Civil War Aftermath OOC #4

[Witchking of Angmar]

17 hours ago, The Good Doctor said:

@Witchking of Angmar

A Forgotten Age
(Yornar and Minna)

  Hide contents

That looks pretty good actually. Though without the context I'd have assumed it was Baldur and Rebec. Yornar and Minna never had fancy fur trimmed clothes.

[The Good Doctor]

14 minutes ago, Witchking of Angmar said:

That looks pretty good actually. Though without the context I'd have assumed it was Baldur and Rebec. Yornar and Minna never had fancy fur trimmed clothes.

Thanks. It’s probably the best one I’ve done, imo. Not that the bar is very high. 

Yornar and Minna are however the only characters who could’ve conceivably lived to go snow whale gazing.  

But while those are meant to be fur/pelt outfits, the bits on the backs/shoulders are hoods, not fancy fur trimmings. Like the Skaal or Ygritte here on the left.

 

[Witchking of Angmar]

On 11/13/2021 at 6:30 PM, The Good Doctor said:

Thanks. It’s probably the best one I’ve done, imo. Not that the bar is very high. 

Yornar and Minna are however the only characters who could’ve conceivably lived to go snow whale gazing.  

But while those are meant to be fur/pelt outfits, the bits on the backs/shoulders are hoods, not fancy fur trimmings. Like the Skaal or Ygritte here on the left.

  Hide contents

Huh. I never actually pictured them having such clothes, but thinking on it now, it makes sense.

[The Good Doctor]

1 hour ago, Witchking of Angmar said:

Huh. I never actually pictured them having such clothes, but thinking on it now, it makes sense.

That’s what I figured. For a freezing land in more primitive, downright prehistoric times, pelt attire would have probably been the go-to. Heck, that’s still a popular choice in Skyrim even today.

Similarly, I reckon a lot of weapons were made from wood, bones, or bronze until more advanced metalworking would get properly figured out. We know from Bloodmoon at least that bone-based armors are popular among the more wild Nords, who I imagine being the closest thing we have in modern times to ancient pre-Atmorans like Yornar (alongside fryse hags, rune witches, and the like, similar to those in your origin posts). And maybe since it was a more magical time, materials like stalhrim or dragonbone could have been more prevalent in the upper levels of society.

Though honestly, it’s such incredibly distant history that there is a lot of room for creative freedom. As far as I know, the only remaining pre-Atmoran human construct is the Skyforge, which indicates they developed some skill in stone-working and were capable of placing extremely potent enchantments or divine blessings.

[The Good Doctor]

@TheCzarsHussar

"Massive construction of earthworks dominated the Nordlaw's labor tax as they cheaply fortified the inland entrance to the peninsula with huge quantities of earth. Building a complex of oppressively steep faces and earthen holdouts to throw javelins and hurl rocks from. This was drastically needed as the far eastern Kamal warred with the kingship of this period."

This is neat.  

Chapter 5 was the highlight. Reading about the Legion invasion and how different factions engaged with it was entertaining. Especially the Chieftain challenging Uriel V and falling to him in single combat. It is very badass, though I half wonder if that part is propaganda. Either way, I liked the detail of them taking the defeat very well, seeing the Empire’s conquest in such a matter-of-fact way. "They were the stronger clan. This is how it goes."

I liked chapter 6 a lot as well, with the increased emphasis on Solitude and the Nordic settlement of the Old Dowry. I think generally (with a few exceptions, such as the berserker ) my favorite period in the Roscrean timeline is post-Imperial conquest, if only for the familiarity it brings. I read familiar Tamrielic names like Uriel V, your man Spindle-Foot, or Haafingar and it sort of grounds things in my mind a bit. Plus, the rising tension between the natives and the Tamrielics is the most interesting part of it all.

"it appears that Boiliobris and Old Dowry Hold is destined for a prosperous future from it's glorious past!"

Press X to doubt. 

[TheCzarsHussar]

1 hour ago, The Good Doctor said:

@TheCzarsHussar

 

  Hide contents

 

"Massive construction of earthworks dominated the Nordlaw's labor tax as they cheaply fortified the inland entrance to the peninsula with huge quantities of earth. Building a complex of oppressively steep faces and earthen holdouts to throw javelins and hurl rocks from. This was drastically needed as the far eastern Kamal warred with the kingship of this period."

This is neat.  

Chapter 5 was the highlight. Reading about the Legion invasion and how different factions engaged with it was entertaining. Especially the Chieftain challenging Uriel V and falling to him in single combat. It is very badass, though I half wonder if that part is propaganda. Either way, I liked the detail of them taking the defeat very well, seeing the Empire’s conquest in such a matter-of-fact way. "They were the stronger clan. This is how it goes."

I liked chapter 6 a lot as well, with the increased emphasis on Solitude and the Nordic settlement of the Old Dowry. I think generally (with a few exceptions, such as the berserker ) my favorite period in the Roscrean timeline is post-Imperial conquest, if only for the familiarity it brings. I read familiar Tamrielic names like Uriel V, your man Spindle-Foot, or Haafingar and it sort of grounds things in my mind a bit. Plus, the rising tension between the natives and the Tamrielics is the most interesting part of it all.

"it appears that Boiliobris and Old Dowry Hold is destined for a prosperous future from it's glorious past!"

Press X to doubt. 

1 hour ago, The Good Doctor said:

"Massive construction of earthworks dominated the Nordlaw's labor tax as they cheaply fortified the inland entrance to the peninsula with huge quantities of earth. Building a complex of oppressively steep faces and earthen holdouts to throw javelins and hurl rocks from. This was drastically needed as the far eastern Kamal warred with the kingship of this period."

This is neat.  

The practice itself was inspired by how the Inca levied taxes by employing it's citizens in construction projects. I felt it'd be pretty fitting for Roscrea under their long periods of kingship since the isle is very poor in resources. There's no (still existing) sources of gold anywhere on the isle, and their commerce is near entirely based on bartering goods and services that I felt it a natural progression and holdover of the Dragon Cult to issue edicts of labor as a form of taxation.

1 hour ago, The Good Doctor said:

Chapter 5 was the highlight. Reading about the Legion invasion and how different factions engaged with it was entertaining. Especially the Chieftain challenging Uriel V and falling to him in single combat. It is very badass, though I half wonder if that part is propaganda.

I actually like to think of Uriel V as a greater warrior then Tiber Septim. I don't think Uriel had a demi-god Nord or extraordinarily strong wizard going around hyping his image up. That's one of the rare moments when Imperial propaganda actually had some truth to the foundation

Having vastly superior arms to the simple chainmail of the Atmoriants certainly helps.

1 hour ago, The Good Doctor said:

Either way, I liked the detail of them taking the defeat very well, seeing the Empire’s conquest in such a matter-of-fact way. "They were the stronger clan. This is how it goes."

It's a lot easier for a previously conquered people to accept a new lordship than the old kingship to fathom having been subjected. Especially when observing a traditional transfer of power through a duel and death of the old chieftain. Uriel V could have won conventionally by sieging out the castle-broch, but logistically needed a base of operations in the inhospitable isle fast.

1 hour ago, The Good Doctor said:

I liked chapter 6 a lot as well, with the increased emphasis on Solitude and the Nordic settlement of the Old Dowry. I think generally (with a few exceptions, such as the berserker ) my favorite period in the Roscrean timeline is post-Imperial conquest, if only for the familiarity it brings. I read familiar Tamrielic names like Uriel V, your man Spindle-Foot, or Haafingar and it sort of grounds things in my mind a bit. Plus, the rising tension between the natives and the Tamrielics is the most interesting part of it all.

Rolff was a genuinely good man. He balanced loyalty to his king's interests, with fondness to the near-giants. He'd have taken one look at 'It is better to be feared than loved, if one cannot have both' and laughed at it over a drink. He'd of course rule favorably to his homeland and king, but owing to his friendship and privilege with the Atmoriant nobility, he governed in his king's name as if Roscrea was a hold of Skyrim, and not a colonial possession. I'd like to think he only got away with it because of how newly incorporated Roscrea was as a possession of Solitude. 

With his passing, in place of a well traveled confidant, the Blue Palace would appoint merchants, who was either good friends with or family members of the King (and later traditional High Kings) as governors of Roscrea. People who could be trusted to further their city's prestige and wealth rather then befriend their distant subjects.

1 hour ago, The Good Doctor said:

"it appears that Boiliobris and Old Dowry Hold is destined for a prosperous future from it's glorious past!"

Press X to doubt.

For about two and a half centuries this was the case, for the Haafingar-Folk

That's actually pretty unfair to put the blame on them. If there was anything that ruined the kinship between the Haafingar-Folk and the Atmoriants, it was the appointee-governors from Solitude who ceased treating the natives as descendants of Atmora. If the white-gold concordant is anything to go by, no proud Nord could stand to tolerate under such conditions for long, as it stands, the Atmoriants did for centuries.

[The Good Doctor]

30 minutes ago, TheCzarsHussar said:

If the white-gold concordant is anything to go by, no proud Nord could stand to tolerate under such conditions for long,

Tell that to Imperial fans.  

[TheCzarsHussar]

5 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said:

Tell that to the Covenant.

 

[TheCzarsHussar]

7 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said:

Tell that to Imperial fans.  

Imp*rials aren't people.

[BigBossBalrog]

@The Good Doctor

Man I was expecting some epic tome of a post after you hyped you were exhausted from so much writing, and all I got was a paragraph; a good paragraph mind you, 

[The Good Doctor]

10 minutes ago, BigBossBalrog said:

@The Good Doctor

Man I was expecting some epic tome of a post after you hyped you were exhausted from so much writing, and all I got was a paragraph; a good paragraph mind you, 

I have been working on a lot of posts. This one, Czar and I wrote together in like five minutes.  

[TheCzarsHussar]

That solo post was something I talked about with Doc a year ago, and finally wrapped it all up in a couple hours.

Fuck me for procrastinating

The timeline was meant to be around the time Theudofrid was sailing to Kynes Watch but it still perfectly works in the present.

[The Good Doctor]

6 minutes ago, TheCzarsHussar said:

That solo post was something I talked about with Doc a year ago, and finally wrapped it all up in a couple hours.

Fuck me for procrastinating

We’ve all been there.  

[The Good Doctor]

@TheCzarsHussar

Awesome post. You definitely gave the Reachmen their due.

" … and it was hewn away by the two handed falx-sword of the creature.

As was his head. "

Damn…

Was the "moon of the elfgod" who the shaman refused to think of the Revenant, Mannimarco?

" And at the closing of the day, she put to sacrifice their most splendid goat, and she put to sacrifice their fattest mule, to beg the gods for understanding into the coming storm. She knew better then to ask for protection, it was not their way. "

^ I love this. In fact, I really liked the shaman in general. She was fierce. A true daughter of the Reach and Hircine.

But the archdruid and his necromancies… yeah, ain’t nobody in the valley winning against that. Maybe if they had a hagraven, but otherwise, nah. This shit got metaphysical on them way too quickly.  

Speaking of, the best part was when "the thing" was coming for her in the realm of spirit, but her sacrifices to Hircine actually worked and bought her a chance to fight back in the waking world, which is super characteristic of the Lord of the Hunt. He may not care if the hunt is fair, but he would absolutely want his children to get a chance to fight.

[TheCzarsHussar]

2 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said:

" … and it was hewn away by the two handed falx-sword of the creature.

As was his head. "

Damn…

Rest in peace dude, at least he got a swing in

4 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said:

Was the "moon of the elfgod" who the shaman refused to think of the Revenant, Mannimarco?

Oh yeah. Whatever metaphysical realms this Archdruid descend into the world from (even if it wasn't like the shaman's dream, as that was pure symbolism and metaphysics), he's still undead and falls under some degree of influence. Hence why there was a token of sacrifice to Mannimacro, and why in her first dream of ill omens, the shadow of the owl was hinted to be obscured by the moonimacro.

6 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said:

" And at the closing of the day, she put to sacrifice their most splendid goat, and she put to sacrifice their fattest mule, to beg the gods for understanding into the coming storm. She knew better then to ask for protection, it was not their way. "

^ I love this. In fact, I really liked the shaman in general. She was fierce. A true daughter of the Reach and Hircine.

I was struggling to think of a way to depict a non-Forsworn type of shaman, and how to depict their practical and dark way they think of the world without getting all, as you put it, whiny terrorist loser about it

I'm glad I hit the nail!

8 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said:

But the archdruid and his necromancies… yeah, ain’t nobody in the valley winning against that. Maybe if they had a hagraven, but otherwise, nah. This shit got metaphysical on them way too quickly.

A hagraven would have put up a good magical fight alright. Used some sick dark magics too.

10 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said:

Spoiler

Speaking of, the best part was when "the thing" was coming for her in the realm of spirit, but her sacrifices to Hircine actually worked and bought her a chance to fight back in the waking world, which is super characteristic of the Lord of the Hunt. He may not care if the hunt is fair, but he would absolutely want his children to get a chance to fight.

With the seeming absence of Hircine, and the river spirit fleeing, the shaman was seemingly no longer protected and failed the morrowind style Willpower check

But no Archdruid can compete with ol Hircine, and when he revealed his presence, the nightmare was dispelled.

[TheCzarsHussar]

Before I decided on having an Archdruid tackle the temple when we talked about it a year ago, one of the ideas that played out in my head was human druids attacking it, mostly converted Nords of Skyrim.

And in one of the scenes, a druid would be stalking through a hallway obscured in darkness, and cast a magelight down the hall only to reveal Reachmen at the ready with bows and being killed by them. While that's a cool scene, I scrapped it when I decided on an Archdruid. It somewhat survived the change in ideas, as the shaman did the reverse without the ambush.

[The Good Doctor]

44 minutes ago, TheCzarsHussar said:

 

  Hide contents

 

Before I decided on having an Archdruid tackle the temple when we talked about it a year ago, one of the ideas that played out in my head was human druids attacking it, mostly converted Nords of Skyrim.

And in one of the scenes, a druid would be stalking through a hallway obscured in darkness, and cast a magelight down the hall only to reveal Reachmen at the ready with bows and being killed by them. While that's a cool scene, I scrapped it when I decided on an Archdruid. It somewhat survived the change in ideas, as the shaman did the reverse without the ambush.

 

 

This version felt a lot grimmer. Besides a couple, it seems that the Reachfolk by and large hardly even got to fight back. Certainly not with any level of success.

I am curious where this will lead. So some wicked druids and their draugr pets have claimed an ancient Nordic temple in the Reach. I understand they did this because it was dedicated to Jhunal, but do they have any other reason? Or plans to use it for anything?

[TheCzarsHussar]

6 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said:

This version felt a lot grimmer. Besides a couple, it seems that the Reachfolk by and large hardly even got to fight back. Certainly not with any level of success.

This is the first time I've shown their Jhunal cult getting shit done. Before there's only been some creepiness and an assassination. What better way then to kick things off then a fucking undead Archdruid?

7 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said:

I am curious where this will lead. So some wicked druids and their draugr pets have claimed an ancient Nordic temple in the Reach. I understand they did this because it was dedicated to Jhunal, but do they have any other reason? Or plans to use it for anything?

 I have no solid evidence to support my theory, but I believe that at the height of the cult (or really just any period before Jhunal's worship dropped off severely) this was the preeminent temple of Jhunal. It's not nearly as grand as the other ruined temples across Skyrim. But its one of the most secluded, with solely Owl Murals and a bunch of magic potions around. Not to mention a creepy ass sacrificial alter that looks like it was a part of the temple, and long predates the hagraven coven infesting the ruin.

I have plans for it for sure. No portal to sovngarde levels of fuckery though.

[The Good Doctor]

The villain:hero ratio in this RP is getting dangerous.

[TheCzarsHussar]

There's also a few chambers that are blocked off by cave-ins that lead deeper in, and while I'm not going to depict a labyrinthian, it's going to be bigger then depicted in game by way of these blocked off paths. 

[BigBossBalrog]

4 minutes ago, The Good Doctor said:

The villain:hero ratio in this RP is getting dangerous.

Brund did nothing wrong. 

[TheCzarsHussar]

2 minutes ago, BigBossBalrog said:

Brooooound did nothing wrong. 

Fixed the grammar for ya.

[The Good Doctor]

@ColonelKillaBee

From the niece of a bard. 

 

Uncle Bard of mine
Through songs did you remind
A daughter who knew not her gods
That a daughter she was of Kyne

In the plains you sang and laughed
Amidst the tundras cold
You watched the giants as they passed
And you told her of legends old

"Niece" you sang with tunes so soft
"Look to the lights above.
Magic leaked from heavens
Through scars left by their love"
 

Uncle who with shaking hands
A child once did write
Of how she missed the stories you told
With pen at point of knife

Axe and torch were held aloft
By the wicked and the brave
Flame and smoke engulfing all
Her new home became a grave

To her you wrote of joyful times
To gods your thanks you gave
While a child did die that night
And I was born that day

Uncle King most High
Whose flames bright spread behind
Your fires burn so hot, my lord
But no more hot than mine

Red upon the snows we've walked
Frozen drops abound
We've watched the winters melt away
But red still soaks the ground.

Await do dreams of dogs and mer
Of men whose lives we cost
Our wounded gods look down and weep
For the children they have lost

[ColonelKillaBee]

That was beautiful Doc. Honestly one of the best written poems in the rp. 

[ColonelKillaBee]

Ooh I’ve got some reading to do it seems