whiterun day after day to deposit all your junk in the chest upstairs; it’s easy to imagine that you stop and chat with Adrianne or Ulfberth frequently, or that on your way to the shrine of Talos, you see Lucia all the time and eventually you start wondering if you really need to have that alchemy lab in your house when you could have a child’s bedroom instead.

You have your housecarl, Lydia, with the best delivery of “I am sworn to carry your burdens” in the whole game (hope they paid Colleen Delany extra for it), and it’s easy to imagine that either she hates you or maybe she’s just teasing because it’s just a joke that you keep giving her all these dragon bones so you can go back to Whiterun and drop your stuff off/sell everything to Belethor. You’re making friends! Or enemies!

So then, once you’ve established relationships with Lydia or Sven or Marcurio or Aela or whomever, eventually you find out you can get MARRIED and you get an amulet of Mara and you’re like...gotta pick out my SPOUSE.

So let’s say you decide to marry Lydia, because you’ve been traveling together for a long time, she is your sword and your shield, and she knows you better than anyone else in Skyrim, and she always carries your enchanted two-handed weapons that you want to disenchant later, and the only issue is that maybe it’s a little improper for you to mack on your housecarl. (Actually, you don’t know what is and isn’t improper because you just started becoming thane of things and you’re still new and part of the reason you like Lydia is that she explains what a thane is to you.) But then! She sees your amulet of Mara, and she expresses interest! Well, stranger things have happened. You’re getting married. So far so good, right?

But then after the wedding, Skyrim MESSES UP THE ROLEPLAYING. Lydia peaces out to your house and she’s opening up a shop and she’s your child’s new mom and when you go home you hear stories about what they did together without you and it’s like...bam, there’s this perfect domestic bliss thing happening with my family. How can I take my previously orphaned children’s mother away so we can go do the battle couple thing together while a different housecarl takes care of them? It would be cruel! I don’t get to make decisions anymore, because they’ve been made for me. My spouse should have just stayed my follower so we could go run around being in love and covered in blood!

Anyway, I am still very torn about what my other dragonborn will do when it comes to marriage and children. Marry a good parent? Marry for battle couple reasons? Marry the first nice person to notice the amulet? I don’t know!

[breadknight-likes-things]

Bread’s Game Journal 07/12/20: The Holds Of Skyrim Part 3: Riften

Now Riften?  I like Riften.  Riften is a city in Skyrim that reminds me heavily of the originality and fun of the Cyrodiil cities in a big way.  In fact, I’d go so far as to say Riften draws heavy influence from the design of one Cyrodiilic city in particular, and almost seems to strive to be it’s equivalent in this new (for 2011 anyway) entry in the franchise that truly loves it’s wild cityscapes. I’m referring of course, to Bravil.  Much like Bravil in Elder Scrolls 4, Riften is a dirty, poor and shabby looking town that’s infested with the criminal element and governed by a bunch of people more than willing to shake a traveler down for no reason other than to fill their own pockets.  Just like in Bravil there’s a sense of danger in Riften that, while present in a few other cities in the game, feels the most at home in this run down city on the water (yet another similarity it has with Bravil!), and makes it a very fitting home to the most notable part of the city itself: The Thieves Guild.

Yeah....they would live here.

Now, i’ll be completely honest, I’ve literally never done the Thieves Guild quest line in Skyrim.  In fact I’ve only ever actually done the Dark Brotherhood quest line all the way through, you can crucify me for this it’s alright.   That said, I know full well that the Thieves Guild makes their home in Riften (they aren’t subtle), and it lends that aforementioned air of danger I referred to above.  Walking around Riften really does feel like an exercise in being ready to get stabbed.  Whether by some kind of corrupt guard, a literal backstabbing politician or someone in the guild who decided you’re a problem, despite combat rarely breaking out there, it’s a place where you always feel you shouldn’t let your guard down.

Visually, Riften is butt ugly, and it’s damn near perfect.  Just like Bravil, Riften looks like it’s barely holding itself together as a place where any kind of society can survive, let along thrive.  All the buildings are made of sloppily constructed log cabin style facades (though they’re not quite as seemingly hastily slapped together as Bravil almost modular homes), there’s a dirty, dank river walk below the town literally called “The Rat Way”, and there’s even a series of sewers that the less savory elements of town make their homes in.

There’s an open air market in the middle of town, I've never sold anything there, Riften is not about to steal away Belethor’s best customer.

I really don’t know how much of my love of Riften is inspired by it’s similarities to Bravil, but I also don’t really care, because I love it anyway.  It stands out among most of the other cities in The Elder Scrolls V as strikingly unique in a game that, as I mentioned with Falkreath last time, has an issue with re-using certain aspects of places in a way that makes new locations feel less and less unique as time goes on.  Regardless, Riften is an easy highlight on this game, and even though I’ve still not even done the main quest line here, that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate it for what I know it as!

Random Screenshot Of The Day:

When I loaded into Riften to get screenshots, a vampire spawned in and was immediately shot through the heart with an arrow by a guard, then beat to death by every citizen nearby, then they all just left it there to rot on the bridge.....talk about a tough town.

Stray Notes:

- Still having a lot of fun with Parkitect, very relaxing game to play which.....right now....is a thing I think we could all maybe use some more of.

[talldarkandroguesome]

17th Entry in Coldharbor

As Tel and I continued our long trip down the road, we came upon what appeared to be a Nord village. 

This seemed a rather extraordinary thing that not only one town had been pulled into Coldharbor, but perhaps a second.

Unlike the Hollow City, however, most of this one was in tatters. It seemed as though most of the buildings were shattered and burnt down. As we got near, a Nord with those grey-white, dead eyes rushed at us. I teleported out of the way and unfortunately left Tel there. I rushed forward to help out immediately when I realized what had happened.

After we dispatched of the soul shriven, we were far more careful as we moved around the town. Tel suggested that we look for any cellars or other buildings that were still intact.

We found the mill, but it was empty inside. The swarm of soul shriven outside a sign of the town that once was. Seeing that they all appeared to be Nords, I suspected that perhaps the town was pulled into Coldharbor somehow. Maybe with the anchor. Is this what was happening in places where the anchors were not fought back?

Finally we spotted lights up the road. It was unusual and so we headed in that direction, if out of curiosity if nothing else. Then we saw the building, a tavern by the looks of it. More than that, it looked in perfect condition.

It was very strange. As we continued forward we saw the windows were boarded up. Then we almost tripped over the body of a Nord laying in the road. He was dressed in typical Nord attire, nothing to make one think he had any association to the Guilds. Yet from his coloration it looked like he had not been dead long. Not that time passes the same way here.

There was a letter clutched in his hand and I pried it out and read it over. And there was the story of a man escaping the enchantment of mead inside the tavern.

I shared the information with Tel and they seemed happy to go in under the knowledge that there were probably survivors inside. We discussed knocking or not. I said that if we knocked whoever was responsible for the enchantment would have a chance to react and possibly prepare an attack for us. Tel decided it was worth the chance not to possibly alienate any potential allies by walking is as though we expected the worst.

Tel knocked and as the door opened, the sounds of a raucous crowd drifted out. It was clearly a celebration. They cheered and handed Tel a mug and so I followed afterwards, getting a mug of my own. I was curious about the brew, but was too afraid to try smelling it, lest that be enough to bring me under the spell. Tel and I split up to survey the room.

I took the right side. I tried to take in the room on my side, looking for any signs of someone paying too much attention to us or anything out of the ordinary. I was waved over by a woman on the far side of the room. I walked passed a man half unconscious on the ground to where a small crowd was gathered around a man requesting him to sing.

I spoke with the patrons, they were barely able to concentrate on any single thought for the mead. They would cheer and start in on a bit of conversation only to forget what they were saying or to stop to go and get another tankard.

When I managed to speak with the bard, we spoke a bit, a little joke here or there. I got him to sing. He was a little too loud in places from the drinking. Still, he was amenable to joining me upstairs for some private time.

Of course, that is when Tel called to me to grab another tankard of mead and to meet them upstairs. I told the bard to come up in a moment. Then I almost did the unthinkable. I lifted the mug to my lips out of habit. I stopped just before the liquid hit my lips. I wiped at my mouth and then went and stood over by the keg, holding things in such a way that it looked as though I had refilled it before making my way upstairs to meet Tel.

Tel explained that the brewer and owner of the tavern had mentioned the Thane was watching. That there was a Daedric bargain involved. That we needed to work with his daughter, Nelhilda, to break the enchantment.

We went and spoke with her and she confirmed what Tel had said. She said that if she did not have such a compulsion to drink she would be able to gather the plant she needed to break the enchantment. She had seen the flower needed to complete a counter potion. It was the Kyne’s Tear flower. It was a fairly rare plant, even in Skyrim, but I had worked with it before. I said I knew what it looked like. I also knew you needed rain in order to make the flower blossom. Something that would be hard to come by in Coldharbor where the weather was the same day after day after day.

Nelhilda explained that there was a shrine to Kyne that had been pulled into Coldharbor with the rest of the village and suggested that we take some small stones to the shrine and have them blessed. The stones could then be buried with the flowers in order to cause their bloom. It was some sort of old alchemist’s trick during periods of drought, since otherwise, only Kyne’s blessed rainfall worked to make it bloom. And she needed four blossoms. I readily agreed to acquire them. She handed me four small stones and I turned to Tel.

Tel was busy trying some dispel magicka spell on the mead, but it did not work. Their cure poison spell on Nelhilda only curing the heavy intoxication she felt. I told Tel to leave things be for now and for us to head out to get the blossoms since time was of the essence, but Tel said they wanted to stay and try and help out those inside the tavern.

So I grabbed a drink from my flask and then went and slipped invisibly passed the soul shriven and scamps and the spider Daedra in the area. I could not believe so many of my Prince’s Daedra would betray Her for Molag Bal. But I had to keep my rage to myself as I slipped over to the shrine and placed the stones on the altar and spoke a prayer for their blessing.

Then I searched around the pond of azure plasma where Nelhilda told me they grew. I found three in short order around the edge of the pond where old gnarled tree roots grew. I buried the stones and sure enough, the blossoms came up. A fourth plant was harder to find, but I eventually managed before I rushed back to the tavern with the plants nestled safely in my alchemy kit where they would not be crushed.

I had a little more from my flask in order to help with my appearance as someone drinking before I snuck back upstairs through the window to find Tel still just barely keeping Nelhilda from the effects of the enchantment. While she was still holding together her lucidity, I pulled out the blossoms and she hurried to her alchemy station. I watched carefully as she made the potion, noting the technique and ingredients on the off chance I might need to make it ever again.

We each got a portion of the potion and set to slipping it into the kegs. I had no issue and went back upstairs as I waited for Tel to finish with the last keg. When Tel returned they said there was something off with the Thane’s voice and they suspect he was not a Nord at all, but a Daedra. I said that I suspected as much for otherwise I thought he was a Worm Cultist. Now we need to decided how to proceed. I said we should not attack the Thane at least until we could gaurentee to get out the people at the tavern so that we did not risk fighting a group of Daedra. I do not look forward to our next moves.

[sharp-teeth-and-archived]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐄𝐆𝐀 𝐑𝐏 𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐓 / 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐄.

First and foremost, recall that no one is perfect, we all had witnessed some plotting once which did not went too well, be it because of us or our partner. So here have this, which may help for future plotting. It’s a lot! Yes, but perhaps give your partners some insight? Anyway BOLD what fully applies, italicize if only somewhat. Long post!

MUN NAME: Bambi / Eden     AGE: 18       CONTACT: IM, Ask, Discord (search discord up on my blog)

CHARACTER(S): a shit ton

CURRENT FANDOM(S): Dragon Age, rdr2, assassin’s creed, star wars (sorta??)

FANDOM(S) YOU HAVE AN AU FOR:  Modern verse, r.dr2, da, skyrim (haven’t touched my bio for it for a while so I may have to touch it up a bit) and that’s pretty much it for any au verse. They’re just crossover verses.

MY LANGUAGE(S): English.

THEMES I’M INTERESTED IN FOR RP: FANTASY / SCIENCE FICTION / HORROR / WESTERN ( my brand ) / ROMANCE / THRILLER / MYSTERY / DYSTOPIA / ADVENTURE / MODERN / EROTIC / CRIME / MYTHOLOGY / CLASSIC / HISTORY (my 2nd brand) / RENAISSANCE / MEDIEVAL / ANCIENT / WAR / FAMILY / POLITICS / RELIGION / SCHOOL / ADULTHOOD / CHILDHOOD / APOCALYPTIC / GODS / SPORT / MUSIC / SCIENCE / FIGHTS / ANGST / SMUT / DRAMA / ETC.  ( I’m open to most things, it just depends on plot & muse )

PREFERRED THREAD LENGTH: ONE-LINER (it happens but I tend to not favor it) / 1 PARA / 2 PARA / 3+ PARA / NOVELLA. / ALL

ASKS CAN BE SEND BY: MUTUALS / NON-MUTUALS / PERSONALS / ANONS.

CAN ASKS BE CONTINUED?: YES / NO / OCCASIONALLY   - only by Mutuals?:  YES / NO

PREFERRED THREAD TYPE: CRACK / CASUAL / SERIOUS / DEEP AS HECK. / ALL

IS REALISM / RESEARCH IMPORTANT FOR YOU IN CERTAIN THEMES?:   YES / NO.

ARE YOU ATM OPEN FOR NEW PLOTS?:  YES / NO / DEPENDS.

DO YOU HANDLE YOUR DRAFT / ASK - COUNT WELL?:  YES / NO / SOMEWHAT. 

HOW LONG DO YOU USUALLY TAKE TO REPLY?: 24H / 1 WEEK / 2 WEEKS / 3+ WEEKS / MONTHS / YEARS. / DEPENDS ON MOOD AND INSPIRATION, AND IF I’M BUSY

I’M OKAY INTERACTING WITH: ORIGINAL CHARACTERS / A RELATIVE OF MY CHARACTER (AN OC) / DUPLICATES / CROSSOVERS / MULTI-MUSES / SELF-INSERTS / PEOPLE WITH NO AU VERSE FOR MY FANDOM (really depends on if you have oen in mind and we discussed it, it’s just not posted) / CANON-DIVERGENT PORTRAYALS / AU-VERSIONS.

DO YOU POST MORE IC OR OOC?: IC / OOC. ( varies, but overall I tend to post more ooc? )

ARE YOU SELECTIVE WITH FOLLOWING OTHERS?: YES / NO / DEPENDS.  

BEST WAYS TO APPROACH YOU FOR RP/PLOTTING:  im me or talk to me over discord

WHAT EXPECTATIONS DO YOU HOLD TOWARDS YOUR PLOTTING PARTNER: Not too much? I’d like for there to be a plot in mind, but I can understand if that’s not the case. I’ve had instances where I want to interact with a character, but have absolutely no idea in mind. Usually sendign in an ask meme can help in that regard.

WHEN YOU NOTICE THE PLOTTING IS RATHER ONE-SIDED, WHAT DO YOU DO?:  I strive to not be one-sided myself, but I do have instances where I can’t think of anything. I’m not sure? Maybe ask the other person if they’re into it or if something else is at play (dealign with real life problems and it just affects their mood voerall).

HOW DO YOU USUALLY PLOT WITH OTHERS, DO YOU GIVE INPUT OR LEAVE MOST WORK TOWARDS YOUR PARTNER?:  I always try to give ideas of my own if I have any. Coming to a equally agreed, general idea is fine. I’ve had instances where I was on both sides of this, but I always try to add input and be equal with the other person.

WHEN A PARTNER DROPS THE THREAD, DO YOU WISH TO KNOW?:   YES / NO / DEPENDS. - AND WHY?: Sometimes I don’t notice it, but sometimes I do. Generally, I like to know, but I understand if someone doesn’t wan tto reach out. Just at least try to let me know and we’re fine. 

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY LEAD YOU TO DROP A THREAD?:  It depends really. Sometimes I just don’t have muse for a thread, or an instance where I have dropped a muse entirely. Sometimes it can be timing, but that’s rarely the issue. Most of the time it’s just I can’t think of anything and I feel like it hasn’t really gone anywhere? I have stuff in my queue for a while, so soemtimes it appears that way until it’s posted and I’m sorry about that.

WILL YOU TELL YOUR PARTNER?:   YES / NO / DEPENDS. ( I do have instances where I was forgetful and I haven’t told my partner int he apst adn I’m sorry about that. )

IS COMMUNICATION IN THE RPC IMPORTANT TO YOU? YES / NO. - AND WHY?: I don’t need to be tlaked every day, but stronger friendships ( ooc & ic ) are formed when I talk to a person. It doesn’t need to be often, but it helps me understand your chaarcter and your approach. With that, I can come up with ideas and understand you rmuse more. I understand if people aren’t fond of ooc chatting, that’s completely understandable to me.

ARE YOU OKAY WITH ABSOLUTE HONESTY, EVEN IF IT MAY MEANS HEARING SOMETHING NEGATIVE ABOUT YOU AND/OR PORTRAYAL?: Criticsm is a good way to grow. Criticsm is different from completely bashing a perosn’s portrayal and not giving any pointers (ex: “your portrayal sucks.”). Or even for a person. If you feel like I am portraying something wrong, like depression or something similar, let me know. If you feel like Lydia’s adhd isn’t properly portrayed, let me know. 

DO YOU THINK YOU CAN HANDLE SUCH SITUATION IN A MATURE WAY? YES / NO.

WHY DO YOU RP AGAIN, IS THERE A GOAL?: All of my muses are written and taken an interest in for different reasons, sometimes I don’t even know why I decided to write them. I roleplay because I love exploring different characters and dyanamics and it’s easier for me to write like this than forming my own story. But a goal in mind? Be a good rp partner I guess? Or at least try to make things interesting and try my best to portray my characters correctly or in an intruiging manner. 

WISHLIST, BE IT PLOTS OR SCENARIOS:  Varies on muse. I have different plots in my wishlist tag: ( wishlist ). 

THEMES I WON’T EVER RP / EXPLORE:   Potential triggering content ahead. Rape, noncon, abuse, incest, drug use -not alcohol- ( lyrium I can write fine, it’s just the realistic stuff I can’t do. ), inappropiate under age stuff. Themes where I write a stalker. Sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and racism will never be mentioned by any of my characters. I won’t write smut probably ever, so themes with that I tend to not write. Very likely more, I just can’t think of anything. Within dragon age, I do have a characetr ( Sera ) who will refer to elves as elfy-elves and be pretty anti-elf, which can be triggering to others. Also, animal abuse or gore of any kind.

WHAT TYPE OF STARTERS DO YOU PREFER / DISLIKE, CAN’T WORK WITH?: I can’t work with starters that don’t really have any dialogue (handing something over with nothing vocally said is fine, but when someone is just sitting there, that’s harder to work with unless somethign is plotted). Generally, I like outside circumstances to be explained (locaiton, where in a game/setting this might be occuring, etc), I really like when dialogue is added and body landguage is explained/noted.

WHAT TYPE OF CHARACTERS CATCH YOUR INTEREST THE MOST?:  Honestly? it varies. I tend to really be into deep, complex characters or characters that appear can be sterred in that direction with more added. Bubbly, energetic characters, fighters (typically female). Quick witted or flirty characters & mysterious types. 

WHAT TYPE OF CHARACTERS CATCH YOUR INTEREST THE LEAST?:  I hate using the term but mary-sue/gary-sue. I hate saying that, but if a character has no flaws, I won’t be interested. Or characters that seem to just be placed there with no development. 

WHAT ARE YOUR STRONG ASPECTS AS RP PARTNER?: I try to add as much effort, or at least a lot of effort, in replies & interaction. I am very open-minded and when I get passionate about soemthing, you can really tell. I am easy-going, so feel free to tell me if you want to drop a thread or have a concern. I tend to work well of other’s people’s ideas, usually able to add my own.

WHAT ARE YOUR WEAK ASPECTS AS RP PARTNER?: I am slow and my queue tends to be slow since I try not to overhwelm myself and stress myself out to the heavens. I try to reach out, but sometimes I just can’t think of anything to say. My muse can be very flickle at times, so replies to stuff can vary. My msue tends to be more for ask memes than replies at times. 

DO YOU RP SMUT?:  YES / NO / DEPENDS. 

DO YOU PREFER TO GO INTO DETAIL?: YES / NO / DEPENDS. 

ARE YOU OKAY WITH BLACK CURTAIN, FADE TO BLACK?: YES / NO.

WHEN DO YOU RP SMUT? MORE OUT OF FUN OR CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT?:

ANYTHING YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO RP THERE?:  all of it

ARE SHIPS IMPORTANT TO YOU?:   YES / NO 

WOULD YOU SAY YOUR BLOG IS SHIP-FOCUSED?: YES / NO. ( I love ships, but I am selective with it and require chemistry -unless I know your muse and you occ super, super well-. It’s nice but it isn’t he full focus of this blog. I want to explore my characters and witness other people’s characters and their development. )

DO YOU USE READ MORE?:  YES / NO / SOMETIMES WHEN I WRITE LONG STUFF.

ARE YOU:  MULTI-SHIP / SINGLE-SHIP ( Jacob ) / DUAL-SHIP  —  MULTIVERSE / SINGLEVERSE.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE TO EXPLORE THE MOST IN YOUR SHIPS?: Varies on muse, but for my rdr2 characters I’ve been really wanting a sorta of “outside” character where they aren’t directly involved in the gang, but they are in a relationship with oen of their members. Where my muse,w hose in the gang, will tell you rmuse about it and the whole aftermath of everything. Where their partner will understand to an extent, but try to undestand? if that makes sense? I also want enemies to work on a job/project together and deal with that. But this all also varies on muse.

ARE YOU OKAY WITH PRE-ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS?: YES / NO / DEPENDS.  ( I find it easier to write to assume people knwo each other, but an immediate friendship isn’t required. Like my muse may know yours or hear about yours, but they haven’t directly met you before ). 

► SECTION ABOUT YOUR MUSE.

- WHAT COULD POSSIBLY MAKE YOUR MUSE INTERESTING TOWARDS OTHERS, WHY SHOULD THEY RP WITH THIS PARTICULAR CHARACTER OF YOURS NOW, WHAT POSSIBLE PLOTS DO THEY OFFER?: I have a large amount of different muses, but all of my muses all bring something new to the table. Want a guy who seems nice, but can be an asshole with a flick of a dime, who has a secret betrayal plot hidden behind his back? Pick Robert. Want a guy who’s humurous but seems to be hiding under a fake persona? Pick Charley. Want a female assassin who’s very talented anr professional in her work to a fault with her work-alcoholic ways? Pick Evie. Want a sweet and caring character with a heart of gold and will give you advice and comfort? Pick Cassie It depends on the plot, too, but I try my best to add as much to reply to to another. If you ever want more added, tell me! I could give multiple plots, so it’s really hard to put something down.

WITH WHAT TYPE OF MUSES DO YOU USUALLY STRUGGLE TO RP WITH?:  If someone isn’t interested or outwardly hateful of my muse without a valid reason when starting to interact. Beign enemies is fine, but maybe we could write how it became that way? This really varies, so don’t let this steer you away. Just give me something to work with, brign soemthing to the tbale, and I’m usually fine.

WHAT DO THEY DESIRE, WHAT IS THEIR GOAL?:  Varies on muse. Robert: fame/recognition, a legend made out of him. Charley: just to live life happy? He wants to be okay money-wise. Evie: to take down the Templars & help the people of London, not fail and always be successful and outwit her foes. Cassie: everyone around her happy. Sean: His gang to be successful, btu also be sucessful himself, he wants to be admired as well.

WHAT CATCHES THEIR INTEREST FIRST WHEN MEETING SOMEONE NEW?:  Just using the same muses lmao. Robert: Someone who just listens to him and isn’t quick to make fun of him. Charley: If they have a sense of humor and someone he can stand, he’s pretty much fine tbh. Evie: If they can give her any information or aid with her cause. Cassie: How they are feeling. If they let her just listen and seem more open than closed off. Very personality-based. Sean: soemtimes looks, but mostly if they have a similar personality as him.

WHAT DO THEY VALUE IN A PERSON?:  Evie: devotion, kind spriit, efficiency, loyalty. Robert: willingness and empathy despite having little himself. Charley: Honesty. Cassie: Consistency. Sean: reliability. 

WHAT THEMES DO THEY LIKE TALKING ABOUT?:  generally all of them like books (except Sean), events around them, their interests.

WHICH THEMES BORE THEM?:  For half of them, anything mundane or boring. Anything that isn’t relating to anything that’s spoken around / surrounds them.

DID THEY EVER WENT THROUGH SOMETHING TRAUMATIC?:  Robert & Charley (more Robert) witnessed a murder, Robert actually doing that act. Cassie: hearing about the violent nature of her father’s death. Sean: the things he went through with the bounty hunters.

WHAT COULD LEAD TO AN INSTANT KILL?:  A gunshot or anything that could overpower them.

IS THERE SOMEONE /-THING THEY HATE?:  Sean: rich people, Scots for some reason, English people sometimes. When someone disagrees with him on soemthing he is passionate about. Pronouncing and Irish word wrong. O’Driscolls & anyone that’s an enemy of the gang. Evie: Templars, Starrick & Lucy Thorne. People who lie or misled her or others. Injustice. Robert: Someone makign fun of him tbh. Charley: People who don’t plan out anything or are really reckless.

IS YOUR MUSE EASY TO APPROACH?: YES / NO.    - BEST WAY TO APPROACH THEM?: Talk to them. Initiate a conversation. Pretty much that across the board. 

SOMETHING YOU MAY STILL WANT TO POINT OUT ABOUT YOUR MUSE?: None of my muses are perfect. Some are worse than others, but generally msot of my muses will listen to you and usually be nice to you if you appraoch them well. All my muses are different from one another, so expect different results / reactions

CONGRATS!!! You managed it, now tag your mutuals! ♥

TAGGED: stole it

 TAGGING: steal it and pelase tag me ! I want to see your results