#skyrim tale

[nyxx-nth]

[Moodboards: Vahl Aradur & Cywren Caster]

Talevember Day 24: Tale Series

I absolutely adored A Skyrim Tale and A Fallout Tale when I was younger! I loved these characters so much. Their aesthetics are still so cool to me 🫶

[skovenshemmeligheder]

We’re rereleasing Skyrim

[elderscrollsconceptart]

Imperials - Nords

Art for Tales of Tamriel

Art by Jan Pospisil

[moomine]

come with me | jesper the guard

author's note: psa! this is total self-indulgence... the jesper the guard follower mod/skyrim guard tales literally have me giggling and kicking my feet (cover image credit)

summary: (jespertheguard x dragonborn!reader) (she/her pronouns) After the reader discovers she's the Dragonborn she bonds with Jesper, a Whiterun guard that understands her. The Dragonborn returns to Whiterun after a long time of adventuring and convinces him to leave the city and come with her.

word count: 1,627

warnings: mentions of blood/bloodshed, trauma very briefly explored (mostly fluff here)! all characters are 18+

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

As of late, Jesper’s watchful eye felt less and less inquisitive and more so on the side of admiration. Underneath the protective sheath of his helmet, the young guard watched as you walked throughout Whiterun in awe. Upon your initial arrival, he was unsure of you. Who wouldn’t have been off-put by a young woman —dressed in ill-fitting Imperial armor, covered in scrapes and bruises, approaching the city gates with a dire look in her eyes? Better yet, someone who claimed she had information about the dragon attack on Helgen.

Within a short period of time, your name began to carry weight around Whiterun, and the word of the last Dragonborn consumed the entirety of Skyrim. Everyone, man and beast alike, sang praise of the rise of a new hero. Nobody saw you as the woman you truly were, a woman thrusted into a life of adventure and risk without much experience with either. Other than Jesper.

He was used to being overlooked, and when he was noticed it was typically at his own expense. The rest of the Whiterun guard took pleasure in tormenting him. Most of the time they were harmless pranks, just enough to make poor Jesper uncomfortable and his comrades laugh. His experiences outside of the city walls were vastly different. Maybe it was because Jesper took the time to get to know you before you absorbed that dragon’s soul, and the first cry of the Greybeards in centuries could be heard. Maybe because he took great concern at the sight of your disheveled appearance and the obvious shellshock in your eyes when he first saw you. Whatever it may have been, Jesper saw you as more than a hero. He saw you as the woman you were before your legendary quest began.

It had been a number of days since Jesper had seen your return to Whiterun, and his normal anxiety seemed to grow astronomically with each sun that set. When he finally saw you enter the Bannered Mare, seemingly unscathed but clearly exhausted, he felt a weight immediately lift from his shoulders. He watched from afar as you approached Hulda, handed her a fist full of gold, and took a chilly bottle of mead into your gloved hand. He felt his heart begin to race as you turned around and looked about the room, scanning the crowd of merry men and women chatting amongst themselves and listening to the sound of Mikael’s famously sweet lute. As your eyes met his masked face, he felt a smile spread along his lips without his knowledge. It was like an impulse. The second you saw him he felt lighter, felt seen. Somehow you always knew it was him.

You approached, armor clanging against itself as you walked, and nodded to the empty seat across from him with that tired smile of yours. “Mind if I join you?”

“Not at all,” Jesper said, almost too quickly, and sat up straight.

You didn’t hesitate, dropping your heavy satchel to the floor as you sunk into the rather uncomfortable chair. A long, drawn out sigh blew through your lips. The wooden chair creaked beneath you, warping from the weight of your armor. By your reaction, Jesper would have thought that was the most comfortable chair you had ever had the pleasure to sit in. Realistically, he realized that might have been the first time you sat in a chair at all in days. Ashen logs crackled as the fire ate away at their bark flesh, filling the inn with warmth and the haunting smell of smoke. It had been several months since what happened in Helgen, but you were still tense around fire and smoke.

“You must have had quite the adventure,” he remarked with an amused voice.

“You could say that.” You sighed, popping the cork from your mead before taking a long gulp of the crisp ale. “How’s Whiterun been treating you?”

Jesper grimaced under his helmet. “You really want to hear about how I’ve been? I’m worried I’d bore you to death if I told you.”

“You could never bore me. You have no idea how much I miss the simple life.”

By your expression alone, Jesper could tell you were being genuine. You looked as though you needed to hear about something other than dragons and bloodshed for once.

“They won’t let me take gate duty anymore,” he paused, turning his attention to the wooden sword sheathed at his hip. “And I’m not allowed to carry a blade either.”

Your brows furrowed instantaneously, and you sat up in your chair. “What? Why?” you asked, your gaze piercing and angry.

Jesper felt a shiver go down his spine. “I let a thief into the city. So, now I’m stuck with tavern watch. Making sure drunkards don’t break out into fist fights or harass the barmaids, and all that.”

“As if there aren’t already thieves in this city. That’s outrageous. I’ll talk to the Jarl, we’ll sort this out. I promise-”

“Don’t…” His voice was weak, quiet. “I prefer this. The other guards don’t bother me here, and Hulda’s letting me rent the attic room. It’s better this way.” His eyes fell almost shamefully back to the toy he was burdened with.

“Why do you stay here?” you asked bluntly.

“What do you mean?” he responded, taken aback by your question.

“Why stay in Whiterun? You deserve so much more than this, Jesper. You’re capable of so much more.” You placed an assertive hand on the table, an offering. An understanding. “I’m leaving tomorrow. Come with me.”

Jesper’s face softened as he looked back to you, although you couldn’t see it. “I shouldn’t… I-I mean I can’t. I have a responsibility here. My life is here, in Whiterun. If I go now I’ll be letting everyone down. My family, my brothers and sisters in arms, the Jarl, maybe even you. I can’t just give up because some of the men tease me.”

“They aren’t just teasing you, Jesper. They’re cruel.” Your tone was stern but not harsh. It held a softness you saved just for him, for the rare moments where the two of you could talk. Truly talk. “Come with me. We could go to Solitude, you could join the Bard’s College.”

Your honesty was hard for him to digest, getting stuck in his throat as he tried to swallow the bitter truth. There was little left for him in Whiterun, other than his career and barely notable status. What little he had to his name was either already on his person or overhead, tucked away in that small attic room he had come to call home. Beneath his helm, Jesper’s eyes wandered away from the intensity on your face and toward the fire as it popped, cinders rising from the flames like torchbugs in the night. Your hands tensed, fingers curling into your palms to form fists, as you suppressed a flinch.

“You remembered that?” he asked earnestly, his gaze still fixed on the flickering flames ahead.

A sweet smile crept onto your face as you leaned closer, resting your elbows on top of the table now. “How could I forget? It’s your dream, isn’t it?”

“That’s all it is,” he mumbled. “Just a dream.”

“Don’t you see? We could make it a reality. You can make it a reality,” you said gently.

“I don’t know. They’ll consider me a deserter, you know? I’ll never be allowed within the city walls again.” The discouragement in his tone was starting to become disappointingly familiar to you.

You reached across the table and placed a kindly hand on his shoulder. “You, my friend, are fortunate enough to know the Thane of Whiterun, remember? It pays off to have friends in high places, huh?” 

There was truth to what you were saying, but it was clear to Jesper that you were trying to ease his worries through humor. Since your arrival, he finally had a bit of influence in the city. Although, it was worthless without you physically there to back him up.

Silence fell over the two of you as you stared at one another. Mikael plucked the strings of his lute softly and the commotion of story-telling and conversation echoed throughout the room. Jesper weighed his options, grateful that the conflicted look that surely took over his face was hidden behind the veil of his helmet. After a long moment, he finally nodded, seeming far more sure of himself than before.

“Yeah, okay. If… if you’re certain, then I’ll come with you.” His voice was higher, more excited than before.

“I’ve never been more certain of anything,” you replied. 

Your face was lit up like the nearby fire, spreading warmth to Jesper’s cheeks as they flushed. Almost reluctantly, you peeled your eyes away from his face as you took one last swig from your bottle. The chair beneath you croaked as you pushed it back, scratching against the stone below. You came to your feet swiftly, despite how clearly fatigued you were. Jesper couldn’t help but frown as he watched you stand.

“Where are you going? The… the night’s still young,” he questioned. He didn’t want the night to end, to stop talking to you.

You smiled tenderly as you looked down at him. “I’m exhausted. I don’t think I’ve had a proper night's sleep in days.” You bent over, grabbing your satchel and the rest of your equipment. “I expect to see you by the stables at sunrise. It’s a long ride to Solitude.”

“I’ll be there!” Jesper replied eagerly, watching as you walked away with a gleam in his eyes. You turned to him one last time with an affectionate smile, then closed the door to your room. “I promise,” he mumbled.

[amarylliscircuit]

"You were trying to cross the border, right? Ran right into the Spina's ambush, same as me and that dancer over there."

[thebanneredmareinn]

TikTok: Skyrim Guard Tales

[moriche]

FOLKTALES OF THE TAMRIELIC SEAS

A collection of folk tales from around the Tamrielic coasts. ▲ ▼ ▲ Dutch and Northern European folk tales, illustrated and rewritten to fit the world of the Elder Scrolls.

A folk tale themed fic, just in time for Halloween!

[chrismien]

Let's explore the negative association of milk in Tamriel's Nordic culture.

So, basically, from the dialogue and other sources, we know that drinking milk within Nord cultures is associated with a number of negative perceptions, such as:

Milk is for children.

Milk is associated with weakness.

Milk is not a manly beverage.

This is evidenced by the lines from numerous NPCs in Skyrim.

If you have a disposition of -1 or lower with an NPC, they may say to you: "What do you want, milk drinker?"

There is also the Taunting Adventurer NPC in Skyrim, who is a randomly encountered warrior in the wilderness or in an inn. He says: "What's a milk drinker like you doing out here? Go home to your mother."

But it is worth noting that some Nords such as Rigurt the Brash from ESO oppose the concept behind the insult saying: "Milk-drinker. Why did that become such a terrible Nord insult, I wonder. Milk is good for you! I love the stuff! Not as much as I love mead, but it's a close second. Maybe third."

With that, it is reasonable to assume that some Nords avoid drinking milk to prevent being perceived as a cry-baby or a weakling by other Nords, and potentially even by themselves.

As we know, even in real life, milk is important for bone growth. When we delve into medical aspects, calcium is an essential extracellular cation required for muscles to surpass the action potential threshold, enabling contractions and therefore movement.

Skyrim, the homeland of the Nords, also experiences limited sunlight in certain regions. UV radiation from the sun is essential for the activation of Vitamin D from cholecalciferol to calcitriol. This fat-soluble vitamin is crucial for maintaining bone strength and a healthy immune system.

Basically, calcium is important for nerve conduction, blood clotting, muscle contractions, immune functions, and healthy bones.

But how would a race centered around strength and possessing a strong warrior culture maintain their constitution?

Skyrim is abundant with cheese, which is directly made from milk and is also rich in calcium. Digesting cheese breaks it down into its components, facilitating the absorption of calcium into the body.

There is also a thriving fishing culture in Riften and Windhelm. Access to the Sea of Ghosts allows access to marine resources like fish and shellfish which could act as substitutes for calcium sources.

I understand that it's a fantasy world, but creating a believable fantasy world can indeed enhance the enjoyment of the experience. By grounding elements of the world in reality, it becomes more relatable and allows us to better connect with the characters and settings.

We can now conclude that Nords are able to maintain their warrior culture despite the cultural bias against milk, which is essential for numerous bodily functions.

[clockspur]

“Humans start Isekai-ing into Hobbits: more at 11”

[geckoodles]

Present brainworm and design drafting, a Elder Scrolls universe Jim

[elderscrollsconceptart]

BTW in the unlikely event anyone was wondering, I own the physical editions of The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel, Tales of Tamriel, and the Skyrim Library Box set.

All those books have art in them, some of which can't be easily found online.

I've already posted some of them from scans that already exist publicly, but in the event I absolutely cannot find a digital copy of art from those books, I will try to find a feasible way to get a scanned copy of the artwork to upload here. *I do not support digital piracy*

I post these images because I own the actual books already. To be fair, I do have a digital scan of the Morrowind art book, but that book is not in circulation anymore and is impossible to buy new.

To be clear, it is way way easier and less time consuming to simply use existing digital copies of the images instead of trying to do scans myself with low grade equipment.

Ideally, I will never need to make scans myself but I haven't taken a full inventory of what art I can find publicly online and what I can't.

This also applies to the "fair use" argument re: posting said artwork on here.

I own the books physically so I'm not trying to "steal" anything or violate any copyright. I have all monetization turned off on this blog and I actively reject the very concept of monetizing other people's art and work. This blog is simply for the TES community on Tumblr to appreciate official TES artists and their work.

I also own a Kindle edition of the brand new "Official Survival Guide to Tamriel".

I will not post any artwork of new books because I don't want to discourage sales of new books or spoil anyone on the artwork in them until a fair amount of time has passed and they have had a chance to read the book themselves.

[lunadreamscaper]

women are so underrated in VenturianTale.

anyways what if i repurposed Vahl and Cywren into the main VenturianTale universe. maybe as an au. or something. idk.

[dadjoke-ness]

One of my favorite skyrim playthroughs is a khajit named "Not on the List".

She's not the dragonborn. She's never visited bleak falls barrow.

She's the head of the Assassin's and Thieves' Guilds. She's close friends with several jarls. She joined the Imperial army and she helped Ulfric solve the serial killer problem and married one of his potential victims, Shahvee.

The Khajit and Argonian lesbians own several homes and have adopted two children. Three if you count Babette of the Assassin's Guild.

Not on the List has also become a Vampire Lord in order to optimize her sneaking and magic skills.

She is also both friends with the Jarl of Markarth, while being friends with the escaped Forsworn. While doing the quest for Igmund where I kill a forsworn leader, I didn't realize at first this was the friendly camp so I killed like half my allies without them caring about me. Instead all the forsworn declared war on my poor little fox Sweetroll. I sent Sweetroll back to my pet home, Myrwatch.

Also, I accidentally killed Shadowmere by falling off the largest cliff in the game and she's not respawned yet, but luckily, the reindeer lives right outside the new assassin's guild. Until I can get the ghost horse that is.

Most used spell is conjure undying warrior. My ghost warrior and Cicero love violence, allowing me to stay hidden as I take potshots at powerful enemies that would one shot me.

During the Bard's College quest, I forgot I was a vampire lord and went to talk to an old lady who was asleep and drank her blood. Realized the old teachers at the Bard's College are wonderful for getting blood. Also have started visiting and biting the Jarls as a sidequest to taste every Jarl's blood.

And since I never started any dragon quests, my life is blissfully free of dragon attacks.

[grimbiliah]

Hello TESblr

I’m running a Skyrim tabletop campaign and my players are about to go to Solstheim. I know a lot of you have Miraak opinions and ideas and I would like to hear them, please.

[themanwhomadeamonster]

ME WHEN VIDEO GAME SERIES CALL BACK TO PREVIOUS INSTALLMENTS BY REFERENCING PAST MUSICAL THEMES AND MOTIFS EXCEPT IT'S INCOMPLETE OR OTHERWISE ARRANGED DIFFERENTLY REMINDING US THAT IT'S THE SAME SETTING BUT WILL NEVER AGAIN BE EXACT SAME STORY

[trickstarbrave]

i am still playing around with lighting lol. its also been a minute since i drew a guy covered in blood so i gotta filling my quota

trying to find jewelry in skyrim that doesnt suck is hard let alone atmoran stuff. all i can find is armor. bethesda is killing my archaeologist ass only ever showing armor and weapons and the most basic implications of agriculture. i am dying here to see more every day clothes, how fabric is made, and more jewelry variations esp through time. so i just made up my own torc inspired by what i see in atmoran armor with the dragon heads along w some arm bands