Hi. First attempt at pesky formatting.
Name: Tara (Talara) Tanet Sex: Female Race: Breton Age 26 Birthsign: Atronach Class: Elementalist
Alighnment Chaotic Neutral
Appearance Willowy form, and a face touched with elven features sugggests an Altmer girl once fell into this Breton's matrilinear line.
Skin Tone: Lightly tanned, unblemished by freckling.
Height: 5'11
Weight: 130 lb
Build: Tall and slender
Eyes: Almondine eyes have pale gold irides rimmed with green
Hair: Shoulder length silvery blond hair, pulled back from her face to be partially braided .
Warpaint: A slash of white descending her left forehead with two matching lines below that eye curving across the pronounced line of her cheek bone
Apparel: Robes or unenchanted Forsworn armour
Weapons: Utilty knife
Background
Special Abilities/Skills: A deep knowledge of the flora of hills and forests of Skyrim. Though untrained, a flickering at her fingertips suggests a fire burning bright.
Place of Birth: Markarth
Religion: Gives obeisance to the Earthbones and Y'ffre, and respect to the Eight, a little more to Kynareath. Serves not the Daedra.
Residence: The land
Political Affiliations: Anti Nord
Occupation: Formerly a seller of herbs, now a seeker
Organizations/Factions: Connections with the Forsworn
Favorite food/drink: Water from a forest stream, Juniper Berry Crostata, Apples
Interests: Wandering the land. Seeing the beauty. Serving the Earthbones
Flaws: Has hate in her heart for Ulfric Stormcloak and his followers, can be emotionally fragile.
Citizenship: Abandoned
Relationships: Alone
Personality: Youthfully passionate and comitted to following her calling. A loner and socially inept with most. Subject to moderate mood swings between burning passion and a wanting to skulk in the undergrowth.
4E 176 On a wintry day midway through Sun's Dusk, a girl child was born in an upper room near Cidhna Mine, Markarth. Bothela, who attended the birth, owned the room and the herb shop below. The young mother, Gwenaelle Tanet, widowed a few months past by Ulfric Stormcloak's Nords, was assistant to Bothela. She named her infant Tara and sometimes whispered Talara.
4E 176 Bothela attended the birth of another girl child. Her name was Aethra, her mother kin to the herbalist.
Tara Tanet and young Aethra were as sisters.
4E 185 A morning in First Seed. Laden with a heavy pack holding clothes tools some food and one book, Gwenaelle Tanet took her daughter, by a round about route, to the Markarth stables and caught a carriage to Falkreath.
4E 195 Consumption killed Gwenaelle Tanet of Helgen, formerly of Glenumbra and Markarth. Tara Tanet packed a pack holding clothes and food and crossed the pass beyond Helgen, drifting between the settlements of Ivarstead and Darkwater Crossing
"First Seed. I am leaving Helgen, it's dead to me now. Ma is dead, finally at rest under the ground. We did this once before...up and leave the years gone past, that time we used a carriage though. That day was a blur, as I suppose this day will be. I remember that she wouldn't let me say good bye to my near-sister Aethra, or our Granny that sang sad songs to us and smelt of herbs and other things. I remember how hard it was to keep up with Ma as we went up and down many streets and stairs. She's always said Markarth's a wicked place and never go back. But my father that I never knew died there. Ulric Stormcloak killed our people, and he's well gone from there, but the killing has never stopped.
I didn't, don't have any friends here, well most of them are loud Nords and they don't like me either. Just Mother, when I had her, before I lost her to her bed and her sickness. Collecting our herbs and ingredients to sell in Falkreath and Whiterun were the best. And we'd go to her Special places and put flowers and feathers and other gifts from the wild there. She said it was our due for the spirits of Now.
She didn't sell many potions herself, just a few out the back. She didn't have much 'go' in her. She knew a lot though, songs and stories from her "near-sisters" as she called them, from the forests of HIgh Rock. She was from Highrock, Glenumbra where mer fought men and won. She said never forget the Direnni's are our ancestors.
I might easily, but one thing I'll never forget is her Book. In it was the History of Mundus, and she taught me to read with it, and though I'll never be any good at that, one line is written on my heart.
"Others, like Y'ffre, transformed themselves into the Ehlnofey, the Earthbones, so that the whole world might not die. "
And I would ask her who the Earthbones were, and she'd sing the song of her near-sisters. It says they are the Lords of forest, rock, root and seed. She said I am born to serve them and ward their realm from tundra to forest, from peak to ravine. Watch for the Would-be Corrupters. And I'd get the Lords' gifts of power which are hidden like trout fingerlings in the dappling of waters. That was when I was young and before she got sick.
So that's what I'm going to do. Though I hardly know what it means. I know one corrupter though, and his name."
4E 202 A young woman crouched behind rocks, watching a group of Stormcloaks, with hate in her heart. As she contemplates her lack of skill for any form of killing, Imperial soldiers spring their ambush. A sword hilt descends.
" Wretchedness. A cart full of Stormcloak prisoners, and I am one of them!
Opposite me and can't keep his mouth shut, typical Nord, someone I may have known but not their name.
Worse. The devil I dreamed of killing, the last thought, I remember before finding myself Here, is here too, within reach. Bound and gagged! But so am I, not quite trussed up like a chicken, but near enough to it. My punishment for.... hating, or for dreaming beyond me? or for not doing? It is bitter.
The carts have stopped. They have brought me back to what we called home. I've come back Ma, to die here too. It's not right I should die yet! Can't be my time yet!
They are talking and I am not looking.
Sky! Stone! Help me!
I find them past the walls. Sky is blue today, white soft clouds. Can't feel the wind. Stone....I see one mountain....my spirit reaches for the Mountain and the Sky it meets. Please help me!
Their talking is finished and a soldier pushes me forward, knees on stone, head on bloody wood. As they press my neck and lift clear my braids, my head is turned. I see the stones of the wall, and the sky beyond...
The sky. Has. Answered. Fire and Stone, the Sky has answered!
Later....
I saw and heard and sensed the black winged beast and stone walls falling. And somewhere people were calling and dying. Men talked to me and led me and I followed and obeyed. I saw Ulfrid Stormcloak, for some moments I was distracted but my hands were still tied and I still couldn't kill him and I remembered that was the thought that led me towards death in the first place.
An imperial soldier led me to safety and freed me. And then the blood of Stormcloaks flowed from his sword and from the killing fire I have been gifted with.
I knew I was safe when a passage of stone closed around us and we splashed in water. Then I saw green ferns growing in the gravel by the stream, and the Stone parting for the Sky. I had been given life."
"Others, like Y'ffre, transformed themselves into the Ehlnofey, the Earthbones, so that the whole world might not die. "
Two things are important to her for most of her story ...honouring the Earthbones, and her duty to living and dead Reachmen.
Her story will include a search for -how- to serve, leading to her destiny. Exploring the wilds, and venturing into caves. Encountering people, places and books. (The source of her spells and powers for most of her journey) Gathering herbs, seeking those connected with the elements to strengthen her. Only using magic drawing from this land, never from that touching oblivion, home of those Ones who chose not creation. Not enchanting, not conjuration.
Dragonborn, but never Fus, the shout that slaughtered her father and his kin. Much later on, she will return to the old Nords' mountain.
Skaal and Telvanni, but on Solstheim, she will learn she is insufficient for the task of cleansing the final stone and return to Skyrim, and Winterhold.
Alongside the call to serve and protect the land, is her duty to her kith and kin in the Forsworn. After the Escape from Cindha Mine, she joins with them for a season to visit their lairs, roam her home hold, and kill Stormcloaks. Maybe at some stage she will join the Imperial cause for a time. Maybe at some stage she will rescue the Dibella child and break with her people.
Amending the last section.
I have been inspired by the Winter Bear [ https://www.tamrielvault.com/groups/topic/view/group_id/3/topic_id/9634] to stop and see through my character's eyes. Already, fresh out of the cart, she seems to be heading off in her own direction.
Hi. First attempt at pesky formatting.
Name: Tara (Talara) Tanet Sex: Female Race: Breton Age 26 Birthsign: Atronach Class: Elementalist
Alighnment Chaotic Neutral
Appearance Willowy form, and a face touched with elven features sugggests an Altmer girl once fell into this Breton's matrilinear line.
Skin Tone: Lightly tanned, unblemished by freckling.
Height: 5'11
Weight: 130 lb
Build: Tall and slender
Eyes: Almondine eyes have pale gold irides rimmed with green
Hair: Shoulder length silvery blond hair, pulled back from her face to be partially braided .
Warpaint: A slash of white descending her left forehead with two matching lines below that eye curving across the pronounced line of her cheek bone
Apparel: Robes or unenchanted Forsworn armour
Weapons: Utilty knife
Background
Special Abilities/Skills: A deep knowledge of the flora of hills and forests of Skyrim. Though untrained, a flickering at her fingertips suggests a fire burning bright.
Place of Birth: Markarth
Religion: Gives obeisance to the Earthbones and Y'ffre, and respect to the Eight, a little more to Kynareath. Serves not the Daedra.
Residence: The land
Political Affiliations: Anti Nord
Occupation: Formerly a seller of herbs, now a seeker
Organizations/Factions: Connections with the Forsworn
Favorite food/drink: Water from a forest stream, Juniper Berry Crostata, Apples
Interests: Wandering the land. Seeing the beauty. Serving the Earthbones
Flaws: Has hate in her heart for Ulfric Stormcloak and his followers, can be emotionally fragile.
Citizenship: Abandoned
Relationships: Alone
Personality: Youthfully passionate and comitted to following her calling. A loner and socially inept with most. Subject to moderate mood swings between burning passion and a wanting to skulk in the undergrowth.
4E 176 On a wintry day midway through Sun's Dusk, a girl child was born in an upper room near Cidhna Mine, Markarth. Bothela, who attended the birth, owned the room and the herb shop below. The young mother, Gwenaelle Tanet, widowed a few months past by Ulfric Stormcloak's Nords, was assistant to Bothela. She named her infant Tara and sometimes whispered Talara.
4E 176 Bothela attended the birth of another girl child. Her name was Aethra, her mother kin to the herbalist.
Tara Tanet and young Aethra were as sisters.
4E 185 A morning in First Seed. Laden with a heavy pack holding clothes tools some food and one book, Gwenaelle Tanet took her daughter, by a round about route, to the Markarth stables and caught a carriage to Falkreath.
4E 195 Consumption killed Gwenaelle Tanet of Helgen, formerly of Glenumbra and Markarth. Tara Tanet packed a pack holding clothes and food and crossed the pass beyond Helgen, drifting between the settlements of Ivarstead and Darkwater Crossing
"First Seed. I am leaving Helgen, it's dead to me now. Ma is dead, finally at rest under the ground. We did this once before...up and leave the years gone past, that time we used a carriage though. That day was a blur, as I suppose this day will be. I remember that she wouldn't let me say good bye to my near-sister Aethra, or our Granny that sang sad songs to us and smelt of herbs and other things. I remember how hard it was to keep up with Ma as we went up and down many streets and stairs. She's always said Markarth's a wicked place and never go back. But my father that I never knew died there. Ulric Stormcloak killed our people, and he's well gone from there, but the killing has never stopped.
I didn't, don't have any friends here, well most of them are loud Nords and they don't like me either. Just Mother, when I had her, before I lost her to her bed and her sickness. Collecting our herbs and ingredients to sell in Falkreath and Whiterun were the best. And we'd go to her Special places and put flowers and feathers and other gifts from the wild there. She said it was our due for the spirits of Now.
She didn't sell many potions herself, just a few out the back. She didn't have much 'go' in her. She knew a lot though, songs and stories from her "near-sisters" as she called them, from the forests of HIgh Rock. She was from Highrock, Glenumbra where mer fought men and won. She said never forget the Direnni's are our ancestors.
I might easily, but one thing I'll never forget is her Book. In it was the History of Mundus, and she taught me to read with it, and though I'll never be any good at that, one line is written on my heart.
"Others, like Y'ffre, transformed themselves into the Ehlnofey, the Earthbones, so that the whole world might not die. "
And I would ask her who the Earthbones were, and she'd sing the song of her near-sisters. It says they are the Lords of forest, rock, root and seed. She said I am born to serve them and ward their realm from tundra to forest, from peak to ravine. Watch for the Would-be Corrupters. And I'd get the Lords' gifts of power which are hidden like trout fingerlings in the dappling of waters. That was when I was young and before she got sick.
So that's what I'm going to do. Though I hardly know what it means. I know one corrupter though, and his name."
4E 202 A young woman crouched behind rocks, watching a group of Stormcloaks, with hate in her heart. As she contemplates her lack of skill for any form of killing, Imperial soldiers spring their ambush. A sword hilt descends.
" Wretchedness. A cart full of Stormcloak prisoners, and I am one of them!
Opposite me and can't keep his mouth shut, typical Nord, someone I may have known but not their name.
Worse. The devil I dreamed of killing, the last thought, I remember before finding myself Here, is here too, within reach. Bound and gagged! But so am I, not quite trussed up like a chicken, but near enough to it. My punishment for.... hating, or for dreaming beyond me? or for not doing? It is bitter.
The carts have stopped. They have brought me back to what we called home. I've come back Ma, to die here too. It's not right I should die yet! Can't be my time yet!
They are talking and I am not looking.
Sky! Stone! Help me!
I find them past the walls. Sky is blue today, white soft clouds. Can't feel the wind. Stone....I see one mountain....my spirit reaches for the Mountain and the Sky it meets. Please help me!
Their talking is finished and a soldier pushes me forward, knees on stone, head on bloody wood. As they press my neck and lift clear my braids, my head is turned. I see the stones of the wall, and the sky beyond...
The sky. Has. Answered. Fire and Stone, the Sky has answered!
Later....
I saw and heard and sensed the black winged beast and stone walls falling. And somewhere people were calling and dying. Men talked to me and led me and I followed and obeyed. I saw Ulfrid Stormcloak, for some moments I was distracted but my hands were still tied and I still couldn't kill him and I remembered that was the thought that led me towards death in the first place.
An imperial soldier led me to safety and freed me. And then the blood of Stormcloaks flowed from his sword and from the killing fire I have been gifted with.
I knew I was safe when a passage of stone closed around us and we splashed in water. Then I saw green ferns growing in the gravel by the stream, and the Stone parting for the Sky. I had been given life."
"Others, like Y'ffre, transformed themselves into the Ehlnofey, the Earthbones, so that the whole world might not die. "
Two things are important to her for most of her story ...honouring the Earthbones, and her duty to living and dead Reachmen.
Her story will include a search for -how- to serve, leading to her destiny. Exploring the wilds, and venturing into caves. Encountering people, places and books. (The source of her spells and powers for most of her journey) Gathering herbs, seeking those connected with the elements to strengthen her. Only using magic drawing from this land, never from that touching oblivion, home of those Ones who chose not creation. Not enchanting, not conjuration.
Dragonborn, but never Fus, the shout that slaughtered her father and his kin. Much later on, she will return to the old Nords' mountain.
Skaal and Telvanni, but on Solstheim, she will learn she is insufficient for the task of cleansing the final stone and return to Skyrim, and Winterhold.
Alongside the call to serve and protect the land, is her duty to her kith and kin in the Forsworn. After the Escape from Cindha Mine, she joins with them for a season to visit their lairs, roam her home hold, and kill Stormcloaks. Maybe at some stage she will join the Imperial cause for a time. Maybe at some stage she will rescue the Dibella child and break with her people.
Amending the last section.
I have been inspired by the Winter Bear [ https://www.tamrielvault.com/groups/topic/view/group_id/3/topic_id/9634] to stop and see through my character's eyes. Already, fresh out of the cart, she seems to be heading off in her own direction.
