Song of the Dragonborn [OOC]

[Red Beret]

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Song of the Dragonborn

In-Character

Now to set the mood...


Thanks to Logrin for finding this Interactive Map of Skyrim
Another thanks to Logrin for establishing the Song of the Dragonborn Chatroom

_________________________________________

In the wake of the White-Gold Concordat, the province of Skyrim is caught up in a bloody civil war. Feeling betrayed by the Empire, Stormcloak rebels fight against their oppressors in Cyrodiil, while the Imperial Legion fights to keep the province of Skyrim, whose loss would only weaken the Empire further. Thalmor agents roam the countryside, seeking out Talos worshippers and any others they deem... problematic. The times are bad... and the news has only been getting worse.

Alduin, the World-Eater himself, has reappeared in Skyrim, and with him has brought a virtual plague of his kin, the ancient dragons of Tamriel. Helgen was attacked, and burned to the ground, and the Greybeards have called the Dragonborn of legend to High Hrothgar... but no one has answered their summons.

It's Skyrim's darkest hour... and the Dragonborn, Tamriel's only hope against the World-Eater, is missing in action.


Premise:
Song of the Dragonborn doesn't follow the Dragonborn himself, but rather a band of individuals who are searching for him across the province of Skyrim, sort of what you'd expect some of the NPCs in the game to actually do if the player decided to be a dick and ignore the main storyline, haha.

The characters don't have to start out together, it's entirely your choice, but I will provide the place where there last was evidence of the Dragonborn, or a clue as to where he might be headed, and your character's goal will be to reach it, whether they stay with the others or travel alone.

I want to keep this one small, and I know I've made concessions in some of my other RPs as far as the size of the group is concerned, but I will not be accepting more than four other players for this one. If more than four people apply, I will accept characters at my own discretion and put those that didn't make it the first time on a waiting list in case one of my other players decides to drop... but I can't make any promises that they will.

The game will be restricted to the province of Skyrim, pretty much as it appears in the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and as far as canon is concerned... well, canon is canon for a reason. I'm not gonna be a total dick about it, but I kind of expect you to get the major things right and because I'm a nice guy, I will give you this mystical guide to the Elderverse to help you out a bit.

That's pretty much it for the rules, other than the usual diatribe against low-quantity output required by the Advanced section of these forums. :P

EDIT - Thanks to people coming in here and commenting unnecessarily, I feel that it's necessary to add a new rule... and as such, if you are not one of the approved players below, and you are not in here to post a character sheet or express your interest in such a way that a four-year-old with a severe mental handicap could tell that you're expressing interest (literally "I am expressing my interest in this RP"), then don't bother posting. You can ESPECIALLY refrain from posting in this thread if you're only here to point out small inaccuracies in people's character sheets.

EDIT 2: Electric Boogaloo - I don't know how I could have possibly missed putting this up here, but this RP takes place 26 years after the signing of the White-Gold Concordat, as do the events of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Sorry about that.

Seriously--I promise that I've already sent them a PM about it or found a way to justify it. I do not need your input.

Thank you.

Character Skeleton:
The character skeleton below will give you a good idea of what I'm looking for, information-wise, but I'm going to go ahead and tell you what I'm really looking for. I'm looking for heroes here... not overpowered beings like Superman, but mortal beings who have the potential to become legends.

I'll be going over each character sheet as it's submitted and adding it to a list of pending characters below. Characters in the pending list are not approved for actual play, but they are being considered and players may receive some suggestions or advice regarding their character--not to be taken personally, of course. If changes are requested, please make any edits on the original character sheet instead of submitting a new one.

Name:
Age:
Gender:
Race:Please select one of the following.
For your convenience and mine, I've provided a link to the TES Wiki pages concerning each individual race.
Altmer (High Elf)
Argonian
Bosmer (Wood Elf)
Breton
Dunmer (Dark Elf)
Imperial
Khajiit
Nord
Orismer (Orc)
Redguard

Appearance:
Due the nature of the RP, illustrations and in-game screenshots are acceptable, but please try to stay away from anime.. Use a picture with emphasis on the face and provide a description of their build. If you decide not to use a picture, please provide a fairly detailed description of your character's facial features and build. Don't forget to include any distinguishing features, such as scars or tattoos.

Weapons and Armor: Please provide a brief list or description of weapons and armor your character possesses.
These aren't limited to in-game weapons, so if you've got a custom idea, go for it. Enchantments are fine, but remember that if I feel it's too overpowered, I will ask you to change it.

Skills: Provide a brief list or description of the skills your character possesses.

Magic: Provide a brief list of spells (if any) your character has knowledge of.
Remember that there are five schools of magic, each with their own unique catalogue of spells... Alteration, Conjuration, Destruction, Illusion, and Restoration.

History/Background: Optional (to some degree).
Whether or not you provide a background depends merely on whether others have heard of you. If you were a legendary hero, for example, you would probably be known to certain people, and thus should provide some background for that. If you're an infamous assassin, you should probably include that, too, so that later on in the game when it's revealed it doesn't seem like one of those things that just pops up out of nowhere and makes people say "Whaaaat!" Seriously, if you're an unknown, then there's no background needed, but if you're famous for certain things, feel free to post it and if only certain people would know, then... well... post that only certain people will know. Just remember that I'll be double-checking, so prepare to be able to justify it or change it if I challenge it.

Motive: And here's the catch to the whole thing.
To keep Fjorik the Bartender from dragging us back to the ever-so-exciting way he sweeps the floor of his tavern in Rorikstead and caters to his customers every few posts, I'm challenging you to create a motive for your character to be chasing after the Dragonborn.

Is he a secret member of the Blades, who wants all dragons eradicated and knows that the Dragonborn is his only hope of defeating them altogether?

Is she a Thalmor assassin who wants to kill the Dragonborn in order to keep the Empire from using him against the Dominion?

Is he a Stormcloak rebel who wants to recruit the Dragonborn and use him to defeat the Legion?

Is she an adventurer who was just waiting for the proper moment to define herself by finding the one being who could put an end to the war and suffering of the Forth Era?

There are many reasons why someone would pursue the Dragonborn, both noble and selfish, so be creative. Hell, feel free to use the examples above, but remember that people with controversial political affiliations will likely be going about incognito, so your characters may likely don the guise of a mere traveler.

I appreciate your interest in this one, and for your convenience, there is a post below this one with an empty character sheet, complete with formatting, that you can actually just quote, fill out, and post (remove the "QUOTE" boxes before you post it, of course).

Oh, and one more thing: The Dragonborn is this RP's MacGuffin and therefore not a playable character. Sorry, guys.

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Approved Characters:
00: Red Beret - Filius Osilius
01: KrimpetyCatcher - Abelle Prelius
02: xenon - Saiyan
03: Logrin - Bodean of Elinhir
04: TimeMasterX - S'Salyat

Exactly what it says on the tin. These sheets have been acknowledged, but not yet approved. When we get started later on down the road, this tab will serve as a waiting list.

Yohan - Boha Falcanus
Sabretooth1 - Darius Mishka
CommunistZed - Lurks-in-Shadows

[Red Beret]

Name:
Age:
Gender:
Race:

Appearance:

Weapons and Armor:

Skills:

Magic:

History/Background:

Motive:

[Katelyn]

Name: Katilana "Kat" Valsek

Age: 32

Gender: Female

Race: Nord - Human

Appearance:

Kat stands at 5'8 and weighs around 130lbs, her body etched with muscle from the efforts of her discipline. Her short blonde hair is streaked with silver strands, her life one of high stress and constant concern. She has small laugh lines around her eyes and mouth from a time when life made sense. She has a tattoo on her left shoulder, the symbol of the Blades as noted below. Her body is well trained and lithe. She is flexible and able to move in a manner most representative of a shadow ninja.

Weapons and Armor: Kat's armor consists of full body light armor, made mostly of leather, giving her the ability to move as necessary. She has leather straps that run along her armor, holding two daggers, one on the outside of each of her thighs. Because of the change in times, Kat's unable to carry her weapon of choice, which would be her Katana that she forged in the fires of Skyrim herself when she was initiated into the Blades. Her beautiful creation is hidden deep in the bowls of her beloved province.

Strapped to her back is a crossbow, the tips of her bolts dipped in the highly potent poison, its effects immediate, attacking the respiratory system of the intended victim. She carries eight bolts and is quite skilled and making more of her own if necessary.

Daggers
Crossbow
Katana

Skills: Kat was trained to use her Katana as if it were an extension of her own arm, her skills with the blade and ability to wield it as a weapon of choice unmet amongst her companions.

She has the ability of stealth - to move through the shadows and sneak up upon someone without acknowledgement that she is in the vicinity. Her body is think and graceful, able to jump a bit further than most and scale walls with efficiency.

She has worked hard to hone in on her accuracy on the crossbow, her aim impeccable and eyesight allowing her to see into the distance, striking down the enemy while still a good distance off.

Magic: N/A

History/Background: Katilana was born and raised in whiterun, her father a member of the blades, her mother a handmaiden to the emperor. When her mother bore her bloodline no siblings, her father changed the course of her life by putting her under the mentorship and training of the Blades, knowing that one day, she'd rise to come before the membership and prove herself worthy, or die trying. Her home life was rather pleasant at times, especially when she was a small child, but as the Great War took place and many the Blades were executed, including her father, much changed.

She began to study under Joseph Cappiot, her father’s mentor and lead protector of the emperor. Even though many went into hiding, Joseph stuck to the shadows and taught the young Katilana to do the same. Upon her coming of age, she presented herself to the remaining members of the Blade and performed to the best of her abilities, her skill and agility that of legends. She was offered a spot and given the same charge as all of her fellow brothers and sisters - protect Emperor Titus Mede II with her life. She was also given the task, when it came up to go out and find the dragonborn when and if he should surface.

Kat became a part of the companions so that she could move under the cover and protection of their names and reputation. She stayed as a member of the outer circle, using her skills to assist them as a mercenary wherever they needed her and moving on her own when able. Her mission to find the dragonborn ever far from her mind’s eye.

Motive: She is required and under oath to find the dragonborn and bring peace Skyrim, removing the threat of the dragons that have risen to immeasurable strength. She will fight with her sword, her body and her life to accomplish her goals.

[KrimpetyCatcher]

Eeeeep. My first ever RP was an Oblivion one. The nostalgia is killing me... I gotta get in on this one. I'll write up a CS tonight, once I've got everything else out of the way :-)

[Yohan]

Massive Elder Scrolls fan. I have just signed up to this site and I think this would be a great starting RP for me. I have roleplaying history, but never on a site as large as this.

I will get a CS up as soon as possible, and if I am declined then I wish you all the best with this. I will keep an eye out for it, just for a good read

[Yohan]

Name:

Boha Falcanus

Age:

23

Gender:

Male

Race:

Imperial

Appearance:http://i.imgur.com/1iwz5.jpg

Weapons and Armor:

Light leather armor complete with braces and boots. Fur hood. One steel sword, and two small steel daggers.

Skills:

One-Handed , Block , Alchemy

Magic:

Restoration

History/Background:

Born and Raised in Cyrodiil in a family steeped in military history, Boha had a sword in his hand before he could even articulate a sentence. His father, a general for the Imperial army had two daughters before Boha came into this world. Although his love for his daughters was un-questionable, he had always wanted a son and Boha was that light for him. A son who would one day join the ranks of the Imperial army.

Through out his childhood Boha was trained by his father to be the best soldier he could possibly be on the day he was eligible to sign up. But, Boha did not share the same enthusiasm for the army as his father did. He dare not say, but Boha secretly hated the idea of been in the ranks. This led to anger problems and lashing out due to stress and pressure placed on him by his father. But he did not want to disapoint his family, so when the day came when he was eligiable, he signed his life away and began his basic training.

From the off, commanding officers could see Boha was talented and had the aptitude to become a great, but lacked the motivation and discipline. Again, his temperment got him in trouble quite a lot during training, ultimately staining an otherwise perfect record.

Against the judgement of other officers, Boha was passed from basic training and placed in Legion Company Bravo – D where he would be stationed at the border between Cyrodiil and Skyrim. During his time there he heard many stories from travelers passing by of treasures and mysterious throughtout Skyrim. It was upon hearing these stories that Boha remembered his childhood passion, treasure hunting. The angst grew inside him, cursing the day he signed up for the Imperial army when he could be out there, hunting treasure and exploring the lands beyond. This is where he also heard of mytical dragons that once roamed the skies above, large creatures raining fire from their bellies, causing chaos and hardship. The dragons fascinated him. If he didn't want to hunt them, he wanted to be one. Free from all this, roaming the skies himself.

But the free life of the dragons is not the only thing that caused a bond between himself and dragons. His mother, who passed away when he was just a boy had given him a pendant. A large silver dragon, mouth gaped open as if it was spitting terror. But he had lost that pendant many years ago. But its imagery still burned deep within his minds eye.

Asleep in The Nightfall watchtower one night Boha was awoken by what sounded like a deep tremendous roar. His eyes were wide open, almost possessed like as he rose from his bed following the distant but noticeable roar. Outside of the watchtower with a short blade in his hand he began to swing and volley the blade at his comrades who happened to be on watch. He cut them down with ease, without blinking and still with this eyes wide open, sinister like. The roar stopped and like a light bulb going off in his head, Boha snapped out of whatever trance he was under and noticed the carnage he had just left before his feet. Stunned and confused he wiped the blood that had splattered over his face with his forearm. He had just murdered two Imperial soldiers.. he had to run or face the consequences.

Motive:

Find the source of the mysterious roar/voice. Discover what dragons and The Dragonborns are like.

[KrimpetyCatcher]

Name:

Abelle Prelius

Age:

26

Gender:

Female

Race:

Imperial

Appearance:

Tall for a girl, and lithe as whip as well - Abelle has a natural, almost playful grace about her movements. Smooth, coordinated and sure footed, all one would have to do is observe to realize her absolute control over her body. Abelle's arms are strong and toned. Her legs hint at the power stored within them. People tend to ask themselves: A gymnast, perhaps? And they're not far off.

There is one mark marring her otherwise flawless skin. Puckered and shining a sickly white, a long scar traces its way down Abelle's back from left shoulder to right hip. Not that many see it - and those that do tend to die before they can ask her how she got it.

Weapons and Armor:

Tight fitting dark brown leather armour is her regular travel attire. The boots are worn and scuffed with use, and the waistcoat has a visible mark where it was rent in half down the back and then skilfully pieced back together. Thick leather gloves, adorned with many buckles and straps, reach almost to her elbows. Despite its weathered appearance, an informed eye could point out the masterful stitching between panels, the quality and warmth of the apparel. The leather is of the highest quality one can buy - and it cost Abelle a fortune to have made. She is not heavily armed: a gleaming golden shortsword of Elvish make hangs from an intricately gilded scabbard on her right hip, while a smaller, less effective but much more concealable simple steel dagger hangs from her left. On top of this she wears a thick, pale grey cloak with a deep hood and white fur lining the inside. Primarily it keeps her warm, but it also serves as useful camouflage in the snowy tundra of Skyrim.

For more urban settings, Abelle totes around with her a simple yet elegant sky blue tunic which is sleeveless and falls to just above the knees, as well as a pair of soft brown breeches and a pair of lighter, more fashionable boots. As far as jewelry goes, she carries just one onyx amulet, a dazzlingly brilliant diamond set in its centre. The salesman had told her it was enchanted, that it would "make people love you even more than they already do." Abelle has never noticed much of a difference, but doesn't much care - she bought it because it was pretty. After all, a girl never knows when she'll need to look good.

Skills:

More a cloak-and-dagger type girl than a warrior, Abelle much prefers the feeling of plunging a knife into an unsuspecting back than the clash of sword on sword. She is fast, graceful and acrobatic - the perfect combination of traits for one who enjoys skulking around in the shadows. That isn't to say she's bad with a sword - she can outfight any run-of-the-mill bandit, maybe even two. It's against large numbers and trained swordsmen that she struggles. She also has a way with words - despite her wry and even mocking tone, people are attracted to her. She always knows exactly how much to reveal, and how much to keep hidden - as well as how to get the best prices.

- Sneak
- Speech
- One handed

Magic:

Abelle boasts a natural affinity for illusion. Fascinated by the concept of altering the minds of others, she has proven to be a fast and able learner although she has received no sort of formal instruction whatsoever. Instead, she has picked up what she can from numerous brief 'acquaintances' and books 'misplaced' from personal libraries. As such she has a mixed batch of spells: some that any beginner could cast, along with more advanced spells that take years to learn, let alone cast.

- Clairvoyance
- Calm
- Muffle
- Invisibility (Admittedly, this cannot be maintained for more than twenty seconds before her reserves are depleted. It also begins to waver when she is under stress, creating a human-shaped shimmer similar to a heat wave)

History/Background:

"You're accusing me of murdering the count? All I wanted to do was go for a walk - it's not my fault he fell into the Abecean sea."

Abelle is an interesting girl, for she lives two lives. First there was Abelle. She hardly had an interesting childhood; highbrow parents living in a highbrow Imperial society tends to leech the colour and excitement out of most things. She spent most of her days in the sanctuary of the garden, swinging through the trees and sitting under their dappled emerald shade. Imagining. Imagining what she would do when she could finally leave this dull grey town. Where would she go, she wondered?

Anywhere.

Eighteen finally came, and with it, the freedom which she had longed for arrived at last. She walked out at first light, leaving a note saying farewell to her parents rather than having to face them one last time. Abelle can still remember sensations from that day as clear as if she had only left yesterday morning. The pure, simple warmth of sunlight falling across her bare shoulders, the melodious singing of an invisible bird. The invigorating, wild scent of the mountain flowers she stopped to smell. The brittle crunching sound those pale blue petals made as she crushed them between her fingertips.

Abelle traveled Tamriel, and for a time she was happy. Charismatic, attractive, graceful and devious; how could she not enjoy herself? But there was something missing. Some empty space inside her chest that needed to be filled, but that nothing seemed to be able to fill. It was out of curiosity, that first time. When she first took a person's life. Just to see how it felt, to take that most treasured of possessions away from someone, to look mortality in the eyes and laugh. When his hot blood had snaked its way down the blade and began to trickle down her hand, when that metallic smell had overpowered all other scents, Abelle realised what was needed to fill that empty space.

The Wreath was born.

It took a while, but eventually her fame grew - along with her skill. The Wreath was a masked murderer, one who would kill anyone for the right price. Her identity still remains a mystery: all that anyone has been able to deduce is that she is obviously female, and that she is most likely an Imperial - hardly a rare set of qualities. Everyone knew someone who knew someone who knew how to contact her. Sure enough, she would come to those seeking her, whether it took days or months. And she did not fail. Whether it was a simple in-and-out job, or it took months of deception and disguise, one by one, her marks fell. Her wealth increased, along with her fame. The Dark Brotherhood has tried to recruit her; when she refused, she barely escaped with her life. Since that day she has been more cautious with which calls she accepts, but still, she continues, blissful and content with her way of life. That space has never felt empty since her first kill, and Abelle never wants it to again.

Motive:

Business.

With all the commotion surrounding the return of the World Eater and his dragons, people have become less worried about their enemies and more worried about themselves. Calls have been dropping, so much so that Abelle has taken to creating her own marks to fill the time. A girl needs things - a girl like Abelle needs expensive things. Things that only her high number of calls were paying for. If this so-called Dragonborn is Tamriel's only hope, then she sure as hell isn't going to let him frolic around in the sunshine collecting butterflies while her income suffers.

[Sabretooth1]

Name: Darius "Dirge" Mishka

Age: 21

Gender: Male

Race: Khajiit

Appearance:
Darius is a tall Khajiit, around 5'11". His fur is a deep deep brown, almost black. The only way one can tell it's true color is by the black circles on his fur, such as a clouded leopard. He has no mane, piercings, or facial hair(not including whiskers). His eyes are a feral yellow, his teeth and claws an ivory color. His left ear has a rip in it, but he won't explain why. He is lithe and lean, like a jaguar.

(For fur color)
http://static.skyrim.nexusmods.com/i...1328402978.png

Weapons and Armor:
Darius uses a daedric punch dagger with his right hand and keeps his left hand open for spells, or climbing. He wears his Dark Brotherhood armor during jobs, but a simple set of leather armor while travelling or purchasing goods.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/b...ntal_katar.jpg

http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/52...5.resizedimage

http://images.wikia.com/fallout/imag...ther_armor.png

Skills: Darius is proficient in stealth, lockpicking, pickpocketing, one-handed combat, and light armor. Not much else, however.

Magic: Conjuration/Alteration

-Summon Familiar
-Paralyze

History/Background: His real name Dar'ussa, his parents began calling him Darius while on the road. Darius grew up in the trade business, always on the road in Skyrim, selling things to people of all sorts. His father and mother were both caravan-people, as well as the other Khajiit in their group, the hired bodyguard. It was through this man that Darius learned how to fight. He wasn't the strongest, but he was quick, mentally and physically. At age eleven, he became a proficient brawler with his teacher. What his teacher didn't know about, was Darius' love of unlocking things. He'd open his parent's chests at night, unlock gates, all for the fun of it. He loved the challenge, the difference of locks. He also loved being able to sneak around without being seen by anyone.

One day, a group of Nords came to his family's camp. They were dressed in furs, wielding large, rusted weapons. They spoke in loud, brash tones. Darius remembers little of that night, only that he ran from the carnage that was once his family. He began to make a living in Riften, quickly joining the ranks of the Thieves Guild. He climbed the ladder, year after year, always sticking to his job until one fateful day. He slipped up, whether on purpose or accident, his hand struck down a target he was only supposed to scare. He hid the body, disposed of it in the river some miles away, and returned to his "home". He was stripped of his rank for his failure. In anger, he drank away his pain at being humiliated in front of his fellow thieves.

When he awoke, he found himself in a shack with a human female talking to him. About assassins and a group called the Dark Brotherhood. He eagerly accepted, and within a few years, he became a Master Assassin. With the dragons on the rise, though, he has been beginning to wonder where this Dragonborn actually is. In fact, it is now his job to find the Dragonborn, as his leader, The Night Mother commanded it.

Motive: Obey the will of his deity completely. It was said he will receive further instructions along the way.

[xenon]

I was looking at this OOC yesterday. I must say, it does look promising. And with one of the better GMs around to run it... oh, I can't resist...

Name: Saiyan

Age: 31 years old

Gender: Male

Race: Redguard

Appearance: Saiyan stands 6' 1" tall and weighs a muscular 180lbs. His caramel skin is a little lighter than the average redguard and is relatively flawless considering his history of fighting. He hair is black and cornrowed, concluding in little plats that reach shoulders and his eyes are brown. He has a big, strong features of House Mirel including a large, triangular nose, thick lips and a strong jaw line.

Usually, you find Saiyan dressed in his armour, but on his own terms, a simple tunic, leggings and boots would be his choice. He is rarely seen without his katana strapped to his back.


Weapons and Armor: Leather armour, Leather boots, Daedric gauntlets and a Steel Katana

Skills: What sets Saiyan apart from the average warrior of Hammerfell (aside from his prized daedric gauntlets) is his athletic prowess. His strength, agility and incredible reflexes give him a precious advantage against most foes in combat. His perception, intelligence and ability to speak well has also served him well in the harsh, unruly lands of Skyrim.

Magic: None

History/Background:

Born Dandana Mirel, third son of a noble house in the city of Dragonstar; a province in Hammerfell just south of the border with High Rock and Skyrim. His childhood was one of comfort, plentiful food and good education, as all Redguard of high birth enjoy.

His adolescence marked out the man he was to become. He entered his first tourney at the tender age of 11, being defeated in the first round but earning himself the monicker, "Dandana Sae Yen," meaning Dandana the Bold. He was not discouraged by his defeat and enlisted in every tourney in Hammerfell in the years that followed. He became the youngest finalist in Hammerfell's history at the age of 15, losing to General Caro-Khan in a feirce melee that lasted an incredible full hour. He went on to become the youngest ever tournament winner the following year when he finally beat Caro-Khan in the finals of Gilane's Harvest Tourney. General Caro-Khan offered to take Saiyan on as his shadow, to train him in the ways of the military, war and groom him for command, but Saiyan refused. He had no desire to join the army. Instead he travelled the country, going on quests for rich men and fighting in tourneys. He became known to many as the greatest sword in Hammerfell, some even likening him to the legendary Cyrus, a Redguard hero from the Second Era.

In the prime of his manhood, a few moons after the Fable of the Five Stones, when he won his prized daedric gauntlets from Hadhod's treasure trove(a tale that must be saved for another time,) he met and fell in love with a rich and powerful seer by the name Madam Oro, who made her home in the city of Elinhir. Saiyan became her lover and her bodyguard, settling down in Elinhir for the rest of his days.

Until...


Motive:

The candlelight flickered in the dim room, creating long, dancing shadows on the lace and silk drapes. Some of the shadows looked like marching armies, ships amid storms and one looked remarkably like a dragon flapping it's wings. The sharp-nosed, hard-eyed Altmer who sat opposite Madam Oro, looked around the pavillion with mild fascination, no doubt wondering after the source of these shadows, for there was nothing for the candlelight to fall on, save for Madam Oro, the Altmer himself and warrior who stood in the corner.

Madam Oro paid her surroundings no mind. She had had Saiyan for that. She gazed into her crystal ball, watching the tale it wove before her very eyes, a tale of a certain Altmer travelling to the legendary College of Winterhold and becoming a powerful mage who helps save the College from a great peril.

"Well?" the Altmer snapped impatiently. "What do you see? Will I become the most powerful mage in all of Tamriel or not?"

Saiyan didn't like the tone of the haughty elf mage and gave him a warning look, but the elf ignored him. If Madam Oro was offended, she did not show it. "You will make it to the College, young one," she said, her gaze pinned inside the crystal ball. Her voice was smooth as the silk draped on the walls, as musical as wind chimes. "You will be great... perhaps the best, but..." she suddenly broke off and gasped.

"What? What is it? What do you see?" the elf's questions were sharp and clipped.

Saiyan squinted at the crystal ball, but saw nothing, as he always did whenever he dared a glance. He remained still, but underneath his skin, his muscles tensed, like coiled springs ready to blast him into action. Madam Oro finally looked away and wiped a hand across her brow. When she shrugged off the fatigue, she turned her head to regard Saiyan over her shoulder.

"That will be all for today, I think. Saiyan, please show the mage out," she said.

The Altmer stood up sharply. "I don't think so," he all but rasped. "I paid good coin, I will not settle for half a fortune-telling."

"You will," Saiyan said, stepping forward. Madam Oro looked positively bewildered. She didn't seem to notice (or perhaps she just didn't care) that a fight was close to breaking out. Magicka essence was dancing off the altmer's shoulders like licks of blue flame. Saiyan put himself between Madam Oro and the mage, his expression like stone. "Or you'll settle for being a head shorter."

"You fool," the altmer spat. "You think your steel will serve you against an atronach of flame?"

"First you'll need to conjure it," Saiyan answered. "Which you can't do without hands." Now he drew the katana sword off his back, letting the tip of the blade rest gently on the sandy floor. "But you are welcome to try if you think you're fast enough."

The altmer ground his teeth. Defeat was a bitter morsel to swallow for any man, but the High Elves were an especially proud race and Saiyan was ready and prepared to spill blood. Luckily, this one was as smart as he was proud. "Fine, Redguard. But every man and woman will know that Madam Oro is a liar and a thief. I swear it by Auri-El."

The mage turned on his heels and stormed out of the pavilion. Saiyan watched the entrance for a moment. When he sensed no danger, he turned about, his hard expression turning to one of love and concern as he looked upon Madam Oro.

"What is it, Tiana, my love?" he asked. "What do you see?"

She looked up at him. For the first time since he'd known her, he saw fear in her big brown eyes. "Dragons, my sun and stars. The world-eater has returned."


Well, that's me. Ooh, I'm getting excited already

[Red Beret]

All right, folks, just wanted to let you know that I'm still here and we're still doing this.

I'm going to get the Pending list up right now, then spend some time looking over your character apps.

I appreciate your interest and your patience!