What is the story of your character?

Dorreah

Hey guys,

I recently joined the RP community and never felt such immersion to the story and normal breathing social life in ESO. I was wondering what is the story behind all those characters which I am talking to. Obviously you can't magane it all at one. Could you share some of your personal history of your character? Maybe it would be a great inspiration to create new one or make your story different! My story is gonna be shared as well, just working on it.

I would gladly read those stories and who knows, once we could met in-game for some quest!
Share your story, share legends!

Thank you and wish you happy gaming!

Suisyo

Hmm, Idk if this is a fully fleshed out story yet (maybe close?) because I really haven't gotten into RP yet but I've been interested in it. All of my 8 characters kind of have some story and personality to them, but it's all in my head. Things I've thought of while playing.

But my main has been my biggest focus (obviously) so for her these are some random thoughts I've pieced together into a simple story.

She is an older Altmer from Summerset. She was raised in a family of high social standing but in her young-adult years discovered a disturbing family secret that changed everything for her. No longer able to face her family in light of this, she left Summerset and everything she knew behind, eventually finding herself on the other side of Tamriel, in Stonefalls.

There she eeked out an existence as an adventurer and had a blast experiencing things she never had before. Over time she discovered crafting and fell in love with it. Through this she also discovered her love of helping others, especially other adventurers and made crafting her main focus. This love for helping evolved further and she used her race's inclination for magic to study healing abilities/magic (putting down her trusty bow) to aide other's in need.

Many years have passed, she is older and wizened, the scars of battles fought apparent and she has become more reclusive. Yet despite this, she is still strong and her passion for aiding those in need has never wavered. She still wanders the vastness of Tamriel seeking hard to find materials and aiding any who truly need it.

Hehe sorry if it's campy or unoriginal, but this is just what I came up with based on my play style with her and her various adventures while enjoying the quests etc. It's a fairly casual/laid back story.

gepe87

Son of a dark elf and a Wood elf. Born in Haven, Valenwood. His mother was a Bosmer Spinner and his father was an exiled Telvanni Mage. Both parents, from an early age, saw that their son had aptitude for magic and soon they taught dark magic to him, and then became a sorcerer. Whole Bosmer's tolerant spirit and will allowed him to be accepted despite being an interbreed elf.

Returning from an expedition to Alabaster, where they aided the Khajiit with Flu's problem, he landed at Grand Topal Island and settled there. Shortly thereafter he was abducted to Coldharbor and thus began his story throughout Tamriel and even fight for the Bosmer,for the Queen and whole Aldmeri Dominion in Cyrodill.

Rontabs77

My main character is a Bosmer, someone who defied his race by being a Sorcerer, but did not acquire unholy knowledge. Silently communicates with Anu himself to banish Molag Baal, and eventually, banish the rest of the malevolent Daedric princes, to chain and bound them all in the deserts of Alik'r.

Rontabs77

...and even the Daedra submits to him, hence the Volatile Familiar.

dazee

Rontabs77 wrote: »

...and even the Daedra submits to him, hence the Volatile Familiar.

Mages often summon daedra.

Rontabs77

dazee wrote: »

Rontabs77 wrote: »

...and even the Daedra submits to him, hence the Volatile Familiar.

Mages often summon daedra.

Yes, but my mage did not acquire unholy knowledge.

Ysbriel

(warden/tank) known as the brass maiden is a battle hardened adventurer from the land of Skyrim traveling the world always getting herself into some risky business, you might see her once in a while in Cyrodiil seeking glorious battle.

(dragonknight/ magicka DD)A Hero thought to be from an old Reachmen tribe lineage he is sometimes described as a Strong Breton and sometimes as an unusually Short Nord with straight dark hair. His name tends to be mentioned across the centuries only to be remembered as the Hero. (i always use Breton or Nord for this character since he is in every historical account or TES game depending how i want to build him).

(Sorceres/ Magicka DD)A powerful Dunmer sorcerers from the land of Morrowind always seeking to best her twin sister

(Nightblade/magicka DD) Know as the Merciless, her long time competition with her sister has lead her to embrace the vampire’s curse, usually tests her magicka mastery on the Battlegrounds.

(Templar/healer) A powerful Altmer mender who’s light shines brighter than the stars of nirn, once served the Queen in the three banners war, but soon realized there were greater threats for Tamriel than who would sit on the ruby throne and retired from her military service.

(Sorceres/stam DD) A mysterious Mercenary Redguard, she travels like the wind calling no place home.

(Nightblade/ stamina DD) A fast and Cunning Bosmer that met a traveling Redguard mercenary on Elden Wood and after hearing her stories decided to leave the woodlands and see the world.

( warden/magicka DD) An Altmer that was found as a baby by a Skaal hunter who raised her as a daughter amongst his own children taught her how to master the powers of nature, how did she end up there has always been a mystery.

DelfLordBob

Bob comes from a far away land where he once lived a happy life as a simple carpenter. He had a wife and three lovely children whom he loved very much. He spent a few years happily living the life of family man and earned a good living as a craftsman.

One day duty called. His country had been attacked! The enemy used deceit and guile to hide amongst the people until the time was right and when they struck and brought down the great towers, Bob could no longer stay home away from the troubles of his world.

He left his family and began his new life as a warrior and protector of freedom and justice and a defender of the helpless. When he had completed his initial training he was sent to a sandy battlefield on the far side of the world to fight for the safety and honor of his country.

After many long years of fighting, with his body tired and weary from battle and his mind nearly broken from the things he had been through. The Army he had come to love as much as his wife and children, no longer felt he was of value and they threw him to the side.

Bob felt lost with no purpose left in his life. He could not make a living as a carpenter any longer, with his body broken as it was, and the nightmares of war constantly plagued his sleep. He felt as an outsider in the land he had fought and bled for. He was overjoyed to be back with his family but he missed the days when he was strong and powerful on the battlefield. He was lost.

Then one day he met a strange robed man who offered him a chance to regain his former glory. He held out a potion and told Bob that it would restore his body and mind and place him back in the middle of a war. Without thinking, Bob took the potion and drank every last drop. The prospect of getting back to the soldier he once was and longed to be again far outweighed any possible side effects of some potion.

As he finished the elixir and pulled the bottle from his lips, the room began to immediately spin. The cloaked figure pulled back his hood to reveal a sinister smile. "Hello", he said. "My name is Mannimarco, and I thank you for your soul." And then everything went black.

Bob woke up in Coldharbor to find that everything Mannimarco had said was true. His body was restored. His mind was clear. He was a warrior again and plunged back into the war he had so desired. He was once again a great warrior and the loss of his soul seemed a small price to pay. And even though he was in a new world that he did not recognize, he was truly happy. His wife and children came to live with him in his new home of Tamriel. And the longer he stays in Tamriel, the less he remembers of the old world. Earth, with its horseless carriages and invisible webs, is little more than a distant memory that is better left in the past.

worrallj

@bob bravo. Best character backstory I ever read.

Siohwenoeht

Very nice everyone!

I've been working on my necromancer backstory in preparation for elsweyr. Going pure baddy for the first time lol.

No name yet, but:

Male Orc. Once a part of the worm cult and despite being a powerful necromancer in his own right, he became one of Mannimarco's first victims due to his stubborn and insubordinate nature.

After waking as soul shriven, and being that way long enough that he looks the part (mind shriven skin), he directs his rage at Molag Bal and Mannimarco. Escaping back to Tamriel, he studies in seclusion until he can make himself appear whole. Returning to Orsinium, he continues his study, eventually reaching out to the psijics to covertly learn Mannimarco's weaknesses.

As his power continues to grow, his contempt of Orsinium's leadership and their membership in the Covenant exceeds even his hatred for Mannimarco. He joins the Ebonheart Pact and sets about completing both goals, the end of Mannimarco and Molag Bal's plans and the end of the Daggerfall Covenant and King Kurog.

TheRealPotoroo

I have a Khajiit stamblade called Sijoni-dar the Shamed. I cannot tell you the nature of his shame or he will kill me. And you. And your family.

paulychan

He washed up on a shore in Vvardenfell and did everything and then like the game started when he went somewhere else and some hooded person tried to set him up, but he bailed on that fool.
Then he started grinding for gear and skill points and now pugs trials in craglorn.
Not sure what the hooded person wanted

RaddlemanNumber7

This is the backstory of the female Khajiit Magblade who will be my first character into Elsweyr. Some revisions may be required once we actually get the chance to explore Khajiit life and culture in more detail. Names have been changed to protect the guilty.

This is a monologue, not just a piece of narrative text. It should be read aloud in the voice and accent of a female Khajiit, at least inside your head. I find that writing mood monologues for my characters like this helps me get into character much more easily.

Purahni-ko:

You may call this one "ko" because she is dead now, and one of the respected ancestors. Even though she is sitting here talking to you, Purahni is sure that this is so.

"How did such a misfortune come to pass?" this one hears you ask. Well, sit awhile my generous friends, and Purahni will tell you the sad yet wonderous tale of her life, her death and her... Well, Purahni is not sure what to call it - her unlife? No. Her rebirth? Hmm. Like her afterlife but not her afterlife... Whatever. You shall see. Purahni-ko will tell all.

Once upon a time, a ja'khajiits's age ago, Purahni was born an orphan beneath the two dark moons, all alone, deep within the tangled jungles of Tenmar. From the very beginning, her life has been a struggle, but Purahni makes the best of it she can.

Purahni never knew her parents, nor even who they were. A seer once told Purahni that her father was a wily Alfiq and her mother a sleeping Senche-raht. It could have been like that. Who knows. Well, if it was so, then Purahni fancies she inherited her mother's caution and her father's ambition, as you will soon discover.

The truth is that very soon after her birth Purahni was discovered, rescued and adopted by a troupe of Dagi mystic entertainers. A travelling circus no less! The mother of the troupe told Purahni that they found her as a tiny new-born. Naked, blind, and curled up fast asleep, in the warmth atop the mountainous fermenting nest of some great megapode fowl. They were hoping for eggs but found little Purahni. What a happy surprise!

The Dagi clan might have been a travelling circus but they were not clowns. Well, alright, so many of them were clowns, but they were not stupid is what this one meant to say. In fact, they were very wise. The masters of mind-boggling illusions and wonderous mysteries. They taught Purahni many arcane and esoteric magics, also many tricks and pranks. How to use the mystic arts to discern the presence of even the smallest coins, and teleport them from there to here, even if they were hidden from view beneath a thimble or, as it were, locked away. And how to levitate small things, sometimes out of the most confined of spaces, like from within the tight pockets of an Imperial perhaps. Best of all they taught Purahni how to sense the limen hidden within the heavy shadows of the world, and how to slip unseen between them, to deliver surprises and custard pieses within the circus ring. Such japes we used to play!

All these light-hearted games were well and good, but the greatest lesson the circus taught Purahni was the Philosopher's illusion. Or maybe it is the Illusionist's philosophy, hmmm. Anyway, the little Dagi clowns would chant it like a mantra. After every painful pratfall, after every stinging pie in the eye, "crying on the outside, laughing on the inside." From her earliest years Purahni took this philosophy to heart. It is the unbreakable centre of her soul. No matter how bad things may seem on the outside, on the inside, sometimes very deep inside, Purahni finds a happy place to be. So many times Purahni has had to do this.

Alas, the time eventually came when it was all too obvious that Purahni had outgrown her adopted clan. Well, they were Dagi after all. Giants in the arts of mysticism and misdirection maybe, but alas no taller than Purahni's furry Suthay navel. And, in fact, it was this one's furry navel that the clan mother addressed when she told Purahni that she was just too outstanding a performer to stay with the troupe, that Purahni's burgeoning talents were putting everyone else in the shade. Literally. And so Purahni and The Laughing Circus parted ways.

You may think this sad, but in truth it was a joyous epiphany. There and then Purahni's whole life was hers to do with as she pleased.

Purahni has always believed that she has a great talent for drama. Indeed, many times the clan mother told this one it was so. And with this in mind Purahni set out upon the road to becoming an actress of high renown.

Purahni's feet took her to Vulkhel Guard in Auridon. There she hoped to meet the great Khajiit actor Hazaznaz. Purahni was sure that she would be able to persuade him to take her on as his apprentice, and maybe one day understudy him in his greatest role – as the eponymous hero of his comedic masterwork "A Tax Inspector Calls". But, alas, it was not to be.

No sooner had this one arrived in Vulkhel Guard than a hooded stranger magically appeared, right in front of Purahni, bringing an offer from a mysterious benefactor. Purahni thought perhaps that her fame had preceded her, and this "benefactor" wanted to be her angel! So, how could she resist...

But that was then and this is now, and Purahni-ko knows she couldn't resist another drink. [coughs]

Hey, where are you all going...

Hmph. Ungrateful rubes.

bloodmoon

It's pretty long, but it's here: https://www.eso-rp.com/forum/m/9324623/viewthread/32649654-pirates-abecean-tidefall

worrallj

I've made a few, and there's always a special place in my heart for the original.

Duncan Ovar's Journal:

Sundas, 18th day of Second Seed, 2E 582 I have begun a new, soulless phase of my life. But first, for the sake of context and ever desirable continuity, I suppose I ought to relate the first phase of my life.

I was born Duncan Ovar to my father, Toral and mother, Swelieu. Toral was a relatively successful merchant trader in Sentinel, while my mother was a procurer for the city library, and also was a professional campaigner for Redguard cultural change. In particular, she was interested in greater unification with Breton society with the aim of a greater appreciation of magic and scholarly pursuits in Redguard communities.

We stayed in sentinel for some years, but soon the demands of mercantilism caused us to uproot and take to the seas in pursuit of favorable trade. My mother would have protested in favor of continuing her work with the library, but she was fed up with the social gridlock that kept Redguard culture saturated in warrior codes. In fact she relished this opportunity, and she became something of an amateur geographer, writing essays on all that we saw.

And we saw a lot. Unrest between Redguard pirates and Orcish interests made it particularly dangerous for Redguard ships anywhere in the north west waters of Tamriel, and so before I was 15 I had seen Valenwood and Summerset Iles, and before 17 we established a stable trade route between Elsweyr and Blackmarsh that sustained our family nicely. In that time, I grew to love the swamps of Blackmarsh. It was everything Hammerfell wasn't: moist and teaming with life. On nights with storms we had to head far inland to avoid the flooding, and I was in awe of the swirl of thunder, lightning, rain and wind. It's power and vitality stole my heart. I wanted to taste that power.

So I left my home at the age of 24 to go to Morrowind and study magic, in the hope that I might unlock the secrets of the Black Marsh storm surges. I studied there for just over 3 years, when I decided I was in the wrong place. The Dark Elves were skilled in the use of magic, but their expertise was limited and their demeanor was off-putting. And so I resolved to traverse all Tamriel to return home, to learn the ways of magic from the best: the Bretons of High Rock. In my estimation, despite their reputations, the Altmer might have more raw magicka flowing through their veins due to their careful but dubious breeding practices, but lacked the depth of knowledge and wisdom that could be found among the Bretons.

It took me three weeks on foot to reach the Imperial City on my way through Cyrodill, the heart of Tamriel. There I spent the night at the King and Queen Tavern. That was a mistake. I should have known better than to trust the elves, but I was tired and the decor was interesting. After a sup of porridge I paid the innkeeper and took to my room. I drifted to sleep shockingly fast; I suspect my food had been laced with a sedative.

Upon groggily coming out of my deep slumber I realized I was being dragged by two lumpy grunts in plate armor. I heard a scream and saw a blade flash, followed by a blinding light. Then a corpse was dragged off of the table I now saw in front of me. I was thrown on the table. My tired mind slowly realized what was happening. I looked up, and saw the familiar angular, contemptuous features of an Altmer standing beside the table. He held the knife. Before I could will my sluggish mind to react, the blade came down, and I felt the pain of my heart bursting. And then more pain. It felt as if every bit of feeling I had in my body had suddenly turned into screams of wrenching protest at something abominable happening inside me.

Then I was free, and the pain was gone, but an emptiness had replaced it. I was floating through grey mist, lost and empty. Then my memory fades, and the next thing I remember was finding myself kneeling on the floor. The floor.... of Coldharbor.

Ilision

Hello all, hope all is well.
This is not a history of my character but a documentation of one of the days inside the magical world of Tamriel. When I have these type of experiences I try to document them so I can share them with others and I just like to write

Notes.

Auridon - May 15, 2019.

Stumbled across a small cave today. Nothing out of the ordinary except for noise coming out of it. Upon getting to the entrance I have noticed two giant snakes sleeping. I don’t think I have ever seen snakes this big before and why are they asleep at the entrance? The hissing coming out of the cave was extremely loud, “They must be protecting something,” I thought.

The other thought on my mind was, “How am I getting past these giant snakes?” I approached the entrance, the snakes and stopped only to see a fellow Khajitt run right in between the snakes and waking them up. Taking a few steps back I have noticed that the creatures did not notice me but instead went after a lighter in color Khajitt who has just awakened them. I chuckled and went inside only to find several more giant snakes and the two previously wakened ones coming straight for me.
Crouching and rolling behind a stone structure in the middle of the cave I avoided them spotting me. Once the commotion stopped, I found myself surrounded by giant sleeping beasts and what appeared to be their Nest Mother. She had her own indentation in one of the walls in the cave and right behind her was a juicy node of ore that I have never seen before. It sparkled and let out a radiant aura even in the dark wet cave.

Sadly, there was no way to reach it without waking her. I sat on the rocky structure to think, only to hear multiple voices and what appeared to be a group of heroes entering the cave wearing black and golden gear, lit on fire weaponry behind them was their healer. Advancing towards the Nest Mother with determination to destroy the sleeping creature, they were casting support auras. The noise from the smashing of the metal gear they wore woke the Mother from her sleep.

The creature stood tall, possibly three times the size of a Khajitt. She hissed and soon heroes were surrounded by other giants resembling the Mother. Not long after the bright flashes of light and lightning have seized it was quiet once again. Four heroes stood over dead giant snakes, the Nest Mother and one of their own. While picking the gear of the dead creatures, undiscovered to them I approached the node of that shiny metal, collected it and ran out of the cave.

I think tomorrow I will head to town and see what I can get for the metal.

Tommy_The_Gun

I am creating story of my character as I play the game... And so far it is quite a long story.
I play since ESO was launched (2014). I used a "memory loss" cliche (as it is most likely to happen whe one will have its own soul lost abruptly). This explains pretty well why I had very low "level" and did not know anything about the world, my proffesion and who I was. The only thing I remembered is my name.

The basic, unwritten quest that my character has is to find who he was and where is his home.

Eirikir

Not much is known of Eirikir Strong-Heart. People see him about sure. Working the forge, buying or selling supplies in town, sometimes out in the wilderness collecting something or another.

He seems a nice enough Nord. Quiet sure, but it isn't hard to get his help with something. That big hammer of his though, what does he call it? Oh right, he doesn't like to say it's name, but by the Eight it's big. One guy I know asked him once, said it had a magic to it, an old thing passed down. Best to leave it be, though when asked what he used it for he joked and said it was for stubborn metal in the forge.

I don't know much else, I've only met him a few times. He is a man in the prime of his life, but at the same time seemed so old of spirit. You know I can't recall when I first saw him. In fact no one can, he's just sort of always been a part of the background it seems... strange.

vintagepax

Okurei is an Argonian who left Argonia for the thrill of adventure, which led her to Morrowind. She's a mercenary who wants to follow in the footsteps of Shadowscales past, and is bloodthirsty and lives for the thrill of a fight. And after escaping Dunmeri slavers in Vvardenfell and witnessing this horror firsthand, Okurei sees this new land not as something to be feared, but as an opportunity for profit and vengeance... for both her and her people.

Dutchessx

My main character is named Gwendolyn Ashford and nicknamed Dutchess, she is a Breton. Her father was a minor official who was assigned to the northwestern area of the Reach on the border of Skyrim. She herself was born and lived for a while in Wayrest. She has a brother named Ryan Ashford. Her parents often visited a small Nord village on the border of Skyrim, where they are tolerated by the locals because Gwen’s mother is a healer. One day while her parents were visiting the small village an Orsimer raiding party came down out of the mountains. Her parents and brother were killed. They proceeded westward into the Reach where they ransacked her home. Gwen barely escaped with her life. She fled into the mountains of Skyrim. She meets a young Nord woman named Danica the Huntress, who cares for her and takes her back to her camp. There the other Nords are skeptical and take her as a prisoner back to Riften. Along the way they find out she is a healer. Through a lot of work of gaining trust of the Ebonheart Pact Army she finds her way through the 3 Banners war. Her countrymen consider her and her family traitors and the Pact is wary of her. Her story centers around her adventures during the 3 Banners War. She joins many guilds including Guild of Shadows and Darkest Requiem. When those days have ended does she stay with the Pact or return home to Highrock?

Note: Gwen’s (aka Dutchess) is partially from her adventures in Cyrodiil. Some actual battles are used but names are either changed, included into other existing characters, or used with permission of the owners at the time they are written. The author attempts to stay true to the lore and to the personalities of the characters whose names are used in her stories. I have been writing these stories on & off for the past 5 yrs, unfortunately my original computer crashed and I lost several years worth.

Llaren_Uvayn

Keep it going, I like reading these!



Cemnarion is a *** son altmer, so he has no family name. At age 13, his family kicked him out because they felt it was awkward and a disgrace to have a *** son. A travelling dunmer took him under his care and Cemnarion moved to Suran in Vvardenfell. He got an education and came to worship Azura, Boethia and Mephala. He respects the Tribunal but has his reservations about their godhood, not wanting to upset the great daedric princes. His dunmer patron passed away and Cemnarion moved into the world at age thirty.

He decided to go back to the west and visit Auridon and the Summerset Isles. On his way through Grahtwood, though, something strange happened at night. Cemnarion woke up without his sword and armour, covered in blood, remembering only that he had felt an irresistible compulsion to hunt the night before. He knows that Hircine had appeared before him but not what occurred since then. He doesn't even realise that he's a lycanthrope.

Now Cemnarion serves queen Ayrenn and the Aldmeri Dominion but he still experiences blackouts at night. He's beginning to suspect what's going on but refuses to acknowledge it, even to himself.

Llaren_Uvayn

Llaren Uvayn is a lowborn dunmer from Vivec. His parents died at a fairly young age but he was taken in by House Redoran. They trained and educated him and taught him the value of House Honour and Tribunal worship.

Ihsan997

RaddlemanNumber7 wrote: »

This is the backstory of the female Khajiit Magblade who will be my first character into Elsweyr. Some revisions may be required once we actually get the chance to explore Khajiit life and culture in more detail. Names have been changed to protect the guilty.

This is a monologue, not just a piece of narrative text. It should be read aloud in the voice and accent of a female Khajiit, at least inside your head. I find that writing mood monologues for my characters like this helps me get into character much more easily.

Purahni-ko:

You may call this one "ko" because she is dead now, and one of the respected ancestors. Even though she is sitting here talking to you, Purahni is sure that this is so.

"How did such a misfortune come to pass?" this one hears you ask. Well, sit awhile my generous friends, and Purahni will tell you the sad yet wonderous tale of her life, her death and her... Well, Purahni is not sure what to call it - her unlife? No. Her rebirth? Hmm. Like her afterlife but not her afterlife... Whatever. You shall see. Purahni-ko will tell all.

Once upon a time, a ja'khajiits's age ago, Purahni was born an orphan beneath the two dark moons, all alone, deep within the tangled jungles of Tenmar. From the very beginning, her life has been a struggle, but Purahni makes the best of it she can.

Purahni never knew her parents, nor even who they were. A seer once told Purahni that her father was a wily Alfiq and her mother a sleeping Senche-raht. It could have been like that. Who knows. Well, if it was so, then Purahni fancies she inherited her mother's caution and her father's ambition, as you will soon discover.

The truth is that very soon after her birth Purahni was discovered, rescued and adopted by a troupe of Dagi mystic entertainers. A travelling circus no less! The mother of the troupe told Purahni that they found her as a tiny new-born. Naked, blind, and curled up fast asleep, in the warmth atop the mountainous fermenting nest of some great megapode fowl. They were hoping for eggs but found little Purahni. What a happy surprise!

The Dagi clan might have been a travelling circus but they were not clowns. Well, alright, so many of them were clowns, but they were not stupid is what this one meant to say. In fact, they were very wise. The masters of mind-boggling illusions and wonderous mysteries. They taught Purahni many arcane and esoteric magics, also many tricks and pranks. How to use the mystic arts to discern the presence of even the smallest coins, and teleport them from there to here, even if they were hidden from view beneath a thimble or, as it were, locked away. And how to levitate small things, sometimes out of the most confined of spaces, like from within the tight pockets of an Imperial perhaps. Best of all they taught Purahni how to sense the limen hidden within the heavy shadows of the world, and how to slip unseen between them, to deliver surprises and custard pieses within the circus ring. Such japes we used to play!

All these light-hearted games were well and good, but the greatest lesson the circus taught Purahni was the Philosopher's illusion. Or maybe it is the Illusionist's philosophy, hmmm. Anyway, the little Dagi clowns would chant it like a mantra. After every painful pratfall, after every stinging pie in the eye, "crying on the outside, laughing on the inside." From her earliest years Purahni took this philosophy to heart. It is the unbreakable centre of her soul. No matter how bad things may seem on the outside, on the inside, sometimes very deep inside, Purahni finds a happy place to be. So many times Purahni has had to do this.

Alas, the time eventually came when it was all too obvious that Purahni had outgrown her adopted clan. Well, they were Dagi after all. Giants in the arts of mysticism and misdirection maybe, but alas no taller than Purahni's furry Suthay navel. And, in fact, it was this one's furry navel that the clan mother addressed when she told Purahni that she was just too outstanding a performer to stay with the troupe, that Purahni's burgeoning talents were putting everyone else in the shade. Literally. And so Purahni and The Laughing Circus parted ways.

You may think this sad, but in truth it was a joyous epiphany. There and then Purahni's whole life was hers to do with as she pleased.

Purahni has always believed that she has a great talent for drama. Indeed, many times the clan mother told this one it was so. And with this in mind Purahni set out upon the road to becoming an actress of high renown.

Purahni's feet took her to Vulkhel Guard in Auridon. There she hoped to meet the great Khajiit actor Hazaznaz. Purahni was sure that she would be able to persuade him to take her on as his apprentice, and maybe one day understudy him in his greatest role – as the eponymous hero of his comedic masterwork "A Tax Inspector Calls". But, alas, it was not to be.

No sooner had this one arrived in Vulkhel Guard than a hooded stranger magically appeared, right in front of Purahni, bringing an offer from a mysterious benefactor. Purahni thought perhaps that her fame had preceded her, and this "benefactor" wanted to be her angel! So, how could she resist...

But that was then and this is now, and Purahni-ko knows she couldn't resist another drink. [coughs]

Hey, where are you all going...

Hmph. Ungrateful rubes.

I like the immersion of the first-person narration! The suggestion for the accent was a nice touch, too.

Ihsan997

You notice a weathered piece of paper in the alleyway, laying in a conspicuously empty corner of the city. The paper bears an official-looking but broken seal.

—

Imperial Intelligence Dossier #6354B

Person of Interest Case Study Series, vol. 24

Re: an itinerant heretic in Elsweyr

Good day to you, Lieutenant Abrosio; I hope that this communication reaches you swiftly and at a most convenient time.

I believe I have some answers to your recent inquiry in regard to the blasphemer in question. After conferring with both our field agents as well as a double agent we have placed in the Aldmeri Dominion, I’ve reached the conclusion that the person of interest in Elsweyr, the saboteur of the Sixth Legion’s Mission 74HC, and the accused radical in last year’s unrest in Summerset are all the same person. I believe that we’ve found Paradox.

If my suspicion proves correct, then we may have discovered a diplomatic boon. Paradox has warrants for his arrest issued by both the Dominion as well as the Daggerfall Covenant; though we have evidence which refutes any possible origin in the Eboneart Pact, there is still a propaganda opportunity available for all three factions. Such an opportunity could prove useful in any future negotiations with the three factions. However, I urge you to exercise caution: Paradox is a person of interest for a reason. He’s been tied, directly or indirectly, to the murder of two of our agents, multiple Aldmeri law enforcement officials, and at least three Dark Brotherhood assassins. Consider him armed and dangerous and warn your staff accordingly before attempting to engage.

Personal background:

Speculation on Paradox’s origins comprises the weakest area of our case study so far. To speak of what has been disconfirmed is easier in this case, though unsatisfying. I’ve assigned a new graduate to this aspect of the case and will update you as more intelligence is gathered.

Eyewitness reports strongly refute origins among the beastfolk, while familiarity with Tamrielic culture is strong enough to disconfirm rumors of demonic or fey creature background. His magical capabilities suggest a period of study falling roughly between fifteen and fifty years per standard training patterns set by the schools of magic; this would set a window for possible age of anywhere between thirty to ninety years, confounding our efforts to narrow his ethnicity to specifically mer or man based on lifespan.

Hearsay has placed him as a citizen of all three factions, though such an individual would have left a longer paper trail, rendering such claims baseless. His dimensions also obfuscate our efforts in this domain. Eyewitness accounts place him anywhere between 5’8” to 6’0” even between witnesses of the same exact incidents; any attempt to racially profile him, in light of the above, would yield unreliable results. Efforts to confirm actual citizenship based on ethnicity are thus hampered.

Subversive activity:

I’ve elected to place this section before the subsequent log of criminal activity due to significance. Although several of our beginner agents tend to focus on outright infractions of the law first, Paradox poses the most threat to social stability indirectly through behavior which, while not technically illegal, has destabilized entire regions.

Foremost on my mind, as well as yours per our previous exchange, are his current efforts in Elsweyr. As he’s done on previous incidents, Paradox is currently masquerading as a savior to the downtrodden via his literacy efforts in the province. Many of the most lowly and untouchable communities of Khajiit, holding no prestige even within their own society, have achieved full literacy through highly localized, clandestine efforts by Paradox. This has earned him grassroots support among the remote and neglected populations of Elsweyr, both among participants in his pernicious program as well as uninvolved locals who have been affected by his revolutionary ideology. Dominion tax collectors have reported resistance by the local Khajiit peasants for the first time, at times being called to account in public by upstarts demanding access to governmental records. Letters from isolated communities have been passed around towns and larger settlements, sowing dissent in what had previously been considered pacified territory.

As advantageous as internal Dominion strife could be to the Empire, the insidious nature of Paradox’s literacy program - as well as his emboldened behavior in Elsweyr - constitutes a familiar source of alarm. Teaching materials obtained by our double agent, appearing to be alphabet and sentence activities, contain verses drawn from heretical religious texts contrary to the Imperial Pantheon. Written work by local Khajiit peasants, bearing written commentary in handwriting traced to Paradox, was based on models of complaint letters and petitions for redress of grievances, threatening internal stability to the interest of any sincere and earnest governor.

Paradox’s current efforts don’t constitute the first incident of such subversion. Within all provinces, in regions both under direct Imperial control as well as territory held by the factions, correspondence has been found bearing the similar hallmarks of this dangerous heretic’s efforts. Though most previous incidents have been contained, the damage is often swift and unpredictable. In Cyrodiil alone, Paradox or individuals known to have communicated with him have instigated at least three separate bread riots, one full-blown tax revolt, the *** of seven daedric shrines, and one instance of mass lollygagging.

That Paradox has become emboldened by his grassroots support from local Khajiit may be his undoing. His efforts have become more open, more brazen, and more frequent. If Imperial agents can stage a successful rendition, especially in Dominion-controlled territory, the diplomatic and trade value of such a prisoner could be considerable.

Criminal record:

In addition to the aforementioned murders, Paradox stands accused of numerous crimes both petty and severe. Although he hasn’t yet been convicted, his suspicion in so many open cases is sufficient to remove the presumption of innocence.

Though not known to Imperial staff at large, our Aldmeri double agent assures us that Paradox was responsible for the explosion at a Thalmor black site last year. Details of that security breach are held confidential even from our double agent, implying that the full extent of the damage was severe. Almost immediately upon entering Elsweyr, a number of violent incidents involving Dominion law enforcement or paid assassins occurred in a conspicuously short period of time. Every incident occurred within days of Paradox sightings within close proximity per eyewitness reports, though the Dominion authorities are not yet known to have made such a connection themselves.

The murders of Dark Brotherhood assassins, while not technically a crime in certain districts, is also a cause for concern. Retaliation from the Brotherhood could escalate, significantly complicating our efforts to track down Paradox’s location.

Accomplices:

Paradox has frequently made use of hirelings, mostly for transportation and manual labor. Although we haven’t apprehended any such individuals ourselves, Dominion authorities have. All records obtained by our double agent reveal a lack of meaningful intelligence gathered. In all cases, Paradox seems to have granted paid helpers minimal information about his activities, and none of said hirelings remained in his service for significant periods of time.

Most critical, however, are two companions constantly at Paradox’s side. Every eyewitness report makes mention of two individuals, always in disguise, functioning as sort of bodyguards. Composite reports have identified both companions as female, magically talented, displaying extensive combat training, and never speaking. Murder victims obtained by our agents for autopsy match reports in Dominion records, bearing wounds inflicted by beating, strangulation, and restraint by two female assailants bearing shortly-clipped, manicured nails but possessing very firm grips. Indeed, Paradox may not have directly murdered any known victims, though he would most likely be found legally culpable; his two companions appear to obey his commands with precision, implying that they’re either members of a blasphemous cult or otherwise honor-bound to his command. If either individual can be apprehended with minimal loss of life, then I’ve advised our staff to do so for interrogation purposes. If Paradox himself can be apprehended, though, I’ve advised all field agents to summarily execute his two accomplices due to the potential danger they pose, especially to less experienced staff members.

Action items:

My office is on alert regarding this case, though we are stretched thin due to the current defensive efforts in Cyrodiil. Rest assured, Lieutenant, that you’ll receive prompt updates as we gather more intelligence on this person of interest. Paradox is a destructive, destabilizing daedra worshipper who foments rebellion wherever he goes. His heresy can and will be stopped in due time.

Awaiting your call,
Sergeant Lucius Todesta, Imperial Intelligence

—

You find nothing else written on the note. Blood stains cover both sides of the piece of paper; similar stains are on the cobblestone of the conspicuously empty alleyway. There is no trace of any other activity in the area; even the usual noise of the city is absent from that lonely little, blood-stained alley.

Benzux

I love all the characters you all have come up with, a fantastic read, this thread was.
I've got 15 characters, and as I am a huge sucker for creating backstories, pretty much all of them(a couple of them I haven't polished as much as the others) have their own backstories, personalities, and connections to my other characters. It would take too long for me to recount all of them, so I'll just stick with my main, Ben-Zhu.

Ben-Zhu hatched in a relatively small village near the central marshes of Argonia in the 255th year of the Second Era. His mother was the Tree-Minder of the village who took great care of the large Hist tree in the center of the village. This specific Hist communicated with the Saxhleel of the village very often, and they held it as the most sacred of the Hist. Ben-Zhu and his siblings had the privilege of drinking the sap from this very Hist, something only those who were related to the Tree-Minders were allowed to do.

Ben-Zhu grew in the village, showing great skill as a warrior, as well as showing some Magical aptitude. He made friends with a mysterious Saxhleel who visited the village a couple of times every year, called Delves-Deepest-Depths. Rumors said that he was the apprentice of a Shadowscale assassin, but Ben-Zhu didn't care about the rumors. Despite Delves being a few years older than him, they got along well, until one year he didn't visit at all, and never did after that.

As Ben-Zhu was approaching maturity, he showed great interest in adventuring. He frequently made trips to the inner marshes that lasted for days, every time returning with more bruises, but with a smile on his face. He was promised that when he came of age, he would be allowed to leave Argonia and pursue his adventuring career.

Then, one night, something drastic happened that would affect Ben-Zhu even much later on in his life. A fellow Saxhleel who had grown in the village with him was trying to destroy the Sacred Hist tree. Ben-Zhu awoke hearing screams of agony coming from the Hist, and he found the Saxhleel hacking at the roots of the tree and tearing apart the bark. Ben-Zhu attacked fiercely to protect the Hist, and came out on top. As others awoke to the commotion and saw what had happened, the Village Elder, together with the Tree-Minders, decided to exile the Saxhleel who had committed this atrocity. His name was forgotten and the last that was ever seen of him was his tail as he disappeared into the marshes. The Hist had suffered greatly, but it healed with time, though it was forever scarred. Not a single drop of sap was obtained from the tree after that. Ben-Zhu was praised as a hero for saving the Hist from further damage, but he couldn't feel anything but guilt. If only he had awoken earlier, he could have prevented the enormity completely.

But this event didn't extinguish the flame Ben-Zhu had for adventure. As he came of age, he bid farewell to his home and set his sights on Morrowind. There, he became acquainted with an Akaviri Blademaster, who taught him for the next few years to come. From Akaviri Martial Arts, to the careful balance of wielding two blades, to harnessing his Magicka in the form of Destructive spells that mimicked the Dragons of Old. He became a trained Dragonknight, who harnessed the powers of the Earth and Fire to defeat his foes.
But alas, even he could be bested. Captured by Worm Cultists, he was sacrificed by Mannimarco to the Lord of Domination, Molag Bal. He managed to escape his Plane of Oblivion, Coldharbour, but without a vital part of his animus, his Soul. He began to travel to world, and pledged his allegiance to the Ebonheart Pact, believing the ideals of King Jorunn to be true. Suring his travels, he made new friends - and met some old ones, as well as a shadow returning from his past - and banded together with them, forming close bonds with his travelling companions, and even falling in love.

For many years, Ben-Zhu would go on numerous adventures with his companions, too many to count, before finally retiring back to his home village decades later. As he spent his twilight years humbly tending to the Hist tree of his home village, he knew his time was fast approaching. And finally, when Sithis came for him, Ben-Zhu had but one, last request. In his final moments, he gave everything he had, his life force, his Magicka, his soul, to the Hist that he saved when young, so that it may fully recover, and one day his descendants would be able to drink its sap. In return for this kindness, the Hist immortalized Ben-Zhu, making him one with the Hist, so that he may watch over the future generations from every leaf, listen to the tales that would be told about him for years to come from every branch, and feel the joy of both the Hist, and the Saxhleel around it, through every root.

It's also worth noting that in my headcanon, the Dragonborn is Ben-Zhu's descendant, and with the help of a certain immortal, vampiric former mage of House Telvanni, he is able to bring back his ancestor in a forme similar to that of a spriggan's, with bark as his skin and Hist sap flowing in his veins.

FrancisCrawford

I had a character with a story that dated back to another online service in the early 1990s. But then ZoS removed his sneaking abilities. Now his story is simply that he's had a body swap and amnesia, and doesn't understand why he looks like a two-legged lion.

FurySevenSix

These back stories are amazing, I love the level of detail some of you have gone into.

Watchdog

Some of my character stories have evolved a bit more, some are still merely basic outlines of a character concept.

My Khajiit characters all come from a wealthy Khajiit merchant family that was hit hard by the Knahaten Flu. The survivors had almost exclusively been living outside the Khajiit lands when the disease hit. Upon returning, the survivors found the wealth of the family to be in ruins. They had never been the sorts to simply accept their fate and they immediately started to rebuild as soon as they cought their breaths after seeing the devastation laid to the family. They had to sell all family estates to settle the debts caused by the collapse of the family business. They are now slowly regaining wealth, some of them resorting to becoming explorers of ancient sites and Dwemer ruins, namely the cousins S'Rasin, a Fighters Guild veteran, and Ash Ra-shan, a herbalist and healer, who were originally left with only a rented suite in Vivec City in Vvardenfell. Later, pooling together gold with the other survivors from the family, one of the family estates in Rawl'kha was bought back. The plan is to buy back all of the lost family estates, eventually.

There should soon be another character in the family, but I have to come up with another, at least simple, story. There are more family members in existence, but none of them is a playable character - such as the Senche-raht Vethsej-do, who offered Ash Ra-shan his protection and his back as a ride, or little Ja'Varr. a little orphaned kitten Ash Ra-shan and S'Rasin are taking care of.

Ash Ra-shan ("Any Tree", her mother's resignated answer to any visitor's question as to where could the little kitten be hiding in the garden, and it stuck):

S'Rasin ("Shield", the name he earned for being quite protective of those close to him, also lovingly nicknamed "Raisin" in Cyrodiilic by his cousin Ash Ra-shan, due to his wrinkled face and the similarity of his name to it):

My Dunmer characters come from a family belonging to House Indoril. During their child plays cousins Miara Indoril and Danna Indoril found that they both shared facination for both magic and machines. Later on, Miara focused her interest on the Dwemer machinery, while Danna started to thirst for more knowledge on Sotha Sil's creations instead. As they both reached young adulthood, following their discovery of a legend mentioning an entrance to the Clockwork City hidden in a Dwemer ruin just outside Mournhold, Danna decided that she simply had to see the Brass Fortress, no matter what. They explored the ancient ruin thouroughly, and they found an intricate, whirring device made of cogs. Danna touched it, shrinked in size and disappeared in a heartbeat. Confused, Miara then returned to the surface and later moved to Vvardenfell, where she bought a house to the north of Gnisis, conveniently located near the Dwemer ruins of Arkngthunch-Sturdumz. She is currently engaged in the exploration of the depths of Nchuleftingth.

Danna did not vanish from existence, she actually found a way to Clockwork City, and given her talents, she was soon accepted and trained as an Apostle. Following a certain crisis in the drome, involving some unpleasant Daedric presence, Provost Varuni Arvel decided it was time to take the research out of the drome too. There was none better suited for such a task than Danna, whose records were full of terms like "wayward for an Apostle", "unorthodox choice of approach to put it mildly", "apparent exodromal influence residues", "clinging to the outdated Dwemer mechanical solutions due to their supposed reliability proven by the eras passed" and "tendency for misrule". The wayward Apostle Danna, now part machine herself, returned to Deshaan, bought a house in Narsis, and filled it with various contraptions for the prescribed reasearch, of which she sends reports back to the Brass Fortress using Sotha Sil's automatons. The two cousins came to touch again immediately and they frequently visit one another to plan some expedition into the depths of this or that ancient ruin, preferably Dwemer in origin.

Together they found a mounts workshop with some repairable Dwemer mounts in blocked and forgotten part of Nchuleftigth. They promptly sold two of those to two Undaunted dungeon delvers who helped them transport the valuable loot to the surface, Lucilla and Alyona. Miara kept one of those for herself.

Miara Indoril:

Danna Indoril:

Some of my characters are with the Undaunted and know one another, some even adventure together:

Ughrakh gro-Crunarga is an Orc warrior so old that nobody dares ask his age,. He is seeking a challenge worthy of a glorious death. Finding some gold and glory along the way never hurts either.

Ughrakh gro-Crunarga ("Two Blades, son of Blood Shield"):

Lucilla Vigilita is an Imperial from the Black Marsh, and Alyona al-Elinhir, a Redguard actually born in Deshaan to a family of emigrants from Craglorn, the two women seem to always be engaged in their everlasting friendly competiton for who can claim the weirdest Dwemer trinket from their old facilities and settlements.

Lucilla Vigilita

Alyona al-Elinhir

Branhildr Bear-Bane is a true Nord redhead with a tongue as sharp as her greatsword, as piercing as her arrows, and often as heavy as her armour due to all the ale she has drunk, scavenging ancient ruins for Daedric artifacts together with her friend Brawls-With-Bears, an Argonian of many talents, all of which he is ready to put to use, as long as the task involves something worthy a song, such as defeating some Daedra or undead. And preferably a hefty sum of gold too.

Branhildr Bear-Bane

Brawls-With-Bears

Laielena is a Bosmer archer, who will never back down when presented with the task of clearing some ancient ruin of bandits and other scum - men, mer, beasts, Daedra and whatnot alike. Unfortunately, she is nowehere near as sneaky as she had used to be before she took an arrow to the knee. Just give her a while to get enough arrows to last her long enough.

Laielena:

These two have no connections to any other character of mine:

Mabrienne is a Breton member of the Silver Dawn, and follower of Lady Meridia, determined to explore the whole of Tamriel in her search for more werevolves, vampires and other undead to eradicate.

Mabrienne:

Elnaurwen of Lillandril is an Altmer journeyman of the Psijic Order, seeking knowledge as a field scholar.

Elnaurwen of Lillandril:

lonesom3lm

my two most developed characters are based on a pair i already had, but i often recreate them in RPGs cus i love figuring out their stories in different settings. they are:

Dasha-Ma (sorcerer dual-wield rogue with storm magic)

Gadsi Red-Hand (necromancer with focus on ice staff, shielding, and restorative abilities).

born in Black Marsh under the sign of the Serpent, Dasha-Ma was sent to the Shadowscales as a hatchling and raised there to become an assassin. They excelled in their training, but expressed increasing discomfort with the authoritarian structure and the idea of personally committing cold-blooded murder for a living (though they didn't begrudge others such a profession). Time and again they were told that their birth and aptitude indicated they were meant for the Brotherhood, but it only made them more belligerent. A couple of years before they would have come of age and fully joined the Dark Brotherhood, they were finally sent away due to repeated subordination and “blasphemy.” They briefly returned to their birth tribe, but felt desperately out of place and somewhat disgraced, Shadowscales being held in such high regard. instead, they went to work as a sailor for the next few years. They found they felt far more at home on the open sea than anywhere else. while there was still a pretty clear chain of command on a ship, it was mostly for practicality's sake, and no one was trying to tell them what to think. after the years of intense assassin training, sailing a ship was kind of relaxing.

Gadsi was born in a fishing village on the coast of Stonefalls. their family was large and rather severe, and they disowned Gadsi when it was discovered the young mage was practicing necromancy, even though they had little interest in actually reanimating corpses. Gadsi, a most practical soul, prefers to repurpose components of dead bodies as opposed to reanimating them, and considers their line of magic to be more scavenging than anything else. they wandered alone for a bit before turning to piracy, pirates being one of few bearable factions that reject restrictive social taboos against things like necromancy. but eventually they fell in with a bad lot, and it was around that time that they encountered Dasha-Ma.

at the age of 21, Dunmer pirates took the ship Dasha-Ma was serving on. they were captured by Gadsi, whose strong will and and inquisitive mind won them over pretty quickly. When Gadsi discovered their crew meant to sell Dasha-Ma and some of their captive crew-mates into slavery, Gadsi helped them escape at the next port and set the ship aflame on their way out. The two traveled together for a time, becoming close friends.

One night, they were attacked by werewolves and Gadsi was infected. When they turned they were out of their mind and attacked anything nearby, which unfortunately included Dasha-Ma. Upon realizing what they had done they returned to mer form and healed their friend as best they could in their weakened state, leaving Dasha-Ma alone and asleep in a paid-for inn room. Gadsi has avoided them ever since, crippled by guilt.

while traveling alone, Gadsi noticed shady people hanging around in cities telling travelers to go see their “benefactor,” and wondered what it was all about. they followed some of the unlucky souls who went and found out the worm cult was sending them to Coldharbour. they were intrigued, decided to follow suit and find out what the commotion was (instead of, like, capturing and questioning someone. Gadsi is very much the hands-on type, and it's not every day you get to visit Oblivion). to their shock and dismay, they saw Dasha-Ma there, following some Nord to find an old man who could get them out. Gadsi joined them because Lyris and the Prophet seemed to know about what was going on, and also they missed their friend. but when returning to Tamriel, they landed near the coast of Vvardenfell, with Dasha-Ma nowhere to be found.

Dasha-Ma had made it to the shores of Firemoth Island, only to be captured by a group of slavers who had just taken a ship. They fought their way out with Naryu and the others who had been on the captured ship, until Gadsi showed up at the coast with some guards from Seyda Neen. Together, they finished off the slavers, and got everyone else safely back to town. it was then that the Prophet found them, and called them to meet him in a cave just outside Davon’s Watch.

i imagine they do a lot of the quests together, but sometimes split off to do their own thing for a bit. at some point Gadsi gives Dasha-Ma a clockwork dovah-fly they modified so that they can stay in contact when they're far apart.

2Weenies

Larzh gro-Brobara, a young, vain, and egotistical Orc. He left his home and forge to make a name for himself in adventure, hoping to liken himself to the heroes in stories he heard in his youth. Despite being armed with his tempered forge hammer and his father's shield, he does a lot more talking and boasting than any actual questing. Larzh can often be found gallivanting in various inns and locales within the Daggerfall Covenant, showboating and spinning tall tales of adventures that may or may not have happened.

Ingwelende, the haughty and pompous Thalmor High Elf. An absolute stickler of Thalmor-style justice and a bureaucrat at heart, everything must follow an incredibly strict regiment and order for the world to progress. Ingwelende was sent in from Shimmerene by her superiors to help deal with troubles in Auridon. What was originally just a desk assignment turned into fieldwork once the Heritance became public news. Now Ingwelende roams the territories of the Aldmeri Dominion, seeking to correct the flaws of the many and establish order by crushing chaos.

Ozyrin Mandis, an incredibly grim and eccentric Telvanni Wizard. Most everyone in Vvardenfell knows how difficult it is for non-Dunmer, especially those under the peculiar rules of Great House Telvanni, but the half-Dunmeri Khajiit Ozyrin managed to thrive. After inheriting his father's position, he was forced into hiding inside his tower due to the constant threats on his life. Most assumed he died after all of his servants and slaves left, but little did they realize how far he was pushed. Through the vilest and darkest arts, Ozyrin stalks Tamriel to continue his expansive research beyond death as a Telvanni lich.