#mortal vivec

[trickstarbrave]

ANDDDDDD VIVEC IS DONE these colored sketches have been fun. i also just noticed i actually did them in the ALMSIVI order???? not intentional ngl

i went a lil. ham on him ngl. i referenced both eso and morrowind bc i wanted to capture his kinda uncanny stare???

also i am a freckled vivec truther. he can get rid of the after apotheosis but i'll remember

[tonal-modulator]

literally why would "summoning the dead" be anathema to the dead keepers when like. the Whole Thing about ancestor worship/veneration is that they're not fully gone and you can talk to them sometimes

[theropoda]

not to take away from your point but didnt vivec and sotha sil also walk among and help mortals? i think almalexia herself says in tribunal that the two used to live among their people until dagoth ur appeared took the heart and everything got worse for all three of them

ok look. almalexia does not get the appreciation she deserves. 

it’s possible that sotha sil didn’t truly die– he built his consciousness into his city (and the wheels of null) and what almalexia killed was a mere husk. likewise, vivec had CHIM and could easily exist beyond reality as we know it– there’s actually a lot of extra-canonical text to support this, depending what weight you give to kirkbride’s work. the point is that both of them had fail-proofs, way to keep their divinity that they’d set up beforehand, methods of godhood that would allow them to exist even after the heart of lorkhan was destroyed

and while they were off probing into the deepest secrets of creation, who looked after the damn country? almalexia did! there is a reason that almalexia lived in the capital of morrowind, there’s a reason almalexia is solely credited with repelling the akaviri invasion along with the nords, why she’s the one who largely negotiated the ebonheart pact, why we find her again and again appearing to deal with the mundane day-to-day politics while vivec and sotha sil appear much more rarely in these capacities. while vivec and sotha sil were off exploring the universe, she’s mother morrowind, and in the most mundane capacity of little diplomatic trifles and matters of justice and economy and all those other non-mythical nonsenses, she kept the province running. 

basically she got screwed over by her fellow almsivi. it’s like– imagine that you’re doing the work of three people, acting as the captain of a ship, when suddenly your two co-captains come up to you and inform you that they’re sinking the boat, but it’s okay because they built life rafts for themselves and themselves only while you were doing their work for them. try n tell me you wouldn’t flip out and demand to be known as the one true captain and attempt a murder. cmon. 

basically almalexia kept morrowind intact for fockin eons while the other two living gods went and did god knows what and yall should show a little more respect

[what-even-is-thiss]

How did Bethesda get away with having a character like Vivec in 2002

He’s intersex and non binary, canonically identifies as both male and female. Is male presenting and appears to mostly use he/him pronouns and canonically had sex with a male presenting Daedra to get information out of him.

I think they got away with it because he’s a god. But also not really? He’s not really a god? Just kind of?

Like, good lord. Vivec is such a complicated character. He sucks but also he doesn’t. He’s a character of dualities and contradictions.

Like in order to have an intersex bigender character in 2002 they had to wrap him up in layers of theological duality but they still did it. They made Vivec. And people accepted it. Vivec is there. He was bigender and intersex even when he was mortal. That was not caused by his divinity.

They made an intersex bigender warrior poet not afraid to use his sexuality to get ahead in life. And from what I can see people just let them do that. Did they even know what they were doing? Did they even know how cool that was when they did it?

[sneakygreenbean]

so we all know that the 36 Lessons of Vivec is considered Vivec's confession- and apology. But what I think yall are sleeping on is the Fables of Almalexia, both the Homilies and the Fables for morning, afternoon, and evening.

Each story in the four books written by Almalexia ends with a moral or lesson, and it is not uncommon for one of the Tribunal to feature in the stories as well. While a few lessons are based on real world fables (such as the Boiled Kagouti or the Gifted Guar), many of the others had lessons that directly related to the flaws and stories of the Tribunal. I think these fables that likely every dunmer child who went to temple heard, were all confessions of their own, and warnings just the same as the 36 Lessons.

Obviously, I don't care about all of these, you can read them yourself and come to your own conclusions, (hell, even synthesize them with some of the 36 Lessons, that would be fascinating for me to read) but I do want to talk about a few of them.

"Sotha Sil and the Scribs" has the moral "And so Sotha Sil discovered that the idle amusements of one may be the solemn tortures of another.", and looking on Sil's character in The Elder Scrolls: Online it is obvious that he sees mortals- even his own disciples- as somewhat lesser than him. And as a god, this belief is not wholly undeserved. Sotha Sil is significantly more powerful, older, and in many quantifiable ways *better* than the mortals he rules, that's just in the territory of being a god. But when the mortals- the scribs, in the fable- suffer, Sil is at best distant and apathetic, seeing suffering as not only not his responsibility, but also inevitable. Luciana Pullo's diary shows us a lot of what this looks like from the perspective of a mortal, even a powerful, interesting mortal that Sil obviously respects.

in "The Tallest Shroom Beetle", a beetle ""ascends"" by climbing, and is killed by a cliff racer. The moral here is stated to be "forsaking one's nature brings nothing but ruin." which would read as terribly hypocritical if taken at face value. The Tribunal, who were once mortals, warning others not to forsake their natures, to me more likely shows regret than hypocrisy.

In "The Friendly Alit" the lesson we are to learn is that "that which we hate in ourselves is often our greatest gift". Sotha Sil is the easiest to compare this to when we see his relationship with time- more on that later. I have thoughts on Almalexia that cannot be summed in a tumblr post about childrens fables, but believe me when I say I've been thinking about her. Despite this, I don't have an answer for what Almalexia might hate most about herself- she is the member of the Tribunal that we know basically nothing about before she becomes a god, her backstory being swallowed by her marriage to Nerevar. She is basically shown as having no weaknesses, and her actions are difficult to interpret even at face value.

Certainly related is the idea of Almalexia or one of the other Tribunal admitting their flaws (it is worth noting that in the Homilies, Almalexia is directly cited as the author, whereas in the Fables for Morning, Afternoon, and Evening, there is no author given. We have *assumed* that these were written by Almalexia, I mean, her name is on the cover, but it is only listed as a group of fables.)

in "The Crow and the Netch" the moral is "none can change their own weakness". Once again I think this is related to the hindsight we see in "The Friendly Alit", which seems to suggest that, if we are to seriously consider these fables, they might show the regret of the Tribunal. Each sees themself as weak in their own way, and even after sacrificing everything to destroy that weakness, they are still the same.

Related, in "The Child of the Councilor", the lesson learned is "We often forget to be thankful for what we have, when thinking only of what we want."

Many of the Homilies can be seen as confessions of regret, hindsight regarding limitations, and most importantly, flaws. I will probably end up writing an essay on this when i get around to it because I'm really normal

[falmerbrook]

It seems like to most people the most interesting or captivating part of Vivec's character is the sutff in the 36 Lessons and/or all the esoteric lore we learn through it/him. But I honestly was captivated by just the conversations we have with him in Morrowind, and for me that is when he is at his most interesting and fun to analyze. Maybe it's just because I find the 36 Lessons too dense to follow, but in-game Morrowind Vivec is how I picture his character in my head more than those other sources (at least for that point in his life). I think that's the most honest he has been (and will ever be) with the player.

On that note, I think it's interesting how many people when writing him (whether that be in a serious or funny context) write him speaking with all these metaphors and obtuse language like in the 36 Lessons, when the 36 Lessons are supposed to be a religious text (like, when has the Bible, for example, ever been written conversationally?), and in every instance of him having a conversation with the player or others he still talked like a normal person. Sure, he obfuscates his meaning and is careful with his words, but it's still a conversation.

In general I think many folks fall for his and the rest of the Tribunal's posturing as gods when I think in their characterization and interactions with others, they are more like just mortal people than most give them credit for, and Vivec get's this sentiment from fans the hardest. They really fall for his hype. He's just one of those characters where I feel like I gotta go back and reread his actual dialogue from time to time to refresh myself on his characterization. And it always reminds me of how much I love him in Morrowind.

[mothermara]

I have this theory that Skyrim is so green and sunny in TESV because of climate change. In the 3rd era, Skyrim is consistently spoken of as a harsh, snow-covered tundra. Bruma is covered in snow despite being at a fairly moderate elevation, and south of Skyrim. Vivec described Atmora as completely inhospitable to mortal life, so much so that those who stayed all froze to death. However, in the fourth era, Skyrim is shown to be mostly covered in greenery, save for the northernmost reaches. I believe the best in-universe explanation for these stark discrepancies lies in the possibility of fluctuations in Tamriel's climate; specifically, I think the oblivion crisis marked the end of an ice age that began in the mid-merethic era.

[iamnotshazam]

TES III Morrowind post -

A Nerevarine that, for all their humility, does not escape the power of the Heart. They wielded the Tools. They touched it even closer than the Tribunal or Dagoth Ur ever did, as the Nerevarine removed the Dwemer spell barrier channeling the power through the Tools. The Heart of the world, that was made to satisfy the other, that laughed at destruction and loved existence too well to cease. The same Heart that changed the spirit of Voryn Dagoth into Dagoth Ur merely by proximity.

A Nerevarine that chooses to not become a god. Not because Vivec never revealed the technique, nor because Indoril Nerevar chose not to in the past, nor because Azura is watching. But because they see the wreckage it made of people that might have once been true friends, Nerevar and House Dagoth and the Tribunal, and how the blessings the Tribunal thought eternal were, in the end, as impermanent as their underlying mortality. The Heart and its power was not theirs, but the world's.

A Nerevarine that touches the Heart, twice-insulated by Dwemer gauntlet holding knife and hammer, cutting at the pericardic seal on its overflowing power. And a Heart that "sees" a little mortal creature who chooses to accept the struggle given from their shared creator, Lorkhan. The Heart does not have a will of its own, but it is made to satisfy the other.

The Nerevarine changes. Perhaps it's the echo of dying near the Heart in a past life, perhaps it's because they chose to follow what others tried to force into a destiny, perhaps it's dumb luck. Mortals cannot stop change. Not even ageless mortals pretending to be gods, nor thrice-loyal stewards become devils, nor a hero healed of the divine disease and given accidental agelessness. The Nerevarine changes.

Are they Nerevar, or did they become a Nerevarine? Were they tricked, or have they tricked everyone else? Is this Nerevar a true rebirth, a reincarnation through sympathetic Azura reborn unaware? But would that also not leave them as processed through another's will as Trinimac was to become Malacath? Or would that be Arkay of death and birth, or even Akatosh of time, who ate and changed them? Does it even matter? It seems not to, right up until they are standing next to a power that makes death of immortals and eternal life of mortals. A known aid to Mantling. Hell of a time, when the Sharmat is breathing down your neck, to start remembering the trusting face of Voryn Dagoth. Or are the memories like dreams, and the Nerevarine has been sleeping this whole time?

The Nerevarine awakens, and changes.

Maybe now they always hear their heart and the hearts of others, beating away. Or they feel the current location and status of the Heart, locked away in magma flows and safe from tampering. Maybe they can change swiftly between Chimer and Dunmer, and Azura smiles and does not say if it's her power or their own. Or they can change between Mer and Man, or even Beast. Maybe it's only between their reborn shape, whatever species it may be, and that of Indoril Nerevar.

Whenever they look at the Imperial merging of Akatosh and Shor in tapestry or stained-glass window, the back of their skull aches and their heart feels ready to beat out of their chest. Sometimes they feel stabbing pains through the chest and their feet go numb and their face feels slack. The robe brushing their skin, the candle-smoke wafting into their nose, the chanting words pouring out of their mouth: it all feels like betrayal. Other times they feel ready to break into eight pieces, or like they might reach into their enemy's chest and pull out the heart without breaking skin.

(They tell none of this to Vivec when they return, or Almalexia when ensnared into her new scheme. They are surrounded by people in these cities named after gods who do not deserve it, people celebrating the defeat of Dagoth Ur and the return of Nerevar. Which the Tribunal now says they always knew was coming, but had to play the part.

And the Nerevarine wonders why they find themselves wanting to ask Sotha Sil for advice, when he is the enemy, and might even have been the first traitor of the three. Then they come upon his mechanical corpse, and before they realize the full implications, they think, Ah. Ayem went after the least resolute, the most likely to help me . . . Wait. Oh shit-)

Maybe they can feel where - although it's more like when, but sideways - time almost broke again, in the heart chamber. Was that the second time they were in there, if counting past lives, or merely the first? They can feel a . . . a something, a somewhen, a different time in which Vehk, Seht, and Ayem were gods from the beginning, or the Dwemer properly ascended, or the Nords overran Resdayn, or Nerevar believed Voryn and together they killed his teacher, his friend, his wife-

Time flows and they can sense the eyes of the gods looking at them through the veil. Either they go crazy and scream at them all like the Whitestrake did, or they choose - choose, again and again - to continue acting of their own power and volition. It's all a mortal can do.

[scarila]

Mortal Almsivi ! The hortator’s advisors, queen Indoril Almalexia,Vivec and Sotha Sil

[nxghtdoll]

they were once mortals, y’know

-Vivec used to have freckles, they didn’t liked and got ride of them once they became a god

-Sil already had lost his limbs at young age because of the incident in Ald Sotha, he has only his right arm intact (also grumpy and wanting to drink 24/7)

-Almalexia is the taller of them, used to be in a piercing era on her face, used to fist fight mostly than sword-to-sword

[trickstarbrave]

people love dagoth ur for the same reasons they hate almalexia.

both of them are power hungry. both are not afraid to use horrible methods to control the people of morrowind who they claim to love and want to protect (corprus and weather machine). both use their past relationships with nerevar in an attempt to manipulate the nerevarine. both use flattery to manipulate the nerevarine. both knew as much as they offer to work together and rule side by side the nerevarine is too dangerous to leave alive and must be killed. it was always going to end with the nerevarine's death.

but i regularly see dagoth ur being painted as sympathetic and misguided, if not outright correct. he is just crazy, he's our best buddy, the nicest bro ever, he's just not in the right state of mind. but almalexia has to be a massive bitch who has no redeeming qualities ever and is stupid and manipulative and evil and bad and should be killed on sight because she's our bitch ex wife.

personally i think theyre both morally wrong and deeply flawed people driven to the point of insanity but who do have, somewhere deep down, a desire to do good. dagoth ur lived through the nordic empire's occupation of morrowind just as almalexia did, and he wants to purge the empire from morrowind and wants to be worshipped by the dunmer as a true god who will never abandon them. almalexia also has some similar goals but believes its vivec and sotha sil holding her back from achieving true independance and the full worship of the dunmer as she deserves. absorbing people into a hivemind through a disease that mutates them is Bad as is using a weather machine to scare your citizens.

almalexia is honestly less extreme than dagoth ur and more clearly warped by the heart. mortals arent supposed to have that kind of power, and it was clear there was a time she was reasonable and sane. dagoth ur is MUCH more warped and clearly insane, because he sees nothing wrong with the death and destruction around him, either because he's okay with it or he's completely delusional. the first dream he sends the player of the wedding everyone else is a corpse but he laughs and talks with them like theyre alive and happy. almalexia is not that far gone (yet, at least)

[vrrl]

Mortal Vivec travels through Tamriel on guar. Based on my headcannons about where he went after the events of Morrowind.

[aladaylessecondblog]

Severed Destiny, Pt. 12

Morvani, after a good many more instructions, gestured to the ashes below, at a particular bone and a bit of leather beneath it. "I want you to take one of my bones, and the silver sandals I was wearing when they burned me."

"I thought that was--wasn't allowed," Haj-deek said, "To take things from family tombs."

"It's perfectly fine if you belong to the family and are being told to do it, both of which I am doing now," she said, "The bone will allow you to better ask for the protection of your family, should you need it, and the sandals...well..."

Here a rather devilish grin crossed Morvani's face.

"My sons will recognize them, if they have forgotten everything else of their mortal lives."

Haj-deek couldn't help but laugh at that, but then thought of something that quickly took it back. She made certain to speak only when she had knelt to take the bone (a knuckle, she thought) and ash-covered sandals. "I was told to close the entrance I fell into. What--what should I do? What would you have me do?"

"Do as you were asked. I do not want our tomb pillaged and plundered by bandits and thieves. Mark it somehow, so later you might be able to return...but do as you were asked. But before you leave - follow me."

"Follow you?" she questioned, as Morvani's spectral form left the ashen pile. "Where?"

"Someone must make the introductions, and as your father is unable, it must be me. It is time for you to meet your family."

---------------------------

As it turned out, one of her ancestors was formerly employed in ensuring a long-buried mine stayed intact, and was thus able to show her how to collapse the doorway. "Who would have thought that I could help a member of my house so long after my death? With simple knowledge from a lifetime in the mines?"

And despite her impending departure there was a small horde of Dagoths, of all ages, who would wait and watch her as she closed what had been their only link to the outside world in two eras.

It warmed her heart to see them so happy to see her and help her. Once more she felt the glow of no longer being alone...but it was neutered of its fullness when she watched the rocks collapse over the spot.

I will come back, she thought to herself, I WILL.

She could not think how to mark the spot, until she looked at her map. And making a rough guess - it was between two others nearby - she marked it, waiting carefully for the ink to dry before setting off for the Erabenimsun camp again.

Han-Ammu was one thing. He greeted her kindly enough, and after Haj-deek explained what she'd done, said, "I now name you Erabenimsun Nerevarine, Champion of the Erabenimsun, and Protector of the People. By collapsing the entrance of the tomb of House Dagoth, you have saved us all a great deal of trouble."

He directed her then to Manirai's yurt. The others of the tribe she'd met so far had been relatively friendly, but the wise woman's face clouded on sight of her.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"The shadow of evil is over you, child, that is what is wrong, and you must fight it."

"There's no evil over me. At least...no more than anyone else on Vvardenfell...I'm here to be declared Nerevarine. Not that I need it, really, because I already have the ring, but...I've guessed I should do this properly."

Haj-deek removed her glove and lifted her hand to show the ring. (Vivec had warned her to avoid this, but he'd also told her to come straight back from Tel Fyr, and she hadn't done that either...)

"Most unusual, and I will declare you Nerevarine - but please, take heed. Pray to Azura, show your faithfulness. Before it is too late."

It's already too late.

"Has--has she told you so?"

"I do not need to be told to know. I see the signs, more than I ever have before. The omens do not favor you, child, is what I mean to say."

"You--tell fortunes, then? I didn't know you wise women could see the future."

"We must be able to divine it to some degree, or we would not be wise women. Often our predictions come of spotting patterns that repeat over the years, of studying the personalities of those around us. And this you call fortune-telling! But no - sometimes visions we are granted, which we are always quick to write down."

"But you know nothing of me." Haj-deek looked to her feet. She'd changed into Morvani's silver sandals, liking instantly the high-quality yet worn-in way they felt, and the slight sheen on them was a good distraction. "Do you?"

"I have seen--" Manirai said, "I have seen you, dressed in the armor of House Indoril, skewered before Lady Azura. And for this reason I warn you - do not fight your destiny. Fill the shoes Azura has fashioned for you, walk the path she sets before you, and do not anger her needlessly, for I can only assume that is what would prompt such a thing."

Haj-deek merely nodded, refusing to lie to the woman's face. The lack of an answer concerned the wise woman, but nothing more was said on the matter. She was declared Nerevarine, and that was that.

But skewered? SKEWERED? That ugly word repeated in her head. The Indoril Armor, too...well, she'd just have to make sure never to wear the damn stuff. The ordinators didn't like it when people wore that stuff anyway, so it wasn't as if it would be hard to avoid. There were better armors to wear that wouldn't give trouble.

It was a good thing the woman didn't seem to know who her family was, or that would have made things even more difficult...might have even made her refuse to name her Nerevarine at all.

She decided to spend the night there, at the Erabenimsun camp, as they happened to have a (tiny) empty yurt, and were more than happy to show her how to set the thing up. She had a few herbs and an ash yam, and contributed a sea shanty when someone at dinner called for a song.

Despite the jovial atmosphere, the pall Manirai's warning had put over things persisted, and she went to sleep fitfully.

------------------

When Haj-deek opened her eyes again, she was...not sure where she was, other than inside of a cave that glowed at one end with a fire pit. Attempts to change the setting as she usually did in dreams didn't yield any results. The smallest details refused to yield to her.

So she waited.

And she heard him, before she saw him.

Who are you?

She started to say the name she had borne for fifteen years, but if he was who she thought--she answered a moment later, "My name is Sunnar."

The sound of footsteps. Haj-deek looked about, glancing first one way and then another, and saw nothing. But she blinked - and then he was there. She stumbled back, seeing for the first time the man in his entirety, the same as her mother had.

A tall dunmer, dark of hair, whose minimal clothing was all red and black - the loincloth marked with a Sixth House symbol. But it was the mask that stood out to her most - golden, impassive, completely unreadable.

She stepped back, reaching for a weapon subconsciously - and found she had none.

You do not need them here.

There was silence for a moment, and then his hands raised to her face.

So what I saw was correct, and not merely a trick of their blighted eyes. You are your mother's child.

"Y-your child," she stammered. If this was not merely a dream, perhaps he was speaking to her at a safe distance, afraid...of what, she did not know.

I fear--nothing, came the swift reply, in a tone that shook nonetheless. On my own behalf, at least. You have never been in greater danger than you are right now. You must--you must come to me.

"But the prophecies--?"

They have been dashed to bits on the rocks before, this time shall be no different. Know this - you are unsafe anywhere I or my faithful are not. The Tribunal seek your end, whatever the false god Vivec may have told you, he lies. He lies, he will do nothing but lie, and I will not lose you to his machinations.

Another pause, and a sudden stab of pain in her arm.

No... Dagoth Ur's voice choked, in a way she could never have anticipated, I will send my faithful after you. I will have you brought here, I will not let this happen AGAIN--

But from that dim-lit embrace she was dragged, from the world of dreams and into the world of the living.

-----------------------

Haj-deek gasped as she jolted awake. In the darkness of the small yurt she saw nothing at first--but then there was the glint of a lens. She felt the blade going into her shoulder, and with a shove the owner of it was forced back, without their weapon.

It was pulled out, and she cast a healing spell as she rushed forward to attack her would-be attacker, a movement which roused Sunchaser beside her.

Only once the attacker was dead and she sat tired and breathing hard, did she get the chance to check their pockets unimpeded.

There were no notes with words, but there was a symbol she could easily understand. The black hand.

Her attacker was one of the Dark Brotherhood.

[wellthebardsdead]

Voryn: *sitting upright in his bed as the healers feed him tea and tentatively help him adjust to being back in a body after being reborn from the ash* there is so much I must atone for…

Evalien: *seated beside him, mortal body physically exhausted after achieving chim but otherwise well, still coming to terms with her reality after the world bent before her eyes when she performed the dance of creation in reverse upon the brass tower, setting lorkhan free and merging akatosh and auriel back as one, and in celebration her joyous laughter returning the dwemer and restoring the falmer to nirn. And along with them, Voryn.* you’ve already suffered more than enough. Now you should rest. And focus on living the life you were robbed of.

Voryn: I can’t… how can I ever face them after what I did under the hearts contr-

Nerevar: *suddenly kicks the door down, steren at his side, both having barrelled through the temple just to reach them after hearing his heart had awoken from his rebirth at the foot of the mountain* Voryn?…

Voryn: Nerevar… *looks to his side, all three eyes meeting with the dark haired chimer with the blue steely gaze* St-steren? *chokes back a sob and covers his face as tears fall, having dreamt so long of his little star, sired when he was still Ur Dagoth and nerevar the nerevarine. But he was his son. His child.* I’m so sorr- *gasps out a surprised cry as they both practically scramble onto the bed to hug him*

Head healer: y-your majesties! Lord dagoth is still frag-

Evalien: *rises from her seat and pats their shoulder* shhh, they’ll be gentle with him. They wouldn’t dare harm him. *smiles at them and bows her head before ushering the healers away to give them space*

Voryn: *unable to stop weeping as nerevar holds him close and gives him a kiss he’s been longing for for so long* I do-I don’t understand, you should be mad at me! Why aren’t you mad at me?! After everything-

Nerevar: *smiles and holds his face as tears freely fall from his eyes* why would I be mad? I know the truth, I know what really happened. And now we’re together again, we’re together.

Steren: *hugging voryn tight in disbelief, feeling a connection centuries old in his heart* Ata… *smiles up at him and laughs through tears* it’s really you!

Voryn: *unable to hold back any emotions as he just bawls his eyes out with centuries of grief* M-My moon and star, my son!! My little star!

Evalien: *smiles from the doorway before looking back to see Vivienne awkwardly waiting to meet his fiancés other father* … *strokes his hair back from his face and smiles, seeing a sparkle of Vivec in his eyes as he willingly wears his dual toned skin still despite Azura lifting the curse* you look lovely Vi.

Vivienne: *smiles up at her and shyly fixes his robes* thank you, Alma. Y-you look lovely to- *gasps as steren opens the door and grabs his hand pulling him in to meet his father*

Evalien: *smiles and walks off, stopping just short of a rogue dwemer automaton rolling by as Wyrm chases after it*

Wyrm: I TOLD YOU IT DIDNT HAVE AN OFF SWITCH YET!!!

Inigo: *running after him* IM SORRY!

[falmerbrook]

WIP Whenever thing

(unfinished friday maybe?)

I was tagged by @youthroad (TY so much!!!)

Tagging (idk if any of you have been tagged already, but either way don't feel like you have to!): @apollinariafh, @snowy-weather, @angiemaniac

I've had these Vivec and Nerevar moments sitting on a canvas for awhile, I just haven't gotten to finishing them. There's a bunch of other rougher sketches too, but those aren't decipherable enough to post (I just like these two fellas a lot!)

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Also, I don't post fic much, but I went on a bit of a spree and started a few small ones yesterday, so I thought it might be fun to share one of those too. Miraak and LDB fight:

Miraak was supposed to be fighting for his life—his freedom—but the thrill of battle had gotten to his head. Every fireball that whiffed by his head, every shout that was countered by an equally powerful cry, and every soul of a dragon he felled that surged into his own soul energized him in ways he hadn’t been energized in millennia. Hell, in ways he hadn’t been energized ever. He’d fought hundreds of battles over his mortal life, many against his fellow priests with a perfect mastery of the Thu’um, but none had ever felt like a true equal. A challenge, sure, but never someone who could match Miraak in his understanding of the Voice. They had treated it as a simple language, a skill to practice, a tool to use for their gain, but for Miraak it was a fundamental part of his world. It shaped him and everything around him. Face to face, spell to spell, with another Dragonborn was different. While her skills were obviously less refined, her use of the Thu’um held a natural, instinctual punch. She wasn’t shouting out of strategy, but out of frustration, arguing with Miraak in the way only a Dov could. Her sharp eyes dug into his with the same hatred that he looked at her, but the smirk on her face as she paused and steeled herself for his next move betrayed she was equally as exhilarated as him. While he had the experience over her to pummel her with his Thu’um, he couldn’t help but respect her as an equal.

He never wanted the fight to end, but he knew he would eventually have to draw it to a close and slay the young Dovahkiin. The thought of losing the opportunity to keep around someone who mirrored himself, even as a rival, sent a sour pang up Miraak’s chest, but the threat of losing his millennia of planning and his freedom was too great. He had grown up the only Dragonborn, and he could continue to live that way.

For now, though, he was in control. Her lack of experience reflected in the way she overexerted herself too quickly while he had been largely holding back. He could let this dance play out for a while longer. Her upper hand was in her magic, a skill Miraak had admittedly practiced little in during his imprisonment in Apocrypha, but while powerful, she was sloppy, and was already starting to slip up and fail her casting. He, however, was as strong as he’d ever felt in Apocrypha.

[dxwnfxll]

Next wave is here !! Super proud of how these turned out and I hope y'all like them : D

First up we have Ayem/Almalexia

I deeply apologize for how the doodles look on hers💀

Not much I changed with her besides she was the one to organize the betrayal of Nerevar and convinced the others to follow her - Very evil gal and I had given each of the tribunal a 'Right hand' that was mortal she's got a high priest that's her loyal hand

Next up is everyone's favorite Lego user Seht/Sotha sil!

Semi gave Sotha Nall a design (maybe i'll actually give the Sotha family a design in my au 👀) also Memory is featured in here too lolz

Again nothing much changed with his story (besides having it that Memory was 'organically' born through an oc of mine, how did she get pregnant? The world may never know) and he was able to raise Memory for a short time before he became a ceiling decoration (which will be explained more once I draw up Memory)

And finally Mari Vivecs top guard (and one of many lovers)

So her whole thing is that she was an extremely loyal person to Vivec, and after Vivecs death she became 'crazy' with the idea of bringing them back. This led to the birth of the tribunal cult (the one in Skyrim) as In my au she's the leader of it along with Almalexias right hand

If you're wondering why the third wasn't Vivec, i'm just using a wheel to help me pick which characters i'll draw (which will be in groups of three)

The next character designs are: Dagoth ur/Voryn, Vestige and Dagoth Endus : D

Hope y'all liked these designs!!