big feelings about some characters

Notable Relationships:

Hulda: One of the first people to welcome her into Whiterun during her very first trip to Skyrim. She became the mother figure Aoife desperately craved. Farkas: One of her first friends during that same trip. They became lovers for a period of time, and things were going very well for them, but circumstances wedged them apart. However, they remain close friends and still care deeply for each other. Kaidan: Her best friend and current partner. Separately captured and imprisoned by the Thalmor, they escaped together and quickly bonded. Aventus: Aoife's ward, brought together in a mysterious way. Later on, it's divinely revealed to her that he is her son that she had spent eleven years searching for.

Strengths: Quick-witted, smart with puzzles, and is kind and selfless. Alchemy, languages, history, and archery.

Weaknesses: That same kindness and selflessness can land her in trouble. At times, she can be a little naive about how people can be and finds it hard to read their true intentions. As she gets older and more experienced, this lessens for her, but is no less gutting. She wants to see the best in people, even if it isn't truly there.

No Interest In: Exploiting others or their weaknesses. Unbridled power. Too much influence. Being revered like a god.

No Concept Of: Doing too much or her own limits. She thinks she can do it all and fix every problem. Given her star sign, her magicka reserves only go so far, which works against her 'help everyone' disposition. She eventually learns that she cannot help or heal everyone. This is a big pill for her to swallow as she learns to live as the Dragonborn and as someone people look to for protection.

Character: An overall happy/sunny disposition. It takes quite a bit to get her very 'down in the dumps'. She mostly will look on the bright side but can at times fall into melancholia. Neurodivergent (auDHD, PTSD/C-PTSD). Loves to 'penguin pebble' by means of little gifts (trinkets, stones, jewels, flowers, etc) and sharing information she finds interesting. Eager to learn and teach. Flirtatious with lovers but reserved with total strangers. Isn't the type to flirt with someone off the bat, even if she found them attractive. As far as negative traits, she can be a little impatient (like if someone is doing a task she's skilled at and is taking too long) and tends to overthink things that don't need to be overthought. Her and her overactive mind smh.

In Battle: Keeps her distance with her bow and lets her partner tank. Heals others when needed and uses her Thu'um to help shape the battlefield and disperse crowds of enemies. Is not afraid to become lethal for sake of her allies and loved ones.

Distinguishing Marks: 3 1/2 inch scar alongside the bottom curve of her jaw on her left side from a robbing and murder attempt. Freckles dusting her nose. Stretch marks on her stomach and inside of her thighs. C-section scar. Carved initials at the base of her hips. She doesn't know that they are initials at all, only that she was scarred there in some way during her time with her son's father.

Trivia:

Skilled rider. Grew up riding a tiny chestnut mare named 'Septi'.

Favorite drink is spiced wine and cider.

Father's side of the family came out of the Gautier noble family.

Is ~*obsessed*~ with cheese, see reason above (iykyk).

Her favorite holiday is Flower Day. She has many good memories of making flower crowns with her mother and best friend. Those flower crowns reside in her treasure chest back room in her bedroom.

Extremely devoted to Kynareth. Wears an amulet she never takes off unless she bathes/swims in any natural body of water for fear of losing it.

Keeps a THICC alchemy journal/diary full of plant notes/analyzation, places she's been, her thoughts, and various sketches. It's almost always strapped to her person.

Her great-grandmother was the Champion of Cyrodiil and Martin Septims' partner until the end. The reason for Aoife's Dragonborn blood (mother's side) and in addition her connection to Sithis and the Dark Brotherhood (and in turn, Aventus). Honestly she needs a post of her own.

Develops arachnophobia after being attacked and almost dying from a frostbite spider.

Afraid of dragons after her first dragon fight in Whiterun. Has panic attacks before each prepared fight, such as the one in Kynesgrove. She learns to cope with this better as her journey goes on.

Honestly this is just the tip of the iceberg for her, but I didn't want this to be super long. Guess I'll have to yap about her more ;p If you're curious though, this is the link to her fic, and you can browse her tag here :)

To end, here's a rare in-game screenshot of my girl (due to needing to redo my mod order, rip)

As a child she got heavily influenced by Mephala (similar manner wee see Nelkir being affected in Skyrim) and was pretty much her personal plaything (manipulated Shiala to meddle with politicians, planting false evidence and killing in Her name) and even though Shiala has no interest of becoming a new Champion for her, Mephala has a certain interest in her, due to the circumstances of her being born from a writ. I call her a writ-spawn in few occasions. She’s not the only one of her kind, of course.

Notable relationships:

Brynjolf: A thief with nimble fingers a silver tongue and an old assassin who’s versed in illusion and manipulation? What could possibly go wrong. Neither of them trust each other and their motives as they meet. It’s a complicated road of attachment-issues on both sides in a world that doesn’t seem to want them to be together. They’ll get there, one day, but at what cost? :)

Erandur: Shiala’s previous relationship before Brynjolf. Passionate, but messy. Wrong place at the wrong time-kind. While Erandur wanted redemption, Shiala looked for revenge.

Aranea Ienith: Becomes one of Shiala’s best friends after she helps her to restore Azura’s star.

Glover Mallory: A father Shiala never had after she moves to Solstheim. When Shiala wants to become something else than a weapon to be used by others, Glover is there for her more than her mother is. He teaches her almost everything to know about being a thief. I adore their relationship so much.

Faenre Rilvayn: Shiala’s mother. Owner of the Ebony Blade before it found its way to Irileth in Whiterun. Wanted Shiala to become her successor and let Mephala manipulate Shiala without intervening. When Shiala found out about it, she began to distant herself from her and everything related to Morag Tong and Mephala.

Karliah Indoril: They bond after all the Nightingale-stuff comes around and also learn that they are related to each other. (Not that closely, but close enough)

Strengths:

Manipulation, she can be very convincing.

Related to above, she is a master of illusion-magic

Very good at killing (thanks Mephala)

Pickpocketing

The ability to remain unseen

Weaknesses:

Reckless, a little arrogant. Thinks herself invisible at times.

Lockpicking (lmao)

Lust for power that has blinded her more than once.

Never thinks she’s good/strong enough.

No interest in:

Fame, would rather have people believe the Dragonborn is dead

What strangers think of her

The civil war and politics of Skyrim, yet keeps getting dragged into it against her will.

No concept of:

The limits of her own body, tends to push herself too hard

Character:

Appears cold at first, has a bit of a resting bitch-face going on. Enjoys making people squirm with her humour. She is not ashamed of getting a bit flirty.

In battle:

Agile, bit of a glass-cannon. Kill it before it kills you-attitude. Uses two daggers, and sometimes Chillrend as a main weapon — prefers daggers though most of the time. Uses illusion magic to confuse/fear enemies and rally allies, if she isn’t fighting alone. Prefers close combat overall but isn’t too shabby with a bow. Has a natural talent for murder and has Mephala’s favour from birth, which gives her an advantage of finding weak points of her enemies. (It has a visual form much like a Dragon Aspect, stay tuned for me drawing it one day)

Distinguishing marks:

Hermaeus Mora’s spread corruption on her hands, appears as black, dipped in ink-like fingertips.

Small scars here and there on her body but the most visible will be the stab wound on her chest from Mercer’s blade, that had complications while it was healing. Sometimes she uses glamour/illusion magic or gloves to cover herself while in public.

She also has purple eyes which is a little unusual for a dunmer.

Trivia:

Suffers from memory loss thanks to meddling a little bit too close with Hermaeus Mora, struggles to remember some people from her past as well (biggest being Amelith, her past lover)

She used to be awful at picking locks — and still isn’t the greatest and often depends on illusion/alteration magic to work on her favour . (Glover used to craft her enchanted picks to make her life easier)

Her favourite drink is Velvet LeChance

Used to prank Talvas a lot in the past which gave her a nickname of “Trickster of Telvanni”, which Neloth called her once and it stuck afterwards.

Is afraid of spiders, ironically enough considered she’s supposedly Mephala’s love-child

Doesn’t worship any Daedric Prince but will exchange favours for their blessings without much of a second thought, mainly Hermaeus Mora, Nocturnal, Boethiah.

Unfortunately I don't have a ref-sheet for Shiala to show off for this (Maybe I'll finally get to it tonight) so here enjoy one of the portraits I made of her as at least some sort of a picture haha