seabound

Aah, that’s tough! We’ll talk about Rathdenek though, since’s he’s been mentioned more. 

For starters, he’s a rather large black dragon. I doodled him once here. 

Personality wise, Rath is pretty grumpy generally. He’s skeptical and unconvinced by most superstitions, and likes to investigate such things himself. As a dragon, he believe’s he’s seen most things worth noticing, but privately likes to be proven wrong. While he’s not as cryptic as my other dragons, such as Nahlotmarok, he still finds himself getting off track every once in awhile, when discussing the things he’s seen to Cirvinde. 

Rathdenek’s awakening happened in southern Skyrim, not too close to Falkreath, but within that area. Being naturally solitary as dragons are, but not interested in dominating anyone or anything, he flies south and lingers here and there as the Dragon Crisis rages on. He secludes himself to various islands off of the coasts of Hammerfell and Valenwood. Rath picks up on random goings ons here and there as they happen. Learns of Cir’s growing popularity, but isn’t interested until after Alduin is defeated. He’s almost offended a mortal could outdo a dragon, especially one such as Alduin. 

Needless to say, a challenge or two later after learning the Dovahkiin actually resides in Valenwood often times, it’s not difficult to track him down, test his strength, and be utterly floored at them being evenly matched. Of course, Rathdenek is still a massive dragon, and the fight ends with him pinning Cir. Out of curiosity, the sweet boyo is left alive. 

There’s a...weird spark between them, like something has been missing, but both sort of ignore it because that’s weird. Rathdenek ends up following Cir around along with the other dragons here and there, but he’s the most loyal. 

“They are mine,” she gave in answer, not coldly given but with a bit of impatience woven in. “And exactly the kind of childrenlings you are thinking, I’d imagine.”

Her gaze narrowed, the She-Dov glancing him up, down. Taking in his size, his stance — breathing in his scent. A conclusion was made and Viirmeyzahaak sheathed her blade, free hand now returning to cradle the egg as one would a babe.

“You will have eight,” she offered, returning to a seat within the bed of coals so as not to deny her progeny its life-giving heat. “A question for each of my children.”

“Right, expected as much and rightfully yours.”

The idea of dragon hatchlings was mystifying. Granted, he did not know much in the way of dragons to begin with, but considering the means it took to revive them, he deduced infant dragons were a rarity. He had not read any text regarding them, nor heard even the suggestion by those who had begun to council him as he sought knowledge to cripple Alduin.

The prospect of only eight questions weighed on him regardless. Naturally, many curiosities he had were unorganized in his mind, and plucking even one from a sea of many was proving difficult as he leaned against a stone behind him and considered. 

“Hm. Not very many and yet too much to wonder at...” He mumbled.

i’ve been improving so much lately, here is a boy being handsome as hell in the forest

4: Is there anything enjoyable about writing your muse?

Oh, so there’s so many great things! Cir is upbeat and excitable, making him one of my friendlier muses, and thus easier to throw at people. He also has a very specific way of speaking, so it challenges me as an rper when I’m coming up with dialogue. Also he is just....so sweet. 

6: Do you have any roleplaying pet peeves?

I dislike it when text is formatted so small I can’t see it without my glasses! And even then, sometimes I still have to strain my eyes. 

16: [OC] What gave you the inspiration for your muse?

At first glace with the unfamiliar eye, Tamriel as a whole might seem a typical sort of ‘medieval’ landscape where men and women have specific gender roles. In its entirety to the lore-familiar, however, there doesn’t seem to be any strict, nationwide cultural belief about how gender roles are to be enforced. In individual societies, yes, such as Orcs, or perhaps in Summerset. Here we will briefly be discussing Valenwood and Bosmeri society and how they go about gender roles.

Altogether, there isn’t as much lore on the Bosmer as I’d like, but from what we can gather, they’re a flexible, varied society. Each tribe and territory may have some similarities, but customs are broken down into what is happening for each clan. Are they Pact, are they not? Are they friendly to strangers, and so on. That’s all part of a bigger post maybe, but as far as gender roles and fluidity within the tribes themselves, my headcanon goes as follows:

The Bosmer do not have solid, assumed gender roles, nor do they follow any sort of code for how gender is supposed to be perceived. There are as many female hunters as there are male, some men take on the homemaker roles, etc. In fact, they do not even see it that way. For them, if you have the personality best suited for a position, and you want to take it up, you are welcomed to.

There are a few titles such as the Green Lady that may have some implications, and you can take that for what you will. As for the Silvenar, though, it’s often accompanied by an assumed male status by the community, but I do not think that is a requirement.

“He reflects the state of the Bosmer people in his way of thinking, his health, and even his gender.”

Suggesting that how the gender is perceived by the Silvenar, may not need to be male. To me, this further supports that (Westernized) gender expectations are nonexistent, and there are no gendered requirements for much of Bosmer society

Also on the topic, I do not think the Bosmer are bothered if someone identifies as more fluid, or by extension, transgender. As a relatively laid-back society with a few strict traditions, they seem to welcome diversity, and with this, are more accepting those with different backgrounds. There’s a Bosmeri phrase, found in An Overview of Gods and Worship in Tamriel, stating, “One man’s miracle is another man’s accident.” Suggesting that it’s within a running moral code to understand that while someone might view something as a positive, uplifting experience, another may not.

With that, I do not think it's woefully uncommon to come across a Bosmer who identifies as more gender fluid, or transgender. Obviously, they are going to have different words for it than we do in our culture. A prime example is of the Native term "Two Spirit," and how it's not an appropriate term unless you are applying it with Native American standards in mind, who often have their own cultural gender spectrum within tribes. (This is my understanding of it as a non-Native person.) It could be arguably similar to this, in which applying terminology as a whole vs applying it to Bosmer society is going to have different meaning.

“A pulse,” she echoed, the words slipping softly as she drew her thumb absently across the egg’s surface. “Of course.”

Though no following words were offered in explanation for the conclusion she silently came to, Vera’s stance softened — though the blade remained in the direction of the elf. He wasn’t…what she expected, but expectations and reality had been muddied of late. Misdirection wouldn’t lower her guard despite this, as Vera’s gaze affixed to his.

“Now you have seen, I would have you leave,” she demanded in some attempt at a polite cadence. “Go on.”

The silence stretched on only for a moment before he clicked his tongue and scrunched his brows. 

“Ah, but, questions?” Cirvinde said quickly, “Many of them, and you seem to have some answers.”

In retrospect, it was possibly considered rude to simply wander into a stranger’s dwelling, but this was something well out of his realm of understanding. Somehow it felt relevant to him, as if many secret threads connected him to this, among other things. If this woman—and he wondered how mortal—knew of the thu’um, and she guarded what seemed to be eggs, then what were they?