#they aren't even DUNMER

[the-nwah-embassy]

My favorite shit is when you look up 'Dunmer' on the nexus, you'd expect some cool shit like racial overhauls or maybe more true-to-Morrowind architecture redos for Solstheim or the Gray Quarter or maybe just some basic acknowledgement of their deep and intricate lore like a Morag Tong nod or something, and instead you get a bunch of balloon-titted white girl 'Dunmer presets' for giant incel nerds to wack it to.

[silusvesuius]

baby👶 drawings. these are very dear to me rn.. 2nd pic is my Nelavis with @barvin0k's Varonur 🩵 last one is a baby bosmer and snow elf, hairiest of them all. although the bosmer was meant to be my girl Barletta too lols

[smalllonelyegg]

TES fans need to be mega rracist forever or they explode and die :'(

[nuwanders]

some things i definitely will go and change though; i want brelyna to be the daughter of a Telvanni mouth as opposed to a councillor proper, and i want cassathra to be coming into her first year of university education, as opposed to having already spent a year studying in ebonheart. instead she spent that year (a) doing 10 months compulsory military service posted as a member of the redoran guard somewhere and (b) doing her pilgrimage to the ashlands. but even that might be too much to go back and change idk. idk!!!!

[tastesoftamriel]

Hey Tal! I was preparing stuffed jacket potatoes for my family and it made me wonder;

"If each race was given a baked potato (any veriety), what would they stuff it with? (Let's pretend the bosmer is non pact compliant but still likes honoring their roots.)"

Since you'll find potatoes in every other barrel across Tamriel, you can bet that stuffed baked potatoes are probably the most universal dish we know of. Whether you love them or were fed too many of them as a child, there's a baked potato out there for everyone in Tamriel.

Altmer

You know what, the High Elves really have to be fancy about everything. Instead of gutting and filling your regular jumbo jacket potato like literally everybody else, they make large hasselback potatoes and painstakingly insert ingredients between the slots before baking. These laborious (but admittedly delectable) potatoes are usually offered filled with either four cheeses; mozzarella, tomatoes, and pesto; roasted vegetables with tapenade, or pancetta, gruyere, and sausage.

Argonians

Baked potatoes are great for playing a heated game of teeba-hatsei with, much to the rage of many an Argonian parent who had painstakingly made dinner. When they're not being slapped around for a laugh, Argonians eat their baked potatoes by making a well in the centre and crack a hot quail egg in, before topping it with deep fried mealworms or crickets and a bit of lime sambal. Scramble it up and you're good to go!

Bosmer

To every Green Pact-abiding Wood Elf I'm about to sadden with this, I apologise in advance for what I'm about to propose. But imagine a lovely jacket potato stuffed with a good slathering of smoked timber mammoth cheese atop battered thunderbug eggs, smoked bristleback bacon, jalapeño mayo, and sweetgnat butter. I don't need to imagine it; I made one with my friend Berrilyn, and it was glorious. Definitely on the heavy side, but loaded with every good ingredient Valenwood has to offer!

Bretons

Cheap, filling, and delicious. That's all a baked potato needs to be in High Rock, making it one of the Province's most popular foods among the common folk. Just about every sauce-based dish you can think of can go onto a jacket potato, from melted roquefort, goose egg, and dry cured ham to the classic combination of tomato beans and candied bacon rashers, and even reusing yesterday's Tarragon Chicken! There aren't really any limits on what you can fill a jacket potato with in High Rock, as long as you have a good knob of butter in there!

Dunmer

While potatoes are a perfectly standard and valid ingredient in Morrowind, I know you all want to hear about jacket ash yams. Popularised by Ashlanders, who bake their potatoes on lava, jacket ash yams can be found at every tavern and cornerclub across the Province. Minced nix-ox in a spicy comberry ragout; scrambled kwama eggs with caramelised scathecraw; and even Hackle-lo and Scuttle Curry are at home on a big, piping lava-hot ash yam. Don't forget to get some crunchy deep-fried kwama scrib to go on top- well worth the gold, I promise!

If you get the hankering for a taste of Morrowind, try my Raven Rock Baked Ash Yams.

Imperials

There are two rules surrounding baked potatoes in Cyrodiil: the potatoes must always be Jumbo Potatoes, and you must always use olive oil instead of butter. With that flavour profile in mind, think simple, complementary toppings like sundried tomatoes with goat cheese and fresh basil; cheese curds and red wine gravy; bresaola, chili oil, and gorgonzola, and browned pine nut butter with a good smear of ricotta and creamed battaglir.

Khajiit

Northern and Southern Elsweyr have a distinct difference in their baked potatoes: the North likes them rich and spicy, while the South prefers sweeter flavours that complement moon sugar. Northern Elsweyr is famous for its fiery curry-filled jacket potatoes, filled to the brim with rich, generally tomato-based curries featuring local ingredients like braised jerboa, pulled terror bird, and diced mutton. Meanwhile in Senchal, you'll find your average baked potato partially filled with things like chicken satay pieces in moon sugar peanut sauce, haloumi with moon sugar syrup, and sweet crispy shrimp and pork floss. But wait, 'partially filled?' Yep! In Southern Elsweyr, the insides of the potato are scooped out and rolled together with powdered moon sugar to make horrifically sweet potato 'candy' for dessert after you've finished your jacket potato. Who am I to judge?

Nords

Mammoth cheese? Horker bacon and smoked kippers? Pulled pheasant in brown ale gravy? All very valid and very traditional Skyrim options. However, I'm jumping up and down at the thought of a baked potato topped with freshly baked salmon or gravlaks with dill, lots of sour cream, and a bit of mustard! Simple, good, and I will shout at anyone who calls this combination bland. You can take the girl out of Riften, but never the Riften out of the girl.

Orcs

Where Wrothgarian Orsimer are concerned, there's a joke that every other meal is a baked potato (and that's sometimes the unfortunate case when a Hearth-Wife isn't very good at her job.) Gooey, mouthwatering echatere cheese raclette is the favoured topping in the region, melted atop of a bed of fillings like spicy wrathberry gravy with echatere or beef chunks; chopped mammoth bratwurst; grilled chub loon with frost mirriam barbecue sauce, and deep fried horker lard bits and sweet-and-spicy minced horker. Indulgent, and by Malacath, they're filling too.

Redguards

Where the Orcs have their echatere cheese on jacket potatoes, Hammerfell loves its goat cheese. Whether it's aged chèvre log slices or fresh and crumbly, you can bet it's going on a baked potato. It's paired with a range of moreish fillings, like harissa and apricot chicken; tender goat mince with a cumin-based curry; battered, fried snake with a tangy and sweet lemon drizzle, and shawarma meat with creamy garlic sauce and caramelised onions.

[nerevar-quote-and-star]

I find it actually hilarious that ppl are saying "at least Alduin isnt racist" as if his whole schtick isnt to have complete dominance over all man and mer and as if all dragons dont believe the dovah are the SUPREME RACE and that was the whole fuckin reason that they overthrew the dragons in the first place

Species race whatever but you get my point it's very very strange

Does no one pay attention to that part of the game???

I guess not?

I raise you: every race in TES is racist against the others. Stormcloaks cities aren't alone in refusing the Khajiit caravans entrance to the cities. Imperial cities — Solitude, the Imperials capital; Whiterun, the neutral trade hub of Skyrim — refuse them.

Dunmer live in the Grey Quarter and Argonians live on the docks. This is considered wrong. But there's also the issue of thousands of years of Argonians enslavement by Dunmer and a recent invasion of Morrowind by the Argonians that decimated the southern half of the province to consider. Yes, some individuals can and do get along, but it's probably not a good idea to have two groups known to hate and antagonize each other not rubbing shoulders.

Also every Dunmer in Morrowind hates everyone else. Even other Dunmer. Outlanders . . .

The Aldmeri Dominion's entire schtick is they hate the races of men (and lesser mer, but they're pretending to like them to exploit them, shh)! They even attack members of their own Altmer race for dissention or perceived defects. They lead purges in Valenwood against the Bosmer.

Let's also remember the Countess of Leyawiin in Oblivion, Alessia Caro, who had torture chambers for Argonians and Khajiit in the castle dungeons. In a city historically rich with Argonians and Khajiit cultures.

The Bosmer and Khajiit have a long history of fighting each other. Iirc one of the Wild Hunts was instigated due to Khajiit attacks at the Valenwood - Elsweyr border.

How many times have the Bretons and Redguards sacked and burnt Orsinium, only for the Orcs to rebuild it? How many wars have been waged in the Iliac Bay region between Breton and Redguard factions, all for power?

There are so many examples. But basically:

Tl;Dr — everyone in Tamriel actually hates each other. Yes, even members of their own groups. Folks like Erandur are rare because nobody loves anyone. And if they do, it's because they want something.

[nine-blessed-hero]

Talis and the Illicit Mage

(or) Article 3 - Apprentices are Forbidden from Exiting University Grounds after Dark

Universe: TESIV: Oblivion CW: None Words: 355 Context: Written for the TES Summer Fest prompt: Forbidden Tagging: @tes-summer-fest, @jacqueswriteblrlibrary

The bell chimed, letting in a gust of frigid air as the door opened. The day's light had disappeared over an hour ago, leaden clouds smothering even Masser's luminousness, leaving the guttering tallow to shed smokey orange flickering through the bakery, masking its usual pleasant, bready scent. Through the distorted glass of the display cabinet, where Talis knelt stocking up the freshly baked goods, he saw a tall figure in a long outfit enter the shop, blue and greens melding together. "Good afternoon, Magister," Rindir said. "What can I get for you?" The figure cleared their throat, then spoke in an overly plummy accent "Good afternoon. I was wondering if you had any Croline au Pomme." "Certainly–" "I'm afraid the lady won't be having anything," Talis said, shooting upright, "because the lady shouldn't be here."

His tray of pastries abandoned, Talis marched around the counter, catching the dunmer magister by her wrist and dragging her towards the back stairs. "Ow! Talis, that hurts…" Talis let go and looked into the cobalt face of the other mer, her normally puckish expression drooping into a moue. "What are you doing here, Sal?" he asked. "You're breaking so many rules! You know First Years aren't allowed out of the University grounds after dark, nor are they allowed into the City without an escort of a Third Year or higher–" "Memememurr," Salora wittered petulantly. "So I snuck out. Stop worrying so much, Tal. I can sneak back in. Tacher showed me this trick with paint-brushes–" "That is not the point!" Talis threw his hands up. "Mama wrote me. She told me what the disciplinary board said. You're supposed to be being a model student not… sneaking out just because you aren't getting your sweet fix. We have to get you back in, right now, before anyone notices you're gone." Salora fluttered her eyelashes. "Can't I have just one apple Croline? Please?" Talis gave a grumpy growl. "Fine. One." Salora's face lit up, only to fall again when Talis said, "I'll bring it over tomorrow with the Uni's usual order." "Boo, you're no fun." "Pull your hood up, we're leaving."

[djai-the-curious]

@the-elder-polls Hi TCS friday yayyy (i'm @bookworm-driven-insane btw this is my side blog for TES oc related stuffs/Djai RP. Kinda empty lmao)

SORRY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR THE PREVIOUS FRIDAY BUT!! I WAS COOKING FOR THIS ONE.

I have decided to draw a family tree of my khajiit!! Without their respective spouses, for now, because they aren't as important for this/in general. Basically the important members of the family only for now xD

Also, as a side note, only Djai and Eric's designs are final, others are a rough sketch only.

Lore below!!

At the top is (Ma')Eric, aka my nerevarine!! I'll ramble about his entire backstory sometime later. I have an outline of his backstory, but I haven't finished morrowind yet and I will complete his backstory once I finish it so it's as lore accurate as possible. x3

Long story short, he has twins, but has to give them away for their own safety because he himself gets death threats basically daily- and his children were already kidnapped once. Also he just doesn't have time, like, at all to care for them. Both twins are ohmes-raht btw!! [possibly. . . with the mix of some dunmer in there. . . but shhh. . . spoilers]

The one of the left ends up in an orphanage in Cyrodiil, before getting adopted by some necromancers. Again gonna ramble more about them later, but I have something planned for them already!!

The other one ends up in Elsweyr, and gets raised by a regular family. He actually has no idea that he is adopted his whole life, I mean, nobody told him and he had no reason to suspect that. He's also, like, a pretty shitty person. Has a talent for magic but never really uses it outside of charming people for his own gain.

He has two children, Murrsea [The one on the left, with a scar on her face] and Djai [the one on the right], Murrsea being two years younger than Djai.

Already rambled about Djai, so going to ramble about Murrsea, but in a more 'meta' way first.

Murrsea is actually really important to me!! She was a shared OC with one of my parents, I helped create and name her a long long time ago when they were playing skyrim and I wanted to watch them play [that was the first time I've ever seen an elder scrolls game, I didn't even know what it was back then]. Since they're not really into OC stuff, though, and they know that I am, they gifted Murrsea to me after finishing skyrim!! :'D Murrsea is also a mage [Duh, everyone in their family is. At least everyone in their family has a natural talent for magic]. She is pretty well-known for killing a dragon once (not completely ofc because she couldn't take its soul), and it was actually rumored she was the dragonborn. She, however, isn't the dragonborn- She's just a really really great battle mage. She took Djai's place when he resigned from being the archmage, and that's kind of what she does now.

I think that's all? Apologies for any mistakes. And once again, a lot of stuff I've written here will likely change later, but the core elements will likely stay.

[skyrim-forever]

Yo Eve, my darling, give me a moon for the fall themed asks. Share all your secrets with me. <3

Hello Winter my queen <3 I would be glad to answer this!

🌙 moon: do any of your OCs have dark backstories or secrets they’re trying to keep?

This is going to be for Theodora as she is by far my most fleshed out oc.

Oh boy, so to start, Theo's parents were a pirate, her father Ricardo Viticius and a noblewoman Kassandra Ves. Her mom ended up running away with her dad when they fell in love, getting disowned from her family and breaking off her semi-arranged marriage. Her father had spent his life before meeting her as thief and eventually becoming a pirate, particularly raided slavers ships along the Coast of Morrowind and Black Marsh.

Theo was born off the coast of Senchal in 4E 177 26 Last Seed. Around two years later her mom goes overboard during a storm in Abeacan Sea. Theo does not remember anything about her and she finds even talking about her uncomfortable. Other women who try to be mother-figures to her cause her to lash out at them.

Ricardo never fully recovers but he is determined to be a parent as he never knew his own father. He decides to move permanently back to Anvil, the city he grew up in. Since the war destroyed the city, the East Empire Company has invested and made the city sort of a company town. Ricardo sees how their greed harms the city and how only the higher level officials have any measure of a good life; this causes him to focus his criminal enterprise against them. So Theo grows up with the backdrop of crime war. A lot of her youth was spent learning to fight and prepping to take over her father's work. Although some would say this was no life for a child, she thinks very highly of her dad. He kept her away from the very dangerous stuff, but he respected her and taught her many things about all of Tamriel due to his extensive travels.

Things come to ahead when mercenaries hired by the company head succeed in killing him, her uncle Elo Man-llu (uncle Elo is highkey my fav, iconic dunmer), and many of the crew. Theo is around 14 when this happens and she chooses to live with her friend Phy in Valenwood as they are very close and she's visited her often. They stay there until 18 when they leave for the Imperial City to try to make money and get revenge on the man who killed her family. Due to her father's criminal past (as well as him being a Great War draft dodger :P), her inheritance is seized by the Empire. She joins the Thieves Guild and becomes an Arena fighter in an attempt to gain fortune. Eventually she joins the Legion in Skyrim due to a bargain. The Empire gets the Dragonborn's service in exchange for clearing her father's name and her inheritance.

From ages 16-27, she heavily copes using alcohol, sex, fighting, and occasionally drugs (though that's more of Phy's thing). Most of it is coping with losing her father and uncle, the two people she looked up to the most, but there is also a lot of coping with the fact she's never had a mother and much of her childhood was surrounded by violence and tension. It's sort of a numbing the pain problem. She also has a tendency towards men who are terrible which include, but aren't limited to; a skooma smuggler, a Morag Tong assassin, and a married local official who funds her arena career! This gets a bit better once she starts doing Dragonborn duties mostly because she has less time to self-destruct. Originally she ran from it, only after the events of Dawnguard does she accept it and allow it to give her purpose. Though the newfound fame and expectations become difficult.

And the biggets secret she is trying to keep is orginally that she's sleeping with a Thalmor agent, and then that she's in love with said agent :P

Sorry for writing you a novel! Thank you so much for asking this question! There's a lot of thought put into her that I don't get to explore in fic because the Ondolemar brainworms haha. I just like them so much together you know :P

[sharffffff]

Taren Velas

Art by: https://x.com/madnessdemon

So, first things first, my main TES OC as of now, who is also my Vestige. They've already been seen on this blog before, but I love talking about them and also constantly change their backstory around a bit, so there's that.

While some could consider an appropriate term to call what Taren is a "Demiprince", in all actuality this term isn't correct. Yes, they're an offspring of Mephala, but no, they aren't a Demiprince. There's more that goes into this title than just being a descendant of a Daedric Prince, and while Taren is working toward attaining it, they don't have as much thought put into it when compared to constantly having to save the world.

How did an offspring of Mephala come to be, one might ask?

Answer is simpler than one might assume - they were part of a deal with Mephala. Offspring of Daedric Princes are mentioned in multiple legends from many different cultures, yet only a couple of Demiprinces have ever been recorded. This is because a Prince is powerful enough to limit what portion of their power goes into an offspring, and although said offspring will always have a stronger Padomaic connection than normal, be it an offspring with a mortal, another Daedra or just a creation from their own blood. Usually it never comes into play for their mortal offspring, aside from potentially higher resilience or faster natural regeneration, however there are very specific cases where this intrinsic Padomaic value causes for an event unexpected by the godly parent - or, potentially, expected and even planned for ahead of time, just purposefully kept silent about - since, as it is known, Daedric Princes love to keep to their secrets. That is to say, most of the offspring of Daedric Princes become just usual individuals of their other parent's race - with, perhaps, supernatural resilience or other abilities, but nothing too far from the ordinary to be noticeable.

This simple fact, however, sometimes goes completely unnoticed due to both the legends of the powers of the offspring of Daedric Princes, as well as attributing actions of certain historic figures to them being descended from one, especially so in Dunmeri culture, where quite a few historic figures were speculated to be offspring of either Azura or Boethiah, with little proof of it actually being true. So, while not common, some people have attempted to bargain with the Princes, most commonly Boethiah and Mephala (and, of course, Azura, but unlike other two, she never answered), for children, hoping to both strengthen their own family line and overshadow their rivals, as well as potentially parenting the next big hero of the Dunmer race. This practice was rare enough to not be recorded, however, and rare enough to be amusing to the Princes, who were promised everything they could ask for in exchange for a child that they knew would be just ordinary Dunmer - so of course they took them up on that offer, it was too good of a deal to pass up. And it was always amusing seeing the reaction to the offspring that was thought to be the next big thing ending up living a completely uneventful life and dying to most random thing.

Taren's mother was one of the Dunmer who attempted such a deal, being one of the minor nobles of House Velas, one of the smaller vassal houses of House Dres, she always dreamt of greatness, of achieving more than she had ever had a chance to achieve on her own, and the chance to bring Velas out of footnotes of history right to its front was a chance she couldn't pass up. Of course, Mephala saw an opportunity here as well, as House Dres have always made the best spies, and even though the child would still be a normal Dunmer, at least the Webspinner could let it inherit something that would at least be beneficial to that child in their life. After all, secrets and deception are some of the aspects that Plot-Weaver rules over, so her gifts would prove useful.

Taren's early life was mostly uneventful, aside from their overall chaotic tendencies, disregard for authority and overwhelming sense of freedom. They had been taught in the art of nightblade, combining stealth, infiltration and assassination with shadow magic, as preparations for spy training in the future, and they abused their powers to their fullest potential. Taren always believed into breaking the mental chains that lock the person into the norms of the law, but into breaking physical chains especially so. And living on the territories of House Dres allowed Taren to practice their nightblade skills in the best way possible - by breaking the slaves free of their chains and escorting them to safety under the guise of shadows. They had been caught a couple of times, but were able to let it slip due to being a child of a noble and due to the chance of them "growing out of it".

This sense of freedom and wish for chaos was also why Taren was eventually sent off to Davon's Watch in Stonefalls. The official reason for this was this being Taren's first solo mission, but in actuality their mother was hoping for them to actually prove themself away from homeland and to make her own life easier, as the losses from the Ebonheart Pact's prohibition of slavery were only worsened by Taren's freeing of the "product". Taren jumped on this opportunity to work with people of different races away from oppressively traditionalistic views of the people of Tear, celebrating their leave with the biggest stunt yet, as well as the first big test of their Illusion skill - the night before they were set to leave, they gathered all the slaves from both their mother and a couple of their neighbors, made illusory images of a couple of slaves in each household, and made it to the contact while utilizing shadow magic to make the whole group invisible. It was incredibly straining, but Taren managed to be safely teleported to Davon's Watch at the dawn before letting the illusion drop to what Taren assumed was immense chaos.

It has to be mentioned that Taren was still pretty young by the Dunmeri standards, barely having turned 32 by the time they were sent off, having barely any life experience and a wish to help anyone and everyone they could. So, needless to say, when a weird hooded figure approached them with an opportunity of a lifetime in a secluded house, they didn't even think twice, and of course they didn't say "no".

And here is the fact mentioned at the beginning comes into play. Offspring of Daedric Prince have a very strong Padomaic connection, however in cases where the offspring is mortal, it also causes a stronger Anuic connection, as the Annuic soul strengthens the body and essence around it to contend with the Padomaic element of such individual. In most cases, it changes nothing, however when such soul is used to create a Soul Shriven Vestige... things happen. It can't be known if such things are intended or not, but they do happen - the strong Padomaic presence is made even stronger when the Padomaic Vestige is created, and due to the way this Padomaic element is intertwined with Anuic Soul, part of that Anuic essence is transferred into the Vestige as well, causing the Soul Shriven to act the same way as if it was a mortal with stronger Anuic connection created by Nirn itself, but with a completely different origin. And this Padomaic presence changes the nature of the Vestige itself as well, as it never actually becomes a Soul Shriven Vestige, and instead something else entirely - a never before seen type of Daedra, still bearing the same properties of their mortal bodies they would if they were Soul Shriven, but with significant connection to their Prince parent, increase in power and features corresponding to said parent, which differ from case to case - and so far, there has been only one recorded case of this very specific situation ever happening.

So yes, Taren getting sacrificed to Molag Bal and becoming one of his Soul Shriven has actually backfired, unlocking something locked away in Taren's Padomaic part, strengthening their connection to Mephala, and foretelling Planemeld's eventual downfall. In their consequent travels Taren has managed to visit Spiral Skein, attuning to it for a short amount of time to unlock their full potential, and gaining access to far more powers, as well as a Spider Daedra form. They didn't stay for long, as they still had a sense of duty for Tamriel, and it always needed saving.

As for why Taren couldn't count as a Demiprince despite now being fully Daedric and therefore virtually immortal and combining both Anuic and Padomaic aspects in them? That's easy. Demiprince has to have a plane to count as such - this refers to both a plane of Oblivion, and a plane of influence, and neither of those appear out of thin air - either a Daedric Prince parent has to wish for their offspring to be a Demiprince and give those to them, or their offspring has to claw it out through their own blood, sweat and tears. Taren didn't have time for second option, nor did they want to grovel before Mephala for the first, so while still being powerful, they haven't become a Demiprince.

[sudoviansnelf]

I. part of "The Knight-Paladin Alphabet Headcanons"

I am creating headcanons for the Knight-Paladin Gelebor right here. Warning, there will be NSFW ones too, though way later (they aren't there yet).

Here are a 2 letters from the first chapter:

G — Grief — How do they process grief?

It is said that Auri-El could do naught but teach the Elvenfolk to suffer with dignity.

This paraphrase might not completely fall in line with the Falmer doctrines of faith, but the theme of being ennobled by martyrdom is common, starting with the very initiation to enlightenment undertaken in the pilgrimages to the Chantry of Auri-El.

True to his beloved culture, perhaps even influenced by it, he tends to mourn quietly. The Knight-Paladin seldom weeps openly. He harbors no desire for pity, for he believes a guardian ought to remain silent about his own sorrows. To impose his emotions upon another strikes him not only as inappropriate but profoundly selfish.

Therefore, he does not showcase the level of hurt he's under — a subtle display of melancholy at most. To be exact, he refrains from presenting strong emotions whatsoever, whether they're positive, negative or ambivalent.

K — Knowledge — Do they like learning new things? Do they possess any piece of wisdom unknown to others, or is perhaps forbidden?

Needless to say, he possesses boundless knowledge of the old ways and Nirn from the dawn of the First Era, which would prove a miraculous source of information for today's scholars but probably not to anyone else. He is willing to share everything about the functioning of the Snow Elven Empire, Falmeri Pantheon, Falmereth’s traditions and convenances. He doesn’t necessarily have any forbidden knowledge, he has always strayed far from all wicked branches of magic (unlike him …).

He loves learning new things, always intently listening to any intel from adventurers if they would ever want to share a piece of their wisdom with him. The few books he took with him to the Darkfall Cave he reread countless times and on rare occasions a soul would graze him with new information about the outside world. Bit by bit, he learned of the change of the end of Atmorans’ active slaughtering of the Snow Elves, Chimer to Dunmer transformation, the disappearance of the Dwemer, the Oblivion crisis… 

If the Dragonborn would allow him so, he would politely inquire about all interesting questions that would pop in his mind on a guard for centuries. To be frank, any new information would be fascinating to him. Socioeconomic news, geopolitical landscape, developments in technology, or something about culture and arts — all he will lap up with utmost attention.

There are, of course, certain facts he is better off without being aware of. He certainly would fare far more peacefully without being notified about the existence of such pieces of art like “The Slaying of the Falmer Princes” or “Conquest of the Falmer”... Only Auri-El knows how the stoic Knight-Paladin might react to those obscene literary works.

Lord, help him if he discovers Brynjolf’s gig as a salesman.

[quicksilverdrabbles]

At Rorikstead

Gaia: We have arrived.

Lucien: Your digital map really is something to behold, Gaia. Even though the landscape and civilization is completely different from the first era, you can navigate it so efficiently.

Gaia: That would be thanks to my Observers. *two small drones materialize at both of her shoulders, round and much smaller than her head* They fly about Skyrim, invisible, and send me the data they find about the land's people and cities. They are very advanced compared to normal Observers, much like myself against typical Gynoids. I made them myself.

Xelzaz: How interesting. Are you able to speak to them at all?

Gaia: Yes. On a certain level, I can communicate with all Dwemer machines. I can only control the ones I create with my own hands and technology.

Taliesin: How does that work on a moral level? A machine controlling other machines, I mean.

Gaia: Similar to a general commanding her warriors. They are well aware of what they fight for. They fight for me, because I gave them life.

Taliesin: I see..

Lemkil: *in the distance, his crops, he shoves Sissel to the ground* Stupid brat! Look at you! Snivelling in the dirt when you're supposed to be working!

Sissel: *crying, sitting on the ground at her father's feet* I-I'm sorry, Papa! B-Britte took my- *hic* my shovel and I-I couldn't do what you wanted me t-to without it!

Lemkil: I don't want to hear your excuses! Time and time again you waste daylight standing around doing nothing but cry and survive off of what I earn!

Gaia: *turns toward the source of shouting, spotting Lemkil* Hostile Lifeform Detected...

Lucien: What? In Rorikstead?

Kaidan: Look there. Bastard.

Xelzaz: Indeed. What should we do, Gaia?

Gaia: ... Wait Here.

Inigo: You are going to confront him alone?

Gaia: If I must. Kaidan, when I direct his attention, see to the girl.

Kaidan: Aye.

Gaia: *nods, walking towards Lemkil and Sissel, her irises fading from yellow to red as her expression falls to a glare*

Lucien: ... *breaks away from the group and walks alongside her* If I may.. You look upset, Gaia.

Gaia: I am not upset. That Nord is a threat to the people of this settlement. He must be detained. Go back with the others.

Lucien: What if you need backup?

Gaia: I never do.

Lucien: Really? What about that one time with the Dunmer-

Gaia: *grabs Lemkil's shoulder, pulling him back just as he slaps Sissel across the face* Pardon me.

Lemkil: Huh? And who the hell are you?

Gaia: My name is Gaia. It has come to my attention that your are mistreating this child. Please step away from her.

Lemkil: What does it matter to you, huh? You some sorta hired thug? I bet that screwy wizard hired you into scaring me away from this worthless brat, eh?

Gaia: No wizard has done anything of the sort. I am here of my own accord. *her grip on his shoulder tightens* And I recommend you follow your given orders and Step Away. Or else I am afraid I will have to use force.

Lucien: I quite think you're already using force.. *watches as Lemkil winces under the pressure of her grip*

Lemkil: Get the hell off of me, you bitch! This has nothing to do with you!

Gaia: On the contrary, your endangering of a human life, especially a child, has everything to do with me.

Kaidan: *sneaks behind the group and lifts Sissel up, shushing her when she cries* C'mere, let me see. It's okay.. *brushes the red mark on her cheek with his thumb* ... Gaia-

Gaia: Yes. Take her somewhere safe.

Lemkil: Wait! You son of a bitch, don't you dare touch my daughter! Get your hands off of her!

Gaia: Please do not refer to my companion in such a vulgar manner.

Lemkil: I'll say whatever the hell I want! You aren't guards! You have no authority to do this to me!

Gaia: Perhaps not. All laws in this era, however, are.. very loosely enforced.

Xelzaz: Gaia.

Gaia: Xelzaz.

Xelzaz: I took a moment to ask some of the townspeople about this man and his two daughters. It seems to be a relatively common occurrence. Why nothing was done about it is beyond me.

Gaia: I see. *switches her grip from his shoulder to his neck, grabbing him by the base of his throat and forcing him to the ground* So this is merely a regular day for you, hm? To abuse your children?

Lemkil: It's none of your business, I said! What I do to my daughters is my business!

Gaia: Wrong Answer. *her free hand grabs the arm he slapped Sissel with, tightening her hold until a loud snap comes from his wrist*

Lemkil: AGH! What are you doing?! St-Stop it! Please!

Gaia: How quick you are to beg. Would you like me to break it? As of now your wrist is only dislocated.

Lemkil: N-No! Let me go!

Gaia: Why do you hurt your children?

Lemkil: T-They killed my wife! She-she died bringing them into this world!

Gaia: Should you not have cherished what your wife left behind, then?

Lemkil: I-I-

Gaia: Too Slow. *the hand around his wrist rises to his bicep, closing around the middle and squeezing, the limb snapping quickly*

Lemkil: A-AAAHH!! STOP! PLEASE- LET ME GO!!!

Gaia: Goodness, you're loud. Have you learned your lesson?

Lemkil: YES! Y-Yes I swear! Please, you don't have to do this! I-I'll be better, I promise!

Gaia: Good. Now listen here. *pulls him forward, her face inches from his. Frost creeps up from her fingertips and spreads at every point of contact between them* You are a disgusting man, incapable of caring for and protecting what your wife gave her life to bring into this world. You do not deserve to be a father. You did not deserve to be a husband. If your wife could see what you have become in her absence, she would take her daughters and leave you.

Lemkil: ...

Gaia: And if you ever harm this little girl again- *stops, staring into his eyes. Sees fear, but not remorse. Panic, but not guilt.*

Lemkil: *whimpers, gripping the hand around his throat in terror, broken arm dangling uselessly at his side*

Gaia: ... No. That is an outcome I cannot risk. *drags Lemkil up by the throat* Taliesin.

Taliesin: Yes?

Gaia: Cover our tracks. Ensure the guards to not follow. *turns and walks away, avoiding the main roads and routine patrols. Lowers her arm and drags Lemkil behind her, unwavering despite his struggles to escape*

Taliesin: ... Of course. Please do try not to make too much of a mess, though

Lemkil: N-No wait- please-!

Gaia: Shut up.

Lemkil: I-I swear! I won't hurt her anymore, I promise! Please you can't- You can't kill me! PLEASE!

Kaidan: *sitting in the field covering Sissels ears as Gaia drags her father away, cradling the trembling girl to his chest protectively*

Inigo: *trailing close behind her passively* I know a good place some ways away.

Xelzaz: *walking at her other side* I'll have to make a potion that eliminates the stench.

Lucien: *walking at Inigo's side, looking unnerved, but unopposing* What of the other girl? She was mistreated too..

Gaia: Britte was a victim as much as Sissel was, but she weaponized her pain. She shouldn't remain with her sister. It is better for both of them.

Lucien: And the father?

Gaia: ... Some things are better off eternally gone.

~

*distant screaming*

Rorikstead Guard: Hm? What on earth was that?

Taliesin: *changed back into his Thalmor robes, a hood covering his dark hair* Nothing to be concerned with, citizen. Move along with your patrol. To investigate would be to interfere with official Thalmor business.

Rorikstead Guard: O-Oh, I see. Forgive me.

Taliesin: *watches as the guard walks away* Gods, I've always hated saying that.

Kaidan: *carrying Sissel, now asleep. Walks out from behind a nearby house* Guess it does have some uses, though.

Taliesin: Yes, I suppose so. *sighs, wiping gently at a streak of dirt on Sissel's face* She's filthy. Makes me wonder if he made her sleep in a pigsty...

Kaidan: Should we wait for the others?

Taliesin: ... No, let's go back home and wait for them there. I'm of a mind to think if we wait they'll just return covered in blood. We don't want to risk her waking up to that.

Kaidan: Worst possible outcome, aye?

Taliesin: Hmph, you really are starting to sound like Gaia.

[cuppon]

TES Food::Kwama Egg Quiche

The Elder Scrolls: The Official Cookbook

Kwama Egg Quiche | 3.5

"Originally only known in Vvardenfell, this recipe traveled with Dunmer fleeing Morrowind after the Red Mountain's eruption and has been well received throughout much of Tamriel, albeit with various regional tweaks to the ingredient list. The lightly seasoned filling and crisp crust can satisfy even the pickiest palate."

⭑⭑⭑☆☆ | Taste: 3.5/5

Texture is a little weird, as all quiches tend to be, where they are simultaneously thick, yet pillowy. This is also somewhat greasy due to the amount of cheese involved

⭑⭑☆☆☆ | Cooking Ease: 2.5/5

Medium prep: you have to make the dough beforehand, and grating 1.5 cups of cheese takes up some time as well

⭑⭑☆☆☆ | Cost to Make: 2.5/5

While cheddar and parmesan cheese aren't pricey cheeses, they are still more expensive compared to normal ingredients. Additionally, rye flour for the rye pie dough is a more specialty flour, and thus more expensive

Notes:

For those with a more salt-heavy palate, you might need to add more salt to this

[tastesoftamriel]

My grandmother once told me “a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” which to be fair considering her may have been sword technique advice. However, I was curious if you’ve ever done food for seduction. If you wanted to get someone into your bed, what would you cook them before hand? And do Tamrielic cultures have a standard “come hither” meal?

If it's a romantic meal you're after, you've come to the right place. Whether it's Heart's Day or something a little more low key, you'll make anyone in Tamriel drool over you and your kitchen prowess with these meals!

Altmer

Just like with anything else in the Summerset Isles, subtlety is key when wooing. Relationships can take centuries to build between Altmer, so some choose to speed things up a little with what's known as a courtship basket: a not-so-simple picnic that's bound to wow. First, pick a stunning picnic location and an even more stunning wine. Load up that basket with all of Summerset's finest, from peach blossom indrik ricotta and Russafeld Heights grape honey to freshly baked spiced loaves and caviar. The rest is up to you!

Argonians

As many know, Argonians become life mates through bonding ceremonies, which are a quintessential part of Saxhleel culture. Bonding ceremonies usually entail a feast, usually with foods purported to put the happy couple in an amorous mood. One of the most famous aphrodisiac dishes is juicy Moss-Foot Croaker tree frog legs grilled in pandan leaves with wild bush honey, served atop gratinated witchetty grubs and Spotted Seatrout roe.

Bosmer

Love is a precious thing in Valenwood, and courtship often involves lots of food to test a potential spouse's skill in the kitchen and as a homemaker. The much-loved Husband's or Wife's Pie (known to some as Courtship Pie) tests those culinary skills from the fiddly all-butter thunderbug carapace crust to the twelve-hour meat and jagga filling. It's an exercise in patience and love to be sure!

Bretons

Nothing is quite as romantic as a night in Wayrest at a nondescript, candlelit gourmet restaurant with a two-year waitlist. If you can't wait that long, do the next best thing and host that dinner at home (the bedchamber is just around the corner, no?). Popular courtship dishes are generally rich and include foie gras with wild berry and shallot coulis, lamb saddle served medium rare with black truffle sauce, and salted caramel and brandy custard mille-feuille.

Dunmer

The famous Queen and lover Barenziah was particularly fond of a certain dish, which Dunmer in the many years after her influence still present to potential mates as a not-so-subtle hint at something more. The dish is none other than the notoriously finicky marshmerrow and comberry choux-fflé, which is exactly what it sounds like: a feat of culinary engineering that combines delicate marshmerrow and scuttle soufflé in a clamshell of sweet saltrice choux pastry. Guaranteed to make any Dark Elf fawn over you as if you were Narsis Dren.

Imperials

Imperials aren't exactly renowned for being the best with big feelings (it's all the Divine guilt), so showing someone you love them with food is the most common love language in the Province. Whether it's one of Salmo's sweetrolls, a hearty home cooked meal, or an unforgettable stay at one of the Imperial City's top hotels, there's no wrong way to go about Imperial courtship food. However, if you really want to impress, go for a dark chocolate and pomegranate torte, with a fudgy melting chocolate centre and topped with pomegranate treacle. Indulgent!

Khajiit

It's said that Khajiiti love is as fiery as their curries, but we all know better than to eat a hot curry on a date. So, what does one offer their partner when romantically inclined in Elsweyr? Try a silk-wrapped box of moon sugar bonbons from the closest gourmet sweet shop! A box of moon sugar candy is one of the most thoughtful gifts you can woo a Khajiit with, whether it's cardamom-milk cakes or hard boiled coconut and ginger sweets. Just be careful at the confectioners, because clashing flavours are a sign of bad taste...

Nords

If there's one race whose digestive system is directly linked to their nether regions, it's Nords. Just the mention of a romantic meal of buttery mudcrab legs with sourdough, twice-roasted elk basted in juniper spiced Honningbrew Mead, and snowberry pudding with a Nord Ale caramel drizzle is enough to make any Skyrim native do that thing where they brush their hair behind their ear while biting their lip at you.

Orcs

Historically speaking, there are two food items that are a must for wooing an Orc: echatere cheese, and proper Wrothgarian ale. Put the two together and you'll be planning a spring wedding. Echatere cheese and Orcish ale fondues, pies, sauces, and much more are the best way to use these star ingredients, but I prefer a bit of a twist: echatere cheesecake with a caramelised biscuit crust and berry-ale compote.

Redguards

Redguards are known for being passionate lovers, who write rambling love poetry and frantically check their birthsigns for relationship compatibility. With that in mind, you're going to have to work hard in the kitchen to gain a Redguard's love. If you're not sure where to start, skip the Middas special camel-stomach meatloaf at the inn and get right to the kitchen to make some rasmalai! This unique spiced dessert of sweet cottage cheese balls are served with crushed pistachios, and a cardamom, saffron, and rose-infused cream. The punchier and more balanced the spices, the more likely you are to pull that date.

[stunt-lads]

Here's the thing about the Skyrim Civil War questline:

I don't fucking care!

I don't care about their problems. I understand it's a religious thing and that you have the nationalists/racists and the facists and I don't fucking care!

Because the thing is? Worshipping or not worshipping a deity fucking pales in comparison to the fact dragons are being resurrected and absolutely devastating the land.

And not just dragons! There's a fucking vampire scourge rearing it's head too! And that's just the big things!

Have any of the people in charge seen the state of Windhelm? The Dunmer and Argonians who are treated like trash and forced to live in a segregated area?

What about the Khajiit who aren't even fucking allowed in the cities? What about the woman abusing children in Riften? Winterhold being a ghost town? Fucking murders in Morthal and Markarth?

There are problems inside the fucking country and instead of helping people, which the Dragonborn has to do, everyone is more preoccupied with the High King's death and the fact they wanna worship their saint or whatever the fuck.

Fuck the Stormcloaks and the Imperials. If I were allowed to do what I want I'd kill all of them.

[kookaburra1701]

Fic Lines! The Wives of Shor

I was tagged by @dirty-bosmer, @sylvienerevarine, and @mareenavee! Uh, I have many, many (so many fics on the go, so I chose Wives of Shor (unpublished WIP) because then I have technically three fics to choose from.

A line from your fic that makes you laugh (from Moth to Flame)

In caves like this it was nothing new to see fleeting movements at the corners of his vision, only to turn his head and find nothing. But two pale-blue glowing dots appearing in the middle of what had appeared to be a blank wall were something new.

"...Kaidan?" Lucien was looking at Kaidan, seemingly unaware of the strange phenomenon over his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

A line from your fic that makes you sad - (from Moth to Flame) I published this is a previous WIP Wednesday, but pretty much any time Kaidan thinks about Brynjar makes me sad.

Repeatedly Kaidan tried to still his thoughts and center himself, but every time he attempted to begin a breathing exercise, his thoughts would turn to Brynjar, and a sharp pang of guilt would lodge in his chest.

A line from your fic you're proud of (from Moth to Flame)

The waters of Lake Ilinalta were smooth as glass, broken only by the occasional ripples of a fish breaking the surface. Fog hovered over the depths of the lake, obscuring the opposite shore as the first rays of sunlight turned the eastern sky pink. A pair of thrushes sang from the underbrush, and were answered by another farther down the lake shore.

The haunting call of a loon, muffled by the mists, echoed over the lake as Kaidan walked towards the water's edge.

A line for your fic you think could have been better - (from Moth to Flame) since this is still a WIP, I'm hoping the true form of this line will reveal itself to me. It's very stilted.

"Gods, everyone was there. The General, Jarl Ulfric…even the Thalmor Ambassador. If even one of them did not escape, the war is going to get complicated very quickly."

A line from your fic that makes you want to punch a character (from Moth to Flame)

"You're one of the Riverwood levies, aren't you? The Battle-born family paid that armor you're wearing, will pay for its replacement, and pays part of your war-wages. As head of that family, I'm telling you to do what your jarl commands."

Hadvar's face darkened, but his tone was coolly civil. "I'm not a levy, sir. I took my oath before the war."

"So then my family's coffers paid for all that and your Legion training in Cyrodiil!"

A line from your fic that makes you go 'aww' (from Moth to Flame)

Kaidan laughed quietly, the ale making it easier to find the mirth in the statement. "You fret about the rabbits I shoot. You don't like anything or anyone being hurt."

"You're not just anyone, Kaidan."

A line from your fic that's full of symbolism (from Kaidan Peregrine)

Lucien’s body felt like it was burning him where skin touched skin, but Kaidan pressed eagerly into that warmth, now feeling as if there was a chance he might not be doomed to eternal chill.

A line from your fic that contains an Easter egg - (from Moth to Flame) Lucien is not actually squeamish about Arvel's body, it's one of the hints that Wives of Shor takes place in the same continuity as another WIP, What Waits 'Round the Corner

Lucien was standing as if rooted to the spot, staring at the face of the dead Dunmer, his own skin matching the paleness of the spiderwebs that formed the bandit's death-shroud.

"This must be that bauble the shopkeep was yammering about." Idolaf withdrew his hand from the Dunmer's belt pouch and held up a cunningly crafted gilt dragon claw.

Blinking and swallowing Lucien averted his eyes from the body and took the claw from Idolaf, color returning to his cheeks as he examined the artifact.

At least he can put aside the squeamishness for the glint of gold. He might just make an adventurer yet, thought Kaidan.

A line from your fic that's shocking (from Wolf at the Door)

The metal in Kaidan's hands was now white hot, the acrid smell of singed leather made his eyes water as his gloves began to burn - but still he held on, muscles knotting like ropes against the force trying to overcome his grip.

For a brief moment he was prevailing; then Auriel's Bow shattered into countless glittering pieces.

A line from your fic you want to talk about more - (from Moth to Flame) I learned how to write in Dróttkvætt meter to give Jon Battle-born a proper skaldic song to sing. Ho boy is English not meant for kennings.

Doom-smoke rose from drake's corse Death-struck by Ir'leth's hand! Blood spilled red and boiling By Whiterun watchmen strong! Swords fine-honed as hawk's claw Hew'd deep through scale to bone. War-fell'd Tsun bids welcome Whalecross'd Shor's Hall awaits!

I tag @nientedenada, @thana-topsy, @greyborn2 @gilgamish