“Gil’s an absolute idiot. Far too full of himself, and his smirking—don’t get me ranting on that damn smirk. And, well. Despite all that, he’s...got a good heart in him, and he’s brave. There’s something weirdly familiar in him that I wouldn’t give away for all the water in the Alik’r.”
✉ Intelligence
“As I said, sometimes does stupid things, but he is a quick thinker. I would want him by my side while strategizing, since he’s good at picking up on things I might miss.”
☠ Battle Prowess
“I don’t trust magic. It’s unpredictable and has caused far too many harm, and yes I know it’s not everyone with magic that is bad. I get all that, but I do not have to like it. One day I think it will backfire on Gilmyn but he seems to know what he’s doing with it for the time being.”
♥ Romantic Potential
“W—I do not see how this is relevant, in the slightest, and it’s you know. Not something I’m just going to say. Don’t be presumptuous.” The answer is yes, a million times yes.
✘ Secrets
“I say a lot of things that aren’t the kindest to him, or even about him, maybe. Gil is still a fool, but he’s very important to me.” She shrugs. “Maybe it’s a way of keeping people from guessing what I think. Jelani says I do this often.”
☯ Decisions
“Risky at first, sometimes successful depending on what it is.”
This is based on a headcanon I have I’ll put a link through to shortly. This scene features a young Gilmyn Ramarys (belonging to @azurasblacksheep ).
The Saxhleel is basically making noises like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBkWhkAZ9ds
She did not understand. Why was this happening? What had she done wrong that she had angered The Hist? She must have or she would not be in this situation.
She could not understand the strange sounds the other one was making. Only a fortnight ago had she been scurrying about the trees when a net had fallen about her. Snatched, she had been thrown into a darkened cage with no knowledge of where she was being taken. Cold, alone and terrified she thought she was destined for the mines or a plantation. Afterall, that was usually what happened to her captured kind wasn’t it? But how could this be, slavery had been banned, hadn’t it? Or had they been lied to once more?
In some ways what she was undergoing was worse and incredibly humiliating. Giving another cry of both terror and anger, she did her best to raise her spine and bring her body close together. To both protect and make herself look as large as possible.
But it was no use, the child only giggled as it toddled forwards with outstretched arms as he yelled various things. She tried to look terrifying, tried to demonstrate she could do harm as she continued to back away in quick circles. Her cries grew louder as hisses started to intertwine. But exposing her teeth did nothing, especially as well, she no longer had them. Before she had got here she had been subject to a cruel decision of being held down whilst her teeth and claws were torn out. Why she did not know. Yes she had tried to bite her captors, but only because they had stolen her away!
She remembered how others of her kind had been subject to the same torment. How they had all been dragged far from home where the Voice of The Hist was but a whisper. She had watched other die, starving because eating proved too painful.
Only by calling to each other could they offer some comfort and even that assurity was snatched away when they had been dragged out into brilliant sunlight and separated. She had not a clue what was happening, only of loud voices, too many hands upon her skin whilst her mouth was open repeatedly and eyes inspected. Her toes examined whilst ugly metal things were forced into her mouth, her abdomen crushed by tight leather.
It seemed almost unreal, that she was now a slave. She still could not bring herself to think such a thing and even so, she was fairly certain most slaves were kept in a muzzle and manacles. For whatever reason it had been decided she would not wear those damming objects.
A cold thud to her back brought her back to the present. Looking up she saw to her horror that she had been forced up against the wall. A quick glance confirmed no escape - either side were corners and in front was a giggling mer.
Breathing fast and ragged she could barely think of an escape plan. Crying out in anger, doing her best to channel her surging fear into fury, she made to start scrambling to the wall. If she could just get high enough perhaps she could escape out one of the windows. Her heart was racing as her mind whirled, such was her panic and desperation to escape this nightmare.
More giggling heralded a weight on her tail as something yanked on it. Crying out in shock, her stomach plummeted along with her body as she fell only to immediately have the giggling weight on her.
Hands were everywhere as the child laughed, poking her to trigger another shriek of terror or pulling on a body part. Squirming and flattened against the floor for the child was on lying on her back, hands about her throat, she struggled to breath whilst the mer started to hit her none too gently on her shoulder like he wanted her to move.
Her cries pleaded for him to stop but he did not understand. In fact it only seemed to encourage him. Shielding one eye with a foot for he was now grabbing at her face, trying to pull her mouth open, she tried to hide her head under her body with eyes squeezed shut.
She was not sure how long this went on for, with her trying to throw the giggling child off, when a voice called out. The child grew quiet almost instantly as larger footsteps approached.
“Gilmyn! She's not going to say hello with you trying to yank her head up like that!” The servant admonished gently, a smile on her face as she approached the grinning toddler. The giant gecko he was sitting on made another attempt to squirm away, all the while chirping in such an adorable fashion. Clearly this creature was excited and wanting to be off scampering across walls and ceilings. Wanting to explore her new home.
General Ramarys had placed the order for this animal a number of weeks ago, she had arrived yesterday and had been inspected by both the General and his wife to ensure she matched the quality demanded. She had arrived a few days late due to an issue with the caravan but aside from that, Gilmyn’s birthday present had arrived very healthy which was what really mattered here. The gecko was five feet long but could grow to seven feet and a brilliant myriad of colours. With a bright blue tail, brilliant emerald body, red specks ran her entire length. Her head capped in blue with red-purple markings. Purple and white streaks ran from her eyes and down her neck to meet the yellow of her forelegs. Her hind legs being a mix of yellow and purple. An astoundingly beautiful, vibrant animal it was hard to believe existed.
“We were playing tag!” Gilmyn proclaimed, looking rather pleased with himself as he now sat up straight on the gecko’s shoulders.
“Oh? And who won?” the servant chuckled as she knelt down.
“Me!” Gilmyn was starting to bounce up and down on the giant lizard slightly in his excitement, extracting more squeaks from the reptile.
“Well done! Although, Gil, could you get off her for a second. I need to put her harness on.” So saying, the servant held up some of the tack to which the toddler nodded enthusiastically sliding off the gecko with ease and keeping one hand on her neck. Still she tried to bolt for it, chirping once more. Dropping the tack, the servant lunged forwards, catching and bringing the squirming lizard to her. Holding her tightly, the servant shushed her, stroking her gently whilst Gilmyn stroked and patted her on the nose.
The chirps and wriggling gradually subsided as the gecko seemingly relaxed. “There, she’s nice and relaxed now,” the servant confirmed and tilted her head, settling the reptile into her lap. “Gilmyn, could you pass me those reins please?”
Normally the child would not have obeyed so easily but just this once he was happy to follow orders. Whilst Gilmyn fetched the reins, which were lying in a heap on the floor under a saddle (both saddle and reins were made of netch leather, etched with designs of Morrowind’s various animals), the servant started to tickle the gecko under the chin. Gradually her eyes closed as her mouth opened, head tilting up as her body grew yet more relaxed. As the gecko uttered a series of adorable chuffs, the servant could not help but let out an “Awwww”. If she could afford one of these she would have bought one the years ago. These giant geckos were impossibly cute and so gentle.
“HERE!” Gilmyn yelled, holding the reins aloft and looking rather pleased with himself that he had freed them. Startled at the sudden noise, the gecko immediately shut her mouth, trying to bolt for it. Once more the servant wrestled with the animal, stroking her once more until she was calm.
“Try to be quiet, Gilmyn, she’s only just got here. She’s a bit nervous,” the servant murmured as she started tickling the underside of the gecko’s chin once more. “And thank you. Now watch what I’m doing - they like this and it’s an easy way to get their mouth open. See?”
Gilmyn watched fascinated as his gecko began to open her mouth once more. With a word, excitement lighting up his eyes, he too started tickling her chin. Giggling as she opened her mouth, Gilmyn started to stroke her on top of her head.
“Alright, pass me the reins and keep on tickling her under the chin,” the servant instructed, relieving Gil of the reins as he stroked his gecko both under her chin and on top of her head.With her head tilted back and mouth wide open, it was easy enough to place the metal bit in her mouth and quickly fit the leather about her head.
The moment cold metal touched her tongue, the gecko’s mouth snapped shut with wide eyes and a volley of chirps she nearly escaped this time were it not for the servant’s secure hold on the reins.
“Shhh, shhh, it’s alright,” the servant cooed, stroking the gecko’s back and looking at Gilmyn. “Don’t worry - she’ll get used to the reins. Do you want to help me put her saddle on?”
“Yes!” Nodding enthusically, Gilmyn stood up as the servant did. She placed the gecko on the floor who was already straining at the reins. A few firm tugs had the animal at her heel and brought at the room to a heavy table. Tying the reins about a leg, the servant was now free to use her arms.
Whilst the gecko paced back and forth, apparently trying to lug the table with her, the servant picked up the saddle Gilmyn had been dragging across the floor.
“So have you thought of a name for her yet?” The servant enquired of the toddler who had charged across the room to stand on bouncing feet beside his new pet. Gilmyn was silent for a moment, looking at the ground and his gecko in intense concentration before his eyes lit up.
“Scuttle!” he proclaimed, clearly very pleased with his choice as if it were the greatest name to have ever been thought up.
“Scuttle…” the servant chuckled, shaking her head. How like Gilmyn to name something after food and yet also pick something that described a characteristic of the animal. “That’s a very good name!”
Kneeling down, she had Gil stand back whilst she placed the saddle atop the reptile’s back and forwards. Lifting Scuttle up so her back was pressing against the servant, the Dunmer held the straps out.
“Can you tighten the buckle for me?”
Nodding quickly, Gilmyn rushed forwards to grab the straps. In his excitement he yanked them a tad too much, pulling Scuttle towards him as he fed the strap through the gleaming metal buckle he secured it perhaps a couple of holes too tight. All the while Scuttle was squirming and chirping.
“Aww, she’s excited!” the servant smiled as she quickly adjusted the buckle. Setting Scuttle back down, the servant watched for a moment as the gecko dashed back and forth before opting to rest underneath the table. Clearly this animal was raring to go, she would just have to wait a few more minutes.
Turning to Gilmyn she nodded at a chest. “Open that, your gear is in there.” Gilmyn let out a shriek of delight, running across to a small chest and flinging open. Another yell of joy echoed throughout the room as Gilmyn dragged out a suit of protective, padded clothing in the style of Redoran guard’s armour and matching helmet. Immediately the boy was trying to fit himself into the ‘armour’ rather unsuccessfully.
Laughing merrily, the servant wended her way across the room. “Come here you,” she was trying not to loose herself to laughter as Gilmyn had somehow managed to get stuck in his ‘armour’. Rescuing him from its hold, the servant soon had Gilmyn in the ‘armour’ proper. Securing the helmet about his head, the servant nodded. “There you go, you look like a proper little guard now.”
Beaming with pride, Gilmyn bounded back over to Scuttle who started chirping once more as she ran about the table. Running back over, the servant placed an arm on Gil.
“Just a moment, Gilmyn, we need to untie her and then you can ride her.” By now Gilmyn was impatient to be off and was trying to untie the reins before charging over to Scuttle and flinging himself onto her. Gripping the saddle, he was once again bouncing up and down as Scuttle chirped louder and started to run in a circle.
Sighing in hopelessness, the servant shook her head before shortening the reins so she could check Gilmyn’s feet were secured in the stirrups and his ‘armour’ clipped into the saddle.
“Alright, here are the reins.” The servant passed the reins over Scuttle’s head to place them in Gilmyn’s hands whilst keeping a firm grip on the saddle. “Keep inside the manor for now, alright. Don’t want you getting lost now do we? Now go and have fun, show the guards the new recruit!”
With that she released Scuttle and the two were off and out the door as a laughing, shrieking and chirping rainbow blur.
For the entire day the manor was alight with the laughter and joyful shrieks of a toddler. The chirps of a giant gecko could be heard too. That if one had listened carefully perhaps it could be recognised that these were no cries of joy, but ones of fear and anger. What reptile calls so loudly when happy?
Send me a symbol for my character’s thoughts on your character’s…
✿ Appearance
“Gil grew up to be a very handsome man. Even setting my flirtatious nature aside, he looks stunning. I truly wish I could see the color of his hair - I believe it’s one of his most attractive qualities.
And his battlemage armor… don’t get me started.”
☼ Personality
“He’s matured quite a bit, I’ve seen. He thinks things through now. His youth still shows at times - he can be reckless and stubborn, but he’s not the impulsive kid he used to be. Sometimes I think he cares a little too much about inconsequential things, but from what my mother tells, me I’m just the odd-ball-out who doesn’t care enough.
Either way, it’s refreshing to be around someone who can take things seriously and still know how to have fun and be playful. Probably wouldn’t have made out - and nearly slept - with him otherwise.”
✉ Intelligence
“He’s smarter than he gives himself credit for. Just because he’s made some questionable decisions in the past doesn’t mean he’s not intelligent. In fact, I’d argue quite the opposite in some situations. We would probably have some interesting debates... maybe that can be turned into a competition of sorts. Hm...”
☯ Decisions
“As I already said, Gilmyn used to be impulsive. He made some decisions that he wouldn’t make again, but I’d never hold his actions against him the way he does himself. What’s done is done and there’s not much more to it than that. That being said, he takes things too seriously sometimes and puts too much weight on decisions that may or may not impact himself or others.”
“The only one I’ll hold against him is his decision to not sleep with me after learning who I was. Missed opportunity on both our parts. We could’ve had a much more exciting night...”
So I recently found out about this amazing Disney princess character creator (http://www.missangestgames.com/arabian-princess-creator/) and it’s a lot of fun!
Anyway, I had a play around and so far, here are three princesses! The first is Tally’s lovely female cousin. She’s honestly a very good person and a decent Thalmor.
The second is Sarves Dres as a princess. Note, what Sarves is wearing here is similar to what his sister wears half the time.
And finally I decided to make @azurasblacksheep‘s Gilmyn Ramarys as a princess for the heck of it!
Once more featuring @azurasblacksheep‘s Gilmyn Ramarys! (Sort of...)
The Dunmer slipped with ease off the cliff racer, even though he was ageing by now his body was still incredibly spry. He only had one wish – that that melodramatic idiot had decided to have himself laid to rest a bit closer. But it was a minor qualm, not that Antal-Lei minded. He found it so strange, that he made this journey every year now. Who would have thought it? That he would make such an effort for a Dunmer?
Evening had fallen which was how the mage preferred it. Antal-Lei was..tolerated at best and he never liked setting foot in Blacklight. In any case, he did not need his cliff racer causing a kerfuffle, far better he just arrived after sunset and be gone before dawn.
The quiet padding of his footsteps echoed throughout the silent streets. The only gazes afforded to him were the glances of guards who by now knew of the mysterious out-of-place Dunmer who had been making what appeared to be an annual pilgrimage here for decades now. Some said a century or more. By now he was but a ghost to the residents though his influence had remained, stories were still exchanged of the peculiar rainbow dunmer from the swamp with terrifying powers. Of how he had raised armies of the dead, of how he tamed cliff racers, of how he had unleashed a magic so terrible it had made House Redoran quiver and House Telvanni actually engage in politics for once.
The Dunmer who knew ice magic and commanded the shadows.
The rock was still warm from the sun’s beating of the day, his feet tingling as they soaked up the heat in the otherwise cool night. Glancing up he saw the sky to be clear and the moons casting an especially bright light tonight. If only he could remain outside.
Walking the way he knew, he wound himself down a number of streets. Even with all these passing years the old city remained virtually unchanged. His feet guiding him as he eventually arrived at his destination, looking up he saw the familiar domed structure and approaching it found the door to be unlocked. This wasn’t a typical practice but for a reason known only to the family that owned it, they always left the door unlocked on the family tomb on this night. Perhaps he would visit them later, drop off a few gold bars.
The door swung open without much encouragement, not because of disrepair, rather it would appear it that the hinges had been oiled recently. As he stepped inside with the door sealing gently behind him he found himself in utter darkness. Eyes adjusting quickly and a minor magelight allowed Antal-Lei to peer into the burial tomb that was all too familiar to him. Was this even a burial tomb? The Dunmer burnt their dead but buried the skeletons here or something? He could not remember and did not understand the customs of his blood-race even after having been around a few for some time.
The air was awfully dry and warm, full of dust and ash that still sapped all moisture from his lungs. Coughing slightly as he inhaled, Antal-Lei continued on in utter silence as he made automatically for the…burial pit? Honestly he did not know what it was called, but the pit where the remains of his former student and dear friend lay.
Taking calm in the still surroundings, Antal-Lei rounded a corner to find the ash-filled pit. Glancing down he saw a few bones peaking out from their blanket of ash and soil. Already many had been here, leaving the peculiar plants of Morrowind, a few small treasures, even a few coins and some candles that were nearly burnt out.
For a moment he gazed at the bones with a tinge of sadness to his eyes. This is what he hated – befriending someone who was not Argonian or Saxhleel and knowing that once they were gone, that was it – no way to encounter them again. No way to relive their memories and knowledge. How he would have loved that – to see the world through his student’s eyes and laugh at the string of curses that would no doubt follow with the early memories of Antal-Lei’s teachings.
Then out of a small bag hanging from his shoulder he reached in and pulled out a solid gold cup. Kneeling down, he pushed the cup firmly into the ash before filling it with cocoa beans. Next he retrieved several brightly coloured feathers from his bag which on closer inspection revealed them to have tiny pink woodlice stuck to them. Planting the feathers in firmly between the cocoa beans, they rose up like little plants.
As he reverted into a sitting position, Antal-Lei gazed sliently at the pit. It was most peculiar, for him to feel so melancholy about death given Saxhleel do not fear it and do not mourn their lost ones like the other races. For each Saxhleel is reborn and their memories live forever in The Hist.
Taking a deep breath, Antal-Lei exhaled before finally deciding on what to say. “It is quite amazing how with all that’s changed, some parts don’t? Blacklight just hasn’t changed in some ways at all. I have no clue even you can hear me, I expect you can, can’t Dunmer do ancestor magic to communicate with the living? I never understood it myself. Never cared to I guess,” sighing heavily as if to stop his voice from shaking, this never got any easier, it never would, he continued, “your great-great…How many great’s is it now? However many it is – grandchildren are doing well aren’t they? I expect you watch them a lot, you always were stubborn, you’d find a way to keep on watching your family.
Laughing quietly to himself, he sighed, this time a bit happier. “Your stubbornness always drove my patience quite thin. Always trying to get out of things, throwing a tantrum and all sorts, and yet I stuck with you. Back then I had no clue why, but now I think I do and I know right now you’re cursing me for being so sappy. But I’m not going to stop, so you’ll just have to listen. You always hated sitting down and listen to me talk too, at least to begin with. I think I made my decision to stick with you when you told me about Garvs. I just… I don’t know, I suddenly saw it as my duty to become your father figure. Nothing pains me more than children who are orphans or do not love their children, as you well know. Before that…I guess I just saw you as a bratty Dunmer. Though you were growing on me even then.
“But I should not dwell on such sad things, I still remember the time you sent me all those panicky letters. Begging me to drop everything and rush to Blacklight because your daughter had just been born. Only you had somehow forgotten I could not read, so Sings-With-Fingers read it to me. He and you both made it sound so urgent I thought you were ill and unable to take care of your newborn.” Antal-Lei’s face grew brighter as he started to chuckle. “I still remember when you came down the stairs that morning to find me in your house with the baby, you screamed in such a high-pitched manner I thought it was the baby for a second. And your face… When you found out I had bypassed all your security runes like it was nothing….”
Antal-Lei continued to laugh for a minute or so before shaking his head as he regained control. “But as always I remember how you became a fantastic student, all the struggles you faced and yet you pushed through. In time you became such a dear friend to me, I learnt more from you than I thought possible. I thank you for that once more and for the honour of having you as a student and friend.
“I think about you every day still, I never thought I could miss a Dunmer so much. I cannot put into words how much you mean to me and I know you hear me say the same things every year. You’re probably sick of it all… I just… I just regret I was not always around, we both had our own lives that caught up with us and I wish I could have visited more often than I did. I fear that eventually I will no longer be able to make these trips, I hope there is another way to continue to do this somehow…
“Ah, listen to me! Getting mopey again, perhaps I should just shut up? Save yourself the headache,” Antal-Lei chuckled to himself before returning to silence, recalling memories that remained as clear as the seawater of his village. So many memories and experiences, more emotions than Antal-Lei could count. How long had they been friends? Over four centuries definitely. The magelight had long since faded, the candles flickering away still before finally simmering out.
Once more darkness until a warm magelight cast a dim glow once more.
Antal-Lei’s hand idly played with a strand of hair as he tugged at it and felt it come loose. Glancing down he saw the dip-dyed strand to be pale about its root. Laughing softly, he sighed. “Oh dear, it would appear I am finally old. I bet you are laughing. Although… Unlike you, my hip is in perfect working order. Maybe one day I‘ll wake up and find a walking stick has mysteriously appeared,” the smile was in his voice, not upon his lips, being raised Argonian meant he had learnt that any baring of the teeth meant aggression. And so Antal-Lei’s cheeks were puffed up, eye narrowed ever so slightly in an expression akin to a smile.
Standing up with bittersweet happiness running through his warm red eyes, he gazed one last time at the ‘grave’.
“Until next time, and thank you for everything again, Gilmyn.”
