#this is my new happy Telvanni set! | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

the-sunlit-earth · 3 years ago

Note

Your Morrowind graphics look sooo beautiful! Do you have a list of the mods you used? I'd really appreciate it if you could share it!

Sure! I'd be happy to share my setup =)

My modlist is cobbled together from various modding guides, suggestions by friends who've played Morrowind, and my own personal preferences as I've played and come across things I felt like changing (like the pond scum lol!).

I tried to leave out most mods that had zero to do with Graphics/changes you can see in the world, and I also tried to keep my descriptions short, though if you were only asking for a simple load order then I apologize, oops!

The Engine

MGE XE (this is absolutely vital for those distant views/awesome light and water shaders and other features!)

Morrowind Code Patch (needed for bump/reflection maps to look right!)

Meshes/Textures/Overhauls

Morrowind Optimization Patch (improves performance/fixes some mesh errors!)

Patch for Purists (squashes so many bugs while avoiding unnecessary changes!)

Intelligent Textures (full AI upscaled/hand-edited texture pack of the game, excellent as a base if you plan to add on more targeted replacers later!)

Enhanced Water Shader for MGE XE--OR--Krokantor's Enhanced Water Shader Updated: (depends on which version of MGE XE you're using; if 0.13.0 you'll want the Updated version, and if earlier you need the older one. 3 shades of water to choose from; improved caustics, foam, ripples, underwater effects; and no more weird immersion-breaking moment when you would previously tilt the camera just beneath the surface and it would suddenly be perfectly clear. Absolutely gorgeous water!)

Animation Compilation-Hand to Hand Improved Without Almalexia Spellcasting (idk if this counts, but it does fix the Visual of that weird vanilla running animation!)

Better Bodies and Westly's Pluginless Replacer (a friend told me to get Robert's bodies, but BB is also very good and seems to be the most widely used + many mods need it, like Julan!)

Pluginless Khajiit Head pack (prettier kitties!)

Improved Argonians (better looking lizard-friends!)

Children of Morrowind (adds realism by having kids running around your towns!)

Julan, Ashlander Companion [v3.0 at bottom of this page] (ok not a graphics mod, but will add much immersion to your game, so I will shill for him anyway!)

Vibrant Morrowind 3.0/4.0 (this one I actually don't have installed yet, but I love the way Vivec looks in the screenshots!)

abot Water Life (adds aquatic creatures/things like algae and coral to make Morrowind's waters more alive!)

Vurt's Corals (found on Vurt's Groundcover page; adds gorgeous corals and new water plants!)

Vurt's Ashlands Overhaul (can choose between gnarly trees or vanilla-style!)

Vurt's Groundcover (gorgeous animated grass and vegetation that differs for each region!)

Vurt's Solstheim Tree Replacer II (more realistic trees and snowy pines!)

Vurt's Bitter Coast Trees II (5 additional unique trees!)

Vurt's Bitter Coast Trees II Remastered (mesh fixes/optimizations for the trees!)

Vurt's Leafy West Gash II (more trees, and optional rope bridge texture!)

Vurt's Ascadian Isles Tree Replacer II (v10a recommended for better-sized trees without clipping issues; TREES!!)

Articus Bush Replacer for Vurt AI Trees II (new model for bush tree + bark retexture!)

Vurt's Grazeland Trees II (really cool palms and Baobab trees!)

Vurt's Mournhold Trees II (beautiful animated cherry blossom trees!)

I Lava Good Mesh Replacer (better lava mesh, has no flickering with effects like steam!)

Remiros' Minor Retextures - Mist (much nicer spooky mist in Ancestral Tombs!)

Unto Dust (adds atmospheric floating dust motes, kinda like in Skyrim barrows!)

Graphic Herbalism MWSE (improved meshes and Oblivion-style harvesting!)

Glow in the Dahrk (windows transition to glowing versions at night!)

Ashfall (super awesome and very configurable Camping/Survival/Cooking/Needs mod!)

Watch the Skies (dynamic weathers/weather changes inside/randomized clouds etc!)

Seasonal Weather of Vvardenfell (weather changes throughout the year!)

Taddeus' Foods of Tamriel (adds Ashfall compatible foods and ovens for baking!)

More Wells (add-on for Ashfall/more immersive since access to water is pretty important!)

Diverse Blood (because not everything should bleed Red when you poke it with a spear!)

Lived Towns - Seyda Neen (adds more containers/clutter to make it feel more lived-in!)

Better Waterfalls (adds splash effects/water spray, better running water texture!)

Waterfalls Tweaks (resized water splash to blend better!)

Dunmer Lanterns Replacer (smoother/more-detailed-yet-optimized lanterns + paper lanterns!)

Telvanni Lighthouse Tel Vos (fits in perfectly with Azura's Coast region!)

Telvanni Lighthouse Tel Branora (very atmospheric, works well with surroundings!)

Palace of Vehk (Vivec's Palace feels lived-in instead of sad and empty!)

Ships of the Imperial Navy (immersive addition to Imperial waterfront areas!)

Striderports (gives caravaners some shelter and comfort while standing there all day!)

Illuminated Palace of Vivec (decorates palace steps + shrines with devotion candles and flowers left by followers!)

Scum Retexture - Alternative 2 (better looking pond scum in Bitter Coast region!)

Full Dwemer Retexture (I went with Only Armor/Robots/Weapons; nice high quality retex!)

Blighted Animals Retextured (I chose Darknut's 1024; blighted animals have their own sickly textures now!

Vivec Expansion 3.1 Tweaked Reworked (adds a hostel/many wooden walkways to Vivec on the water!)

Atmospheric Plazas (Vivec's plazas now have weather/sunlight! Be sure to use MCP's Rain fix to keep it from pouring as if there's no roof!)

Gemini's Realistic Snowflakes (more organic texture with more depth!)

Severa Magia DB fix (makes hideout actually appropriate to Dark Brotherhood!)

Starfire's NPC Additions (more populated towns and settlements!)

Hold It (adds items for NPCs to hold and carry, based on their class; very immersive!)

Suran-The Pearl of the Ascadian Isles (I went with White Suran Complete package; stunning retexture that also adds docks/waterfront!)

Atmospheric Delights (a more fitting mood inside the House of Earthly Delights!)

Guars Replacer-Aendemika of Vvardenfell (pluginless makeover for our scaly friends!)

Silt Strider by Nwahs and Mushrooms Team (great new model+textures for these cool bug-buses!)

Skar Face (giant crab manor in Ald-ruhn gets claws and legs!)

Armor/Clothing

Redoran Founders Armor (Redoran councilors stand out in this cool set!)

Morag Tong Polished (bug fixes/Armor Replacer/restored cut content for the faction!)

Rubber's Weapons Pack (several unique weapons/shields get distinct models!)

Yet Another Guard Diversity (generic copypasta guards now have variation!)

Better Silver Armor (adds missing pieces of silver armor to make full set!)

Royal Guard Better Armor (pluginless armor replacer for the Royal Guards!)

RR Mod Series Better Silt Strider Armor (cooler bug men in your Ashlander camps!)

Armored Robes NPC Compilation (some Ordinators/Mabrigash/others will wear distinct robes of their station!)

Full Dragonscale Armor Set v1.3a (adds the missing pieces to make the set complete!)

Mage Robes (robes for every magic school, many MG members will wear their respective ones!)

Quorn Resource Integration (lore-friendly armor/creatures added to leveled lists to be encountered in game!)

Better Clothes (non-segmented clothing replacer to fit Better Bodies!)

More Better Clothes (additional shirts that were missed in the first one!)

Better Clothes Complete (fixes many problems and 1st person clipping issues for BC!)

Better Clothes Retextured (high-res retextures for nearly all base game clothes!)

Hirez Better Clothes (3 shirts retextured in high quality!)

Better Morrowind Armor (BB compatible armor replacer!)

Dark Brotherhood Armor Replacer (changes DB armor to look more like concept art!)

Bonemold Armor Replacer (much nicer-looking Bonemold armor!)

Westly's Fine Clothiers of Tamriel (very high quality clothes that you will see many NPCs wearing too!)

Orcish Retexture v1.2 (beautifully done armor retexture!)

Daedric Lord Armor (much improved Daedric set, very fierce!)

Ebony Mail Replacer (awesome new model+tex that changes it to actual chainmail!)

I use Wrye Mash to install my mods, though I think a lot of people use MO2. Haaa, now that I've made this list I have the strong urge to just run around Morrowind taking even more screenshots =)

#morrowind #mods #my mod list #answered #my posts

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distantcowboysounds · 5 years ago

Text

Selfish Wishes

Warning: Contains semi-heavy topic (murder,death)

–

The midday sun shone through the stained glass windows, casting a colorful array of light down the long hallway. Soft footsteps sounded as Estlina walked with a purpose, her back straightened, head held high and decorated with her finest Altmer silks and jewels. Long white and copper hair was pulled into an immaculate tight bun decorated with thin braids and pearls. Estlina was dressed to meet the emperor and as she approached a large painted wooden door she felt the same anxiety one would before meeting someone of such importance. With a slight shake in her hand, she reached for the handle, taking one final deep breath to collect herself before she pushed the door open.

The room was an elegant tearoom decorated with beautiful tapestry and engravings running up the wooden pillars. Across the room from the door was a large window that stretched to the high ceiling. At the window stood a tall dunmer woman, the Nerevarine. The breath caught in Estlina’s throat as the woman turned to look at her, a smile dancing across her lips as she moved away from the window.

“Estlina, my sister, it has been far too long!” Her bewitching voice sounded the same as when Estlina had heard it years ago, as if time had found it perfect and left it as is.

Forcing a smile, Estlina moved into the room and embraced her younger sister. “Nivinor, I’ve missed you. It has been so long since you’ve been home.” Estlina gently pulled away from her sister. A warm expression played on Nivinor’s face as she looked down at Estlina, who mirrored the taller’s warmth.

Looking over her sister, Estlina noticed how much she has changed. Nivinor stood with elegance and strength she had never had before. Muscles in her arms had become more defined. Estlina even noticed several scars across her shoulder just barely showing underneath the sleeve of her gown. Although Nivinor now stood with the strength and confidence one would expect from a hero, her crimson eyes spoke of a different tale. There was an eternal sadness and exhaustion behind her smile. One that, like the muscles, she had never worn before. A flux of bliss coursed through Estlina as she made mental notes about her sister’s imperfections.

“Why don’t we sit? There’s already tea waiting, and I’m aching to hear how you’ve been these past years.” The words were coated in honey as Estlina spoke, hoping to ensnare her sister with them.

Nivinor gave a nod and moved to sit, gesturing to the exquisite tea set that sat waiting for them. “I brought the tea you like, the one with Tum'ja leaves from Elsweyr. I know how hard it is to get shipped to the Isles, but I also know how much you enjoy it.” The smile she wore was sweet, while Estlina’s was sour.

“That’s so kind of you to think of me, sister.” Estlina’s mind ran with annoyance; Nivinor thought she was something special, being able to travel around all of Tamriel and indulge in the luxuries of life. What made her so special? A couple of birthmarks? Some stupid false Dunmeri gods?

She seethed with hate for her younger sister as she drank the tea. All the while Nivinor sat with a smile on her face while her hands fiddled with the several rings that she wore. “How have you been Estlina? I’ve barely heard a word from you since I-” She paused with an awkward laugh. “Well since I was arrested.”

Estlina let her smile show, masking it with care for her sister. “Quite well my sister. I’ve been involved with some of the court goings-on and I was married just last month to a renowned Thalmor member. You may have heard of him? Vollas Alkinuseus.” There was no shame as Estlina bragged about her husband, nor was there any love in her words.

Nivinor only gently shook her head in response. “I can’t say I have, no. I suppose I’ve just been so caught up with Morrowind and House Telvanni. I’m so happy that you found someone. I just truly wish I could’ve come to the wedding. It would have been lovely for our new families to meet.”

Bitterness rose up in Estlina that she forced down with more of the sweet tea. “Is that so? Well, what about this new family of yours? Have you found yourself a husband?” She watched as her sister’s ears tinged red and she softly cleared her throat.

“Well, yes.” She paused for a moment, letting out a soft breath. “And a wife. They both are so lovely. I wish you could meet them but Batraza isn’t fond of,” she paused and gestured to the lavish room they occupied. “…all this, and Lazarron wanted to visit the mages market.” A gentle look overcame Nivinor as she spoke of her partners. Estlina had to hold back a grimace as she questioned how she was related to her.

“A man and a woman?” Nivinir nodded softly. “Did you say the one was named Batraza? That sounds orcish…. You married an orc?”

Nivinor let out a small chuckle. “Yes, we met some years ago. I was visiting His Highness Uriel Septim in Cyrodiil and she was my assigned bodyguard.” Estlina held back a gag as she watched her sisters pointed ears twitch excitedly as she spoke. She was supposed to be the Nerevarine and here she was twitching her ears like some child as she talked about an orc! Estlina wanted to laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of the situation. Nivinor continued with a soft smile. “She asked to be my personal guard, and we got married a month after. Then we met Lazarron and he was just so sweet; told me he wanted to learn magic from me. I said yes and well, now I have two spouses.” She gestured to a silver ring she wore, a sweet expression playing on her face as she looked at the piece of metal.

“That… is interesting, my sister.” Estlina flexed her hands on the table, letting her own assortment of rings shine in the light. “I’m sure the elders would be so very approving of you marrying a female orc…”

Nivinor gave a soft shrug. “We married in Morrowind; mother’s family gave us the blessing. Things are different over there Estlina, other Dunmer don’t care who you marry or what they are as much as people do here. Either way, I want to hear about what you’ve been doing these past years.”

A true smile spread across Estlina’s lips before jumping into a surge of bragging about her life. All the while Nivinor sat across from her, smiling affectionately at her sister. Estlina talked for nearly an hour before she finally ran out of things to say. Orange rays of light now shone through the window, casting a fiery glow across the room. The tea had long emptied and Estlina noticed that Nivinor seemed to be playing with her rings more and more.

“I’m so happy that you’ve been doing so well, Estlina! You deserve the best, and I’m happy to see you receiving it.” Estlina felt her ego swell at the words. “I want to share something with you as well, something that I admittingly have wanted to say since you walked in.” Estlina hummed, feigning interest in what her sister had to share. “As I mentioned earlier, my new family, well-” A harsh knock at the door drew the sisters’ attentions.

A guttural voice called from behind the door. “Madam Estlina, I’m here on your earlier request.” Estlina felt a rush of adrenaline whirl through her chest as she called out her response.

“Ah yes, please do come in.” As soon as the words left her lips the door opened and in snuck a tall figure, shrouded in a dark cloak. Estlina watched from the corner of her eye as Nivinor shifted uncomfortably in her seat, obviously sensing the wrongness of the situation.

Their new guest closed the door behind them and as the door softly clicked shut, Estlina pounced. The table clattered to the ground, shattering the expensive porcelain tea sets, but that didn’t bother her. Nivinor’s chair hit the ground as Estlina’s fingers danced with magic. A strangled gasp came out of Nivinor’s mouth as she sent a bolt of electricity towards Estlina before desperately scrambling to the side. Estlina turned just before she was hit with the brunt force of the bolt, letting out a snarl as her head whipped back to her sister. Small waves of electricity flowed through her body.

“Estlina! B’vehk what are you doing?!” Nivinor’s voice sounded like glass as shock spread across her face.

Rage sparked inside of Estlina as flames licked across her fingers. “What I should have done long ago, you damn rat!” Poison dripped from her words as she shot a bolt of fire towards her sister. Nivinor rolled out of the way, right to the feet of the cloaked stranger. They took the opportunity to pounce and pin the woman down; Nivinor let out a strangled scream as she struggled against the stranger.

Magic sparked along the stranger’s hands and they held onto Nivinor’s wrists tightly, draining her magicka as the Dunmer struggled. “Hold her down! I want to be the one to do it.” A wicked grin worked its way onto Estlina’s face, her once immaculate hair now falling from its tight hold.

The stranger snapped their head towards the elven woman. “That is not the way of the Dark Brotherhood. You contracted us to kill her-”

Estlina snarled as her golden eyes shimmered with rage. “Xarxes’ backside! You don’t think I know that?! I want to do it; whatever amount of coin you want I’ll give you. But you are going to let me spill her blood.” A strangled cry came from Nivinor as she tried desperately to pull her hands free of the draining touch. Estlina laughed, mocking the Nerevarine’s struggles. “Not so all high and mighty are you? Finally, I can be free of you and your damned shadow!”

Confusion, fear, and shock. Estlina drank in the look Nivinor wore as tears began falling from the younger’s face. “Estlina, my sister wh-” The words were cut off by a shrill screech. Estlina smiled at the sound as she let zaps of electricity flow from her fingers and into Nivinor’s slender body. The woman let out a choked sob as she desperately tried to curl in on herself. “Please stop, you’re going to-” A harsh kick to her face stopped the sentence midway.

“I’m going to what? Kill you? Are you a fucking imbecile?! That’s exactly what I want to do!” Estlina glared into Nivinor’s crimson eyes; enjoying the sight of the mighty Nerevarine crumpled into a ball as tears and snot ran down her face. She was a far cry from the mighty women that stood before her just hours ago. Searching her eyes, Estlina was overjoyed to find that look of hurt in her eyes. She laughed as she looked towards the Brotherhood member. “Get off of her but do not stop holding her down, and make sure to keep draining her magicka.” They huffed in response as they moved from straddling the woman, allowing Estlina to stand over her.

She watched as Nivinor tried desperately to curl herself into the fetal position, letting out incoherent mumbles and sobs. Estlina laughed wildly as she kicked the woman’s legs away from her stomach and pulled a long dagger from the wrapping around her waist. She looked at the glinting blade, then looking over Nivinor’s pathetic form, her body shaking with adrenaline while she mentally prepared herself for what she was going to do.

Estlina bent down, sitting on her sister’s stomach and letting her magicka spill into the blade. Something murmured in the back of her mind as her magicka flowed, a soft thump. She shook it off, the blade in her hand now dancing with electricity. “Turn her head, I want her to look at me when I do it.” Estlina��s voice was dark. The Brotherhood member complied, now pinning the Dunmer women’s hands with their knees. Nivinor let out a whimper as she was forced by harsh hands to look at the woman she once called sister. Another thump. It startled Estlina, but her mind was set on one thing as she raised the blade above her head. Nivinor softly muttered her cries and pleas to deaf ears. Thump. Thump. Again, that thumping rang out in Estlina’s mind. Confusion washed over her face as she mentally searched for the source.

She looked at Nivinor, who sobbed softly as the tips of her fingers began to blacken from the extensive magicka draining. Thump. Thump. The beating was now rhythmic, like a heartbeat. Estlina’s eyes looked at Nivinor’s chest as it raised and shrunk rapidly, it couldn’t have been hers but the beat resonated from Nivinor.

Estlina’s eyes widen as the realization hit her like a bolt of lightning. She quickly pushed herself from the woman’s stomach as her shaking hands let the electrified blade drop to the ground with a harsh clatter. Her body shook as she gently sat her hands onto Nivinor’s stomach, using her magicka to feel the soft beat. A heartbeat. She looked at the other women with a mix of fear and regret. “You… you’re pregnant…” The words slipped from Estlina’s lips. Nivinor shook in fear, softly mouthing her response. Yes.

All at once, Estlina felt her senses return to her at once as she stood. She felt sick as her mind ran as she realized what she was trying to do, how her bitterness had blinded her. Her hands shook violently while she looked at her sister, her sister who had come all this way to see her, who had written to her for years, the sister who has looked up to her all her life. The sister she just tried to murder.

“I see there’s a change of plans. I’m still obligated to finish this contract you know.” The Brotherhood member spoke flatly as they produced a dagger and held it to Nivinor’s throat.

“NO!” Estlina screamed harshly, instinctively letting her magicka flow; sending a spike of ice through the assassin. They let out a wet gurgling sound as blood pooled from their mouth, before falling to the side and releasing Nivinor from their draining grip.

Estlina rushed to her sister’s aid, hands fluttering around her before landing on her arm. Nivinor pulled away harshly, the fear on her face replaced with hurt and anger. “DON’T TOUCH ME!” Her crimson eyes burned with pain as she spoke through gritted teeth. “Don’t you ever fucking touch me. You contracted the fucking Dark Brotherhood to kill me! WHY?! Because you were jealous of me? Estlina I looked up to you; I wanted you to be proud of me. I never wanted to be better than you.” Tears flowed freely from Nivinors eyes as she shook with anger, reaching to hold her head in her hands, fingers raking through her white hair. “I thought it was over, I thought I was done with Nerevar’s life.” Her voice shook as she choked back a sob. “YOU ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN THE TRIBUNAL!”

Estlina backed away from her sister, her mind raced with words but nothing would come out. She watched silently as Nivinor sobbed and slowly rose to her feet, gently holding her stomach. She walked to the door and stopped, her hand on the knob.

“Nivinor, I’m sor-”

“Enough.” Nivinor’s voice had lost the kindness it once held for Estlina. She turned to look at her, rage and anguish written clearly on her face. “You have not a fucking clue what you have done. The Dark Brotherhood won’t stop until I’m dead. You have single-handedly endangered the rest of my damn life, sorry doesn’t fix what you’ve done. If you ever try to contact me for my family, I won’t falter to end you. I’m not your sister anymore and I will never treat you as such for the rest of my life.” She gripped the knob tightly, looking away. “Goodbye, Estlina.” And with that, Nivinor opened the door and left. Estlina sat on the floor for a moment, letting the words sink in before she let the first tear fall from her face. She had gotten her wish: she had killed her sister, and would never get her back.

#morrowind #nerevarine #tes #tes3 #the elder scrolls #elder scrolls #dark elf #dunmer #writers #oc writing #writing #oc: nivinor taharondre

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bumskulls · 5 years ago

Text

Hot Chocolate

A Very Shippy Christmas — Day Twenty-Four

Home.

Serana breathed in the fresh lake air of Falkreath. Lakeview Manor was just down the hill, but Serana was hesitating. She had not found a single jeweler that had anything worth Dria’s beautiful face. In the end, she had bought a few candies for the children, a dagger for Aldu-... Aldor, a beautiful head scarf for Rayya, a fancy miniature drum for Llewellyn, and some exotic, but pitiful, spices for Dria.

It seemed nothing was good enough. All the fancy armors and weapons were not near as good as dragon skin and bone, and all the jewels and finery were gaudy and too over the top. At least Dria liked to cook, so spices it was. Serana was interested in what they could do with these strange beans she had acquired. They were bitter to eat alone but, as she had been told by the merchant, had the sweetest taste when cooked with milk and sugar. Hot cocoa, he had called it.

Serana took a deep breath and stepped inside. She was tackled to the ground by Hroar and Lucia.

“Ma!”

“Mama!”

Serana laughed. “Hey you two.”

“Did you get us anything?” Hroar asked as they helped her back to her feet.

“Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t... you’ll just have to see when it’s time for gifts.” Serana gave them a wry smirk.

“Aww.” Lucia pouted. “No fair!”

“Lucia.” Dria called from the kitchen. “You’ll see everything you got for New Life Day after dinner. Don’t pester Serana, she’s had a long journey.”

Dria strode out of the kitchen. Her hair a mess and an apron over a grubby set of clothes. She pressed a kiss to Serana’s cheek.

“Welcome back, love.”

“It’s good to be back.”

“Bah!” Came a voice from upstairs. “You and your insufferable affection!”

“Good to see you’re just as grumpy as when I left, Aldor.” Serana laughed. Dria and the children joined in.

“Lady Serana,” Rayya said, “I have made tea for everyone if you would like some.”

“Thank you Rayya, I would love some.” Serana set her heavy bag down on a chest. “Say, you’re Resguard, do you know how to make a drink called Hot Cocoa?”

Rayya smiled. “Why yes I do! Do you have cocoa beans, Lady Serana?”

“I bought some while I was in Cyrodil.” Serana rummaged through her bag and pulled out a leather pouch. “Think you could make some of this for everyone as well?”

“Right away ma’am! The children will love this. I can also add some mead to the adults’ mugs.” Rayya chuckled. “Only if you ask nicely, however.” She added with a pointed raised voice to the upper floor.

“Never!” Hissed Aldor.

More shared laughter was had around the house.

Llewellyn piped up. “Lady Dria, shall I play some festive music while we await dinner?”

Dria smiled and nodded. “That sounds lovely, Llewellyn.” She have Serana another kiss and went back to the kitchen.

Hroar and Lucia danced together by the fire as the fast tempo’d music of the lute filled the house.

Serana clapped along to the beat and danced with the children. Aldor came down the stairs, rolling his eyes and frowning deeply.

When the dinner and the drinks were passed around and everyone was sat at the table Dria stood up, raising her mug of hot cocoa.

“A toast to our Family. To the Thieves Guild and the Brotherhood, to the Companions and the Colleges, to the Greybeards the Blades, and the Dragons, to the Skaal and the Rieklings and the Telvanni of Solstheim, and to those few and far between like Lady Valerica and the Nine. To our immediate family here and now, and extended across Tamriel. I love you all very much and I’m proud to have you in my life. Happy New Life Day.”

“Here here!” Came the call from all around, Aldor’s voice absent as usual.

Everyone drank deeply from their mugs, a sound of delight after. It was delicious as promised. Sweet and warm with a hint of bitterness to cut the sweetness. How delightful an invention. Even Aldor hummed in amusement.

“Joore. What will they think of next?” He mumbles taking another sip.

Later that night after the gifts had been exchanged and the fires rekindled for the night, Serana and Dria sat on their bed, wrapped in each other’s embrace.

“You didn’t have to go all the way to Cyrodil.” Dria stated, bemused.

“I know. I just wanted to find something unique for everyone. It’s my first time celebrating New Life Day.”

“Thank you.”

“For what? I couldn’t find anything for you.” Serana pouted.

“I couldn’t either. I’m just happy you’re here with me. With us.” Dria pulled her closer. “You’re everything to me, Serana. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Serana squeezed Dria as tight as she could. Dria brushed a hand along Serana’s cheek and brought their lips together in a chaste kiss.

Together they sat there until they were too weary to keep their eyes open and they drifted into slumber, wrapped in each other’s arms.

#a very shippy christmas #f/o community #self shipping #self insert #serana #till undeath do us part #alduin is there too #and the rest of rhe skyrim fam crew #skyrim #day twenty-four #day twenty four #day 24 #hot chocolate

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nightingaletrash · 6 years ago

Note

📖 for an OC of your choice? :0

Tysm :D I’ll do this for Venaya ^^ under the cut cuz oops it got kinda long o.o

[The journal looks old, but well looked after. The binding is made from guar-leather, and a heavy lock emblazoned with the shape of a bird cradling an orb keeps it firmly shut from prying eyes. The pages are generally pristine, some a little yellowed with age, but otherwise intact. The writing is neatly uniform, written by a practised, educated hand.]

28th Sun’s Height 216

Mother and Father spend the morning arguing, as has become their usual, so I spent the day with Uncle Melar rather than attending my lessons with Mother. She’ll be so busy being furious with Father, I imagine she won’t even remember. And if she does remember, Melar will surely speak on my behalf.

Things have definitely been much more tense as of late. Staying in the house is becoming unbearable. Father accuses Mother of being more interested in Redoran politics than her own family, Mother accuses him of apathy that weakens our House. It’s hard not to take sides.

I hardly see Mother unless I visit her at her office, and even then she refuses to speak of anything but House affairs. Sometimes it feels like I’m less of a child to her and more of an investment for our future. The son who will set House Redoran on it’s ear, or at least that’s what she envisions for me. And I worry about Father’s habits lately. He disappears into the town for hours at a time and comes home with the strangest smells on his person. And it’s not matze. I’m worried he’s turning to skooma due to the stress of constantly fighting against Mother.

Perhaps I should have said something to Uncle Melar. I’ve always been able to speak to him about a great many things, and he is one of the few who I can speak to openly without fear of judgement or reprimand.But Mother and Father are both very proud. I doubt they’d be happy if I asked Melar to insert himself into our family’s affairs, and it might end up doing more harm than good.

I’ll speak with Father tomorrow. Perhaps being able to talk to me will ease his burden and make skooma a less tempting option.

5th Last Seed 2E 216

It finally happened. The fight to end all fights. Father is leaving tomorrow morning and is already packing his things... And so am I. My Father may not be ideal, but at least he has not divorced himself so entirely from his family that House Redoran is all he has left. I’m still concerned about his forming habits - I can see he is trying since we talked - but I won’t stay in Suran. Not whilst she is here.

After Father announced his intentions, Mother swiftly turned to me - for the first time in months - and demanded to know if I also intended to sully our family name. It was oddly satisfying to inform her that she was the one who destroyed the name Serethi, and even more so to see the look on her face. I’d not seen her so thunderstruck since I copied that argonian phrase as a child. Only this time was not met with a swift reprimand. Instead it was met by silence followed by the slamming of the door as she returned to her office.

May she find it as empty as the Void.

We depart for Sadrith Mora in the morning. Perhaps under the guidance of Ayem we will be able to lay the foundations of our new beginning.

[The later entries are markedly different from the earlier, the handwriting a little less uniform with increasing mentions of the author’s struggles with her father’s growing skooma habit. The pages are occasionally blotted with tear stains, and the next entry is undated and written in a shaky, almost indecipherable hand with smears of what appear to be blood.]

The Cammona Tong finally ran out of patience for Father. They jumped just along the coast and shoved me into the back of their caravan. To teach him a lesson, they said. I’ve never been so scared in my life.

The smell of sulfur is almost overwhelming, even though it’s been nearly two weeks. My skin won’t stop bleeding. I can barely see what I’m writing. Even the smallest amount of sunlight makes my eyes hurt more than I can say.

Father is distraught. Every moment he’s at my side, he’s either in tears or on the verge of them, unable to process what the Tong did to me for his mistakes. He’s sworn off the damned skooma, at least. Promised he’ll work hard to repay his debts to the Tong and to every damned dealer he owes money. It won’t heal me, no amount of magic has, but it’ll make up for what I’ve been through on his behalf. Or at least I hope it will. I didn’t much like what I saw in the mirror already. This isn’t an improvement.

[The next entry is barely anymore readable than the last, but is free of blood smears at the very least.]

3rd Midyear 2E 218

It’s been over a month since I left Sadrith Mora. Since I found that damned s’wit and his fucking pipe. He promised me there would be no more skooma after what the Tong did to me. Well, it’s good to know that I’m as valuable as guar shit to him. Saves me a lot of time trying to justify his habits anymore.

I just can’t believe I wrote to Mother of all people. I can imagine she was practically cackling to herself in glee when she got my letter. She’ll be full of ‘I told you so’s’ and will be all too happy to remind me that duty to House Redoran is above all else.

Well, we’ll see how long that lasts. I just need a place to stay a while and make some coin before leaving for the mainland. I’ve had enough of Vvardenfell. It’s brought me nothing but misery. The further I am from here, the happier I’ll be.

15th Midyear 2E 218

I’ve had a change of plans, and I couldn’t be happier for it. During my journey to Suran, I met the most fascinating nord, a young woman calling herself Astrid. She was struggling to dispatch a few cliff striders that had attacked her camp and I stepped in to help. What magic I learned from the Telvanni has evidently been worth the effort.Astrid was very grateful to me and offered me a place in her camp for the night. It’s preferable to curling up beneath a rock and praying to the Three that nothing gnaws my legs off in the night, so I accepted.

We sat at the fireside, talking as we ate fresh kwama eggs, and something about her made me want to tell her everything. Perhaps it was magic, now with what I know about her, or maybe it was just being so tired of having no one to turn to since leaving Suran, but I told her anyway. About my struggles with being the son my parents had dreamed of, with their constant arguing and the way their marriage fell apart, my father’s struggles with skooma, and how he carried on with the stuff even after the Cammona Tong’s warnings.

It felt very much like talking to Uncle Melar because rather than interject her own opinions like so many people do, she simply sat and listened and only spoke when I was finished. She asked me my name, and when I told her it was Venaryn, she laughed and said ‘no silly, I mean the name you want to be called.’ So I told her I wanted to be called Venaya. She then asked if I truly wanted to returned to Suran and my mother. I told her no, that I didn’t want anything to do with the place, and she made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.

Astrid is a cultist, a member of a cell of Nocturnal worshippers, and she offered to bring me to them. I asked, jokingly but also a little seriously, if she intended to sacrifice me. But she held my hand and, with the utmost sincerity, told me that she wished to repay me for stepping in to save her life by stepping in to save mine.

We’re headed for the coast, and from there we depart for Skyrim. I can’t say for certain if this cult is a wise choice, but wisdom hasn’t exactly done me many favours. At the very least, it couldn’t be any worse than returning to my mother.

[The following entry has returned to being readable - not crisply uniform and formal, but readable and relaxed. The pages as clean, save for a few pressings of wild flowers between the pages and a few (relatively poor) sketches have begun to appear between entries as well.]

28th Sun’s Height 2E 218

It’s hard to believe that just two years ago I was listening to my parents arguing over every little thing. The Twilight Sepulcher is practically a paradise in comparison. Here I study and pray in quiet contemplation, sometimes carrying out tasks for the Night Mistress. My transition continues, and whilst there have been bumps in the road, I am never without the support of my brothers and sisters. Astrid celebrates every milestone I reach with more exuberance than anyone else. Sometimes I think she’s happier than I am with my progress.

Even now I can’t imagine what my life would be if I’d gone through with that stupid idea to return to Suran. I can only imagine my mother wondering why she never heard from me again. Undoubtedly she was bragging to her colleagues about the return of her wonderful son, only to be humiliated by my non-appearance. I honestly wish I could say it was planned, but part of me hopes it was part of Nocturnal’s plan for me. Some small measured vengeance for the woman who tore that family apart.

As for my father, I don’t know if he’s even alive. Every time I’m tempted to find out, Astrid and the others remind me of what he did to me, and I remind myself that that part of my life is over and the temptation passes. I have a life here. A family. I’m happy, for the first time. Venaryn Serethi is a chapter long since closed. I am Venaya Sero,

and I won’t let the past take that from me.

#vounoura #journal meme #eso #venaya sero #lemme know if anything needs to be tagged and i can add tags for it #but yeah venaya dealt with a lot of shit #ss didn't help #but she'll get her happy ending damnit

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yarti · 7 years ago

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Yarti - My Story of Little Importance

Story Below:

To Fanar and/or Fannah:

I thought that some day one of you would like to hear my story, well, the beginning of it or the parts that we had never talked about for one reason or another. Know that it pains me to remember some of it. The past doesn't matter that much to me, it never did. I had nothing, and then I had Snake and then I had you, the things that happened before then were like the first two steps of a staircase. You don't pay them any mind for they make up such a small part of the whole staircase. The current and the future are always more important than the past I think. The past is a time of learning and often times, regrets. You are young, you know not what struggles may await you. Things that no one should face alone. The love of friends or family carry us through the struggles and into greener fields. The current should be cherished for what you have and the memories of the good things that you once had if they are now gone. The future should be a thing of optimism and hope. I will be recording this separate from my journal so it can be found in some foreseeable future in the storeroom. I suppose I should write it under the assumption that the two of you are grown at the time of the reading. Yes, that would be best. I know you Fannah, chances are, you could read this within minutes of me folding the paper and tucking it away. I must keep it civil and proper in the chance of that scenario. I hope you wouldn't understand much of it, if that is the case.

I am the daughter of Lette Serethi, a formerly-Hlaalu Persuader and a Telvanni-born Nord of some renown, however that worked. I never met my father and I don't know his name. At the time of writing this, you have never met them. Perhaps some day.

First, some preface. In the later days of the Third Era, your grandmother, a servant's daughter grew up in the manor where her father worked. I was told it was in Mournhold, but I had my doubts. This is all based on hearsay and the few times she ever spoke of her younger days so it may not be completely accurate. There is much I do not know. She was over two hundred years old by the time I came into the picture. When the Tribunal fell, her family cleaned out the manor and fled northwest. After selling off a portion of the manor loot they were able to settle near the Skyrim border. Over the next hundred years, the family amassed quite a fortune through trade, thievery and money lending. They came to control a small community and your great-grandfather's word was law. House Hlaalu fell apart some time after that but the family retained it's traditions and practices well into the current age. Around 36 years ago as of the time of this writing, a traveling Nord passed through their community on business. He and mother discussed business for many weeks and their time together grew into something more. Mother fell in love with him. They hid their relationship from grandfather, fearing his reaction. The man had some standing in the Telvanni. If he were a Dunmer, I guess everything would have worked out fine. But grandfather would not allow Nord intermingling. The daughters were expected to marry for power, sold off to wealthy Dres men perhaps. Nords were out of the question and Nords in the community were little more than slaves. Late in that year, the pregnancy was discovered. The man was ambushed by our guards and left with three dead at his feet. Rather than kill more guards and worsen the situation, he complied and left town. He disappeared after that and it haunted mother for the rest of her life. And then I happened.

I was given a fine education and access to a variety of training growing up, much like you. Though the family factor was sorely missing. Like Fannah, I was skilled in Illusion at a very young age, but I had zero interest in economics, history or any Hlaalu teachings. They bored me. It felt wrong. By the time I was 8 or 10 I had mastered sneaking out of the house. I would hang out in town until I was caught and taken back inside. I would visit the fishermen, the shops, see what the traveling traders were bringing in. I had cousins to play with back at home but we were so different in mannerisms that it rarely worked out. I had very little interaction with my mother. She was always away on business for much of her youth and what little interaction we did have was veiled by that depression that consumed her. She was focused on her tasks. A very cold and to-the-point person. My parentage was mostly kept quiet in the house, but by way of hushed voices and rumors, I knew most of the story by the time I was old enough to understand it. But she would never speak of it. We were introduced to the pantheon of the Divines as part of our classes, though the town itself was owed to Azura. A grand statue of her likeness stood on the far end of town. Azura became something of an adoptive mother figure for me. By adolescence, we had grown so very distant and that distance formed resentment. I wished she would have opened up. She wanted her work, and wanted me to follow in her footsteps, without question. My Nord blood brewed strong and of course I eventually discovered alcohol and it's merriment. The tavern became a second home. A place away from cold mother. The half-drunken stories of the Nords became my history classes. One night, I followed a group of Nord traders back to their camp to crack open a keg. An Imperial patrol arrived on the scene the next morning and found me in their bed. Nothing happened but we had all gotten quite drunk over the course of the night. They took me across the border and I was subsequently released. Skyrim felt right to me. Rather than return, I traveled for a year or so. Enjoying the sights and sounds of the new land. Most every night was spent at an inn, and every morning spent waking up with very little recollection of the previous night. Alcohol filled the void in me I guess. I did many things I came to regret in those days. Another year or so of that and I had enough. I sought out some change in my life. I bought a keg, affixed it to my pack, filled it with wine the inn then set out on an adventure. One lead to another, and to another. Over the course of a summer I had established myself as a mercenary of sorts. Many things happened in these days but few things are worth mentioning. In time I came to hate Dunmer. I saw them for what they were. I thought myself a true Nord and began to carry myself as such, even more so than before. I came across many an artifact that I would carry with me unto this day, but the most important of which was my sword. I found the silver sword that would become Snilla-Nilyn at some point there, though I knew not it's purpose or name at the time. In that time, I came to meet a few of the friends that I still have. I suppose the most important of those would be Xi, another Dunmer mercenary. The only Dunmer friend I ever had and like an older sister to me. That life was a better life than the last, but the void was still there. Eventually, I was able to rent an apartment in Whiterun. I would spend a few days there before heading out for long days of travel. While living there, I met a young Companion, Nita Bjorn. A good few years younger than I, the small girl seemed entranced by my stories. We became good friends in little time and would often travel together for Companions work. I was never a full fledged member or anything, but our work coincided at times. Outside of working, we would spend many a day together, just lounging about and having our talks. From there, work thinned out. I became known in those parts and found myself caring for local children when no work was available. Babysitting I suppose, but most of them were closer to the age you are now. The motherly role was something I came to enjoy. That too came to a slow halt, forcing me to set about traveling again. I would return to Whiterun and check in on Nita occasionally, but most of my time was spent on the road. Exhausted and far from civilization, I would regularly seek shelter wherever I could. One fated night, I sought shelter in an abandoned hut near Darkwater Crossing. It was warm and comfortable enough. I packed away my bags and glimmering sword. Poured myself a glass of wine and sat it atop the table. It was to be my drink for the day, a struggle I was trying to contain. The air was thick with dust, that would never do. I stepped out the door, swatting dust from in front of my eyes as the cold night air rushed in. I breathed deep of it, eyes closed. At once, I opened them and saw a young Nord mercenary on the road walking toward the hut. A giant silver greatsword was perched atop his heavy black armor. Your father. As soon as I laid eyes upon him, I just knew it. My heart melted. Love at first sight, if you will. I scrambled off the porch and ran to greet him. Offering him a hot meal and place to spend the night. An odd sensation overtook me, a happiness I had never really felt before. The void gone. As soon as the door was shut, I fell into his arms and then into bed, strewn clothes in our path with few words traded between us. We had a good night.

When I awoke the next morning, he was gone. I cursed myself for not asking his name. The void had returned with greater force. I had caught that he was heading to Riften but nothing more. I packed up my gear and set out for the Bee and Barb. I would visit two, sometimes three times a day asking the innkeeper for information about this mercenary but to no avail. But my persistence paid off. One such day I was at the counter asking for information as usual, when the mercenary pecked on my back. I turned and looked into his eyes. My legs weak, I fell backwards onto to a stool. We talked for so long. Hours and hours and hours. Once we tired of talking we rented a room for the night. From that point on we were inseparable. We traveled together for nearly a decade. A common thought in those days, was what if mother tried to find me. If she would come to take me back. It was a fear of mine, a fear that strengthened a resentment that had little reason to be there in the first place.

We kept separate residences at first. I would return to my apartment in Whiterun, rekindling the friendship with Nita as the relationship with Snake transformed from companions to utter soulmates. The three of us became the closest of friends and I know it pained her when we finally moved forward. I soon felt the call of marriage and we were wed. A honeymoon on a far away island, then a visit to the trade city Helsmyrr. It was as beautiful back then as it is now. A magic place and a most magic time in our lives. With our combined wealth, we came to own a small house in Whiterun and between work, I suppose I developed into a fine housewife. Not long after the house, I became pregnant with the two of you. A happy moment in a life already trending toward happiness. Through my burdened days, I took up reading and sewing. The books and perhaps lingering memories of a life once lead brought about a taste for fine clothing. Though that would be more apparent later as you surely know. The thought of motherhood dulled the resentment of my own mother. I would talk with her, maybe. If we were to meet again in good terms. But it was far too late to go looking for her again and if she came to me with ill intent, I felt more than capable of putting a stop to it even in that condition. I was truly happy and would have no issue sharing the happiness with her, should she be willing. But none would take it from me. As the days counted down, we came to the realization that the house was too small for a family, so we sought out another home, eventually settling into a large cabin atop a ridge overlooking Darkwater crossing. Pinegrove. A fitting place, we thought. Though we were to lose all contact with Nita for several years there due to the distance, our last meeting was a heartfelt one. The family life molded us into true Mara worshippers, with an altar at the top of the stairs. Every night I would pray for your safe bringing and so it was. You were born without issue thanks to Mara, local healers and a wealth of friends and my love at my side. Then I was a mother. Again, it felt right. As though I had taken the right path. We devoted the first few years to you. Every hour of every day. Sewing as a hobby gave way to sewing as a source of income. Using designs I had seen in books, I began by copying them, and before long I had developed skill of my own. I might have had five minutes free every other day to sew, but that time was put to use. Snake followed suite with blacksmithing and developed some degree of skill with that over the years, lending to his continued expansion of the house. By the time you two were old enough to be aware of it, the house had already went through several remodels and expansions. We made so many memories in that old house. They will never leave me. As you became more aware and more active, we felt it a crime to have you so cramped up on a mountaintop away from others your age. With some hesitance, we moved again, back to Whiterun. This time settling into a comfortably sized cottage in the fields outside of town. Now surrounded by friends and family, you would have the safety and education that you deserved. You had tutors and mentors within a days reach should we want them. It was easier to find someone to watch you so I could accompany Snake on closer or more dangerous jobs. I was reunited with Nita and despite her hesitations, she became a true aunt to you over the years. It was the perfect thing to do at the perfect time. As of the time of this writing, that move wasn't that long ago, but your lives are so interesting right now. So full of wonder at every turn. I wonder how much of it you remember now, or will remember 15 or 20 years down the road. Whenever it may be that you do come to read this note. It is a curious thought.

That brings us to the present. A happy family prospering in green fields. A mother in her husband's loving arms with the finest children anyone could ever ask for at their side.

#elder scrolls #skyrim #yarti #dunmer #mom #mother #mama #writing #story #backstory #update #modding #adventure

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