#lyswen

[notmeagain6]

-Fireproof-

Playlist cover art I did for them

[milfmorrowind]

i love you skyrim i love you oblivion i love you morrowind I love you daggerfall i love you arena

ao3 // fanfic masterlist

oc tags, etc are below ↓

[milfmorrowind]

for mailie, ardalie, and lyswen: 1, 6, 23, and 24!!!!

hiiii!!!

OC ask meme

1. Does your OC have a voice claim, if so who?

None of them really do, HOWEVER I've always imagined that Mailie's accent sounds a little like how queen elizabeth talked (for those who aren't familiar, older members of the british royal family have a very specific accent). So imagine how Claire Foy spoke in The Crown.

6. If your OC is in a fantasy setting, what profession would they be in the modern day?

Mailie: ooooo... her parents wanted her to take over the family business-- maybe a law practice or some generic white collar thing-- but she found the whole thing just completely soulless. She's now working for a shipping company that's absolutely up to some extremely shady shit but she loves the people and she does her best to make sure no innocent people get hurt.

Ardalie: I feel like she started out working for, like, Lockheed Martin or McKinsey, found out about all the war crimes, and then left to go work for a nonprofit. Not really sure how she managed to not know about all the war crimes up to that point, but that's her problem.

Lyswen: Very quickly rose to a high-level position at a big tech company, but left to go live off the land with her childhood friends in the woods. They're vibing.

23. Is your OC reliable? Can I call them up at two in the morning if I have a flat tire?

Mailie: Absolutely. She's going to show up with circles under her eyes and a pocketful of sarcastic comments, but she's there in a heartbeat.

Ardalie: She'll do her best, bless her, but she's a bit limited in the practical skills department. If you need to raise a zombie or light someone on fire, though, she's your gal.

Lyswen: Lyswen's just confused that you asked her, of all people. She'll help, but she's not sure why you want her there to begin with.

24. Can they play any instruments? If so, what do they play?

Mailie: She tried out a number of instruments as a kid, but none of them really stuck. Her ear's okay, and her sense of rhythm is fine, but she just never clicked any instruments. She always preferred embroidery.

Ardalie: She learned to play the harp as a kid, but she hasn't touched it in years. She'd like to start playing again sometime, but it just brings up memories of home. She doesn't really know how to deal with those.

Lyswen: One of Lyswen's childhood companions was Lilas, who was a pretty talented lute player. She can't really play effectively, but he taught her a few chords.

[milfmorrowind]

TES Summer Fest 2024: August 14th - ghost or hungry

@tes-summer-fest

this work has also ben posted to ao3

Lyswen’s stomach would not stop growling. It had been two days since any of them had eaten a good meal, and the meager handful of nuts she’d found on the ground that morning had long since been run through. They needed to find something substantial to eat, and soon. She crossed her arms over stomach, hoping to relieve some of the discomfort.

Cordell glanced over at her. “We’ll find something soon, Lys.”

Lyswen cringed. She hadn’t realized she was being that obvious, and now felt guilty for making Cordell worry. He did enough for her as it was. She didn’t need him thinking she couldn’t handle herself.

Ahead of them, Minsa raised a closed fist. Immediately, the group halted their trek. Minsa cocked her head to one side and sniffed the air.

“Campfire,” she said. “Close by.” She sniffed again. “They’re cooking something. Hide.”

With that, they all scrambled to their positions. Lyswen grabbed the nearest tree branch and pulled herself up onto a limb with a barely suppressed grunt of exertion. She did better than Arvan, at least, who lost his grip and fell to the ground with a winded oof. Lyswen winced as she watched his head hit the forest floor. Thankfully, he had the good sense to stay down.

Minsa dropped into a crouch and creeped forward through the greenery. Lyswen stared anxiously after her once she disappeared out of sight, listening carefully for her whistled signal– or screams of pain. She sat there for what felt like ages, but heard only rustling. Then, silence.

The whole world seemed to freeze for a moment there. She’s dead. Dead, or worse. Lyswen’s heart pounded in her ears. She looked around her, trying to catch a glimpse of one of her companions but found only Arvan, looking up at her with pure, unadulterated panic in his eyes. She swallowed and prepared herself to slip off the branch.

Minsa’s head poked in through the greenery. “All clear,” she said matter-of-factly.

Lyswen nearly fell out of the tree. Cursing, she caught herself and jumped safely down. In front of her, Arvan scrambled to his feet.

“Gods, Minnie, you scared me half to death!” Arvan brushed the dirt and twigs off his legs and fixed her with a scowl. “Why didn’t you signal?”

Minsa shrugged. “Didn’t need to. They’re dead.”

“Please tell me you didn’t kill them, Min,” Cordell said as he slipped out from his hiding place.

She shook her head. “Dead when I got there. Let me show you.”

She led them through the brush to a small clearing. In it was a pair of small canvas tents, a campfire, and, perhaps more interestingly, the corpses of what appeared to be four bandits.

Cordell knelt down next to the closest body. “They haven’t been dead for long. A few hours, at most.”

“I can’t believe whoever killed them didn’t strip the bodies,” Lilas remarked.

Lyswen looked around the clearing. Not only were the bodies untouched, save for the crossbow bolts piercing their backs, but the area around them looked relatively undisturbed. Even the fire had been left burning, though it was now little more than embers. The entire scene brought her a distinct sense of unease.

“Well, we might as well make the best of it. Look around, see if you can find anything of use.” Cordell stood and put his hands on his hips. “Especially food.”

The group of them filtered across the campsite. As they came across useful and semi-useful items, they shouted out their finds to the others.

“Jerky!” Arvan called from a tent.

“A lute,” Lilas said, strumming it experimentally.

“Rope!” Elistan shouted from an open crate.

“And grappling hooks!” his younger sister Lillisan piped.

Minsa unceremoniously flipped over one of the bandits and rifled through his pockets. “Throwing knives and an herbalism kit,” she said levelly.

Cordell kicked at the coals of the fire. “I think this kollopi is past saving. But clearly there’s food in the area. Minsa, Elistan, I think you should go hunting. We’ll stay here tonight, unless anyone has any objections.” No one spoke. “Very well. Lyswen, have you found anything?”

Reluctantly, Lyswen turned over the body at her feet. While one of the crossbow bolts in his back snapped under the weight, the other emerged from his chest with a squelch. Lyswen suppressed a gag and soldiered on. The man’s armor was relatively simple– just a leather chestpiece and pair of bracers. As she freed his arm from under him, a bow fell from his hand.

Lyswen carefully picked up the bow. It was wood, made in the Nordic style. Running her fingers along the edge, she could tell that someone had carefully carved a swirling pattern down its entire length.

“A bow,” she called out. “And a good one.”

Most of the group trotted over to her, though Lillisan kept rummaging through her crate. Minsa reached her hand out towards Lyswen, who somewhat reluctantly handed over the bow.

The scout turned the bow over in her hands and carefully tested its strength. “This matches the quiver by the fire. It’s well made.” She handed the bow back to Lyswen.

Cordell gave it a look over himself. “It is. I wonder what these people were doing here. I don’t think any of their gear was made in Valenwood.”

“I think the bow’s from Skyrim. And they look like Nords,” Lyswen offered.

“They do,” Cordell agreed. “You like that bow, Lys?”

She caught herself just before her fingers tightened around it. “It’s nice.”

He nodded. “Keep it, then.”

Lyswen’s breath caught in her throat. “But– that’s not how we do it.” And it wasn’t. As a general rule, they pooled everything they found and shared it evenly. In the case of something especially valuable or useful, like the bow, any person who wanted it could make a claim. The group would then decide who should have it, Cordell being the last voice by default. Lyswen knew she should offer the bow up and make her case for it later, but the concept of giving it up made her realize just how desperately she wanted to keep it.

Cordell shrugged. “You’re right that that’s not how we do things, but I can’t think of any reason that you shouldn’t have it. Min and I have bows already, and Elis has his sling. Lillisan’s too young to use it even if she wanted to, and Arvan and Lilas don’t hunt. You’re a fairly good shot with my bow, you might as well have your own.”

“But…” Lyswen looked around her, expecting someone to object, and praying that none of them would.

“Just keep it, Lyswen,” Arvan said, finally breaking the silence in a bored voice. “Clearly no one else wants it enough to claim it.”

“Does this mean I can have the lute?” Lilas called from over by the fire.

Cordell rolled his eyes. “As if anyone else even knows how to play it. Yes, you can keep the lute.” Lilas gave him an appreciative wink and began picking out a song. “Lyswen, you go with Minsa and Elistan. Min will show you the ropes, and hopefully the three of you can find us some real food. Sound good?”

Lyswen breathed a sigh of relief. “Sounds good.” Even though she hadn’t eaten anything, the hunger in her stomach seemed to have abided, at least for now.

[milfmorrowind]

SO in writing some stuff for tes summer fest I believe I have nailed down names and personalities for all of Lyswen's friend group, aka the valenwood irregulars! I thought I'd do a little introduction for all of them <3

Cordell: The oldest, which by child logic makes him the de facto leader of the group, although he would say that no one's in charge. At some point I said that he was a decade older than Lyswen, but in retrospect the age gap is more like 7 years. He's got a big heart and is more generous than he can really afford to be, which tends to get him into trouble. Every member of the group is sort of a sibling to the others, but Cordell has the biggest big brother energy of all of them. He hunts with a bone bow that belonged to his mother, and carries a few knives for practical purposes. While he's larger than most of the others, he's unlikely to hold his own in a fight.

Minsa: Roughly the same age as Cordell (two years younger at most) and a scout. Minsa is a mer of few words, but she has remarkably keen senses. She's the sneakiest of all of them and has the most knowledge of the flora and fauna of Valenwood. Minsa is a pretty practical and serious person, but every once in a while someone manages to get a smile out of her. Lyswen still isn't quite sure what her story is, or how she became so knowledgable; she's clearly been with Cordell for a long time, which would imply that she was orphaned fairly young, but Lyswen isn't even sure that she IS an orphan. Minsa hunts with her bow and has a bit of alchemy experience, making her the default healer. Her name is sometimes shortened to Min or Minnie.

Lilas: Somewhere between Minsa and Cordell in age, Lilas is something of a bard. He's by no means the strongest or fastest member of the group, but his enduring levity and sense of humor provide a frequently much-needed respite. Lilas has more magical knowledge than any of his companions, and while his skills are not especially practical, they are occasionally useful. I imagine most of his knowledge is in illusion and alteration, which occasionally helps them sneak in or out of places, but isn't really what you need when you're, say, trying to find dinner. Lilas generally gets along with everyone, but his perpetually easy-going attitude can get grating at times. He is especially close with Cordell. At the time that they adopt find Lyswen, the group consists solely of Cordell, Minsa, and Lilas.

Arvan: Most members of the group were orphaned or otherwise separated from their parents at a relatively young age. Arvan is the exception to that rule, having lost his parents to an illness at 13. Arvan adheres more strictly to the Green Pact than any of his companions; the rest of them have all picked a few berries or nuts in times of desperation, generally rationalizing it by saying that they aren't actually harming the plant in question, but Arvan won't participate (he tried to punch Minsa in the face the first time he saw it happen. That did not go over well.). Arvan is pretty tanky, with his fists being his main weapon. He's also the designated pack mule of the group, which is a responsibility he will gladly bear in exchange for first dibs on dinner. Despite their initial difficulties, Arvan is closest with Minsa. She's just about the only person who finds his terrible jokes funny.

Elistan: Elistan is one of the more recent additions to the group, having stumbled across them in the last few years. He's been fairly tight-lipped about his past, but the others have been able to gather that he and his younger sister, Lillisan, have been on their own for quite a while. Elistan is very protective of Lillisan, and is constantly worried about putting her in harm's way. Along with Minsa, Elistan is one of the group's primary hunters, but he uses a sling instead of a bow. Elistan's name is sometimes shortened to Elis.

Lillisan: Bright eyed and perpetually cheery, Lillisan is one of those people who you just can't help but love. Being so young, she's not exactly the most valuable asset to the group, but she is sweet and loving, and her small size makes her by far the best climber. Lillisan is naturally closest with her brother, but everyone absolutely adores her. Elistan sometimes calls her Lilli, and the others occasionally use that nickname as well.

[milfmorrowind]

Hiiiii hi hi hi can you do 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, and 18? For which ever OC u Reallly wanna talk about for each one :3

I FORGOT ABOUT THIS ASK

anyway. these will all be lyswen or sille I think

(Lyswen) What was your muse's personality like as a kid? How has it changed since then?

Lyswen was a deceptively quiet child. Plenty of her shyness was genuine and a result of the whole dead parents thing, but she was also scarily good at affecting the downtrodden orphan personality in order to scam her way into food or money.

4. (Sille) How was your muse's relationship with their childhood guardians? Has it changed over time, and if so, how? Do they keep in touch?

Sille has always been on good terms with her parents, but she left home to become a priestess of Kyne when she was twelve and hasn't lived with them since, so they're not especially close. She writes to them semi-regularly, but I would say it's more of an obligation thing than anything else. She cares about them, but her community is found with the goddess, not her family.

8. (Sille) What did your muse do in their free time? How did they entertain themself as a kid?

Sille always wanted to be outside. She was the kind of kid who had to be dragged away from an anthill because she wanted to watch them for hours or yelled at from the base of a tree because she'd climbed dangerously high.

11. (Sille)What expectations were placed on your muse as a child? Who had those expectations for your muse? How did your muse feel about them?

Sille's parents always knew she was meant for something greater. She was kind of an odd kid, and they could never imagine her being content with settling down with a spouse and kids. They were very supportive when she decided to leave home. Sille appreciates this, but I think she also takes it for granted. To her, it wouldn't have made any sense for them to try and stop her because it was her destiny to serve Kyne. This is another source of tension between her and her sister Signy; their parents were absolutely NOT okay with Signy joining the Legion, which pissed her off in the extreme. Signy doesn't see why her leaving home should be treated any differently than Sille's.

15. (Lyswen) What's one childhood memory that has stuck with your muse over the years? What's it significance to your muse now?

The sort of leader of the group of adolescent thieves lovable scamps that Lyswen fell in with was a 16 (at the time) year old named Cordell. Shortly after Lyswen joined the group, they came across some dead bandits whose corpses hadn't been looted yet. This was a huge score for them, especially considering that this is Valenwood and leaving a corpse unlooted and un-disposed of is like throwing you money in the garbage because you couldn't be bothered to count it. On one of the bandits' bodies was a razor-sharp bone dagger. Cordell, who was by far the most experienced thief among them, would have been completely justified in keeping it for himself, but he instead handed it over to Lyswen, who was like 6 years old and basically dead weight. That moment of kindness was what made her realize that her new friends had every intention of keeping her around. That knife was one of the few things she had with her when she was shipped off to Morrowind.

18. (Lyswen) What's one thing that instantly transports your muse back to their childhood? Why?

The sounds and smells of a crackling campfire. To her, it means safety, companionship, and the end of a long day. Sometimes, as she settles down next to her won, smaller fires at the end of the day, she can almost hear her friends around her, talking and cracking jokes.

[milfmorrowind]

Hiiii :3 Ask Meme Time hehe: From your TES ask meme! For all of your OCs: 7 from general info, and 1, 3, 5, 6, and 7 . For Sirnja, Lyswen, and Marza (if applicable to her, idk how much u have any her): 1, 3, 6, 9, and 15. For Erstin, Sirnja, and Sille 1, 3, 6, 7, 11, and 12. And for Mailie and Ardalie 1, 3, 5, 8, 9, 15, and 18. Sorry for so many questions i just love learning abt people's OCs :')

hi hi hi this is going to be very long

Sirnja

General

Class

Fighter, specifically an arena fighter. She wear medium/heavy armor and uses a mix of axes and swords. She dabbles in alchemy and restoration magic, mostly for practical reasons. After traveling to Cyrodiil, she developed some stealth skills.

Background

Is this character from their race's home province/territory? If not, what is their relationship with the region? Do they feel a connection to it?

She is! I wouldn't say Sirnja feels particularly connected Hammerfell or her specific home. She just sort of goes wherever.

What was their childhood like? Who raised them? Do they have siblings?

Sirnja was raised in a large, multigenerational family. Her parents died when she was very young, and many of her family members treated her like a burden. She was close with a couple of her aunts, but none of her uncles. She left home at 16 to fight in the arenas, and hasn't seen any of her family since.

Do they worship any gods? Who? How do they feel about the gods in general?

Initially, no. Sirnja has no time for the divine. Later, she develops a devotion to the Night Mother, and a passing respect for Sithis. She does not care for men, even the non-physical, arguably genderless kind.

What are their interpersonal relationships like? Are they close with many people?

Sirnja is... not great with people. Like at all. However, she finds a community at Thirsk, and comes to really like them.

What's their relationship with their family like? Do they have one?

Like I said, she hasn't seen them in years. So again, not great.

Morrowind stuff

Why were they sent to Morrowind? Were they truly guilty?

Murder. She traveled to Cyrodiil in hopes of fighting in the capital A Arena, but got into a fight with someone and killed them. She is very, very guilty.

Do they align themselves with any great houses? If yes, why?

She joins House Redoran for the benefits, and because their whole vibe fits with her skill set. She doesn't really care about them, to be honest.

Do they believe their self to be Nerevar reincarnated? Do you?

She does not, but she feels that there's a piece of him in her, if that makes sense. I agree with her. I draw a distinction between having bits of Nerevar in you and fully being Him.

How do they feel about the Tribunal in general? Do they trust them?

She does not trust them a bit. She somehow likes them even less than she likes all the other gods.

Where do they go at the end of the game? Do they leave Tamriel?

Initially, she hangs out at Thirsk for a while as their new chief. She has a pretty good time, but she gets restless and decides to go back to Cyrodiil for a bit.

Oblivion Stuff

Why are they in prison at the start of the game? How long had they been there?

Same reason she got shipped to Morrowind: killed somebody. Only this time, the empire had no use for her, so they chucked her in prison. She'd been there for a couple years. To be honest, she fully expected to be let out the moment they needed another pawn.

What's their relationship with Martin? Are they coworkers, acquaintances, friends, partners?

Somewhere between acquaintances and friends. Sirnja is really bad at talking to people, but Martin is a sweetheart and managed to get some conversation out of her. He likes her.

Which daedric quests do they do? Which artifact do they give Martin?

All of them. I think she gave him Volendrung, because it was a) heavy and b) not useful to her.

How do they handle Martin's death? Who do they lean on for support, if anyone?

She just kind of... disappeared. Sirnja does not do emotional vulnerability.

Do they mantle Sheogorath? What exactly does that mean, in their case?

Kinda. I imagine Sheo as a force that grows inside of her over time, but once he gets strong enough, they separate.

Do they stay in the Shivering Isles? Is it by choice?

No. She actually kind of likes it there, but she gets bored eventually and leaves.

Lyswen

General

Class

Lyswen's a thief. It's basically the only thing she's ever done in life. Having weapons that weren't stolen or looted off a dead body was a trip. While in Morrowind, she learns some mysticism.

Background

Is this character from their race's home province/territory? If not, what is their relationship with the region? Do they feel a connection to it?

Lyswen grew up in Valenwood, and she misses it dearly. She feels very exposed when she's not surrounded by plant life.

What was their childhood like? Who raised them? Do they have siblings?

Lyswen was orphaned very young, and was taken in by a group of young thieves, all of whom were pretty much in the same boat. Think that one bit of Oliver Twist minus the wildly antisemitic caricature. She considers those people to be her family, and she has every right to, considering they raised her.

Do they worship any gods? Who? How do they feel about the gods in general?

She doesn't have a strong interest in the gods, but she isn't hostile to them like Sirnja. She just doesn't really care. She's never followed the Green Pact, it just wasn't practical to do so when they could barely feed themselves as it was.

What are their interpersonal relationships like? Are they close with many people?

Lyswen's pretty shy, but once she opens up to people she becomes close to them pretty quickly. She makes a few friends in Morrowind, and eventually reconnects with her friends from back home. While she's still in Morrowind, Nibani Maesa becomes a sort of mother figure to her, and Lyswen visits a lot for her advice.

What's their relationship with their family like? Do they have one?

Her actual family? Nonexistent. Her friend family? Pretty good. She misses them, a lot. They think she's dead. She should probably resent them more for not helping her, but what can you do.

Morrowind stuff

Why were they sent to Morrowind? Were they truly guilty?

Lyswen got implicated in a murder. She wasn't involved at all, just happened to be around when it happened. The guards knew her as a local scavenger and thief, and they grabbed her for the sake of appearances. Anyone who actually saw the even could tell you she had nothing to do with it, but the local government just wanted arrests. She somehow got given to the legion, and sent to Morrowind from there.

Do they align themselves with any great houses? If yes, why?

She joins House Hlaalu. She figures out that everyone is just manipulating her pretty early on, and decides that if she's going to be a pawn in this game, she might as well play. She turns out to be a pretty effective politician, with everything that entails, but she doesn't really enjoy it.

Do they believe their self to be Nerevar reincarnated? Do you?

She doesn't know how to feel. She doesn't FEEL like nerevar, but what would that feel like, anyway?

How do they feel about the Tribunal in general? Do they trust them?

She doesn't really trust them. She does, however, crush REAL HARD on Almalexia, so she blindly trusts her at first.

Where do they go at the end of the game? Do they leave Tamriel?

She sticks around Morrowind for a bit, then goes to Solstheim. After she gets her lycanthropy cured she goes back to Valenwood to find her friends. They're ecstatic to have her back. They're all bosmer too, so she doesn't have to worry about outliving them for a long time, unless someone gets stabbed or something. They continue to steal stuff and ambush bandits, but she's able to buy them a house that they use as a base, and work more as professionals than out of survival.

Marza

Marza doesn't have a lot goin on so I'm going to skip some stuff.

General

Class General warrior stuff, nothing super fancy. Spears and heavy armor, alchemy (I really like alchemy).

Background

Is this character from their race's home province/territory? If not, what is their relationship with the region? Do they feel a connection to it? Marza is an orc, and she grew up in Cyrodiil. I haven't really decided where.

What was their childhood like? Who raised them? Do they have siblings? Marza was raised by just her mother. She's got two younger sisters who she's very protective of. She stays in contact with all of them while she's in Morrowind.

Do they worship any gods? Who? How do they feel about the gods in general? Kinda? She's got a passing respect for Malacath but isn't super religious.

What are their interpersonal relationships like? Are they close with many people? Mostly, she's close with her mother and sisters. She doesn't really trust most of the people she meets in Morrowind. She does become pretty close with Nibani Maesa though.

What's their relationship with their family like? Do they have one? I basically already answered this!

Morrowind stuff

Do they align themselves with any great houses? If yes, why? No. She doesn't trust any of them a bit.

Do they believe their self to be Nerevar reincarnated? Do you? It's a hard thing to accept, but deep down, Marza knows she is. I'm currently playing with Marza and I have a mod called Past Life Regressions that gives you flashbacks to moments experienced by past failed incarnates, and also Nerevar himself. I'd say MArza is my only OC who is definitely, fully Nerevar reincarnated.

How do they feel about the Tribunal in general? Do they trust them? Shockingly, she doesn't trust them. A lot of Marza's story involves knowing she's being used, but feeling there isn't anything she can do about it. She doesn't like the Tribunal, but feels like she has to work with them.

Where do they go at the end of the game? Do they leave Tamriel? She goes home. Idk what really happens from there.

Erstin

General

Class I think I played her as a thief, but truthfully Erstin's more of a woodsman type. She's a pretty good hunter, and she picks up lockpicking in Cyrodiil.

Background

Is this character from their race's home province/territory? If not, what is their relationship with the region? Do they feel a connection to it? She is from Skyrim! She misses it a little, but there really isn't much left for her there anymore. She feels pretty at home in Bruma, though, and that's part of the reason she spends a lot of time at Cloud Ruler Temple.

What was their childhood like? Who raised them? Do they have siblings? Erstin's an only child. She was raised by two very sweet parents, including a father who taught her to hunt. He was injured very badly on a hunt, and all of Erstin's mother's skills in herbalism couldn't save him. He died after a several days of pain. Erstin's mother died in her sleep shortly after. Their neighbors all assumed she died of grief, but Erstin found traces of nightshade in the teacup by her bed. Erstin left home for Bruma after that.

Do they worship any gods? Who? How do they feel about the gods in general? Not anymore she doesn't. She lost what faith she had after her parents' deaths. Martin restored some of it in her, but, uh, that didn't last long.

What are their interpersonal relationships like? Are they close with many people? She's pretty closed off when she first comes to Cyrodiil, and understandably so. She opens up to Martin and the blades, though. She's actually quite friendly, and very funny.

What's their relationship with their family like? Do they have one? They're dead. So, that.

Oblivion Stuff

Why are they in prison at the start of the game? How long had they been there? She got caught stealing something. She was hungry, who can blame her. She was only supposed to be there for a couple of days, that's why she was in a cell that's supposed to be empty.

What's their relationship with Martin? Are they coworkers, acquaintances, friends, partners? They are partners, in every sense of the word. They actually get Jauffre to marry them right before the Battle for Bruma. (in my imagination Martin is much younger in this universe)

How do they handle Martin's death? Who do they lean on for support, if anyone? Not well. At all. She just completely retreats into herself. Baurus gets her back to Cloud Ruler so she can be looked after by the Blades. Since she's a Septim by marriage, they consider it their duty to serve her.

Do they mantle Sheogorath? What exactly does that mean, in their case? Okay buckle up because this is complicated lmao. So fun fact, Erstin was actually pregnant when Martin died. She didn't know at the time, and by the time she realized, she didn't think it was worth telling anyone. The Elder Council hadn't ever been told that she and Martin were married, since they were planning on having a more official wedding after he was crowned. Without proof of their marriage or the amulet of kings to prove that the baby was a septim, there was no way to prove she was telling the truth. She figured the council wouldn't believe the Blades if they backed her up, since they could easily have ulterior motives. By the time Erstin enters the Shivering Isles, she's about two months pregnant. Truthfully, she doesn't expect to make it out alive. She just needs to feel useful again. After finishing the questline and taking Sheo's throne, she basically throws a cosmic temper tantrum to get Akatosh to give her Martin's soul back (an idea I stole from someone who is no longer active :( ). She's visibly pregnant at this point, and Martin is immediately like. What the fuck is going on and where the fuck am I. I should be dead. After she has the baby, she notices that they're a little... weird. Like, "why do his eyes look like that" weird. As it turns out, the baby is the new Sheogorath. tl;dr, she's pregnant when sheo goes away, the baby is the new sheo.

Do they stay in the Shivering Isles? Is it by choice? Yes, and it's technically by choice, but also Martin can't leave. She remains duchess of dementia and Martin become duke of mania. yes this is cringe shut up.

Sille

General

Class If you were to ask her, she'd say she's a priestess (which she is). Skills wise, she's adjacent to a ranger.

Background

Is this character from their race's home province/territory? If not, what is their relationship with the region? Do they feel a connection to it? Yes, but only sort of? Sille's mother is a nord and her father is a redguard. She grew up in Skyrim, and she's only been to Hammerfell once, when she was really little. She doesn't feel any strong connection to Hammerfell, besides the family she has there.

What was their childhood like? Who raised them? Do they have siblings? Sille has a younger sister, Signy. Growing up, Sille was always drawn to nature, while Signy felt a distinct discomfort when she felt too far away from town. They were close when they were little, but when they were ten and eight Signy got hurt while they were climbing trees because Sille wasn't watching her. It really caused a rift between them. Signy also resented Sille for leaving to become a priestess, and ended up leaving home herself to join the Legion.

Do they worship any gods? Who? How do they feel about the gods in general? Yes! Sille is a priestess of Kyne. I could write a whole post about what exactly that looks like, but I'll put some of the main bits here. Priestesses of Sille's "order" (not really the best term but I can't think of another one) emulate Kyne in different aspects of their lives. They are unmarried, typically, and at different stages of their lives they different figures of the maiden/matron/crone archetype: when they are younger they are Kyne prior to her marriage to Shor, once they are fully committed to their life as a priestess they are Shor's wife, and in their old age they are his widow. More significantly, they emulate The Hawk by practicing hunting as a form of devotion. They are expected to hunt regularly, partially for practical purposes, and partially as an act or worship. They also serve a practical purpose in the community, being skilled herbalists and healers. They learn ice and lightning magic, the powers of the tempest. Typically, they wear their hair long and unbound, unless practicality demands otherwise.

What are their interpersonal relationships like? Are they close with many people? Back home, besides her family, the only people Sille regularly sees are other priestesses. She becomes pretty close with a few people in Cyrodiil, though, in particular Baurus and Martin.

What's their relationship with their family like? Do they have one? She's still in contact with her parents, she doesn't live too far away and she tries to write them fairly often. She has no direct contact with Signy, who last she heard was stationed in Hammerfell. Signy writes to their parents every couple months, but never to Sille.

Oblivion Stuff

Why are they in prison at the start of the game? How long had they been there? Sille was sent to Bruma to meet with some priests at the Chapel of Talos. While she was there, someone told her about the Shrine of Kynareth, and she decided to go visit it, after getting permission to stay for a while. She had to go to the Imperial City first to get directions, though, because she didn't know where it was. She got into a drunken brawl with some random people in bar over a religious debate, and basically got thrown in the drunk tank. She was there for less than twelve hours.

What's their relationship with Martin? Are they coworkers, acquaintances, friends, partners? Definitely friends. She likes him a lot, and respects him as a priest and a leader. Frankly, she thinks being a priest of Akatosh sounds super boring, but she's not one to yuck anyone's yums.

How do they handle Martin's death? Who do they lean on for support, if anyone? I wouldn't say she handles it well, but it definitely could have gone worse. She basically throws herself into trying to heal and treat everyone hurt during the final battle. Signy ends up showing up with the Legion, and there's a whole awkward reunion. They make up a bit, though, and end up going back to Skyrim together for a while.

Sille doesn't go to the shivering isles, so I won't answer those questions.

Mailie

General

Class Idk. One handed swords, light armor, stealth, archery, restoration magic, fire spells. Whatever you'd call that.

Background

Is this character from their race's home province/territory? If not, what is their relationship with the region? Do they feel a connection to it? She is from High Rock, and she doesn't really care about it. She misses it being less cold, though. Also good wine.

What was their childhood like? Who raised them? Do they have siblings? Mailie's family is somewhere between high-ranking aristocrats and low-ranking nobles. They have a lot of money, but not a lot of land or political clout. For the last couple of generations, they've really been trying to improve their station, and Mailie's parents were borderline obsessed with her marrying well and moving them up in the world. Mailie had a younger brother, Pierre. He was about ten years younger than her, and was always a sickly child. For somewhat complicated thalmor-related reasons that will sound weirdly familiar to anyone who's read the Anastasia Romanov Royal Diaries book, the family doctor had to leave very suddenly, and Pierre died not long after of some disease. Mailie always blamed the thalmor for it. Instead of mourning their son in the way Mailie would have liked, her parents redoubled their efforts to shape Mailie into the perfect bride for any random nobleman willing to take a chance on their family. Mailie just couldn't deal with it anymore, and she ran away in the middle of the night.

Do they worship any gods? Who? How do they feel about the gods in general? It's sort of complicated. Mailie's parents practice religion for appearances, so she never felt any real connection to the gods. She respects and honors Nocturnal in her role as a Nightingale, but since Nocturnal doesn't ask for or want worship, Mailie isn't super dedicated to it or anything. She'll honor any deity who can get her what she needs, unless she just thinks they're evil. *cough* moldy balls *cough*

What are their interpersonal relationships like? Are they close with many people? She's more than a bit stuck up and self-important when she first goes to Skyrim, so she can be a bit abrasive at first. She's actually very sweet and funny though, so once she gets over herself she's very likeable.

What's their relationship with their family like? Do they have one? She doesn't talk to her parents anymore. They definitely know at this point that she's alive and the Dragonborn, but she wants nothing to do with them right now.

Skyrim Stuff

Were they trying to cross the border? Why? Yes, She was just trying to get into Skyrim. She figured it was the last place her parents would look for her.

Do they pick a side in the Civil War? Absolutely not. She agrees with the Stormcloaks to the extent that she doesn't think the empire has any business controlling Skyrim, but she absolutely hates Ulfric. Like everything about him. He tries to get her to join the rebellion at some point, btu she flat out refuses him. She tells him that the Skyrim he envisions is not one she can reconcile herself with.

Do they kill Paarthurnax? Why? No. He's too important an ally for that.

What do they do at the war meeting? How does it go? Do they maintain neutrality? She maintains neutrality as much as she can. Despite her hatred for politics, she's actually pretty good at them. All that diplomacy training paid off. She doesn't let the empire get the Rift, though. She can't risk increased scrutiny on the Thieves' Guild.

How do they feel about their position as Dragonborn? Do they embrace the role? Does it terrify them? Do they take advantage of it? Mixed feelings. The responsibility is just too much sometimes, but she actually feels useful for the first time in her life.

Dawnguard or Volkihar Clan? If they choose the Volkihar, do they ever reverse their vampirism? Dawnguard. Being a werewolf is bad enough. The only reason she hasn't cured her lycanthropy is because she doesn't want Aela to be the only member of the Circle who carries it. She eventually helps find a new member who's willing to carry it though, and then cures herself.

How do they feel about Miraak? Is he a villain to them, or a tragic figure? She feels sorry for him. Being beholden to a daedric prince for thousands of years seems rough. She thanks her lucky stars that Nocturnal is relatively chill. She still doesn't like Miraak, though, and she's happy to kill him.

Ardalie

General

Class Conjuration and destruction mage, and budding necromancer.

Background

Is this character from their race's home province/territory? If not, what is their relationship with the region? Do they feel a connection to it? Ardalie grew up in Summerset, and she doesn't know how to feel about it. She liked her life there, but it was tainted with lies. She can't ever go back.

What was their childhood like? Who raised them? Do they have siblings? She's an only child, was raised by pretty normal parents. Her father was a scholar and her mother was some kind of local politician. She was raised to join the Thalmor, it was just expected of her.

Do they worship any gods? Who? How do they feel about the gods in general? She did worship the elven pantheon, but not anymore. She is thoroughly disillusioned with every aspect of Altmer life.

What are their interpersonal relationships like? Are they close with many people? She's close with Lucien (Flavius), Serana, and her friends from the Arcane university.

What's their relationship with their family like? Do they have one? Nonexistent. She honestly hopes they think she's dead. It would be easier.

Skyrim Stuff

Were they trying to cross the border? Why? No, she wasn't caught at the border at all. She was sent to the Thalmor embassy as her first real assignment. They gave her the bs "learn about the civil war" quest that the alternate start mod gives you because they wanted her out of her hair. It was basically some light hazing. She went to Helgen and saw Alduin attack, and that's how she got thrown into the main quest. Throughout her travels she witnesses firsthand how awful the Thalmor truly are, and realizes that she can't be associated with them. She burns her robes and vows to destroy them.

Do they pick a side in the Civil War? She joins the Stormcloaks just to stick it to the Thalmor. She can't wait to see the look on Elenwen's face when she no longer has power in Skyrim.

Do they kill Paarthurnax? Why? No, she doesn't really spend any time with Delphine than she has too, and is never asked to. She wouldn't have anyway. If she believes in second chances for herself, she has to believe in them for other people.

What do they do at the war meeting? How does it go? Do they maintain neutrality? There isn't a war meeting for her because the Stormcloaks have already taken Whiterun by the time they need to catch Odahviing.

How do they feel about their position as Dragonborn? Do they embrace the role? Does it terrify them? Do they take advantage of it? She doesn't like the attention, but she does like the added power. She doesn't like to think about the implications, and has no interest in being anyone's political puppet.

Dawnguard or Volkihar Clan? If they choose the Volkihar, do they ever reverse their vampirism? Volkihar Clan. She sees Serana's skill with necromancy and is immediately sold. She doesn't get cured.

How do they feel about Miraak? Is he a villain to them, or a tragic figure? I wouldn't say Ardalie views him as a villain, but she thinks killing him is necessary. She definitely feels a little bad for him though.

ahhhh thank you so much! I've had the busiest week so thank you for your patience!!!

Mega TES OC Ask Meme

[milfmorrowind]

1, 2, 15, 24, and 38 for Mailie, Lyswen, and Ardalie pls? :3 - @drunkmiraak

ty bestie <3 @drunkmiraak this is going to be LONG I apologize

1) How does your character sleep? Peacefully, fitfully? What position do they sleep in? What is their typical bedding like?

Ardalie: Normally, I guess? She's not a particularly heavy or light sleeper.

Lyswen: Restlessly. Lyswen doesn't need much to fall asleep- a consequence of a youth spent catching naps whenever she could, on whatever flat surface was available. However, she could never sleep peacefully as a child, knowing that any number of things could be after her.

Mailie: Like a rock, but she's picky about her mattress/bedding situation. She is a lot of things, and one of them is a certified Rich Kid. She usually sleeps on her side preferably while spooning Bryn.

2) Does your oc have dreams or nightmares? What are they like? Is there a recurring one?

Ardalie: Ardalie regularly dreams about her parents, and seeing them again. Sometimes it's a joyful reunion. Sometimes they're shouting at her, angry that she betrayed the Thalmor. And sometimes they just watch, and say nothing.

Lyswen: Besides the standard "Dagoth Ur standing in front of me and saying creepy shit" dreams, she has fitful dreams about various unpleasant things happening to her. She feels like there are hundreds of eyes glaring at her at all times, and even with the protection of House Hlaalu, she's probably right.

Mailie: She dreams about Kodlak sometimes. His death is one she can't ever forgive herself for. He never seems angry in her dreams, though.

15) If you had to choose a single object to act as a symbol for your oc, what would it be? Why?

Ardalie: A staff of resurrection. Ardalie has taken every step she can to rebel against the ideals she was raised with, and her interest in necromancy is a strong example of this.

Lyswen: A horn-handled dagger, poisoned. The first weapons she ever owned were stolen from the corpses of warriors in Valenwood, and thus contained no plant matter. While she doesn't exactly revel in killing people, she's learned that a well placed murder can do a lot in the way of political maneuvering.

Mailie: The Amulet of Articulation. It symbolizes her commitment and love for the Thieves' Guild, but also how much she's grown from the scared, slightly self-righteous young woman she used to be.

24) What smells bring back specific memories to your oc? What are those memories like?

Ardalie: The smell of the sea reminds her of home. She feels it most strongly on Solstheim. It's bittersweet.

Lyswen: The smell of must reminds her of Caius. She still doesn't know how to feel about him.

Mailie: The smell of metal reminds her of Cidhna Mine. It's horrible. She'd rather die than go back to Markarth.

38) What signs tell that your oc is nervous? Do they fidget, is it in their expression or the way they say things? Or are they very skilled at hiding it?

Ardalie: Ardalie is excellent at hiding her emotions, and her nervousness usually doesn't show. However, she has a tendency to clasp her hands when uncomfortable, as if she's trying to hide a tremor.

Lyswen: Conversely, Lyswen is extremely fidgety. She taps her feet, snaps her fingers, rubs her palms, whatever she can just to move.

Mailie: Mailie tenses up. Like Ardalie, she was raised to hide her reactions to things for the sake of appearances, but she was never very good at it, and tends to just freeze.