#dhajan

~ @tes-gala 2025 - Day 4 ~

another story which could not reach completion before official gala upload , again due to some concept changes .

"Besides," she huffed, "You need something to get you out of all… this," she gestured vaguely at his head. "It'll be so much fun! There's gonna be great food, and beautiful things to see, and you know what? Even IF we get kicked out, it's still the Summerset Isles! And you know I've always wanted to go."

dhajan always have something of problem with give so much for others and never enough for self , due to death of father and role as older brother to safya . during oblivion crisis , and attack on chapel of lady dibella , dhajan take up role of divine crusader , to finish what pelinal whitestrake could not and finally slay umaril the unfeathered .

this was , however , traumatic in self - particularly blessing of talos, which kill body in order for soul to pursue umaril . while dhajan obviously come back from that , would have to put everything else on hold and enter survival mode .

just this whole time interpret less as directly mantle , and more that take on name and equipment as comparison , to be this tool with function - not to become , but to replace .

frankly even if wrong though , think much more compel for dhajan to question place , to figure out how to cope with these new traumas , and to reject this idea in favour of finally try to find truth of heart , rather than submit to mantle ... especially because intend for thaliendir and dhajan to be opposites in particular ways .

OCs as hypnotic subjects

under conditions of full trust , specifically . any hypnotic subject would be less malleable and willing with someone untrustworthy , after all , so not really need to repeat . :)

thaliendir , pre-mantle : 

very giggly and eager , easily compliant and malleable - sheogorathean ideal . will tend to remember everything after session , however - and at that point , blushy embarrassment set in . 

thaliendir , post-mantle : 

no more blushy embarrassment ! mostly , anyway … usually either solo hypnosis , or else one of prior sheogoraths . 12th era sheo in particular still know how to pull strings from within . would happily trance out for hours on end . days , potentially , but then haskill would have laundry list of obligations to catch up with and totally harsh mellow . 

dhajan :

hypnotist would have to wonder if even still awake at all . answers would be incoherent mumbles , movements too labourious to follow simple instructions , and probably soon slip into actual sleep . but like , good , because this man deserve comfortable sleep .

kiliban :

struggle to stay under , things distract and pull attention too much . would also be resistant to most suggestions - even with trust in hypnotist , trauma of authority figures and demands is hard to get past . trance state end up to be not very calm or enjoyable for kiliban .

ellona :

very easy to overwhelm - if ask subject ellona to count to 3 , will fail and start to cry . brain already struggle to sort and process input of all kinds , so trance slow down even further . on bright side , also fairly easy to satisfy : just give some comfy blankets , nice window view or magic light show , and occasional gentle praises , and will be set for literally hours .

fa'zel :

would at first be massive sceptic . but then , sometimes sceptics fall hardest … would be type to forget everything , which find scary even with full trust . would lose pretty much all semblance of speech as well , and ... well ... like cat , compliant only occasionally , much prefer just sit back and chill . would have better time solo than with someone else as hypnotist .

OCs as hypnotists 

under assumption that , for any particular reason , would actually know how to hypnotise - not always canonically true . 

thaliendir , pre-mantle :

mortal thaliendir communicate with sign languages and illusion magic both . some people who lack exposure to illusion magic might find that this is enough to lightly entrance , even though thaliendir do not intend this . further than this , thaliendir would not have much experience , but happy enough to put on magic light shows and let subject chill out .

thaliendir , post-mantle :

this is how men and mer go mad . 13th era sheogorath communicate in language of thoughts - colours and pictures , feelings and urges , dig from depths of memory - all whiz by and near incomprehensible . this alone can overwhelm people into trances . if then add intentional hypnosis to mix , as sheogorath know ins and outs , know how to find and embrace depths of mind ... would really truly enjoy , but mind might never return . 

dhajan :

soft , sweet whispers of praise , physical touch and reassurance to make things comfortable . not much for suggestions - especially as priest of dibella , trance is something of sacred state . would feel wrong to guide any more than necessary , and especially wrong to use just for amusement . 

kiliban : 

do not trust this man as hypnotist . kiliban can and will use magic to send on hypnotic equivalent of bad drug trip , and possibly drive mad outright . that is kind of whole point of xedilian , and even did this back on vvardenfell once . will have terrible time , almost certainly .

ellona :

ellona communicate similarly to thaliendir , with same illusion magic caveat . even so , magic might not play very much role for ellona's hypnosis . would be fairly straightforward , almost textbook style inductions , honestly , as that would be how ellona really learn about first . would have fun to just ask random questions and see where subject's mind float along , maybe some silly suggestions . there is , however , non-zero chance ellona would also hypnotise self and be unable to continue .

fa'zel :

nickname for dhajan is aja , which stem from childhood . young safya could not properly articulate dh sound , so 'ajan and later simply aja stick .

6. Do they identify as intersex (or an equivalent term)? How do they see their variation/s?

yes ! not sure exactly what in-universe terms would be , but on bright side , dhajan was raised with love and pride - variation may be unique , and particularly hard to find company without tools like internet , but can at least always count on self .

9. What do they struggle with when it comes to their variation? What do they find pride / joy / self-acceptance in?

struggle , again , definitely that people do not always read as man , sometimes even despite best efforts . as much as dhajan love to think hey , at least this person say nice things even if wrong conclusion - like if someone compliment as beautiful young woman - would be really , really nice to not have to deal with wrong conclusions in first place .

as for pride , though ? parents raise dhajan to understand intersexuality as blessing of dibella , divine of beauty . to be intersex is to receive one of dibella's most special gifts , that of beauty to which no others can compare .

10. What do you find the most interesting about this character? What do you want to explore / wish canon explored more?

honestly , anything to explore is good - have this tendency to focus on thaliendir because thaliendir is favourite and arguably most " self insert " of characters , which can leave others without as much attention and art :'D

15. How does their intersexuality interact with their gender / sexuality?

dhajan was boy who grow into man , ultimately - with modern terms , would consider self to be cis and monogender . not comfortable when others mistake or treat as woman , and try to avoid signals that might lead people to that conclusion , such as skirts and robes , or clothes and accessories read as overtly feminine .

sometimes people still come to that conclusion anyway , which really , really irritate . dhajan sometimes have to push to be read as man , but then in exchange feel like not always able to express what really want .

16. What themes / motifs / imagery do you associate with this character? Do you associate any intersex symbols / imagery with them?

as lily is symbol of dibella , lilies represent dhajan's devotion to dibella . on top of that , yes , associate dhajan with orchids ! will be honest that not yet totally flesh out why this association would exist in TES universe as well , since this kind of rely on trace back english etymology , but ah ... maybe to at least some degree , can fudge and say this is true in at least one language of TES as well .

dhajan's parents reject this , intentionally and with love . if godly beings do not need to be binaristic , then why should any of creations and subjects ? particularly so with dibella - anything which dibella create or bless is , by simple dibellan virtue , beautiful .