#skyrim dbh

[my-elder-scrolls-shit]

I've been replaying skyrim and- "Uh oh, Aph! Are you getting philosophical about a mid game that you've played 80 billion times now?" Yes, of course I am. Now, my take of the day is Astrid gets a bad rap in the fandom

If you have personal qualms for whatever reason with her (Cicero fan, upset she got everyone killed, her voice, whatever it may be), that's totally fine! However! I just finished the dbh quest line again, and she's honestly not as terrible as we've been painting her, I feel.

When you first join, she's pretty attentive - clearly keeping an eye on you because you're new, but as you prove yourself and she can worry less, she seems to almost losen up. I do think she asks you to do things that she wouldn't ask anyone else because she's testing you or because you're new and she's not as attached yet, but its clear she has some kind if concern for you and your safety. Especially when the Nightmother incident happens, and she thinks Cicero might have attempted to hurt you. Then shit hits the fan (in her eyes)

Now, here's something that might sound strange - I don't think she decides to sell you out until the last possible minute. Why would she ask you to find her husband otherwise? Why would she keep sending you out to further the plot against the emperor and keep rewarding you? These are shows of trust- and while maybe some could be seen as implicating you further as the sole thorn in the side of the emperor, again, why send you to kill Cicero- to help Abjorn? Someone she loves and cares for deeply? Why not send someone more experienced?

I think maybe her paranoia ramps up after the Cicero incident for sure- she gets more flighty and decides right around when you are going to kill the emperor, when things are seriously about to change, does she panic. I mean, imagine you've led a group for years and some stranger you brought into your family like last week, and a jester who brought a sacred corpse with him is claiming the stranger is supposed to be the faction leader and the only one who can hear the dead lady's voice! That's a shit deal! What the fuck!

If something goes wrong, everything will go wrong. She's probably not had a lot of control in her life previously (note: her story about her uncle making "unwanted advances" makes me think maybe it's something that had been happening and she finally decided to kill him after snapping but she definitely glosses over it very quickly in favor of being murder happy which is understandable) and now that control is once again slipping and everyone else can see she's paranoid (multiple members comment on it if you talk to them before hopping in the Nightmothers coffin the first time) so it's not a big surprise that you, the threat to her status quo and control, seem like the one to take out

And it all goes to shit! And she seems so desperately and genuinely sorry on her death bed - everyone she loved and cared for is dead, mind you. This is a woman who has lost everything and is now begging to die for a greater good and a desperate apology to you and to the people she's hurt. The game clearly doesn't want you to forgive her (based on the dialog options it presents), but i wish we could at least say something kind. But I that might just be me

[artsideblogofsorts]

"I must be the only cop in the world that gets assaulted in his own house by his own fuckin' android..."

[pombr33]

Hi I need more people to follow and more followers so here's some fandoms I'm into!

I'm gonna keep this post pinned so I can update it!

[siyelius]

happy pride month to this guy ig 🏳️‍🌈

[pixelpaladin24]

|| I bought a new journal I've found in a shop today. It looks so pretty! I fell in love instantly. 🥰

Naturally, I started to set up a bullet journal system in it, and naturally, my adhd ass screwed it up. I thought damn, I won't tear this page out, I'll try to cover it with stickers and see what comes out of it.

Aaand there was the plot twist.

I loved how it turned out SO MUCH that I did the same on the other side of the future log as well. 😂

Lesson learned: make more mistakes - and be creative when it comes to fixing them. 👏🏻

[ciceronskaya]

💃🏻

[morihaus]

i love when im reading some real loosie goosie tes fanfic and the writer will casually mention some SWEEPING element of their headcanons or worldbuilding that they are 100% uninterested in exploring in any meaningful way. like "blablabla cyrodiil is a nice place to visit now the the empire is gone--" HUH? WHAT? WHAT do you MEAN "GONE" what happened??? what's going on for the people there?? and we just don't have time to address that bc this is primarily oc x canon and we can't stop to talk about geopolitics

[comfortyart]

Happy Valentines from Fortress and Cicero 💖

Drabble beneath cut! 🔪

Crackling fire warmed the hall in the Dawnstar sanctuary, gentle shadows dancing on stone as the roar of the wind blew in the distance. The sound of rock grinding from a mortar and pestle, walls creaking from the brutal winds of the North. Beyond that, the hall was silent. Fortress thumbed through a book that'd been laid in front of him by Nazir, something about ingredients for poisons he was instructed to commit to memory. As useful as it would be, he did wonder where Nazir's confidence came from, ordering the Listener the way he did. Nazir had seethed sarcasm from the day he met him, but he'd always been respectful when it came to who he followed. So when the hell did that change?

Fortress sighed, staring down at the words as they seemed to meld into one big amalgamation, before closing the book promptly. It wasn't like Nazir wasn't respectful, no, but he remembered the redguard’s hesitancy when speaking his mind to his former mistress - a hesitancy long lost when speaking to his current master. Fortress had quietly hoped it spoke well of their intimacy, one formed tightly in their family after suffering significant loss. 

A pit grew in his stomach at the thought. Longing. 

After decimation of their last sanctuary, he'd bonded closely with the family that'd remained, one of those bonds reaching heights beyond imaginable. Though he was grateful for Nazir and Babett, he'd never expected….love, to blossom from the searing loss. 

Gazing at the fire, warmth spread across his face - from the fire, he swore - he decided to go check on the Keeper. He was close, the sound of nightshade being ground in ear shot by the man in question. It was common for Cicero to attend to his duties before bed, Fortress always allowing him space to focus. Though, some days that space proved more difficult, like tonight. He needed to be near him. 

Their time apart was few and far between, practically inseparable.  Their romance had blossomed quickly in their life of no promised tomorrows. Life was short in Skyrim after all, and even shorter when dancing with death. The life of an assassin was messy, at best, so any sense of solace was welcomed without question. Scraping the wooden chair against the rock flooring, Fortress stood with haste as he made way up the stairs to the lofted entrance that held the Night Mother. His steps were silent without effort, an occupational hazard perhaps - though the pause from noise above signaled the perceptive jester knew he was coming. 

Cicero paused as Fortress emerged from the staircase, smiling over to him as he sat on a step up to the sacred coffin. 

"Come to speak to mother, Listener~?" he cooed sweetly. "Did she speak?" he sounded excited, a few beats passing before his grin became sly. "Or are you just looking for an excuse to avoid that book?" he snickered, tone much lower than his previous questions. 

Fortress chuckled, crossing his arms as he made his way over to the platform. It was unfair really, how easy Cicero had come to know him. Knew his thoughts with only a look. He read people easily, his perception as mentioned was unmatched. At times, however, it was incredibly annoying how easily he saw his intentions. 

Cicero laughed, it was written on the dark elf's face that he'd been right with his assumption. Fortress sighed before sitting down beside the Keeper, bracing himself on his hands behind him as he relaxed. Cicero continued with his ingredients, preparing his regular rituals for mother’s keeping. 

"Is it that obvious, then?" the elf murmured. 

"Hmph, Listener, you know Cicero is good, but it doesn't take an alchemist to know you despise the mundane," he mused. 

Fortress made a deep frown. He knew it was true, and maybe that's what bothered him. Glancing up towards the coffin he wondered if mother could hear his thoughts as well, wishing for any sort of contract for an excuse to get out. 

Shifting forward, he nuzzled his nose into the side of Cicero's neck, resting his chin on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around the jester's waist and closed his eyes with a sigh. His blood boiled, running hot as warmth spread throughout his body. This is what he needed, for his senses to be enveloped by the other. Without Cicero by his side, he often felt as if he'd lost a limb. Perhaps it was the wolf inside him, pack mentality had him by the throat - only made worse by the fact he was his mate. 

"It's hard to read when you're in the next room," he hummed. "Couldn't keep away." 

Cicero chuckled again, leaning his head against Fortress'. "Very romantic, Listener -  though I fail to think Nazir will find such nuance in the excuse." 

Fortress let out a huff. "Do you have much left to do?" Cicero hummed thoughtfully, bringing a hand to the one tightly latched onto his waist. 

"No, Cicero is nearly done," he cooed. Fortress pressed a soft kiss to his throat, a sigh of contentment leaving the jester's lips. 

"I was thinking we could partake in a hunt." His voice was warm, emphasis made with a deepened tone that caused the Imperial to shiver. 

Cicero's laugh was much darker, smoother in tone as his voice dropped to a whisper. "Hmmm, Listener, now that sounds romantic."

With a swift movement of his free hand, Fortress tilted Cicero's chin for a chaste yet passionate kiss. Thoughts of important tasks were easily thrown from mind the second their lips touched, fire lit within them in that moment.  

As Fortress pulled away, he stood to offer a hand to Cicero, pulling him to his feet with ease and finesse. Cicero wrapped an arm tightly around the elf’s neck, dragging him down for a much deeper kiss. His free hand still safely grasped around the cup of ground nightshade as he lost himself against his lover. 

They'd both spent their lives entangled in a web of misfortune and lies. Never did they think they'd find another they'd trust so openly, freely - not like this. It was intoxicating, to say the least, a bond bound in more than blood. 

Pulling away just an inch, Fortress held the smaller man tightly by the waist, gazing into his eyes as if they held the answers to the universe. He released his grip when Cicero moved to place the bowl on a table next to the Night Mother’s coffin.

"Mother can wait." Cicero smirked. "Surely helping someone find their way to Sithis is much more important," he laughed, coming over to interlock his fingers tightly between the elf’s. 

"Shall we, Listener?" 

[kinghlaaluhelseth]

no this is the funniest modded follower interaction ever. sweet roll killed a man.

[justashamwithwastedpotential]

Saw this post and it seemed like good meme material for my ocs

[glitter-soda]

Apparently my subconscious likes combining fandoms now, because I had a dream that the Skyrim follower Kaidan was secretly a Detroit Become Human style android

[gortrash]

Thinking deeply about how ESO’s Dark Brotherhood questline is themed on the concept of forming emotional attachments and seeing it more as a family than an organisation. It forces you to get attached by sending you on these individual quests for each of the members and allows you some insight into their character.

Then, once you’ve grown used to the character you’ve just gotten to know, it rips them away from you.

Green-Venom-Tongue even warns us when you first meet him about forming emotional attachments to other family members which immediately struck me as some kind of foreshadowing. He definitely said that because of his experience from his old sanctuary, but it still applies.

Everyone mourns each member as they lose them. Some had more reason to be angry than others. Mirabelle’s entire demise is based on her wanting revenge for the death of her lover and that’s what got her killed. Venom’s death is because he wants revenge for the purification of his old sanctuary. We almost lose Hildegard to werewolf hunters because she thought that if she was gone, the family would be safer. Hell, even Elam was super sad about Mirabelle’s death.

Even the villain of this story, the one who kills your brothers and sisters, Lyra, felt immensely regretful and sorrowful about the purification, and the Speaker even scolds her for having formed attachments to the family she just killed. The whole reason she becomes the Black Dragon is to try and atone for the guilt she felt for killing her family.

There’s just so much care amongst all of the members and they seem to treat each other more like an actual family than Oblivion and Skyrim’s DBH. I think to me, that’s what makes it stand out most.

[unstablerk800]

|| Kara is activated 5th November, 3 PM, so I think a game replay is in order, fam. 😏💙

[juniperberries-canisroot]

People who play as a goody two-shoes or some holy paladin who never steal, murder or assult are so much stronger than I am.

I have to make all of my characters excuse stealing or be pro stealing and murdering some annoying NPC, pickpocketing the wandering mercenary for their note that never appears on my inventory (?), or killing them cause for some reason they are decked out in actual my level appropriate armour and I want it, stealing alchemy ingredients from court mages to help the merchant NPCs who need them. All my characters have to be a little shit who willingly does illegal stuff.

Well I have one 'goody two-shoes paladin' but I don't play with her cause she would be really boring.

[angelofdiamond]

*coff coff Professor Layton and Honkai Star Rail...coff coff*

You’re not a real gamer unless you’ve wasted countless hours of your life purposefully walking in the wrong direction to make sure you’re not missing any content

[unironicallytes]

HELLO EVERYONE I HAVE SOME THINGS TO SAY ABOUT ASTRID!!!

(Discussion and sharing of thoughts encouraged even if they're opposing viewpoints, please join me in the sandbox)

In working on Dear Brother's timeline, I've been revisiting a lot of the canon even around the Skyrim era, and I find Astrid so much more compelling and sympathetic nowadays. I used to dislike her a lot, because I was coming fresh off of Oblivion and also hadn't deep-fried my brain in lore yet. I was playing the Skyrim DBh with @orfeoarte last night and we got to talking about her again, specifically about how she's probably having a crisis of faith during the game.

Like, in thinking about the entire Dark Brotherhood questline from Astrid's perspective ... she's the matron of the last Sanctuary. They haven't had a Listener since 4E188 - that's 14 whole years without a religious leader, organizational leader, or any of the Black Hand for that matter. (As far as I can tell, Rasha sounded like a Speaker from Cheydinhal, and he lasted until 4E189 according to Cicero's journals.)

Basically, up until this point, Falkreath stayed functional due to Astrid's leadership alone, and Astrid herself went through that bearing the knowledge that their gods had probably abandoned them. That's a lot to deal with. Imagine the absolute inner turmoil of turning your back on the Brotherhood's religion, because there's no point in holding to a spiritual leader that refuses to lead. Maybe Astrid had spent a few of those 14 years mourning, wondering why she'd received no guidance; but eventually, she had to amputate that part of herself and move on because no one else was going to do it for her. She would've needed to focus on the survival of the order that was left, rather than cling to the ashes of the one that was dead and gone. Besides, the latter seems to have collapsed in on itself because the Hand couldn't even agree on how to move forward, so why would she follow their lead?

All that being said, 14 years pass, Astrid keeps it together, keeps the last remaining family together ... then suddenly out of fucking nowhere, Cicero shows up with the Night Mother herself, spouting the old ways. A bit jarring, a bit poor taste - it's not his fault, he has no idea what this Sanctuary might have been through. He hasn't interacted with family members at all for these 14 years, and he probably expected them to be exactly as he remembered them. And then, barely any time into Cicero's arrival, the Night Mother finally chooses someone, and it's Astrid's newest recruit.

Like, how dare she, after all these years of abandonment? Wouldn't that infuriate you? In Astrid's eyes, the Night Mother hasn't done shit for her. No wonder Astrid's immediate reaction and tone is basically "are you fucking kidding me" followed by "I need time to process this." It makes a lot of sense that she resists the return to tradition, both from a leadership level and from a personal level. No wonder she shatters through Tenet 1 in front of Cicero and everyone, no wonder she tries to get you removed from the equation, too.

Extremely interesting character right there!!! I am spinning her on the microwave plate-- ..... ....... ah, well, uh. I suppose the Penitus Oculatus did that already, poor choice of words.