the little boat of the reach

“Rarely are stares welcoming to begin with, Reachman.” She grinned, looking at him curiously. Wasn’t he supposed to be a warrior? Was he a Ravager, or a Briarheart, or something along those lines? She wasn’t exactly familiar with all their titles or statuses. She just knew they lived in Redoubts and one had a little butterfly in his chest and her guard enjoyed being dominated by women larger than himself. That was, essentially, the limit of her knowledge at this time. Maybe she could find out a little more from this fellow.

“Seaghdh is busy elsewhere?” Sontaire mused, tapping her chin, “He’s usually what keeps his brother at bay. Remi could be near my Bordello right now, looking for him…” There was something resigned and forlorn to her voice in this moment, as if she had figured out this might not be for the best in a split second.

An idea crossed her thoughts. “You could come back with me, dear. I’ll see to it that you find Remi, but if he’s not there, he will be eventually, I surmise.”

Currach smiled briefly. “That much is true.” And upon realizing that he’d gawked at his newly made lady friend in the same manner, averted his eyes quickly.

“Seaghdh…is busy,” he affirmed, finally—but with what, he wasn’t sure. The last time he’d sought out the archer, he’d walked in on him brandishing what appeared to be some form of dildo. Since then, he’d really opted against asking him any more questions.

“I volunteered to watch over Remi in my spare time,” he explained. “While I also know Remi to some extent, I did not truly realize how much of a handful he was until just recently.” Currach’s brows raised, however, at Sontaire’s remark. Why would Seaghdh be here?

“Does Seaghdh frequent this place often?” he asked, curiously. “Ah, I mean, your…Bordello?” He had no idea what a bordello even /was/, but hopefully it would all make itself clear to him later. Still, hearing that Remi would eventually frequent the place was relieving. Currach never would’ve assumed Remi to know of a place like this, but then again, the two brothers were always full of strange surprises.

“Thank you,” he said, nodding. “I appreciate your help. It’s important that I see him home.”

The Old Ways [Currach / Ishbel]

Mon, 06 May 2013 20:14:36 -0400

“Yes, it does.” she nodded, “It marks me as an archer from Clan MacGillivray of Evermor. They’re also supposed to channel the Old Gods to protect me in battle. Mostly, they link me as a follower of The Morrigan with the hope that I am given the cunning of a crow when faced with adversity. All archers are supposed to be cunning and be able to adapt quickly. Read the wind and terrain properly so a shot is never wasted and always find its mark. The kind of stuff.”

Ishbel looked the man over and tried to avert her eyes as much as possible from the hole in his chest. He was peaking in a civil manner which helped to calm her nerves, but she was still on her guard. Judging from how she was treated when she crossed the border, she couldn’t afford to be too lax around Reachmen, which made her slightly sad in a way.

“Your makings mean things too, right?” she asked.

“Your clan’s beliefs do not differ much from our own,” remarked Currach. “We value the same strengths in our own archers—with time, they learn to read the wind, and the terrain, as well as the changes in the hums of the earth. The Old Gods guide them through the hunt, as they guide all of us.

“The Morrigan is defintely one of our matron deities; they live on in the Revered Mothers of our clans, gifting us with knowledge, power, and insight. Some say it is she who gave Red Eagle his power, in exchange for his humanity.” He smiled briefly, nodding down at his chest.

“And the cycle goes on. It is an honor to give myself to the tradition.” At least, it was what he wanted to believe. “My markings in particular reflect who I believe myself to be. I pick my battles carefully, and I attempt to address my troubles with words, against a blade. My role is that of a protector, and being the one who oversees Red Eagle’s Redoubt and the Sundered Towers, I find it is my duty to preserve Faolan’s home as well as those before me.

“That is what my marks mean, at least to me.”

thisoldtelvanni: Endris cocked his head at the question. Poisoning a rival was fair game but a...

Mon, 06 May 2013 20:05:55 -0400

thisoldtelvanni:

Endris cocked his head at the question. Poisoning a rival was fair game but a whole family? He wasn’t Helseth! “Of course not, they didn’t do anything to me. Children are a rare thing for Dunmer, and I’m sure his wife would have had no trouble in remarrying. I may be Telvanni but I’m not evil.” he pouted. “Killing rivals is just a part of life, but killing unrelated bystanders isn’t.”

Currach blinked. “Telvanni?” Part of him felt like he should’ve known these things, but in all honesty his past memories yielded nothing on this. “Are they usually an evil sort?”

It felt like a foolish and naive thing to ask, but he was relieved to hear, at least, that Endris had left the wife and child unharmed. “That is kind of you. And I understand your motives for revenge, though I wonder if his family had grieved over the loss, any.”

Perhaps it was a silly thing for a Briarheart of his sort to say, but he couldn’t help but wonder.

redoubtsandrainbows: The goat seemed to be more attentive, probably because it was a bit older, and...

Mon, 06 May 2013 20:02:26 -0400

The goat seemed to be more attentive, probably because it was a bit older, and gave a bleat, almost as if it understood. It seemed the animals that followed Rémi around were unusually intelligent. Or at least the goat was, the dog seemed normal enough.

The white animal trotted back a few paces, staring at Currach, and gave another bleat. It wanted to be followed!

Currach did not hesitate, and at the bleat, followed the goat curiously. He quietly hoped he wasn’t being led on a wild goose chase—or in this case, a wild goat chase—as he’d never really seen this goat before, but it was the only lead he had for now.

So he nodded as the goat looked back at him, as if conveying that he’d follow.

redoubtsandrainbows: Indeed, there was something there. A little puppy, red and wiry fur, wet with...

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:32:25 -0400

Indeed, there was something there. A little puppy, red and wiry fur, wet with water as it lapped at the stream. The goat followed Currach and seemed familiar with the dog, because the little creature went up to the white goat and sniffed at it, before sniffing all around Currach’s feet and licking his leg.
No Rémi.

Currach bit his lip. Now he was surrounded by animals—surely pets of Remi—and he hadn’t any idea where Remi was, yet! The Briarheart peered down at the two creatures, watching them. Maybe eventually, they’d lead him along? The dog seemed to be sniffing the goat and appeared relatively friendly. At any rate, he hoped he’d find Remi soon—he didn’t want the man getting into any trouble.

He finally knelt down at the pup, gesturing towards the stream with a nod. “Have you seen Remi?”

It seemed almost ridiculous to talk to a creature to whom he had no ties, but the dog and the goat were certainly not stupid—maybe they’d prove to be helpful in finding the Briarheart.

Photo

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:05:00 -0400

highland-ishbel: There are some who say that The Morrigan was a...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:09:00 -0400

There are some who say that The Morrigan was a powerful Breton Witch Queen that helped her people in their rebellion against the elves. They says she was as ruthless as she was beautiful and no elf wanted to see her face looking to them with eyes of heavy judgement. Always she was followed by a flock of crows and ravens that pick off the dead in the battle field and pluck out the eyes of her enemies. Her magic was unmatched even by the most skilled of elven magisters and she lay down proof that human mages were a force to be reckoned with. She was the prime and beautiful example of the upper limits and possibilities of Breton magic.

thisoldtelvanni: Endris beamed. He was surprised- most people called him names or said hurtful...

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:44:45 -0400

thisoldtelvanni:

Endris beamed. He was surprised- most people called him names or said hurtful things when he took the urn out. “We were headed to a cave to stay the night because we had things planned that we didn’t want our parents to see. We were collecting ingredients along the way. My House- clan, if you will- is quite a brutal, petty grouping of mages, and whilst we were separated briefly, Endris- I mean Endase…was attacked by a rival. We’d recently been promoted, and that had made a few of our peers jealous. Unfortunately, she was killed before I returned, her body charred beyond recognition. It did make the cremation a lot easier for the priest, I suppose. I managed to drive her killer off, and later poisoned him- years later, he’d had a wife and children in the time- and here I am now.” Endris explained, mentally kicking himself for getting the name ‘wrong’. He didn’t mind talking about it, though it was one of the few times when he’d drop the happy-go-lucky facade.

It was a sad story, that much was true. Still, he had hardly expected the mer to go poison the killer. In fact, the whole tale was extremely violent, and while his own brothers tended to lean more towards brute force for results, the Dunmeri way was pparently governed more by subtlety and elaborate stratagems.

He wasn’t sure which one he disliked more.

“I am sorry for your loss,” he whispered. “When you went to poison your sister’s killer, did you…” Currach hesitated. “Did you kill his wife and children, too?”

If so, he wasn’t sure he wanted to stay around this mer much longer.

The Old Ways [Currach / Ishbel]

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:37:29 -0400

“Oh.” she stiffened, “No. I’m not. I’m from Evermor on the other side of the mountain.”
Ishbel fidgeted a bit as she spoke, not sure whether she should be polite or put up a strong fight. She was talking to someone who was, essentially, undead and that bothered her immensely. The thought didn’t cross her mind with Rémi for some reason. His childish nature steered her perception away from the fact that he was an act of Necromancy, but this one with his clear sentience and obvious intelligence bothered her. Only know did she notice the veins showing underneath his skin that was pale as night. Only now did she notice the hole in his chest with what looked like a hastily tied mesh made of plant roots. Inside, there was a single briarheart tied to the body by both magic and nature. It was almost disgusting.

“And you’re from here,” she said, “Your woad looks familiar but different from another one I met. Seaghdh, the archer.”

“Evermor.” He echoed her words, acknowledging them and trying to think of what he’d heard. “The other side of the mountain? That must mean Evermor is across the border.”

Inwardly, he twinged with the desire to cross that same mountain and see the place for himself. Then again, he wanted to see many places, put memories to names. Perhaps he could quell that sudden curiosity by asking her about the place, later.

Still, she seemed a bit standoffish, and he wasn’t sure why. He stood up, glancing down at his fingers and noticing the dried up dye on his hands. Ah, well, that could wait.

“I am familiar with Seaghdh. And yes, they represent many different things. As different people, it also represents who we are. His woad is very fitting of his role in the redoubts.” I…I want to think mine is, as well.”

He gestured at hers with a nod. They were beautiful and intricate in many different ways than his own. “Does yours reflect on you in any particular way? They are very nicely done.”

An Unexpected Journey [Currach / Sontaire]

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:24:56 -0400

Oh, how thoroughly she enjoyed his internal conflict. To stare, or not to stare? She enjoyed it because she knew he was staring for only the most positive of reasons, and a grin shone brightly upon her visage. So, so triumphant. But he didn’t need to know that.

Instead of saying anything quite yet, Sontaire kept her grip on his hand gently, pulling him away from the hoi polloi and into a secluded alleyway. It was open at the end and no sooner had they entered it did they come round the other side, finding the area significantly less open and populated than the town center. Her hawk-like eyes scanned their surroundings just in case, keen ears listening intently. Any footsteps? No? Good. She was feeling rather protective of the Reachman, if only because she hadn’t gotten a better view of him yet and didn’t want that interrupted.

Still, his words struck an interest in her. “Sorry for this. Riften is quite busy today, and although the people seem to be in high spirits, it has also made them… gossipy and intrusive? Yes, those would be sufficient terms for it. Regardless, could you be searching for Seaghdh or… hmm. Remi, was it?

“I might also mention that my eyes are up here, darling.” She ended with a playful tease, raising her brows.

Currach nodded slightly. People being gossipy and intrusive was not news for him. In the redoubts, everyone knew everything about each other, and while it only strengthened the trust between one another, it was also exhausting to hear people discuss another man’s business. He sighed quietly. Well, at least no one in—didn’t the mer call the place Riften?—no one in Riften seemed to know him personally. That in itself was a good thing.

“Don’t apologize,” he finally managed. “I should be thanking you. The stares did not look welcoming.” He tugged absently at one of the beads twined in his hair, observing her thoughtfully, before Remi and Seaghdh’s names popped into the conversation. He was about to open his mouth to affirm that he was, indeed, looking for Remi, when her next remark had his eyes widening a tad.

And then he’d realized it. He wasn’t quite looking at her, after all, was he? Old Gods forgive him, he was lewdly gawking at a woman who’d—

He couldn’t finish his thoughts, and instead he only straightened up, gulping down the embarrassment that had built up in his throat. Sh-she was taller than he was. That was all. He just had a…good angle.

“Y-yes, thank you for the reminder.” He cleared his throat. “But yes, I’ve been looking for Remi, actually. I’ve been accompanying him in place of Seaghdh for the day. It is a relief to see that you, ah…” He smiled briefly, trying to avert his eyes from her, altogether. “It is a relief to see that you know them.”

4, 9, 19, 24

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:11:00 -0400

4. Who did they look up to the most as a child? Who do they look up to as an adult?

As a child, it’s a toss-up between Brandubh and Aisling. They were both prominent figures in his youth that shaped a lot of his childhood, and while he doesn’t remember it, they meant a lot to him (even if he may not have always expressed this).

After the Briarheart reincarnation, Currach looks mostly to the Revered Mother for guidance. As far as he knows, she usually has all the answers he needs.

9. As a child, what did they want to be when they grew up? Did they realize their dream?

As a child, Currach was always filled with wanderlust. He still does, today, and his only dream was to wander all across Tamriel. Obviously, as a Briarheart now, it’s obvious that never came to fruition.

He doesn’t remember his aspirations now, but every now and then he’s tugged by a nagging feeling to just leave everything behind and explore.

19. What is their favorite texture?

Currach likes feathers a lot. I don’t think I’ve touched on it, but it’s a headcanon of mine that every Forsworn’s headdress is a bit unique from another—they are all crafted to reflect upon the kind of person they are. Currach is most fond of feathers, and they serve as decorative pieces on his headdress.

24. How do they react to being physically injured or undergoing medical treatment?

Little scabs and cuts are fine so long as they’re accidental. He reacts to them pretty normally—however, any wounds that were incurred in say, a battle, will only craze him and make him more aggressive.

His response to medical treatment also depends on whether or not it’s a small accidental wound or something that incurred his anger in battle. Being a Briarheart, if it’s in an aggressive situation, he will be so consumed by aggression that he won’t even feel most of his wounds until he either finishes off everyone or someone finishes him on the spot. It’s not really unique to him as much as it is to all Briarhearts, though all of their reactions differ slightly in intensity.

A Character-Building Question Meme

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:00:25 -0400

apeacebone:

Sakura and I tried to come up with a list of questions that we didn’t see around very often, and we wanted to share! So, here it is, yet another character-building question meme.

Leave one of my characters and a number (or more) in my ask, and I will answer:

What foods do they love, and what foods do they refuse to eat?

What is their weapon of choice, and what weapon do they dislike using the most?

What is their preferred method of transportation?

Who did they look up to the most as a child? Who do they look up to as an adult?

What kind of weather makes them happy, and what kind makes them sad?

What languages do they speak? Do they have any idiosyncrasies or identifiable patterns of speech, word usages, etc?

What clothing do they like to wear, and what do they wear most often?

Do they eat a healthy diet? A varied one?

As a child, what did they want to be when they grew up? Did they realize their dream?

What makes them feel safe or secure? What makes them feel insecure or unsafe?

What do they do when they need comfort? Do they seek out a person, a food, an activity, etc?

Do they sing or play any musical instruments, even if just for fun? How well?

What decision in their past did they most analyze and fret over after the fact?

What are they like when they are drunk?

Where in their body do they keep stress or tension?

What do they think about where they currently live? If they could move elsewhere, would they?

Do they have any pet peeves or petty dislikes, and how do they react to encountering them?

What foods do they eat most often? Do they enjoy it?

What is their favorite texture?

Do they like to travel? How do they pack and prepare?

How well do they take criticism? How do they react to others noticing their flaws?

What are they like when they get sick? Do they have a particular system (ears, lungs, etc) that illness gravitates to?

What is their favorite drink?

How do they react to being physically injured or undergoing medical treatment?

What do their hands look and feel like?

How much do they eat, and how often? Do they drink appetite suppressants (tea, coffee, etc)?

Do they have children? Do they want children? What names would they choose?

What is a gift that they have received that was especially touching or significant?

How do they arrange or decorate their living space?

Do they have any allergies or chronic conditions?

imperialhatstand: I upgraded my graphics card and RAM and now...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 20:59:54 -0400

imperialhatstand:

I upgraded my graphics card and RAM and now my game is finally playable. *happy dance*

redoubtsandrainbows: No one was there, it seemed, except a small white goat. Rémi’s goat. It merely...

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 00:47:52 -0400

No one was there, it seemed, except a small white goat. Rémi’s goat. It merely looked placidly at Currach and bleated.
Nearby the rocks was a stream, maybe Rémi was over there?

He hadn’t spoken to Remi in a while, but something about the goat told him that it was likely they knew each other; after all, few Reachmen had goats for companions, and most of them were either penned or out in the hills, not to mention that this goat didn’t even seem frightened of him, or reluctant to interact.

Still, it didn’t seem to be moving, and it likely wouldn’t yield any idea to him as to where Remi was. The Briarheart turned his head about, narrowing his eyes as he noticed the stream, and after giving the goat a final glance, started down to the rocks.

Well, it was worth looking there.

The Old Ways [Currach / Ishbel]

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 02:20:25 -0400

“Oh, that’s….quite alright.” she said pensively, “Um. My name is Ishbel. What’s yours?”

The Breton figured that as long as she kept up the small talk, she stood a chance of not incurring any sort of wrath from the Briarheart. He definitely looked different from Rémi in every single way. His face didn’t bare the same innocent look in the eyes, but a rather determined gaze. More than likely this particular Briarheart has seen his fare amount of death both before and after the great sacrifice. Instinctively, Ishbel rubbed the back of her hand where her crow marking was and prayed for some sort of protection. Just in case.

“They call me Currach,” he responded, smiling back briefly. She was rather young—much like the newer recruits in other redoubts he’d seen. Still, she was by no means Forsworn, and yet, she knew the tongue. Her markings were unfamiliar and bore no real significance to him, but he was sure that in other lands, they perhaps meant something.

Maybe in High Rock, perhaps. He’d never been there himself, but upon forming the conclusion that she came from the neighboring province, he grew curious.

“You are not from here, are you?”

redoubtsandrainbows: Well that comment had Seaghdh a flushing mess, clearing his throat and...

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 02:13:49 -0400

Well that comment had Seaghdh a flushing mess, clearing his throat and crossing his arms over his chest.

“W-well… I mean… uh… if you’d prefer to get him yourself, then, um… go ahead. H-he should be by those three large rocks and that tree, you know the what I mean, aye?” He was pitifully eager, now that he’d been reminded, to get back to what he’d been doing.

“Aye.” He arched a brow as Seaghdh reddened. “I’ll be going, then.”

It didn’t take long for Currach to find the three large rocks and the tree that Seaghdh had mentioned, and the Briarheart peered about, trying to find him. When Currach saw no one, his brows furrowed, and he sighed quietly.

He could already see why this job was exhausting.

thisoldtelvanni: “She’s right here with me.” Endris nodded, pulling out an urn. “We’re twins” He...

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 02:06:32 -0400

thisoldtelvanni:

“She’s right here with me.” Endris nodded, pulling out an urn. “We’re twins” He explained, most unhelpfully. Of course, Currach wasn’t to know that the ghosts of Dunmer ancestors could be summoned for protection, which was something so basic and natural to Endris that he didn’t realize what he looked like to an outsider’s point of view. And that was a crackpot roaming through the Reach with a jar of ash.

Currach’s eyes widened a tad, but he finally nodded. “I see.” He could respect that much—it wasn’t uncommon for the Reachmen to also regard their lost kin in similar ways.

“May I ask what happened…?” However, as soon as Currach spoke, he’d wanted to take back the question, altogether. It was likely something the Dunmer would’ve liked to keep private.

An Unexpected Journey [Currach / Sontaire]

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 01:46:38 -0400

“Well,” She laughed and stood, finding it lucky the book she carried was small - it fit nicely in her satchel, she thought, as it was put away, “You are a talkative one, aren’t you?” Being immune to such ogling by now, it was as if she didn’t even notice it. With a taciturn flick of her wrist she pushed a section of her red locks back behind her shoulder so that the strap of her satchel could settle without obstruction upon her bare, golden shoulder.

“But so out of place. Tell me, Reachman, would you like to get away from this crowd?” Something was telling her the reason he was there was not for a nice stroll in the sunlight. He had the appearance of a seeker about him, at this time, and Sontaire thought the only other reason he could have possibly showed up was if he was looking for one of the only other two Forsworn who hung around the area. As it was, he stuck out like a sore thumb. That had to be intimidating. If he stayed out in the open like this, she was also sure that nothing good would befall him. If she could guide him from the gawking crowd and someplace private, she hoped her chances of getting more than a stammer from him would increase.

That aside, he was quite dashing.

“My name is Sontaire, by the by.” She held out her hand - for him to take, and to lead him away with. She was quite pleased with herself for having this all already figured out despite the vicious headache. Good job, Sontaire. A pat on the back would be due later.

Currach hardly responded to her inquiries—at this point, his eyes only darted back and forth, from the the buildings (which he was desperately trying to find interesting in the presence of this rather voluptuous high elf) back to Sontaire.

He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. So her name was Sontaire? Well, she seemed kind enough for introductions, and the golden glow of her skin was breathtaking. And while she was definitely attractive, he did not want to focus on that overmuch, or for too long. After all, Remi was his first priority; she could help him and afterwards, he’d just be on his way.

Well…maybe once he’d find Remi, they could stop for a chat. Perhaps.

Currach’s gaze lingered back on her, perhaps for too long, and upon realizing it, he averted his gaze, again.

“I should get away from the crowd,” he agreed, mentally backpedaling a bit and trying to remember what she’d said to him. Gingerly, he accepted her hand, trying his best to smile courteously (and desperately trying to find a place to land his eyes that wouldn’t seem lecherous).

“This is very far from where I’m from,” he explained. I am only hear to search for my companion. I lost sight of him, and thought that maybe he had wandered in here. It’s very likely he’s dressed like I am.” If he wasn’t already running around naked, the Briarheart thought. We are both Reachmen, and this is…” he chuckled breathlessly. “This is definitely far from home. I would really appreciate some guidance.

An Unexpected Journey [Currach / Sontaire]

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 04:24:26 -0400