Character Stories #12 : V - Skyrim

» Mon Jun 20, 2016 4:24 am

I understand what you mean. My characters are not me either. The males I played in Morrowind and Oblivion were fun, I played them to a high level, did all the quests, yada yada....but they also felt 'forced'. It was like I felt that a strong protagonist had to be male for some reason. I don't know...it just never felt quite right, I wasn't rp'ing, just completing. When I finally let go, and stuck with females, each one got better, more fun. I have found that I have to have the male followers though, and each playthrough becomes more complete for me with a couple, whether they are romantically linked in game or not. Maybe I'll be able to try the reverse someday, male character with female follower, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

» Sun Jun 19, 2016 6:13 pm

Hmmm.

My characters ARE me. So maybe I'm just... totally out in some non-existent spot in some nebulous universe.

» Sun Jun 19, 2016 10:40 pm

Anyways, update! Having read the thread, I feel kinda awkward posting about this? (It involves fire)

Sympathy

Spoiler

While I always enjoy proposing and at times conducting asinine experiments I had to admit that even as a Necromancer I had little reason to pursue such dangerous research. Not only does the College forbid this type of research for many reasons, but speaking openly about it in a backwater town like Morthal is just asking for trouble. That said, restrictions and cultural taboos have never stopped me and in fact my defiance is responisble for getting me to where I am today.

Aside from that, I had the Archmage's blessing and a safe space tucked away in my bag. Though I was rather curious as to why she was so interested in soul melding. Something of an awkward thing to inquire about, especially for someone so guarded. I did realize that this ability of mine was quite useful, not to mention awe-inspiring. I could understand the alure of directly tapping into someone else's knowledge by asimilating them into the core of your existence. Probably not the best or pleasant way to pass on knowledge, but useful nonetheless.

It was part of the reason I began studying Shadow Magic, after all. Of course, while I was fully capable of reading and manipulating Shadow from other sources I never was successful in doing the same to my own. As I sat there absentmindedly watching Genevieve's shadow, I thought that perhaps this was the lead I needed. Perhaps...

"Has your shadow always been so...fragmented?" I said thoughtlessly.

"What?"

"Your...your shadow's..." perhaps I was halucinating? "For a moment it seemed as though...forget it, it's getting late."

"I guess," she said with a sigh. She was clearly tired herself. "Let's pick this up some other time." She yawned and picked herself up from the makeshift chairs. "You okay going to the ruins yourself?"

"Of course. This isn't the first time I've scavenged ruins you've conquered."

"That's creepy," she said with a grimmace. "Don't put it like that."

"You're the one making it creepy."

"Ugh, whatever. You have the next one, then?"

"Yes, somewhere in the Reach. Ragnvald, the Greybeards called it. I may as well visit Volskygge as well while I'm in the area." And from there, Solitude.

"Make sure you get me those masks in one piece. I really don't want a repeat of--"

Her allusion was cut short by a muffled explosion coming from Morthal. We scrambled out of the bag and into the inn in time to hear one of the townsfolk say something about some Alva tramp's house bursting into flames. This was followed by even more explosions and shouting.

"Come on, then," Genevieve said rushing towards the door, undoing the tie on her ribbon as she did so.

I followed, though I felt no compulsion to get involved unless it was necessary. From the inn one could see the fires reflected on the water and the smoke billowing from the remains of what I assumed to be Alva's house. Smaller fires had started in the surrounding buildings and docks. Along with the shouting, the assault on the nostrils brought back memories of Helgen.

I was snapped back to reality by another explosion. A fireball.

"It's this idiot," Genevieve said running ahead of me. I was still getting my bearings when I noticed the charred corpses of two guards. It wasn't long before I found the mage responsible.

At first I thought someone had caught fire and was running through the streets. Stupid, I thought, with the large body of water to suffocate the flames. I then noticed how the flames seemed to be dancing around his scantly clad body rather than consuming him. The townsfolk fled at the very sight of him, though he seemed to pay them no mind as he ran from the burning buildings. He then spun around suddenly. More guards. He rushed at them and they suddenly burst into flames as he struck them with his fists. It was as if they burned from the inside out. It was absolutely glorious.

"What in Oblivion do you think you're doing?" Genevieve shouted at the mage.

"Get out of my way!" he responded, setting the ground before her ablaze as a warning.

She didn't take kindly to that. With a flourish she was suddely encased in a glossy black shell, which was followed up--rather gracefully I might add--with a snap of her ribbon, sending a wave of dispelling magic towards the mage. The wall of fire faded, but the flames surrounding him merely flickered.

"So that's how it is, huh?" the mage shouted, rolling his shoulders then igniting his fists with bluish-white fire. I was focusing on the intricate tattoos all over his body, now glowing as brightly as his flames, when he suddenly fell forward with a shout. As the cloak of flames went out I noticed the arrow protruding from his shoulder, and the guard it belonged to rushing over with his sword drawn.

"Now, now, no need for that," I said releasing a burst of calming magic. "He has been subdued. This is the part where you arrest him, is it not?"

"He just murdered several people," Genevieve hissed.

"He killed guards," I corrected, "in self defense. There now, carefully. He still has an arrow sticking out of him."

The spell seemed to be working remarkably well. I suppose by now the knowledge of exactly who I was must've spread this far. Illusion is much more effective the more charismatic you are, after all. I saw to it that they put the witchman into a cell and his wounds treated as quickly as possible. There was no way I would let someone so beautiful die for such a foolish reason, but I also made sure to have him sedated. Just in case.

"He's a psychopath," Genevieve said, sharing most of the guard's opinion. "Why did you help him?"

"For all the danger he supposedly posed, you hesitated in killing him yourself. Do you know him?"

"Hardly. I ran into him in the High Gate Ruins. He helped me clear the place out, but he's unstable and I'm honestly not surprised he'd do something like this. Anyways, you didn't answer my question."

"And yet he didn't blast you away the moment you stepped in front of him, nor did he destroy any other chimps that crossed his path unless they posed a threat. I'm just curious, is all. Why would someone so beau--powerful show such restraint? In spite of being a "psychopath" as you put it.

"Besides, it's not like I set him free. He committed a crime, he was caught, and should pay accordingly. It's too early to resort to execution, I think, so incarceration should suffice. For now."

"I still don't understand, but I guess you're right about that part. So long as he's put away I guess it's not that big of a deal." She was clearly still upset. Not that I blame her.

"Now, you put out the fires, correct?"

"Yeah. Plenty of water to work with."

"Good! Then I'll begin the investigation at once."

"What?"

"I already invovled myself, didn't I? May as well finish the job."

» Sun Jun 19, 2016 7:48 pm

monkeye, oh my how very, very interesting! Now I will be waiting to hear about this person, and how Aza knows what he is, and why he helped save the man! And just why he didn't blast Gen...very good!

» Mon Jun 20, 2016 12:08 am

Ok, here is Eirka Hawkdaughter. She is, of course a Nord girl of the Hawk Clan.

Eirka Hawkdaughter...Beginning

I'm tired, and bored. I suppose it's time to brush up on the skills my cousin taught me before I have to break into my nest egg, because I'm damn tired of chopping wood and waiting tables. I suppose I should be grateful my dear father left Ma anything besides me in her belly, after a quick tumble before leaving town and getting himself killed. The only thing I know about him is that I can claim to be the daughter of the Hawk Clan. When Ma got sick, she said they would take me in, if I wanted to go to Cyrodiil, or I could try to find the few roaming here in Skyrim. Pfff, like I want to go to Cyrodiil. Not on my best day. I'd like to travel, but not there. Ma knew she was dying, and she did the best she could, adding my sire's bit to to her's, putting away a tidy sum for me. I'd rather she was still here. We were a team, me and Ma.

I was 10 when she died, and her sister took me for a few years. Could have been worse, but being an unpaid cook and seamstress wasn't my idea of fun. Fain didn't mind his little cousin hanging around though, and taught me a few things about fighting when I bothered him enough. I learned to hunt well enough too, though there were no thanks from Auntie for the extra meat I brought in. Then a new man started coming around, and didn't want to share her time. He had a nasty look about him, and it wasn't long before Fain left to make his own life. He told me to watch myself, and find someone else to teach me, and that staying around wasn't a good idea. He sold his little house by his Ma and took off. He was a man grown by then, and I think if he had stayed around, there would have been trouble between him and Auntie's man.

There came a day, and I knew it was coming...Auntie's husband...aye, she married the skeever-brain, why I don't know or care...when he looked at me differently than before, and I knew it was time for me to go. I'd long since started my courses, and grew briasts, and oh how I hated it when Auntie said I needed to find a man soon! I could scarce believe she was Ma's sister, so unlike they were. Anyways, he looked at me, and oh no, I wasn't stupid, I knew what was in his poor excuse for a mind. That night I packed up what I owned, carefully prying up the loose floorboard under my bed to get the money Ma had left me, money Auntie never knew about or I'd not have it, and out the window I went. I didn't want to chance going out the front door after he had been drinking. I hiked up my skirts and ran for while, until I was out of breath, then stopped to change into beat up old leathers that were Fain's when he was smaller. I had gone a fair piece by then and felt safe enough walking. I didn't much care for Falkreath, though it was all I knew. It didn't hurt at all to leave it behind.

Helgen had been good enough to me, after I left Auntie's, but I needed to do something, go somewhere else. Besides, there was something going on lately, there were way too many Imperial soldiers coming and going, it wasn't normal. They were starting to be too much to handle at the inn too, getting bold enough to be putting hands on me, the bastards. I like people, but I didn't like them. Well, there was one, a big, handsome fellow, Hadvar, but he wasn't enough to make me stay. So I took another long walk, and here I sit, a full moon later, in Riverwood, still doing the same things, still tired and bored with chopping wood and waiting tables. Maybe I should talk to Faendal, get some more lessons before moving on again. Or work on my hedge magic. Or find someone to apprentice to and learn a trade. Gods, I wanted to DO something!

» Mon Jun 20, 2016 4:51 am

Monkeyemoness.... very interesting... a new twist.

Andra... nice start... boredom is the root of all...the trouble we get ourselves into.

I play male and female, depends on the story I wish to tell. I know I played more men on 360 and a more females now on PC... a lot of it has to do with my not liking the armored skirts.. or boob plates. I am not my characters... though each of them carries a part of me. ...male or female. I suppose for me it's just like the male characters in book's... I can relate as much to Vanyel as to Nyneave... each strong in some way's weak in another.