#my favorite skyrim oc is a vampire but making it so in-game makes him appear evil by default bc there's no nuance

[konahrics]

I hate how much potential the Dawnguard DLC had and how shallow it ended up being.

TES doesn't usually deal in black & white, good vs evil. Imperials aren't better than Stormcloaks, the Companions aren't inherently good or bad, etc. But then the Volkihar vs Dawnguard conflict happens and it's just... would you like to rid the world of evil vampires?

Normally that's the part where you have to weigh the pros and cons of whichever side you'll take, but are there any pros to the vampires' side? You have to essentially sell your soul to Molag Bal to get a power that's kind of worth it sometimes, to live in a castle that houses actual human cattle and no one likeable except for Serana, who'd still be there if you'd taken the Dawnguard side anyway.

Besides Harkon's (stupid and self-destructive) plan, what objectives do the Volkihar have? Once the main story is over, the game just throws fetch quests at you. They don't actually do anything beyond existing.

And the fact that you fought for these vampires to exist is particularly frustrating because they're shallow and unlikeable. At least some of the Dawnguard members have a backstory: the young man you meet at the entrance to Daybreak Canyon who's scared of Isran, the Orc who wants to avenge his wives, the guy who might speak to Arkay, etc. The vampires get Nothing (except for Serana... who sides with the Dawnguard if you do). There's a former member of House Dres. Vingalmo and Orthjolf bicker. Valerica is admittedly an interesting character, but that's kind of it. Most of the vampires in the castle have almost nothing to say, unlike some of the Dawnguard who you actually go recruit yourself and have their own personality. Which is a shame because i wish that once you've sided with the vamps, you'd actually get incentive to stay. There are many reasons why someone might want to be a vampire (did they get taken in by the Volkihar in an uncharacteristic act of good will, and are now unshakeably loyal? Are they a disgraced noble looking for revenge? Do they think vampires should work with mortals rather than against them? There's potential dammit! Have some diversity!) but the only reason all of the Volkihar vampires have is to sit in the castle, drink blood all night and proclaim their loyalty to whoever's the leader.

Speaking of leaders! Isran is an interesting character who fights for a good cause but sometimes goes to extremes and pushes his own allies away; Harkon is a dumbass who thinks blotting out the Sun would be a good thing and who will 100% backstab you the moment he doesn't need you anymore or you become a threat to him. Actually, you can't trust anyone on the vampire side. Finishing the DLC as the leader of the Volkihar sounds both exhausting and unrewarding, from an in-character POV. Also, why isn't Serana the new leader after she helps you kill her father??

There's so many things that have me believe that DLC is meant to be played on the Dawnguard side, which kinda sucks. It's nice that they offer a way for the player to be evil, but the evil plotline is boring, and good vs evil isn't what TES is good at anyway.

TES could have done what it usually does, and does well, which is a nuanced conflict (while keeping the Volkihar somewhat monstruous, because they are.) A Dawnguard who's trying to destroy vampires but whose methods are extreme (Isran literally has a torture room in the game and makes Serana wait for you there) vs the Volkihar who are torn between obeying Harkon like they have for millenia even though his plan is self-destructive, or overthrowing him and facing the Dawnguard menace weakened. If you side with the Dawnguard, congrats! The Volkihar are no more, but without them around cull their numbers, vampires are popping up left and right. Destroy them and cure their victims before they turn. If you side with the Volkihar, once you've destroyed the Dawnguard, you have to fix the problems Harkon allowed to fester while he was obsessed with the prophecy. Stop other clans from encroaching on Skyrim and refill your depleted ranks, and choose how thralls should be treated.

At this point i'm just rambling but i'm so smad about that DLC. I love vampires but they're so 2-dimensional compared to everything else in the game. I'd happily play through the Soul Cairn every time if the rest of the story was engaging. Ok not happily but i wouldn't complain as much.

[fenriael]

I was tagged by @sheirukitriesfandom, thank you for tagging :)

Arellius is my Imperial vampire, skilled with blood magic and healing, as well as alchemy and cooking. He travels around Tamriel alongside his love Safinia, necromancer and former Imperial battlemage.

Layer 01: The Outside

Eye Colour: Naturally a very dark grey/black, but red when his vampirism is showing.

Hair Style / Color: Long, straight grey hair with a noticeable ‘widow’s peak’ receding hairline. Frequently tied back from his face while working.

Height: ~ 5 foot 10’ (~1.78m)

Clothing Style: Usually black or grey robes with lots of pockets and satchels for carrying medical supplies and other odds and ends. Often clothing that is local to the area (e.g. Breton style robes in while in Rivenspire, moon-decorated silk robes while in Elsweyr). He also often likes to wear imperial tunic/toga style clothing for special occasions. Also is quite fond of deep purples and reds in his clothing. There’s also usually some moon symbology in his clothing, such as his belt or staff, hinting at his connection to Azura.

He also has a cloak of shadows he enchanted himself; very useful for grabbing hopeful vampire hunters who might try to sneak up on him or attack him while he sleeps.

Best Physical Feature: His other half, Safinia, would suggest his very fine aquiline nose, or possibly his well-defined high cheekbones.

 Layer 02:

Fears:

- Very real fears: Isn’t terribly fond of fire for the obvious reasons. Will send Safinia to deal with any spiders in their cottage.

- Abstract fears: Further back in time it would have been losing control as a vampire. As an alchemist and physician in the Imperial City, when he first became a vampire he attempted to sate his hunger by paying for voluntary blood donations from suitable patients under the guise of research. However when a local became suspicious and organised a mob to kill him, he lost control. The next he knew they were all dead and he had incidentally murdered several people he had spent his career trying to care for.

He fled after that to the wilds for a time in an attempt to deprive himself of human blood. A series of events involving the Spirit Wardens in Stormhaven eventually led him to Azura, although his relationship to her is closer to that of a powerful patron than being religiously devoted, for the most part.

He has had better control of his thirst for a long time now, so losing control does not concern him quite like it once did. He is, however, very afraid that anyone he befriends for long enough (especially  Safinia) will find out about his past and see him for the monster that he was, and shun him for it. It is one of the main reasons why he has avoided staying for too long in one place before meeting Safinia.

Guilty Pleasure: Nice clothing. Doesn’t need to be ostentatious, but pleasant cloth and a good cut is very much appreciated. Bonus points for extra pockets. Also appreciates a good pair of boots.

Biggest Pet Peeve: Cleanliness (or lack of), as he has a very refined sense of smell as a vampire and finds strong smells rather distasteful. For similar reasons, he is also not fond of loudness.

Ambitions for the Future: Between getting involved with various adventures in Elsweyr and Skyrim, he and Safinia found themselves settling down in a small home in a village in Rivenspire. They he tends to the local’s illnesses and Safinia helps out with other issues (mainly of the ‘giant spiders have invested a nearby cave’, or the ‘Granny’s got back up from the dead again and is haunting our barn’ variety).

The residents have become used to the Ravenwatch presence in the area over hundreds of years, and while no one would out-loud acknowledge anything supernatural about Arellius or Safinia, the locals are generally more happy than many villagers in other parts of the world would be to turn a blind eye to any sign of fangs or strange magic because of the help and protection they provide. Arellius would like to return to that life on a more permanent basis in the future.

 Layer 03:

First Thoughts Waking Up: Blood, most likely. He’s still a vampire after all, albeit a very well-controlled one.

What They Think about Most:  Frequent thoughts include Safinia, his latest alchemy experiment, or how well his garden back in Rivenspire might be being taken care of by the locals in his absence.

What They Think about before Bed: These days, most likely Safinia.

 What They Think Their Best Quality is: I think Arellius would have trouble answering this question if asked, but possibly his empathy?

 Layer 04:  Either Or…

Single or Group Dates: Single dates

To Be Loved or Respected: Respected

Beauty or Brains: Brains

Dogs or Cats: Both. He loves cats and dogs equally. They aren’t always so fond of him, mind you, what with being a vampire; but he tries his best to befriend them nonetheless.

 Layer 05: Do They...?

Lie: He tries to avoid it. He does not like others to think of him as dishonest. Although this does not mean he is adverse to a white lie if he thinks it will be of more help than harm.

Believe in Themselves: He comes across outwardly as very quietly confidant, but finds himself questioning his own decisions internally quite often.

Believe in Love: Being as old as he is, Arellius is hardly oblivious to the real life practicalities of love and relationships; however, his is still rather a bit of a romantic at heart.

Want someone: Safina, of course :)

 Layer 06: Have They…

Been on Stage: He’s lived a very long life, so most likely.

Done Drugs: Not as a vampire, as he would likely be afraid of how the loss of control might mean for his restraint of his blood thirst.

Changed Who They Were to Fit In: He is always making an effort to hide his vampirism: his fangs, his sense of smell and hearing, the fact that he walks oddly quietly. He does this both for his own safety and so as not to frighten others. One of the reasons he appreciates being around Safinia is that she is not troubled by such things.

 Layer 07: What’s Their…

Favorite Colors: Reds, deep purples.

Favorite Animals: Arellius is seen with wolves, who appear to have an affinity to both him and Safinia (possibly a connection to the moon and Azura, one could speculate).

Favorite Book: He has an extensive and eclectic collection of books on gardening.

Favorite Game:  Probably any games involving bluffing. Although by no means fool-proof, he can frequently make a good guess as to if someone might be lying by listening to their heartbeat.  He doesn’t usually gamble for money however with those who don’t know this fact beforehand.

 Layer 08: Age

Day Their Next Birthday Will Be: Not sure on this one, and to be honest Arellius has probably forgotten by now. He isn’t one for birthday celebrations, especially since becoming undead.

How Old Will They Be: Hmm, probably around a couple of centuries, maybe three.

 Layer 09: I…

I Love: Peace and Quiet

I Feel: Contemplative

I Hide: My fear

I Miss: the Imperial City

I Wish: It was easier to live with the mistakes of the past.

My brain’s stopped functioning and I couldn’t make a decision on who to tag, so tagging absolutely anyone else who follows me who fancies doing this. Seriously, I love reading about everybody's OCs!