Shadow of Dawn Full Backstory

  • The Shadow of Dawn Backstory

     

    (Sometime before 188 4E)

     

    Born into a minor noble house in Wayrest in the 178th year of the 4th Era Alayne was the youngest child of two children. Her mother had died giving birth to her, a fact that her brother would never let her forget, even if his resentment was unspoken it was always there she knew. Her brother Robert was 10 years her senior and was being groomed to inherit her father’s business, and estate. She would be married off to some rich lord to curry favour with his family no doubt, she hated that idea which often would annoy her father. Left to her own devices growing up, she would frequent the estates library wing quite regularly where she would read tales about famous adventurers and gallant knight’s often ending with rescuing a beautiful lady or princess, she liked the idea of being a knight more than some swooning dolt. Sometimes she would play with the servant’s children, though she would never tell her father, he had strong opinions about mixing with peasants. Her father had been a renowned merchant who had set his business up in the in the Wayrest docks. He had trade agreements with several notable houses from all over the Iliac bay. Some ships would even go as far south as the Summerset Isle’s, or north to the frozen lands of Skyrim. Once he’d even thought to send a ship far north to the frozen island of Roscrea to make some new trade partners, but it never did get there. It got lost in the sea of ghosts, some storm, ice berg or rogue wave must have seen that it never reached its destination. Her father traded in many thing’s from fine silks and exotic pelts to rare herbs and spices, sometimes even the occasional vintage. He would oft times say that “the Wayrest docks were the gateway to the world”.  Alayne wondered if the land’s far to the south were as exciting as they were in the books she read. Were there really deserts that rolled on for leagues where strange cat men lived? Were there lush rainforests with cities and villages built into the trees high above the ground where savage elves lived? Her brother would tease her and say the elves ate any adventurers who strayed to far into the woods alone, he would finish by saying “or any little noble girls who had to curious minds” and he would pinch her on the nose and laugh.

     

     She missed that, she thought, as her mind trailed off again… 

     

    (13 years earlier: The Sacking of Wayrest)

     

    The year 188 was the year everything changed, it was the year that she found out the truth and the lies…It was an unremarkable day as any to start with, she broke her fast with her father and brother before saying her goodbyes as they headed down to the docks to her father’s business. She then walked down to the west wing of the estate as she would often do to read in the library. It was late in the afternoon and she had just gotten home from “adventuring “with the kitchenhand’s son. They’d ventured down to the market district earlier in the day and pilfered some sweet’s and raisins from one of the unwitting merchants while he wasn’t looking. She knew she never had to steal of course, her father made sure she was never want for anything. Maybe that’s why she did it, some form of childish rebellion and the thrill that she got whenever she got away with it. Whatever the reason she had gotten quite good at passing unnoticed in the crowds and taking valuables from right under their noses. She’d often give her prizes to the less fortunate or the beggar’s, she knew if her father saw some of the things she had he’d wonder where she’d gotten them. Best he not know and if it meant giving it away she didn’t mind, she was a “noble lady” after all. She wondered what her father was going to bring home today sometimes he’d have new books for her, or a new dress… she hoped it was the former. Her day dreaming was interrupted by the sudden donging of bells, strange she remembered thinking, they never rung the bells at this time. She got up to walk over to the window but before she could her brother burst through the doors, the serving woman gasped and dropped the honeyed milk that she’d been bringing to Alayne. Her brother’s tunic was covered in blood and he was dirty and sweaty he must have run the horse half ragged to be looking like that. She opened her mouth to say something, but he cut her off, and grabbed her by the hand and said she had to hide and that they’d killed father and most everyone at the docks. The city was under attack by brigands and corsairs she heard her brother saying while her head swam at the sudden shock of what was happening. He took her to her mother’s old study, why she didn’t know, what was here that could possibly help them? He started at the book shelf, she yelled at Robert not understanding why he’d want to look for a book in a time like this. He turned and the look on his face was stone and solemn, she let him be after that and just watched in fearful silence. The bookshelf creaked and cracked and slowly began to open, her brother grabbed her and told her that she had to go in there and not come out until he came back for her. And that she’d find things that wouldn’t make sense and he would tell her everything once the crisis was over. He shoved her into the darkness and the bookshelf swung shut, he never did come back. She was alone in that terrible dank place for what seemed like days before she gave up waiting for him. 

     

    (Present day: Aboard a Merchant Vessel)

     

    A sudden gust of icy wind snapped her out of thought, she pushed a lock of her auburn hair out of her eyes and headed back to her cabin at the aft of the ship.  The cold air bristling off the sea of ghosts was a stark change to that of the gentle warm breezes back in the Iliac bay. They’d set sail half a moon’s turn ago near the end of Sun’s height, the captain was confident that they’d reach Solitude on the morrow if Kyne kept the wind in their sails. Kyne Alayne thought, that’s what the nords call Kynareth. The captain was a large burly nord who despite his age towered over her. Even for a nord the man was tall. Olgeird was his name and he had captained this ship under her father’s employ as he now did under hers. As she strode across the deck she took note of the heavy oak door to her cabin. It was embossed with patterns of roses and baroque knots, that were beautiful to behold and the level of craftsmanship put into it must have cost a fortune. Father had always been over lavish with his ships. The breeze abruptly subsided as she closed the door shut behind her to retire for the eve. Alayne approached the mirror and studied the scar that streaked across her lower left check. “It’s healed well” she thought to herself. Hard earned though it was it didn’t detract from her features, her checks were lightly freckled, and her eyes were a royal green the shade of emeralds. Her father said she had her mother’s eyes; and her mother’s fire. As the candle light flickered and danced across the walls of the small cabin she pulled off her leather boots and breaches, unlaced her bodice and slipped out of her tunic. The cold sent shivers through her and soon goose prickles dotted her pale slender body. She pulled a night gown on and wrapped herself in the heavy blankets from the bed and let the gentle lulling of the ship put her to sleep. 

     

    (13 years earlier: The Sacking of Wayrest)

     

    Alayne dreamed of the secret room again. She was a child and it was dark as pitch and she could hear the distant sound of bells ringing and people screaming. She sobbed quietly fumbling at the walls eventually finding per chance a lantern with some oil in it, she nearly knocked it over as her hand clumsily brushed over it. She grabbed it down off the wall and used the flint that was strung on the side of it to light the oil within. When she had finally lit the lantern, she made her way slowly down the cold flagstone steps. The steps were full of dust and cobwebs and she heard a mouse scurry away as the light rounded the stairwell. A few moments later the steps broke off into a small room. She lifted the lantern to get a better view, a sudden flash caught her eye as light reflected off a silver sword. She made her way over cautiously. The blade itself was rather plain, but it had an ornate cross guard with intricate patterns and swirls, that met a fine leather grip dyed in a crimson red. At the top of the hilt sat a rounded pommel with the knot of Arkay inscribed around a blood red garnet. She ran a finger along the blade and winced, at the sudden sense of pain. 

     

    (Present day: Aboard a Merchant Vessel)

     

    Alayne jerked awake. Even after having the dream so many times she always would wake just as she touched the sword. She looked across the cabin to where her mother’s sword hung from a hook in it’s scabbard, dawn was just starting to break through the curtains and was hitting the garnet sending flickers of red and pink light off the walls. Would mother be proud that she was carrying on her mission? She hoped she would. She swung out of bed wiping the sand from her eyes warily. The wooden floor was ice cold on her feet and she hurried to the armoire to clothe herself. After she was dressed she sat at the table to eat.  Pickled olives and a slice of not yet stale bread downed with a glass of wine. While eating she found herself thinking back to her last hunt. She knew there was still reason enough to stay in Wayrest her most recent scar was proof enough of that. Though she suspected that with the last beast she vanquished it might make its brethren warier at least for a time…. 

     

    (5 weeks earlier: Wayrest Streets - The Hunt)

     

     She had been tracking the beast for several weeks, it had led her all over the city leaving bodies in its wake, the guard would never deign to lend her aid however. Dismissing her findings as “pointless”, “that’s what life on the streets was like” and,” Why care for the likes of scum”. One even had the audacity to suggest he might have some information for her if they could come to some sort of “arrangement”. The beast had chosen its victims well it seemed. They were all from the lower class; urchins, vagabonds, drunks and whores, people no one would miss. It thought to go unnoticed, but she noticed, and she meant to bring justice to the foul creature even if the guard would not. One of the bodies she came upon, she recognised as a beggar she had given her stolen goods to as a child. The life had gone from his eyes and they’d turned a milky white. His face was gaunt and grey and blood and spittle had crusted on his lips and coarse beard. His neck had been broken and laid upon the ground at a queer angle, in it were two puncture wounds. She knelt beside the corpse and uttered a short prayer to Arkay to take the poor soul into the afterlife. As she rose she caught the surprising scent of lavender and cloves. She had noticed that scent before. One of the earlier victims had had that distinct scent but she had been a courtesan and had most likely gotten the perfume from some nobleman of whom she had been entertaining. Or so Alayne thought. How did some lowly beggar come upon it? He certainly would never have had the coin to afford a courtesan. The only conclusion was that the vile creature she was hunting must be using the prerfume. Not surprising though Alayne had thought, the creatures would often try to fit into polite society attending soiree’s and tea parties of the nobles. If even half the nobles knew that some of their patrons were foul blood drinkers masquerading under the guise of friend, the whole city would be in an uproar. At least then she might have had more luck with the guards. But alas the nobility was all too happy to pretend that bad things never happened, as long as it wasn’t to them at least. She had approached a few of the nobility, over the years and they’d been about as useful as the guards, telling her to keep her head out of fairy tales, and how preposterous she sounded. “Well maybe with the next vampire I kill I should drop it's head right into their laps and see what they do then”. The thought of that had brought a wry smile to Alayne’s face. She made a mental note of where the beggars body was, so the temple priests might collect it to give him his funeral rights and carried on with the hunt. 

     

    Secunda and Messer were high in the sky, and the silver light that glimmered down from them had an arcane beauty. As she rounded the corner of a decrepit alley a hooded man bumped into her and begged her pardon as he carried on. And there it was again that distinct scent, the lavender and clove, she recognised it at once. Alayne cautiously continued on her way sensing a trap. She glanced over her shoulder as the man was just veering down another street, their eyes met at that instant and she knew for sure then it was he who had been hunting her. The creature was bold to show itself to her so brazenly. Her hand had dropped instinctively to the pommel of her silver and she flexed her fingers around the grip. She slid her cloak back over the blade and spun on her heel in the direction the vampire had gone. He may have expected her to follow but what he didn’t know was that she had a few tricks of her own. She cast a spell to quiet her movements and then another to make her completely imperceptible to the eye. She was a phantom in the night, silently gliding through the city streets after her prey. 

     

    She had been silently keeping pace with the creature for a half hour, ducking through dank alleys and passing though drunk sailors at the docks. Eventually the beast came to an old warehouse long since abandoned. The walls were rotted and it had some smashed windows. The vampire entered but not before looking to see if he had been followed. The door creaked shut closing with an eerie thud. With the beast inside Alayne broke invisibility doing a quick reconnaissance around the warehouse. There were no surprises out here, but what about within. She concentrated on a detect life spell and found nothing, then a detect death spell. The vampire showed no two vampires. On the ground she made out several figures none were animals. She closed her fist cancelling the spell. There were some old East Empire Company crates stacked against the wall that she used to climb up on. She vaulted off the stack and pulled her self onto roof making not a sound. She re-cast her invisibility spell and stalked over to the broken sky light, silently dropping though it onto the rafters below. She observed the inside of the building carefully. She saw the corpses lying lifeless, strewn across the ground it was a gory scene, their demise was recent. The blood had yet to congeal and rigor mortis hadn’t set in. She looked away in disdain, “I’ll make sure no more innocents die at the hands of these monsters” she thought. The vampires were sitting at a table drinking from bloody goblets, the cloaked man had taken off his hood. He had long dark hair pulled into a knot, his face was characteristically gaunt and pale and as all vampires his eyes glowed a malevolent amber. The other vampire appeared as a young woman of 16 or 17, whatever beauty she once had, had been marred by the evil taint of vampirism. Her only defining feature left was her ashen coloured hair which trailed down to the small of her back. 

     

    Alayne had studied the Montalion clan extensively, her mother had acquired much knowledge in the years before her passing. She wondered if her mother had ever been able to unravel their abilities like she had? The Montalion clan was well known for being able to “teleport”. Alayne knew from personal experience that this was an over simplification. She had observed several vampires she had fought use this skill, seemingly turning into a swirl shadows or dark smoke and quickly gliding toward her. While physical attacks had done naught but pass through the smoke the arcane particularly light spells could force the creature out so that it became vulnerable again. And she was now able to use this form of rare magick as well. She was not nearly as masterful or talented as its creators, who were able to maintain the form indefinitely and launch attacks whilst veiled in the cloak of shadows. But she was able to use it to blink a short distance and temporarily shroud her self from view for a second or two, as far as she knew she was the only mortal who had figured the secret out, and at times she wasn’t even entirely sure how she did it, perhaps it was luck that had something to do with it ,or more likely the way in which she had learned to use the abilities…. 

     

    Alayne pulled her cloak around her arm to shield any light the spell might produce and silently cast a sun rune on the exit door, then another amongst the corspes and the final one behind where the ashen haired vampire was sitting. The vampire rose alerted to the sudden disturbance of the rune hitting ground. She drew her blade and as she was about to investigate the rune triggered, engulfing her in light and instantly turning her to ashes. The vampire whom she had followed was now aware that she was there, though he could not yet see her. He casted some foul magick at the corpses hoping to use them as minions but as the first one began to move the second rune triggered destroying the remains. The vampire beared his fangs in anger. “Cowardice will only save you for so long mortal, come out and face me and maybe I will give you a quick death”. Alayne stealthily dropped from the rafters hitting the ground on the balls of her feet and tucking into roll. She unsheathed her silver and crept behind the vampire but just as she was about to strike he noticed her. He swung his sword at her and she rolled away from the swing his cut tearing through her cloak shredding the fine material. He followed with a bolt of lightning and it fizzed past her side. The vampire laughed manically and turned into a cloud of shadows and charged at her, Alayne pirouetted out of the way checking the creature’s vicious maelstrom of blows the last one caught her on cheek and she felt warm blood running down her neck. She managed to put her back to the exit and when the creature glided fervently toward her for another attack she skilfully sidestepped, and the final rune ignited blasting a hole into the door and forcing the beast back into a corporeal form. The vampire howled in agony as it smoked and smouldered from the holy light. “You fight well for a mortal” The beast managed with laboured breath. “But did you really think you could stand against me. I have slain innumerable enemies worthier than you girl” it seethed at her. “We shall see if you fair better than your predecessors. They were quite the bore and rather predictable. The first scent of blood and they lost all discipline. For immortal’s you bloodsuckers should really be better at swordplay”. Alayne said smugly. Driven into a frenzy from the scent of her blood and the sleight she just made he charged at her she dashed to the side, her sword cutting into it’s mark. The vampire wailed at the sudden burn of silver. She didn’t give him time to recover and sent him reeling back a few yards with a turning spell. An instant later she had her silver piercing his heart, "tsk tsk, what did I say, no discipline". Unbelieving eyes of fire stared back at her. “H-How” the vampire wheezed. “You’re not the only one who can manipulate the shadows” she said sliding her silver from his chest. He slumped to the floor dying. She flexed her hand and sent forth a stream of flames to make an end of it. And so, she had slain another of the Montalion vampire clan. 

     

    (Present day: Aboard a Merchant Vessel)

     

    After Alayne had broken her fast she began to get all of her effects together. She went to the desk and rolled up the scroll she had been studying placing it into a chest carefully.Alayne’s reason for sailing to Skyrim was twofold. She’d read a while ago from some of her mother’s old research that there was supposedly a legendary artifact in Skyrim located near the small town of Dragon Bridge. This artifact was said to be a sword of unmatched beauty and glowed with such power and splendour that any false life in it’s presence would be purged from existence. More importantly Olgeird had informed her that on his last docking in Solitude he’d heard a Redgaurd pirate boasting of his exploits… those exploits included running his cutlass through a certain noble merchant from Wayrest and plundering the goods from his warehouse at the docks, during Wayrest’s sacking thirteen years earlier. Alayne couldn’t let that stand, she had settled any affairs she had the very next day and had left the estate in the capable hands of her butler. 

     

    As the ship rounded the cove she donned her cloak hiding her silver beneath it and pulled up her fur hood as she stepped out of the cabin into the bitter cold wind. The sound of gulls and bells carried through the air and in the near distance she saw the great arch of Solitude with the Blue palace standing proudly upon it. They had arrived in Skyrim at last. She lingered on the side of the deck for a while taking in the scenery. To the left as they were coming into the bay were the swampy marshlands of Hjalmarch and to the fore of the ship in the far distance, she saw the Wrothgarian mountain range all capped in snow. The ship sliced through the bay breaking the serene reflections in the water upon its prow. As the ship was about to dock Olgeird looked down to her from the ships wheel, gesturing her to come see him.

     

     After Alayne had concluded her business aboard the vessel she arranged her belongings to be taken to Solitude's finest inn, “The Winking Skeever”, a rather odd name to call an inn she thought. As she was just about to depart Olgeird asked her one final question. “What is it that you hope to accomplish my lady ?“ 

     

    “Vengeance”. She said simply and stepped onto the docks.

     

     

     

    Author's Note  

     

    So thanks for reading I hope you enjoyed it. This was quite the lengthy write up but i'm really happy to be able to share with you all. If ya want to see more of this character check out the Build. Thanks again - Furrion

Comments

7 Comments   |   Karver the Lorc and 3 others like this.
  • tirrene
    tirrene   ·  May 15, 2018
    That's some intensive l o r e.


    Although I do like it, her monologuing kinda shows a scientific approach to Tamrielan magick (the exact methods used to fight certain kinds of vampires, for example) that is generally overlooked in favou...  more
    • Furrion 17
      Furrion 17
      tirrene
      tirrene
      tirrene
      That's some intensive l o r e.


      Although I do like it, her monologuing kinda shows a scientific approach to Tamrielan magick (the exact methods used to fight certain kinds of vampires, for example) that is generally overlooked in favour of a more "MWAHA...  more
        ·  May 15, 2018
      Hmm there's no explicit character limit, but there is more of an unspoken rule that if it's a rather long story or section that it's best to cut it down to make it an easier read or more accessible for those who are there to just get the basics of the bui...  more
      • ilanisilver
        ilanisilver
        Furrion 17
        Furrion 17
        Furrion 17
        Hmm there's no explicit character limit, but there is more of an unspoken rule that if it's a rather long story or section that it's best to cut it down to make it an easier read or more accessible for those who are there to just get the basics of the bui...  more
          ·  May 15, 2018
        There actually is a limit, lol. I found it. Which is why my build is in 2 parts. 
        • Furrion 17
          Furrion 17
          ilanisilver
          ilanisilver
          ilanisilver
          There actually is a limit, lol. I found it. Which is why my build is in 2 parts. 
            ·  May 15, 2018
          Oh well there you go :) . I never knew there was a limit.  Still the way you did it was awesome, breaking up the text with picture here and there worked really well.
      • Furrion 17
        Furrion 17
        Furrion 17
        Furrion 17
        Furrion 17
        Hmm there's no explicit character limit, but there is more of an unspoken rule that if it's a rather long story or section that it's best to cut it down to make it an easier read or more accessible for those who are there to just get the basics of the bui...  more
          ·  May 15, 2018
        Not sure why the end of that paragraph isn't displaying properly. This is the rest of it:  But they wouldn't just be able to cast the Montalion clans Magicks unless they observed it for themselves and dedicated time to unraveling how it's mysteries. ...  more
  • Karver the Lorc
    Karver the Lorc   ·  May 11, 2018
    Phew. Now that is some backstory, very nice. And have I missed something, are Build backstories hot now or something? Few more and I would feel obliged to start looking at builds again. Ugh, Skyrim CB never stops haunting me :D
    • Furrion 17
      Furrion 17
      Karver the Lorc
      Karver the Lorc
      Karver the Lorc
      Phew. Now that is some backstory, very nice. And have I missed something, are Build backstories hot now or something? Few more and I would feel obliged to start looking at builds again. Ugh, Skyrim CB never stops haunting me :D
        ·  May 12, 2018
      Thank's Karver glad ya enjoyed the read. I had so much I wanted tell about my character that I decided to make a short story about her. Heh seems to be a few more builds like that from what I've noticed as well eh. Anyway thanks for reading it, and it'd b...  more