#moricheanswers

[moriche]

Does Veryn have a favorite flower? Irl or game flower?

Oh that is such a good question and I had to think about it for quite a bit, and then I got distracted by christmas. But, not only did I find an answer, I even made a bit of art for it! I hope you read this, anon, because I don't think Tumblr will tell you if I reblog! Thank you so much for the asks :) The first flower Veryn likes is an almost obligatory one for mages and alchemists: Nirnroot. It's incredibly magical, it glows and it sings! Not to mention it's quite rare to find one.

The second one he likes because his girlfriend uses it to make tea with: the ubiquitous Golden Kanet flower of Morrowind.

Both arts by me, fineliner on paper, digitally coloured in Adobe Photoshop.

[moriche]

would you ever wanna climb everest

No. A little bit yes, because it would be really beautiful, but in the end, no. I'm one of those people who's always, always, always cold. So climbing a mountain like Everest would turn me into a real life ice cube. Accurate Representation of Moriche on Mount Everest (or anytime the temperature drops below 15 degrees Celsius):

[moriche]

Folktales of the Tamrielic Sea sounds interesting :3

Ohhh, Folktales! Folktales is, well, a collection of sea-themed folk tales, rewritten to fit the world of Tamriel. I've got one of them published, but a few others rattling around in my head and my drafts! Please don't mind me rambling about a lil' interest of mine here :D So I'm from the Netherlands, and I grew up near the coast - so water and the sea were kind of a running background theme for me growing up. Battling the water, taming the sea, all of that is a thing that's like, part of growing up Dutch I suppose. And the stories we had were often stories about the sea too. The Flying Dutchman. The Lady of Stavoren. Rixt van't Oerd. There's stories about mermaids and stories about floods. I've always been fascinated by those tales, and when I found my mothers old book of fairytales and legends from northern europe, I thought it would be nice to re-tell some of those stories in the world of Tamriel! The one I've currently published is The Lady of Stavoren as The Mistress of Glenhaven. The ones I've drafted are based on Rixt van't Oerd and a song called 'De Vondeling van Ameland' (the foundling of Ameland). For Rixt, part of the story is about the name of 'the Oerd', an area also on the island of Ameland - and I've been humming and hawing about how to best represent that for an English-speaking audience. The story of Rixt van't Oerd is about a lady who lived on the island of Ameland, and who was said to be a witch. She had a son, named Sjoerd, who left home a long time ago. One day, she managed to trade her beachcombed goods for a cow. She then tied a lantern between the cow's horns, and sent it running in the dunes at night. The flickering light threw off local sailors. The ships ran aground or on the rocks, and she'd loot the bodies that washed up. Until one day, one of these bodies looked too familiar. She died from the shock, and the sea carried them both away. Since that time, her ghost still hounds the place, calling out for her son: "Sjoerd! Sjoerd!", but all you hear over the wind is "-Oerd! -Oerd!" - and that's why that part of Ameland is called the Oerd. Folktales is kind of a long-term project that I jot down notes about when the fancy strikes me, or when I end up going down the folktale rabbit hole once more. The Netherlands has a truly excellent research institute that has done so much great work on Dutch folktales, including the regional ones: the Meertens Instituut. And it allows me to try my hand at some illustrations that (hopefully) echo the vibe of the old fairy tale books I own. The Netherlands had it's own Arthur Rackham - an illustrator called Anton Pieck who did some gorgeous work and who's (together with Rackham) a big inspiration to me. Every time I'm at a second-hand shop or bookmarket, I check the fairy tale books to see if there's a lovely illustrated one in there. And last but not least, a little excerpt from The Mistress of Glenhaven:

One old lady, a mehra, a teacher at the Temple, dared speak up. “Does Almalexia not teach us to be kind and merciful? Did Vehk not tear his mantle in two to share it with the poor? You hubris shall be your downfall, Mistress. There will be a time when you shall do the begging!” Once again, the Mistress laughed. She raised her hand, which shone with gems and jewellery, and plucked a gold ring from one finger; holding it up for everyone to see, before casting it into the waves below. “Behold! Never shall this ring return from the depths, and likewise, never shall I carry a beggar’s nap!”

[moriche]

for Veryn!

🧠 - What is their stress response: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn?

💔 - Does forgiveness come easily or with difficulty to this oc? Can they forgive others? What about themselves?

🌍 - What are this oc’s religious views?

📓 - Do you associate any quotes or lyrics with this oc?

Thank you very much for the asks <3

🧠 - What is their stress response: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn?

It depends on the situation for him - he's had all of them in various places. Run tends to be the instinctual one - something that also comes back in the way Veryn subconsciously tries to run from his past rather than accept it. I'll be so free as to plop down a few examples of how he acts in various situations! Here's Flight, after he blows up at Caius in anger:

“I killed for you! Are you fucking happy now?” Caius strode forward, jaw clenched; arm raised in — anger? A blinding pain shot through his spine as an armoured boot collided with his back. He tried to shield his head with chained hands, the stone beneath him wet and cold — No. This isn’t — Where — ? Veryn flinched violently and bolted, running until his throat burned and his breath came out in painful, jagged gasps. Glancing over his shoulder, he didn’t spot any sign of Caius. He’d made it to some small alley in an entirely different part of town, across the river. Another look around, longer this time, before he sagged against the wall in exhaustion, blood still pulsing in his ears. So much for keeping your head down.

That leads nicely into the next one, fawn. Fawn is how Veryn forces himself to survive in the Imperial relatively unscathed. Be quiet. Silent. Don't stand out. Keep your head down. Be meek. Listen to the guards. Except for him, there comes a point where his emotions overwhelm that response, and he snaps in some way. Freeze is what he does with unexpected touches, or when he doesn't have the clarity of mind to try and fawn. He'll shut down, stiffen up, be unable to think and do anything. Sometimes it's only for a brief moment, until his mind catches up, but it's still noticeable to the people around him. And then there's fight. After spending years chained in prison, being grabbed around the wrist triggers an immediate fight response from Veryn, as Zaba, a Zainab warband leader, has found out here:

The woman took both away when she searched him. Veryn forced himself to keep still, until she checked his gloves and her fingers briefly closed around his bare wrist. He twisted his arm loose in one fluid motion, very nearly striking her with a spell from his free hand, barely remembering in time that doing so would be a terrible idea. He surrendered immediately, breathing hard, keeping his hands raised so the Ashlanders could see them. Stay calm, he chanted within his head, closing his eyes when the sharp point of her chitin spear lifted up his chin. Stay calm. Stay calm. Blind panic surged when she grabbed his arm again, the cut across his bicep burning as if it were on fire. Blood welled up in his mouth where he bit the inside of his cheek, the pain grounding him, dampening his instinct to break away and run.

💔 - Does forgiveness come easily or with difficulty to this oc? Can they forgive others? What about themselves?

I would say Veryn tries very hard to forget rather than forgive. Tries to, because he hasn't accepted or worked through his past at my current point of writing! He's someone to carry grudges, someone whose thoughts return to the people who wronged him and ruined his life. If only Hannibal Traven had done his due research rather than sign off on a court document. If only Caius Cosades had been open about the Nerevarine prophecies. If only. If only - If only Veryn hadn't been drunk that one night. Forgiving himself? If only. 🌍 - What are this oc’s religious views? As a baby, Veryn was left behind at the Orphanage of St. Alessia in the Imperial City. Therefore he was raised within the Cult of the Nine Divines, with a specific focus on St. Alessia. The way Veryn regards slavery with a near instinctive revulsion is because of this. While imprisoned, he prayed to the Nine to solve this misunderstanding, but with his prayers left unanswered, the Nine seemed to favour the Empire over a mere Dunmer orphan like him - he now has equal amounts of faith in the Empire as in its Gods. He ends up calling on Azura out of despair - if she's supposed to be the protector of Nerevar, then she ought to protect the Nerevarine too. He's very wary of her though, still having the deeply rooted belief that Daedra are something to be wary of - the belief that they are wrong and heretical and heathen. 📓 - Do you associate any quotes or lyrics with this oc?

The entire song Apex by Unleash the Archers fits Veryn (or perhaps the entire concept of the Nerevarine) so, so well. Here's a link to Acoustipex, the beautiful acoustic version.

Hello, mountain, remember me? Child of your womb I return from a perilous place, to the warmth of your hollow Embrace me Steady giant, monolith Lend me your heart I am weakened again, tired Mend my scars As your power, it sinks into me Your roots take their hold My body as one with the earth, my blood as the stone The mountain, my home

[moriche]

Hi! For Veryn:

First big aspiration (i.e. what did they want to be when they grew up?)

4. First time experiencing grief

18. First example of real character growth along their journey

I am so dreadfully late with this. Like, dreadfully awfully late. But! I do try to answer my inbox except, well, maybe two months late or so :p Still, thank you very much for the asks, and I hope you enjoy the answers! 1. First big aspiration (i.e. what did they want to be when they grew up?)

I think the answer to that is going to depend on whether he's grown into his magic yet! After he's grown confident in his magic and joined the Mages Guild, Veryn wants nothing more than to partake in that. To be an academic or a researcher, to do magic all his life - and to take part in Imperial Society as a mage. He's grown up at an orphanage. A reputable one, ran by Imperial Priests, not a shack at the Waterfront straight out of Charles Dickens. It's the tiniest ticket to becoming someone truly Imperial. A guild leader, perhaps? And then his children can be one step higher on the ladder, and their children too. Before he learned about his magic, the Empire was always on his mind too. It's how he was raised - so I think as a small kid, he'd want to be either a Priest or a Legionnaire! (I very much base my Imperial society on Roman society :P) 4. First time experiencing grief I love how this is the third time this gets asked :D I answered it here for Veryn grieving his parents; and here for him grieving the loss of a friend. But because I like answering these questions I'll add a third kind here too: grieving the loss of self. After he's thrown into jail, and then hears his sentence, followed by prison, his life as he knew it is over. Everything he pulled his self-worth from (his magic, the Guild), is gone. The only thing that Veryn's facing is a few square meters of darkness for the next sixteen years - and after that he'll be a marked criminal.

He has all the time in the world to realise what he's lost, and all the time in the world to think about it. And all the time in the world to truly internalise it.

And it breaks him. 18 - First example of real character growth along their journey

So for journey I'm gonna count just my main fic that features Veryn! I think the first big example is when he starts questioning Caius Cosades - especially when Caius suggests he join the Telvanni. And when he does end up joining the Telvanni, it's a choice Veryn makes, and not a choice Caius makes for him.

Caius sighed, before giving him a wry grimace. “These damn Ordinators don’t make things easier around town. I have, however, taken the liberty of approaching a few of my contacts, made some inquiries, and I have a proposal for you.” A flash of surprise spread through Veryn at Caius’ words, followed immediately by a stab of resentment and irritation. Always someone else deciding for you. He tried to school his features into something neutral, but his eyes remained narrowed and he couldn’t keep the sharpness away from his voice. “What kind of proposal?” Caius gave him a worn, weary look. “I won’t force you to accept it, but at least hear me out, will you?” He pointed at the eastern coast of Vvardenfell on the map, where the colour appeared only in thin, diagonal stripes. “This map shows the Imperial presence on the island; a presence that for the most part overlaps with that of the Blades. As you can see, we have one fortress over in Sadrith Mora — Wolverine Hall — but our grip on the area is weak at best, especially after losing Fort Seamoth in Vos to the mushrooms some years ago. These are Telvanni lands, and truth be told, I could use someone over there.” “So, what you’re saying is — you want to send me over to Wolverine Hall to keep an eye on the Telvanni?” Caius smirked at him, as if amused by some hidden joke. “No. I want you to join them.” Veryn wasn’t sure what he had expected, but it wasn’t this. “You want me to join the Telvanni?” he repeated, staring at Caius in slight bewilderment. “On my own? What about the work I’ve been doing for you? The Sixth House, and those Nerevarine prophecies?” Only moments ago, he’d been annoyed by the lack of autonomy about his own life, but right now the idea of having someone else to rely on didn’t seem that bad at all. Others have been living you for years. Can you really be trusted to be truly alone and responsible for yourself?

[moriche]

Got tagged by @changelingsandothernonsense! Thank you! No idea if you've been tagged already, but I'm tagging @hircines-hunter @tonakuma @skyrim-forever @scholarlyhermit and YOU. ☆ first, search your name + [aesthetic] on pinterest and add the first 4 pics

then, name 5 fictional characters you'd marry in a heartbeat

☆ lastly, which position you sleep in

The first image was sourced to pickmanscellar.tumblr.com, which doesn't exist anymore :(

I'm giving it a MORICHE AESTHETHIC SCORE of 1,5 out of 4. One for the cool Morrowind art, 0,5 for the sunrise.

☆ Fictional Characters I'd Marry In A Heartbeat:

So. That is the Official Overthinking Question(tm) of today. I uh, I'm gonna be a coward and skip this one!

☆ lastly, which position you sleep in

Flat on my back or curled up on my side, hugging either a pillow or a big plushie. Plushies are just cooler pillows after all.

[moriche]

For the ask game :)

17. What do you do when writing becomes difficult? (maybe a lack of inspiration or writers block)

18. Do you title your fics before, during, or after the writing process? How do you come up with titles?

46. How would you describe your style? (Character/emotion/action-driven, etc)

Oooh, thank you for the questions! They're super interesting :D

17: What do you do when writing becomes difficult? (maybe a lack of inspiration or writers block) I answered a bit about inspiration here - so I'll talk about writer's block instead. There's an amazing post on writing block by Mary Robinette Kowal (https://maryrobinettekowal.com/journal/sometimes-writers-block-is-really-depression/), and a friend mine (@dei2dei) summarised it as follows:

Drowsy - 2 sentences in, falling asleep. This is because what you've written is boring yourself. FIX: look at the last place you were writing and were excited, and then think about what the most exciting way you could go would be. Back up, make a different choice. Staring - "how long can I look at this blank screen without writing?"; don't know what's supposed to happen next. FIX: brainstorm! What do they want to do, how do they try to do it, how does it go wrong (or right)? Restless - sit to write and suddenly elsewhere, like doing laundry FIX: writing is hard. WRITING IS HARD. and this is an avoidance technique to not-write because you're nervous. start with (3 sentences, 2 minutes) and just start to get some words down. Dithering - keep rewriting; you're nervous about what's coming, still not sure you're comfortable with it. FIX: you may actually not believe the scene, it seems weird, may no longer fit; think about what your character wants, how they can try to achieve it. Usually a sign you have run into disbelief or uncertainty.

So generally, I kinda go down the list to see if my writer's block is because one of those things, and if so, try to fix it. If it's not on the list, nine out of then times the writers block isn't actually writers block but a more general burnout for me - my life getting busy and me ending up too tired to really think about my writing anymore. And in that case, the answer is to try and rest as much as I can. 18: Do you title your fics before, during, or after the writing process? How do you come up with titles? It varies! For the longest time I had no idea what I was going to call my Morrowind fic - the scrivener project is still called morrowind fic.scriv. I'd already drawn inspiration for it from T. S. Eliot's the Waste Land, especially this part:

(Come in under the shadow of this red rock), And I will show you something different from either Your shadow at morning striding behind you Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you; I will show you fear in a handful of dust. T.S. Eliot - The Waste Land (1922)

and that's why I called it Fear in a Handful of Dust. Sometimes though, I already have a title in mind beforehand (see: a future possible Oblivion fic). And sometimes I have no idea at all (see: a future possible Tribunal expansion fic). Poems are a big favourite for me to take titles from, as well as phrases and idioms from books, from music - gosh, about everything really if it sounds cool. 46: How would you describe your style? (character/emotion/action-driven, etc) Definitely character-driven, and to a lesser amount plot-driven. I adore diving deep into a character and exploring absolutely everything about them. I want to bring them to life in words, to make my readers think their thoughts and feel their emotions - I want them to be round and deep and complicated and real. Plot-driven because my main work is a novelisation of Morrowind, and OH MY GOD THERE IS SO MUCH PLOT HERE TO FIGURE OUT. I like having all the little bits and threads connect to each other, so that's a cool puzzle to work on while writing.

[moriche]

If there was on (1) thing you could add to any of the Elder Scrolls games, what would it be? And it can be anything!

Oh gosh. So. First instinct is "Veryn as an NPC who everyone gets to meet and do a quest for" :p

There's a ton of things I'd want to add, but I think I'm gonna settle on Photo Mode today. A fully free camera, filters, customising your character for the photo mode, setting weather and time of day, possibly plop in some set pieces all without a hitch.

Or maybe more European style cities... Or playing The Sims with your housing and settlements. Or... Or... Or...

I have many ideas as you can see!