» Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:59 pm
Name: Arendu Oren
Age: 20 (True Age: ≈120-220)
Race: Dunmer
Play Style: Undecided
Lineage:
A merchant family in the trading city of Narsis in southern Morrowind, House Oren was completely unheard of until the birth of Tedril Oren. Through business savvy and a mastery of political intrigue, Tedril, a battlemage of exceptional power, and his young wife Andali, who was cunning beyond her years, made House Oren into a wealthy and powerful noble house of Narsis, second only in wealth and power to House Hlaalu. Looking to expand their influence and control the slavery and smuggling markets, House Oren and House Hlaalu were constantly engaged in house wars, marking each other’s members for death, signing writs on each other, and constantly seeking to attain a much-coveted monopoly. Tedril’s martial prowess and Andali’s good business instincts made them unbeatable. The house war between Hlaalu and Oren came to a head when Tedril Oren personally slew the Hlaalu noble Uradas Dren, ancestor of Vedam Dren, in a rare public duel, summoning a pillar of flame and incinerating him; ultimately shaming House Hlaalu and causing them to lose great face.
Soon after, the Treaty of the Armistice was signed, and House Hlaalu permanently entrenched themselves into the political landscape of Morrowind. Using their newfound influence, and foreign trade access, House Hlaalu exacted vengeance of House Oren harrying them using strong arm tactics and innumerable writs, forcing them into a bankruptcy from which it never fully recovered. Tedril and Andali’s children were taught to be proud of their heritage, and the glory of their ancestors. One of the descendants of Tedril and Andali was Noldyn Oren, who was sold into slavery to Arenar Peleius, an Imperial noble working for the East Empire Company. It was not long before Noldyn caught the eye of Arenar, and she became pregnant. At her request, the child, Anasour, was apprenticed to Arenar as a businessman and administrator, much to the ire of Imperial and Dunmer alike. Anasour eventually because a powerful warrior and shrewd businessman, like Tedril and Andali before him. Anasour and his children carried the Oren name silently for over 600 years, until after the events of the Oblivion Crisis…
Bio:
In the early part of the Fourth Era, the Ministry of Truth crashes into Vvardenfell, causing Red Mountain to erupt, utterly destroying Vvardenfell, and devastating most of Morrowind. Being so far away from Red Mountain, Narsis escaped some of the carnage; unfortunately, its proximity to Black Marsh made it the first target of the Argonians, seeking to capitalize on Dunmer misfortune, and conquer the province. Arendu Peleius, a young man descended from Noldyn and Arenar, and a promising student of sword, bow and magic in the fashion of Tedril Oren, was a survivor of the eruption of Red Mountain but was enslaved in the sacking of Narsis. After resisting valiantly, Arendu was forced to join the growing slave train of the Argonian army and marched northwards, eventually reaching Blacklight, having conquered most of the Dunmer that could/did not flee to Solstheim. One night, seeing an opportunity to escape, Arendu summons the ghost of his ancestor, Andali Oren, beseeching her to use her legendary wisdom and cunning to sunder his magical slave bracer. She does so, and Arendu quickly flees. Unfortunately, the keen senses of some Argonian slavers detect his escape attempt, and raise the alarm; he is quickly surrounded by a score of Argonians, ready to kill this foolish slave for his impertinence. Desparate, and sapped of strength by his previous summon, Arendu attempts to summon the spirit of Tedril Oren, so that he may defeat the Argonian slavers; however, he is only partially successful. Once summoned, Tedril quickly obliterated the Argonian slavers, summoning a moving pillar of flame as he had hundreds of years earlier. However, Arendu’s freedom comes at a price; as a result of closely associating his spirit with those of his ancestors, part of his own spirit was torn away during the summoning, only to have it replaced by part of Andali’s and Tedril’s. Consequently, his life was unnaturally prolonged, and he was forced to endure the suffering and visions that resulted from power struggles between the souls of Tedril, Andali, and Arendu, for control of his mortal body. For over another 100 years, Arendu would lapse into dream-like states, in which Andali or Tedril would take temporary possession of his body. He stalked northern Morrowind, incinerating Argonians to cinders as Tedril, or vandalizing the long-abandoned property of House Hlaalu as Andali; the Argonians of Morrowind would whisper of a Dunmer man endowed with terrible strength and power, the Ashen Warlock. One time, Arendu was assailed by a chorus of voices which drowned out his thoughts, and he fell into a dream-like trance. In his dreams, he saw what appeared to be the silhouettes of nine people forming some kind of magical barrier around him against a fire-breathing dragon; he eventually concluded that these were the Nine Divines, but as for the identity of the dragon, he did not know. Unknown to Arendu, the Nine had actually conferred upon him the powers and title of Dovakiin, or Dragonborn.
Arendu quickly expanded his skills in bow, magic, and sword and shield. In the latter part of his 100-year torment, Arendu’s soul prevailed through sheer will, and fought to compartmentalize the souls of Tedril and Andali in his body, reaching an accord with them. In return, each soul would contribute its exceptional qualities to his person, and after changing his surname to Oren, a new Arendu came to be. However, on what was his birthday, Arendu was visited with severe visions of a massive dragon which devoured the world and his mind; he quickly descended into an incoherent, babbling state, in which he ranted about the “World-Eater”, and “The Roof of Tamriel”. After what seemed to be an eternity of agony, his age started to vanish rapidly, as if it was being devoured by the dragon; unbeknownst to him, Alduin saw the long-lived Arendu, and the souls he harbored, and saw him as a tempting meal. His age was quickly consumed, but before he was unborn completely, the Nine interceded, driving the dragon out of his mind; he was now approximately 20 years old. With most of his skills eaten by the insatiable Alduin, and having lost his unnaturally long life, Arendu felt helpless. Hungry for vengeance and now understanding the dragon was the World Eater, Arendu concluded that he must go to Skyrim. Compelled by a thirst for vengeance and the will of the Nine, Arendu crossed the Western border into Skyrim, but helpless to protect himself against the assailing border guards, was arrested, and transported to a prison whose location of unknown location, and slated for execution. Before he was to be executed however, Esbern, a Blade interceded...