#tescheer

[falmerbrook]

@tescheer Week 4: Blizzard

Snow Elf headcanon time! (ft. A younger Gelebor and Vyrthur)

We don’t know a lot about the Snow Elf religious practices, but the sun-inspired motifs and imagery in a place that probably gets nasty winter weather and little to no sunlight for several months of the year intrigues me. I like to think the folks at the Chantry of Auri-El think of winter as a more contemplative time and a time to test and strengthen one’s faith.

#tescheer #tescheer2023 #skyrim #tes #the elder scrolls #snow elves #gelebor #vyrthur #my art #mine #this ended up being more background practice than anything so don’t look too closely at the boys

[babyblueetbaemonster]

25 Days of Tes Cheer, Day 11: Kiss

There's so much room on Haskill's forehead for kisses.

#25daysoftescheer #tescheer #tescheer2022 #tes #the elder scrolls #oblivion #sheogorath #haskill #daedric prince #softly slap Haskill's bald head #this good boi can fit so many kisses #I don't know why but recently I'm kinda obsessed with #my emotional support chamberlain

[argisthebulwark]

Happy week number two of @tescheer folks!!✨ I know that this is not entirely canon compliant but I am too obsessed with the idea of a New Years kiss with Brynjolf to care <3 This is another prompt combo - Kiss and Party :)

With each second that passed, they grew closer to the closing of that disastrous year. The Guild Master was tucked securely into her chair and attempted her sternest expression in case anyone happened to look her way. While the festivities were exciting, they were no excuse to fall behind in her work. Recruits needed fresh armor, new training dummies needed to be procured, and she had a meeting with the Black Briars that she'd yet to prepare for. Sweeping a hand over her table she grabbed a list of jobs yet to be assigned - a meeting with Delvin and Vex would certainly be added to her ever growing to-do list. 

Another round of laughter interrupted her thoughts. The Guild Master's gaze tracked around the tavern and felt something tugging in her chest - thieves gathered around the bar, drinks half finished and heads thrown back in laughter. It felt like a lifetime ago that she'd been part of their group, free from the constant weight of responsibility she now bore.

When she'd been awarded with the position of Guild Master it had felt like such an honor, a reward for what she'd endured. As the months dragged by she'd begun to realize why no one else was eager for the job. Mercer had enough thieving to last them a lifetime, which left her with little more than a never ending pile of paperwork and a persistent headache. 

"C'mon, lass." Brynjolf placed a mug of ale atop her list and the Guild Master grit her teeth. "Celebrate with us." 

"I have tasks to finish." She attempted to wave him off, though a hand around her wrist stopped whatever protest came next. Brynjolf's cheeks were slightly pink and his armor was unbuckled to reveal a dark shirt. Despite her best efforts she hadn't been able to stomp out that damned crush on him. It had stuck around since that first fateful encounter. The smile on his lips seemed to melt away all her worries when he guided her out of the chair. 

"It's almost the new year." He countered and she knew her resolve wouldn't last. She tried to remain wary but the excited chatter only grew as an ancient clock ticked down the seconds. The Guild Master's head felt fuzzy when Brynjolf's hand rested on her lower back, guiding her deeper into the crowd. Surrounded by old friends and new recruits, she allowed herself a moment of relaxation. 

"Been one hell of a year." Delvin's gruff voice cut through the rest, all conversations quieting. The Guild Master's cheeks burned when he raised his mug and nodded in her direction. "But with the help of Brynjolf and his favorite little recruit, we've finally righted the ship." 

Brynjolf's rich laugh warmed her heart. He remained close and bore an easy smile she'd seen less often during the past few weeks. He looked comfortable, like he could finally relax. A large hand patted her on the shoulder the Guild Master's stomach sank as all eyes turned to her. She prayed that they wouldn't expect a motivational speech.

"Choosin’ you is still the best decision I’ve ever made." His voice dripped with sentimentality and breathing became difficult. His gaze always knocked her off balance, heart skittering out of control and hands clumsy when he looked at her. She tended to ignore the childish crush, stuffing feelings down until they became easy to avoid. But as the last minute of their tumultuous year slipped away it was dangerously easy to grow closer to him, those old feelings bubbling to the surface. 

"Ten! Nine! Eight!" 

"I should get back to work." She breathed, enticed by the way Brynjolf had drifted closer. Bodies jostled as thieves joined in on a chant, counting down until the beginning of a new year. 

"Seven! Six!" 

"Is that what you want?" His words were heavy with another meaning she couldn't hope to discern. The Guild Master's throat ran dry when she recalled the old tradition - the myth that kissing your partner as the clock struck midnight heralded a prosperous new year. Brynjolf's deep green eyes took in every move she made and she knew she could reject him now, could flee to her desk and hide behind her work. 

"Five!" 

"No." She answered finally, hands trembling at her sides. Someone's elbow jabbed into her back as they hurried past, sending her stumbling closer to Brynjolf.

"Four!" 

"What do you want then, lass?" Deep and sultry, his words broke the last of her resolve. 

"Three! Two!"

Her eyes fluttered closed and her heart sang when she swallowed against the cowardly urge to back out. She'd sold her soul to a Daedric Prince and faced off against unbeatable foes, she could be brave for this one moment.

"One!" 

Kissing him was messy, arms flung around his shoulders and noses bumping together. He tasted like ale but the Guild Master paid it no mind. Brynjolf's hands steadied her, chuckling into the kiss. One strong arm wrapped around her waist and she was in heaven, Brynjolf's lips moving so easily against hers. It was better than all those little fantasies that had floated around in her mind over the years, clumsy yet perfect. Somewhere off in the distance she heard someone hollering her name but nothing mattered other than his kiss.

She didn't open her eyes when he pulled away, forehead pressed to hers. A soft kiss landed on her overheated cheek but she couldn't look quite yet. Her cheeks burned when she heard one of the thieves wolf whistling and fought to stay in this blissful little moment with Brynjolf.

"Hell of a way to start the new year." 

#writing #skyrim #tescheer2023 #week two: kiss #week two: party #tescheer #brynjolf

[nejackdaw]

Happy TES Cheer! 🎄❄️🎄❄️🎄❄️

Ty so much to @tescheer putting the event together! I'm bringing snowball shenanigans from the Fort--no hot chocolate is safe in the firing zone!

... Oops!

And as much as I love Celann (very dearly 💞) I'm also excited to show you:

SORINE AUTOMATIC SNOWBALL LAUNCHER!!!!

Her special holiday project!

Happy Holidays from Fort Dawnguard! Happy TES Cheer!

🎄❄️🎄❄️🎄❄️🎄❄️🎄❄️

#skyrim #celann #tescheer #week one: snow #ive waited three weeks to show he!!! #a new challenger approaches #i spent seven and a half hours on him :) #also i made sorine look soooo tired on accident lol but its okay shes been staying up to finish her project #dawnguard

[wildhexe]

TESCheer Week Two

It's that time of the year! The holidays are upon us and so is @tescheer! I might post week one at another time, but for now I hope everyone enjoys week two.

The prompt I chose was mountain with a bit of gray thrown in and an almost-kiss. This is set in a completely random time that doesn't follow through with my main fic, Cursed Dawn.

Also landed close to WIP Wednesday, so I'm gonna tag @friend-of-giants, @boethiahspillowbook, @elfinismsarts, @thana-topsy, @v1ctory-or-sovngarde, @umbracirrus, @bostoniangirl21, @arisenlicious, @vivifriend, @thequeenofthewinter, @mareenavee, @lucien-lachance. If you guys wanna participate in TEScheer, make sure to tag me! The prompts are so, so, so good and I want to see what you guys write. Love you all and happy holidays!

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Entirely in Vilkas POV. No warnings apply.

My knees ached as I trudged up the mountain, the snow crunching under my steel boots. Snow fell down leaving a fine layer atop the seemingly eternal blanketed mountain - The Throat of the World. A foolish feat to get to the top, yet I found myself more and more eager to take a peek at High Hrothgar. Entrance, of course, would be denied. But to have simply a glimpse at the looming structure atop the highest mountain and knowing of what legendary men were beyond the doors was enough for me.

A frustrated grumble was heard behind me and I turned only to roll my eyes as I was met with my clumsy shield-sister, the eternal pain in my side, as she had sunk knee deep into a snow mound. I couldn't help but chuckle as I reached out to grab her hand and yank her up in one swift motion, a sheepish smile crossing her features as she dusted off her thick leathers.

"Stop underestimating how deep some spots are, else you're gonna be doing that a lot more." I spoke with a firm, yet amused tone. She had every right to come with me on this journey, yet she was making it more of a chore than a thrilling trip. Her company, however, was not completely unwanted, though I would never admit it to her face.

"That's what?" She shook the snow off the thick cloak I had loaned her the day prior. She hadn't needed it, for vampires don't feel the cold, yet something inside me knew she needed that added layer of protection, if not to only feel normal once again. "Five times already." She finished in between shakes, the snow blowing directly into my face.

"Can you put it back on and stop waving it around? Bound to catch the attention of a mountain troll with all the noise you're making."

"Sorry." She spoke, though there was no indication that she actually was. I snorted before turning on my heel and continuing up the mountain. I could make out the shape of High Hrothgar. We were close.

It was silent again for a time, just the soft crunching of snow. It didn't last too long. As we rounded a steep corner, it took everything in my power to still my heart as Caterina slid and only stopped herself from toppling over the edge by shoving her back up against the thick trunk of a spruce tree. Something raged within me. An anger I had known very few times. Though why? I wasn't sure. I should be worried. Relieved that the tree had caught her. But I discovered the anger was stemming from fear. With no hesitation, I stomped my way towards her, my height and thick armor making my weigh too much to be dragged down the steep edge. That was something that the breton needed to be aware of; that no matter what, she was not made for these conditions.

It had been some time since I let my emotions get the better of me as I loomed over her figure pressed against the tree, both of us just a step away from sudden doom. I glanced behind the tree and was met with nothing but the gray night - snow and fog from the mountain making it look as though we would be jumping into a bed of fresh snow and not to our deaths down the rocky edges below. Cat held no fear in her eyes as she glanced at me with a cheeky expression.

"That would have been bad."

"How many times do I have to tell you?" I began, my eye twitching as I stared her down, her eyes quickly diverting away from me I was hit with an immense amount of frustration. In one swift motion, I placed a finger under her chin and forced her to meet my steel gaze. Her eyes held a surprised expression as she parted her lips as if she were about to speak, but quickly closed them as if deciding against pushing my buttons further. Smart girl.

"I'm going to say this one last time." I lowered my voice as I inched my face closer to hers. "Be careful."

I gazed at her lips. Thin and so pale of a pink that it almost matched the tone of her skin. The only hint of color was the slight inflamed area of her lip that she sucked in her mouth to bit down on when she was nervous. These days, it came all too often and I caught Serana scolding her many times for her careless action.

Caterina looked at me expectedly and seemed to inch closer towards my face, triggering something within me. Empathy. Relief. Perhaps even affection. Wait. Affection? Absolutely not. As much as I wanted to pull her into my embrace and take those slightly damaged lips and press them firmly against my own… no. Yet my mouth was so close to her own that I could make out the sharpened points of her teeth as she parted her lips slightly as if she needed more air. In a quick motion she closed her lips, smiled, and affectionately pressed the tip of her nose against mine.

"It's Saturalia." She mumbled softly, her sudden voice taking me by surprise.

"What?" I opened my eyes and stared down at the breton as I yanked her from her dangerous position at the base of the tree. She made a soft noise at the sudden movement, but recovered quickly as we reached flat, non-dangerous land much to her relief.

"Saturalia. We need to hurry and get back before this coming up night, remember? I don't think anyone would ever forgive us if we missed the gift opening ceremony." She laughed as she rubbed at her cheeks before quickly placing her hands at her sides as if realizing that she still can't feel the cold.

"Phantom sensations again?" She only nodded in response. "And don't worry. So long as you don't get into more trouble, we should be able to make it."

"Good." She spoke with elation. "Because I have a really good present for you."

"What's that?"

"Me, of course."

"Wait, what?"

Her laugh was infectuous. "I'm only kidding. I'm not for sale and even if I was, you couldn't afford me." She joked. I couldn't help but smile at her impish behavior. "Now come on. Let's hurry. We have a party to get to soon."

And so we both continued, but for reasons unknown, I didn't want this time to end. I didn't want to share her with the others. I wanted her all to myself this day and had absolutely no plans on hurrying. Neither did she for that matter as she suddenly found herself getting stuck in another mound of snow.

I smiled.

#tescheer #tescheer2023 #week two tescheer #elder scrolls #skyrim #Caterina motierre #vilkas #the companions #one-shot #my writing #cursed dawn #vilkat

[hannah-heartstrings]

Heart Warmed

Thiefguard fluff for the @tescheer prompt: treat.

I just wanted to write some quick fluff and play with prose, but it turned out a tad longer and more emotional than I planned because of course it did.

Happy New Year everyone! And a big thank you to everyone who's read my fics this year, your support has meant so much. 🫶

@druidx @babyblueetbaemonster @inkysqueed

---------

            Cheydinhal marketplace swirled with activity from people and snow.

            Lecrinn stood at the edge of a small crowd, listening to Morrowind flutes, and shivering at the cold that left a pink tint on her face. At movement beside her, her head whipped to see Garrus. “Where’d you sneak off to?” Her face wrinkled in confusion. “How’d you sneak off?”

            With a smile, he offered a tankard.

            “What’s this?”

            “A hot cacao drink from Elsweyr, I was told you’d like it.”

            Taking it, she looked down the tankard, steam wafting up to warm her nose and fill it with a sweet rich scent. Sipping it, she was filled with chocolate flavored warmth. “Mmm,” she closed her eyes with a big smile, “they were right.”

            He beamed.

            Opening her eyes, her smile fell a little. “Where’s yours?”

            “Oh, uh,” he looked like that thought hadn’t crossed his mind.

            She huffed and walked off. Finding the cart, she placed some coins on it. “Another one please, it’s very good.”

            “Thank you, miss,” there was a smile in the khajiit’s voice. He ladled the liquid from a pot over a fire and into a tankard. Handing it to her, she handed it to Garrus.

            He took a careful sip before looking surprised, it quickly turning into a smile.

            She smiled back before taking another gulp of hers. Seeing something behind him, her eyes widened. “Ooh!” she ran off, he chasing after. She ran up to a breton selling croissants. “These will go great with it.”

            Soon they sat on a bench with their treats.

            “Are these enchanted?” Lecrinn stared down her tankard. “How is it still warm?”

            “Maybe it has fire salts in it?”

            “In that case I might’ve found something worth braving atronachs for,” she laughed before suddenly looking nervous. “I mean, not that-” Looking up at him, she stopped.

            His eyes looked soft and understanding, telling her that she didn’t have to pretend.

            She let the smile she was trying to force just fall as she looked down. “Not that… I even fight them, I just run past.”

            “I think being able to outrun a daedra while it throws fire at you is amazing.”

            She gave an unhappy smile. “Thanks, so’s your ability to always find something nice to say about me.”

            His face fell, looking hurt. “That isn’t hard, honestly it isn’t. You manage to run through the plains of Oblivion, never stopping till you’ve won, is that not amazing?”

            Her eyes turned up to him, his pleading with her to believe him. She looked back down with a shy smile. “I guess so…”

            He smiled sadly.

            “Thanks, I guess I spend so much time scared that I forget.” Looking at him, her face pulled into a slight smirk. “You know… you’re pretty amazing yourself.”

            Blushing, he looked away unsure. “Well, thank you.”

            “Hey!” She scooted closer to elbow his arm. “I mean that just as much as you meant yours.” Her voice softened, “I might be saving the world but its people like you who keep it from falling apart.”

            His face fell into a surprised realization. Facing forward, his eyes turned to her with a small, touched smile.

            “And as hard as you work, you’re especially doing a good job. I mean,” she looked down with a shy smirk, “not just anyone could change my mind about guards,” looking back up the smirk overtook the shy, “I can be pretty stubborn.”

            He turned more to her with a laughing smile. “I’ve noticed.”

            She giggled a little back, his smile widening. Starting to blush, she looked away, taking a bite of her croissant and frowning as she chewed the cold bread.

            A breeze went by, she shivering, snow swirling, and the steam from her mug trailing after the wind.

            Seeing the steam, Lecrinn dipped her bread into the drink, the chocolatey and buttery flavors combining in a warm bite. “You’ve got to try it this way!” She turned back to Garrus with an excited smile, he already returning it. “They’re even better together.”

            He tried it, smiling wide, his eyes seemed to sparkle at her. “You’re right!”

            She decided not to look away this time, rosy cheeks raising as her eyes twinkled back.

            The snow picked up, but they stayed warmed by their drinks and hearts warmed by each other.

#tescheer #tescheer2023 #oblivion fanfiction #oblivion #the elder scrolls #tes #tes oc #hero of kvatch #fluff #fanfiction #writing #my writing #week four: treat #oc: lecrinn #lecrinn #garrus darelliun #thiefguard #garrus isn't stealthy she just wasn't paying attention at the beginning

[tescheer2022]

25 Days of TES Cheer

That's right! December 1st marks the first day of TESCheer 2022! Last year's event went pretty well so it was decided to do it again this year!

The point of this event is to bring some holiday cheer into the TES fandom, be it through writing, art, screenshots, gifs, edits, you name it! If you're creating something that fits the daily theme, feel free to drop it into the tag! It's going to be a little different from last year, as the creator of the event has passed on the mantle to @friend-of-giants and this blog will be specifically dedicated to the event. So from December 1st to December 25th, follow the prompt list above by the day to avoid confusion or cluttering!

Feel free to spread the word to people off tesblr, too, and absolutely feel free to share any writing on AO3! A collection exists here if you would like to add your works to it.

Rules and image ID under the cut!

Rules:

- As this is an event for the Elder Scrolls fandom, please keep your submissions within the Elder Scrolls universe. Other fandoms are welcome to follow this prompt list for their own, but please don't tag your posts with the event tag.

- AUs/crossovers involving Elder Scrolls characters or the Elder Scrolls universe are welcome, but please make sure they are the primary focus to keep it TES-oriented and please tag them as "alternate universe" or "crossover"

- You are under no obligation to do all 25 days. If doing 25 prompts feels overwhelming to you, that's fine! You're more than welcome to pick and choose which days you'd like to do

- Combining prompts is totally encouraged! Just make sure you tag it accordingly with both days to avoid confusion

- Tag your post with the corresponding day/theme (ex: if you're doing day nine, tag it as "day nine: letter")

- Ping this blog (@tescheer) and tag your post with "#25daysoftescheer" so we can find you!

- NSFW is welcome but tag it appropriately and please use a read more break for any NSFW content (mobile users can use a read more by typing "* readmore *" without the spaces and quotations and hitting enter)

- Please keep your submissions cheerful! The whole point of the event is to bring cheer to the fandom and it's hard to do that if entries are extremely dark and depressing. This is by no means saying darker themes can't be explored or used, but please ensure some good comes of it for your characters!

- No harmful content, please. This should go without saying but for clarity’s sake, no racism, homo/transphobia, sexism (this includes both misogyny AND misandry), ableism, abuse apology, incest, NSFW content involving minor/underage characters, or otherwise hateful, bigoted, or toxic content allowed. Please keep it fun for yourself, the mod, and everyone else!

[IMAGE ID: the words "25 Days of TES Cheer" in script over an out of focus image of a Christmas tree lit with white lights followed by a list of 25 holiday-themed prompts]

Prompts:

1. Cozy

2. Believe

3. Ice

4. Beginnings

5. Music

6. Scarf

7. Merry

8. Festival

9. Letter

10. Snowfall

11. Kiss

12. Dreams

13. Warmth

14. Solstice

15. Gift

16. Cheer

17. Decorate

18. Wish

19. Holly

20. Sled

21. Ornaments

22. Fireworks

23. Sweets

24. Bells

25. Free Day

#25daysoftescheer #tescheer #the elder scrolls #skyrim #oblivion #morrowind #tes fanart #tes fanfic #tesblr #prompt list

[alpha-centauriiae]

TESCheer Week Three - A Gift and a Snuggle

Prompts provide me with such a good opportunity to write about my OC's! Thanks to @tescheer for giving me that opportunity!

Caylene looked out over the great basin below, pulling her cloak tighter around her armored frame. The nights in Hammerfell were deathly cold, particularly as it neared Saturalia - even without snow, frostbite had claimed extremities of some of the less well traveled men who hadn’t expected it.

Footfalls trampled up the wooden steps to the ramparts, and the Breton felt Senti’s soft palm resting on her arm through the cloak. “Homesick?” The Redguard asked in a low tone, leaning in for warmth.

“In a way. I think I miss the snow. Da could trudge through it up to his waist as if he were walking on an Imperial road. He went out late to find strong wood, and stayed up all night to carve me figurines.” Caylene rummaged in her side pack for a moment before producing a small, wooden knight on horseback. He had painted it in the heraldry of Daggerfall. “He used to tell me, ‘I can only hope you learn the craft; Clan Luzgarz made half of its wealth from sculpting’ and I would only nod. He told that story so many times I could repeat it in my sleep.”

Senti’s lips curled at the corners. “Dear, you already have. You mumble for hours.” 

Caylene cleared her throat, slipping the item back into her bag. “Yes, well. There’s much on my mind.”

The Redguard’s practiced hands slipped beneath Caylene’s cloak, pulling the knight’s hand back out into the open, and pressed another figurine into her palm. It sparkled in the moonlight like the surface of the Iliac, cut from quartz and showing a mage in the traditional wear of a Forebear. “I thought you would want something to remember me by, should something happen, or we part ways once the war is over. Alteration magic has a number of novel applications I’ve picked up under apprenticeship in Sentinel.” The mage pressed her lips to Caylene’s cold cheek, and after a moment, the knight was alone again. She looked over the great basin below and smiled at the glittering sand.

#tescheer #tescheer2023 #week two #week two: gift and snuggle #writing #oc:senti #oc:caylene #elder scrolls #tesblr #tes #the elder scrolls

[knightfuryvawannabee]

25 Days of TESCheer | Day 2 - Believe

Decided for something a little more feesly, with Shoda and Farkas this time. Hope this counts

@tescheer

#knight does stuff #skyrim #ocs #hero forge #shoda hearthenia #skyrim ocs #farkas #otp: snow wolf #tescheer #25daysoftescheer

[miraakulous-cloud-district]

TESCHEER DAY 25!

I had no idea in which day this would fit, so I’m posting it on the free day of @tescheer Have a wholesome little prequel of my main fic.

Summary: Ravonna comes home from the Vivec Mages Guild for the holidays! Also a little flashback with kid Ravonna.

Word count: 1277

Warnings: none

Characters: Ravonna, Hjaldir, Endryn (I’m in oc hell) and Teldryn is mentioned as well!

~

She climbs down from the Silt Strider and takes a moment to take the view in. Blacklight, in all its beauty. Now even more beautiful, decorated with countless colorful lamps and with snowberry everywhere. The sailors must have brought it from Skyrim, as they do every Saturalia. She can’t believe she’s finally here. It’s been a few months since she came home. But these months have been busy at the Mages Guild in Vivec. She didn’t like being away from home for too long, but Vivec has the best guild of mages, and it shows: her magical skills have improved so much, it even amazes her. Sometimes she just can’t believe that she can accomplish so much with her magika. And she has learnt the most fascinating spells and the best party tricks. She simply cannot wait to show it to everyone back home! So she starts running towards the city entrance, smiling all the way down there.

Her cheeks start to hurt from smiling so much, being greeted by townsfolk and passing through the market. The market area is so beautifully decorated and cheerful, with lots of food and drink stalls and people singing songs and greeting other travelers, adventurers or scholars coming back home, just like her, and joy. Pure joy everywhere. This is her favorite celebration, and it always will be.

She opens the door to the tavern and is immediately greeted by the smell of snowberry pie and mulled wine. Hjaldir is playing a Saturalia song, singing and playing the lute. When he spots her, he immediately strums the lute more lively, sing-shouting:

“Weeeell look who just came back hoooome!” he finishes with a few ending chords. “Our favourite girl is back! Ladies and gentlemen, do excuse me, but this demands a break! But worry not! We still have some sweet, sweet instrumental music from our guys!” He looks at the rest of the bards, as if looking for approval. They just smile fondly and nod, and it’s all he needs to run to her and squeeze her in a tight hug, lifting her off the ground.

“Hi!” she manages to say between chuckles.

“My, my, how I’ve missed you, girl! How was the trip home?” he breaks the hug to look at her.

“Good. A bit windy, but it didn’t bother me. I travelled with a few merchants and mages. Lovely people. They made the time pass so fast.”

“Glad to hear it.”  He smiles down at her. Gods, how glad he is to see her home and safe. It’s weird how close they got. Maybe it’s the strong bond between two poetic souls, two bards, or maybe it’s something more, but he never expected to have this in his life.

***

He remembers first meeting her like it was yesterday. He was a lost soul, with nothing left to lose when he came to this tavern one faithful night, right after leaving the pirate crew for good. He came with the intention to drown himself in alcohol and sorrow, but was greeted by a little girl, squinting her eyes at him.

“Are you a bard?”

“Something like that. This gave it away?” he pointed at his lute strapped to his back.

She nodded.

“Ravonna, leave the man be!” the bartender said softly from behind the counter. “Sorry about her, she tends to be quite talkative. Can I get you anything else?”

“No, thank you. And don’t apologize. She didn’t bother me at all.” He turned to her. “Ravonna, eh? That’s quite the unusual name for a nord girl like you.”

“Well, Endryn gave me this name. Named me after his aunt. She was a mercenary who got to meet the Nerevarine!”

“Now that’s something!”

“What’s your name?”

“Hjaldir. At your service!” He bows to her politely.

“Well, that’s quite the usual name for a nord like you, isn’t it?”

“Ha! I suppose you’re right.”

“You don’t have to be so stiff. Relax, I’m not going to ask you to sing a song.” She sits down next to him and sighs. “I can sense when a person is tired… Sleepy-tired, but also tired of life.”

“How do you know that?” he asks, eyes now getting wider. The kid had more emotional intelligence than he’d have thought.

“You see a lot of shit when you live in a tavern, believe me.” She says, looking truly like a tired adult. “See that guy over there? At first you would think he’s doing fine, but he’s wearing a mask, you know? He’s nervous. He’s got that feeling after eating spicy meat wraps. But not because he actually did that and his tummy hurts. He’s like that because he’s in love with the blacksmith, a bosmer who has lots of tales from Valenwood.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Absolutely nothing! Except that he’s married.”

“Oh. Oh.”

“But don’t worry, I won’t pressure you into telling me your life story, although it seems like an interesting one. I hope you’ll stay with us for a bit longer.”

***

“By the Gods, Ravonna, I’m only now seeing the amount of baggage! Let me help you with that!” Hjaldir says, coming back to reality.

“Look, I can explain. I need this stuff for an… experiment.”

“Sounds magical…” he says, and they both burst into laughter. “Well, it’s Endryn’s place. I am but a humble guest and resident bard. He gets to decide if the – the… what is this exactly?”

“It’s… complicated. Essentially, it is a spellmaking enchanter. I get to create my own spells. Finally!”

“Oh, really? And you can make everything you want?”

“I think so. I haven’t tested it yet, but you know what they say at the guild of mages? Magic goes as far as your imagination.”

“So you could… conjure up a lute?”

“I’ve never thought of it, but that is a fantastic idea! I think it’ll be my first project!”

“Glad to be of help. If you need me for anything else, I’m here for you. And Gods am I proud! Look at you! A full, respectable mage!”

“Ah, let’s not get ahead of ourselves…” she says, as they start to head towards her chamber.

“Nonsense! I’ve yet to see anyone match your passion regarding magic!”

“Well, you haven’t been to Vivec then…”

“Aye, but I’ve been! We used to do business in the cisterns. That’s where you buy and sell illegal stuff. So many trinkets I’ve traded there… but, of course, you already know that.”

“Yes, and your bad skooma trip! You haven’t been to the guild of mages in Vivec is what I meant.” she laughs, setting the luggage on the floor of her room.

“Don’t remind me of that! I still get chills when I think about it!” he says, shuddering.

“I would love to know how you ended up on top of the Foreign Quarter.”

“That, I wish to know as well.” He sighs with a smile.

“There she is!” Endryn’s voice can be heard by the door.

“And there he is! Blacklight’s busiest innkeeper!” she laughs, hugging him tightly.

“Oh, don’t even get me started! You know how it is this time of year. But no matter! You’re here now and that’s the most important thing.”

“It’s good to be home.”

“Oh, but you must be starving! The cheese scones are almost ready. Teldryn should be here any minute with the wine supply. And I made you cabbage stew. It’s still your favourite, right? Or did the fancy city of Vivec change your tastes?” he says, without even breathing.

“Endryn! Relax. Everything’s perfect!” she says, taking this all in. Oh, how she missed this place and the people in it!

~

If you’ve made it this far, thank you so much for reading! <3 I hope everyone has the best holidays!

#tescheer #day 25: free day #25daysofcheer #skyrim #skyrim fanfiction #skyrim oc #ldb oc #oc: ravonna #oc: hjaldir #oc: endryn #teldryn sero

[falmerbrook]

@tescheer Week 2: Kiss

This is corny and poorly drawn but it's an OC idea I've had for awhile based on a post that implied that argonians don't have the facial anatomy to kiss (and Stellar here especially wouldn't with how long his snout is). Having grown up on Vvardenfell surrounded by Dunmer has left Stellar insecure about some of his argonian traits, despite his pride to be one, but luckily he finds a partner who eventually embraces his differences to her.

#sorry i missed week one but my idea was a stretch of the prompts anyway #tescheer #tescheer 2023 #my art #my ocs #oc: stellar #oc: ramshurbani #tes #tes ocs #morrowind #morrowind oc #pov: you cant draw your own characters #the two random ass dunmer i made up just for this post are the best drawn thng here #mine

[babyblueetbaemonster]

25 Days Tes Cheer, Day 1 : Cozy

It's really getting cold here. I crave hot chocolate.

#25daysoftescheer #tescheer #tes #the elder scrolls #oblivion #Haskill #hok #sheo!hok #tes oc #oc: acelta #my emotional support chamberlain #haskill is over the top with spoiling his lord #if his lord said one marshmallow he will give him two because why not #my mom always give me two marshmallows when i ask one and i feel warm in my heart <3 #mom made hot chocolate always tastes better

[megwritesnstuff]

Something Cozy

Hello! I have no idea if I’ll be able to finish it, but this year I’m going to try my best to participate in @tescheer​ ‘s 25 Days of TES Cheer holiday event. Although these will not be specifically Christmas themed, more like winter time and the general feelings of slowing down and being with friends/family at the end of the year.

Without further adieu, here is Day 1, of which the prompt is “cozy.”

It had been... a rough year, to say the least. Between her father having to go back to help out the Legion, and her being sent far, far away to Skyrim to live with her uncle Aryuen, to finding out she was Dragonborn and doing her best to keep sane while dealing with a destiny she could still barely wrap her mind around, Leona had had enough.

All the young Imperial wanted to do was rest, now. It was Evening Star, the last month of the year. Soon people would begin their preparations for Saturalia, and the New Life Festival. Both events that she would have looked forward to, even just a year ago, but now things were... different. Sitting at the museums upper floor apartment that her uncle had graciously allowed her and her friends to live in, mysterious note in hand telling her to rent the attic room of the Sleeping Giant Inn, the young redhead sighed loudly.

“What has you so troubled, my friend?” Leona glanced up to see Inigo walking downstairs, the first one awake out of the small band of adventurers who’d joined her over the past year. His unusual blue fur glinted in the dim light of the single candle she had lit when she tiptoed downstairs herself. The younger woman knew that out of all of her friends, not a single one didn’t deal with the nightmares of their past (or in her own case, future.) She’d done her best to be quiet so everyone could get some good rest now that they were finally back home.

“Forgive me, Inigo. I didn’t mean to wake you. Please, go back to sleep.”

“You did not wake me, young friend. The strange dreams and biting of fleas did that. You should also not dodge my questions.”

The redhead bit her lip and then sighed again, softer this time, as the blue khajiit came to sit by her in the soft warm light. She knew he meant well, of course, but it was still something she had trouble talking about with anyone besides Khash or Lucien, the two friends who had become much more like siblings to her than anyone else.

“It’s just... this. Dragonborn stuff.” Leona waved the unsigned note for emphasis, before tossing it down onto the coffee table and slumping back into the chair, defeated.

The older man grabbed up the note with a yawn to scan over, his eyes widening just a bit before going back to normal. He gently placed it down and looked over at the redheaded Imperial. He’d try his best not to make things worse for the teen by being shocked.

“I see... This was waiting for you when we arrived home yesterday, yes?”

“Yeah. I asked Farengar if he could have his associate from before contact me to teach me more about dragons, but this note isn’t signed or anything, so I have no idea if it’s really her. It could be those crazy cultists from before, or any other number of enemies. I just--” The girl sighed heavily, reaching up to rub her eyes. It was apparent she hadn’t slept a wink, by the dark circles and gritty sound of her usually smooth voice, “--I just want to NOT have to worry about this stuff for once. I miss my dad. I miss how we used to decorate the house for the whole month, even though New Life Festival is right at the end. I miss the time before I knew I was supposed to be this great hero.”

Leona wouldn’t cry, it was something she promised herself after that fateful day in Helgen, when she’d discovered her fathers bloodied body. She’d hardened her heart after that so she could get through things, but it didn’t mean it wasn’t hard. Now, in the hour before dawn, sitting in the candle light with the crazy khajiit she’d discovered in Riften’s jail who swore he knew her (he didn’t) it was harder than ever.

“Leona... I am sorry. You are still so young to be dealing with all of this. Not to mention how you’ve agreed to help Khash, Lucien, Kaidan, myself and the others, too.”

Inigo looked at the younger woman fondly. Even though they hadn’t had a formal discussion about it yet, he’d already realized that this young woman and the one he’d betrayed weren’t the same person. He hadn’t left yet, though, wanting to stay with this group and help them all in any way he can. They accepted him, even as he was still crazed, coming off of the skooma. He wanted to do anything he could to repay them, especially Leona.

“Come. Let me escort you to bed, surely you will feel better if you sleep. Allow your mind to rest and not worry for a bit, hm?”

He stood, and took her hand, leading her up the stairs to her bedroom and insisting she get some rest. Even if the redhead had wanted to put up a fight, there wasn’t much fight left in her. They’d been out on the roads for weeks, fighting dragons and helping the people of Skyrim. She was dead tired.

After softly shutting the young woman’s bedroom door, Inigo grinned as an idea came to him. With him and everyone else working together, they could surely come up with something to give their Dragonborn friend a bit of respite.

“Inigo, are you sure this is a good idea? I hate to be a Debbie downer, but this isn’t exactly what I would call a “New Life Tree.” Back in the Imperial city, they’re MUCH bigger--”

“Lucien. Shut up. It’s not going to be the same as some rich boys home would look, but it’s still nice. Don’t you want to cheer Leona up?”

Inigo sighed, shaking his head at Lucien and Kaidan arguing, as usual. He’d told them his plans earlier this morning, and everyone had agreed that decorating the safehouse while Leona slept sounded wonderful. However, with all of them being different races, and coming from different parts of Tamriel, they hadn’t been able to agree on how exactly to decorate, what foods to make, or what would make the youngling happiest. Finally, they’d decided to do a little bit of everything, that way, they could enjoy it too.

Sure, the dragons were a huge threat, but there wasn’t a ton they could do at the moment, anyway. Why not relax and make themselves a bit cozy in the interim?

Finally, another voice spoke some reason, though. Thank the Gods for Khash, honestly.

“Do not mind them, Inigo. They will probably argue no matter what. We are all used to it at this point, probably. I think the tree you picked looks nice. It is not very big, but it does not need to be.” The young Argonian chuckled softly, helping him line it up with the tree base they had bought in the Solitude marketplace just a bit ago, making sure the tree stood steady on its own before both of them backed away to admire it.

“This will be the first time I am able to really celebrate the New Life Festival, so I am pleased with it. I am sure Leona will like it as well.”

“I am happy you think so, my young friend. I hope she will stay asleep until we are done, although...”

Inigo turned to glare at the other two boys still arguing. Inigo didn’t get angry easily, and so even one sharp look from the blue catlike man was enough to silence them for now.

“She will not if you two do not stop making so much noise. Help Khash and I finish setting things up in here. Quietly.”

It was already midday by the time Leona was able to open her eyes again. Honestly, she could barely remember this morning. She knew she had talked to Inigo a bit about some of the stress she’d been having lately, and he insisted she would probably feel better if she actually got some real sleep for once. She’d been too tired to argue about it, so she took his advice. She hadn’t meant to sleep half the day away, though. Quickly, she got up and went around her room, following her usual routine. Wash off, get dressed in the warm clothes her uncle had bought for her, tie hair back. She nearly put her armor on out of habit, but her and the rest of her crew had agreed to take a few days in town before heading back out, so she left it off.

The cold of Skyrim was something she’d still not gotten used to, but she sweaters Uncle Aryuen had bought for her were thick and warm, very cozy. She yawned before pushing open the door to her bedroom and heading downstairs. Every motion was muscle memory at this point, and she was halfway downstairs before she truly opened her eyes and saw all the changes.

The apartment, which had previously been plain, bland, and dusty, was now decked out in what she could only call a smorgasbord of decorations from nearly every culture on the face of Nirn. From snowberry wreaths of the Nords, to garland made of pieces of clay shaped into the phases of the moon and strung along fine silver embroidery thread, something common in Elsweyr. There wasn’t a surface in the whole of the apartments first level that wasn’t decorated to be festive in some way or another.

In the far corner, where she’d originally pushed a chair and table near the window to act as a sort of reading nook, stood a short but stout pine tree, decorated beautifully with wooden ornaments and torchbugs placed into small glass jars. It was a sight to behold, to be sure, more beautiful than even the humble tree Leona and her father had put up back in the empires heartland.

Everyone was either sitting to rest, or standing to adjust a decoration here or there. They were all dressed in their casual clothes, even Nebarra (save for his iconic helmet, of course.) The first person to notice the young woman finally up and moving about was Remiel, who smiled wide and shouted “Surprise!”

All of the others soon turned to smile at the Imperial as well, following suit in their greetings and declarations of surprise. For Leona’s own part, she stood stock still on the middle of the stairs, unable to process her own thoughts. For as much as she had wanted something like this, she didn’t think Inigo would go and get everyone else into it, as well. They’d been saving all of their septims to buy a larger base where everyone could stay much more comfortably, but even still, even if it set them back a bit... Leona was overjoyed. It made her chest feel warm in a way it hadn’t in much longer than a year, and it made warm tears drip from her pale face.

Inigo noticed the tears and immediately frowned. He’d gotten carried away, just like he did in the old days. He hadn’t thought it would make her this upset, though.

“Oh, Leona you... you do not like it...?”

Around the khajiit, the others faces began to fall as well. Xelzaz, who’d been arranging food on the table in the dining room, walked out and looked up at their unofficial leader.

But, thankfully, the redhead shook her head. Fiercely. She was still wordless, but she reached up quickly to swipe away the tears that betrayed her heart. Finally after another moment, she spoke.

“N-no.. No, everyone... I love it. Thank you all so much. I-I promised myself I wouldn’t cry anymore, that I’d become the kind of person that didn’t worry you all, but... I guess these tears don’t count. I’m so happy right now...”

The collective sigh of relief didn’t escape her, and she ran the rest of the way down the stairs to start giving out the hugs they all deserved.

She couldn’t really name the emotion that had wormed its way into her chest and wouldn’t go. Love, joy, happiness. All of them at once. All she knew was that, even though it was freezing outside, and the poor insulation of their apartments walls was letting a bit of that in, she still felt so, so cozy here, with all of her new friends.

#25daysoftescheer #tescheer #WOO #made it with an hour to spare ahahaha #everyone say hi to my new oc Leona #my art #my writing #OC: Leona #came back to edit a few typos lmao

[tescheer]

TES Cheer 2023 is Happening!

This year, things will be a bit different from the past two years, and you can find rules and more information on our pinned post here.

The event will run from November 26th, 2023 until December 25th, 2023, but there will also be a grace period until January 1st, 2024 as well! We understand that it can be a very busy time of year for many and want anyone who chooses to participate to feel as welcome as possible.

Please remember to @tescheer and tag your posts as #tescheer or #tescheer2023 so we can find you!

The Prompts

Week One: November 26th - December 2nd - Cloak - Snow - Sparkle - Home - Music

Week Two: December 3rd - December 9th - Sled - Gray - Kiss - Party - Mountain

Week Three: December 10th - December 16th - Gift - Lantern - Hat -Snuggle - Night

Week Four: December 17th - December 23rd - Bells - Dance - Fur - Blizzard - Treat

Week Five: December 24th - December 25th - Free Day

[Image ID available by clicking each image]

#tesblr #elder scrolls #the elder scrolls #skyrim #morrowind #oblivion #elder scrolls online #tamriel

[katastronoot]

a snowy evening in windhelm

Day 1: cozy

for tescheer2022! I’m not sure how many of these prompts I will be able to complete but I am hoping to do a lot of them @tescheer @friend-of-giants

#tes fan art #tesblr #tes #elder scrolls #skyrim #oil pastel #traditional art #dunmer

[hannah-heartstrings]

It’s a Beautiful Thing

For the 25 days of tes cheer prompt: snowfall

I'm late as per usual but I’m excited to share this one because my writing has gotten better but I keep not finishing the fics with my better writing in it, and because I don’t think I’ve actually shown Lecrinn’s and Garrus’s dynamic yet.

This supposed to be a quick snippet ended up 1,000 words so 700 words of it are under a read more.

Please tell me what you think!

@tescheer @nine-blessed-hero

------

           As afternoon turned to evening Cheydinhal grew colder and darker, a fog beginning to thicken. No one was outside who didn’t have to be, leaving the streets near empty. It was the kind of quiet that felt somehow peaceful and spooky at the same time.

           Walking through the streets Garrus’s steps were purposeful but heavy, his face a tired scowl. Just a few more patrols and he could go back to the barracks for supper and a much needed break, albeit a too short one.

           Nearing the east gate he stopped, the scowl fading.

           There stood a familiar Redguard woman. The red hood and skirt that always accompanied her leather armor made her stand out against the fog. Her hood had fallen down as she stared up at the gray sky, her short reddish brown hair framing her light brown face.

           “Lecrinn?” He said with a surprised smile.

           Looking down she smiled back.

           “What are you doing here?” he walked up to her. “I thought you had to go to Bruma.”

           “I did,” she stepped towards him, “but I ended up back in the area so I thought maybe we could go to the Newlands Lodge for supper.”

           “Of course!” His smile brightened before faltering. “Uh, but first I must finish my patrol and pass my shift on.”

           “No you don’t!” One of the gate guards yelled to him. “We’ll take care of that, you go with her.”

           He looked at him annoyed. “I cannot just abandon my patrol.”

           She linked her arm with Garrus’s, pulling him along. “Come on, if you get in trouble just say you got kidnapped.”

           “Am I being kidnapped?”

           “Make sure he actually takes a break!” a guard yelled from the wall.

           She raised an arm to wave back to them. “Will do!”

           They walked further into town.

           As sunlight disappeared behind the city walls the sky darkened, the fog taking on a blue tint.

           “Looks like it will rain soon,” she glanced up, pulling her hood back up.

           “It’s been dreary for days,” he frowned. “Do you think Marcus will actually take care of the patrol like he said?”

           “I don’t know why he wouldn’t.”

           “Maybe I should check-” he turned away but she tightened her arm around his, planting her feet in place.

           “Can you stop worrying for a minute?”

           He turned back to her, tilting his head down to meet her eyes. “It’s my job to worry.”

           “You’re not on your job you’re with me,” she gave a playful smile before looking more serious, “and it sounds like your men are worried about you so why don’t you try to relax? It’s too cold for crime anyway,” some of the playfulness returned.

           “I suppose you’re right, about needing to relax, I don’t think that’s how crime works,” he narrowed his eyes.

           “Criminals need to stay warm too.”

           They started walking again.

           “What if someone trespassed to get warm?” he asked.

           “See that doesn’t sound like a crime to me.”

           “It’s compromising someone else’s security.”

           “Mm,” she frowned, “you have a point… Oh!” her eyes lit up. “You take them somewhere warm that wouldn’t be trespassing.”

           He lit up as well. “Like an inn.”

           “Exactly! And buy them a room so they have somewhere warm to stay.”

           A smile started to form before falling. “Wait that wasn’t my point.”

           “Well I made a better one,” she said jokingly aloof.

           He smirked.

           They reached one of the roofed bridges and were halfway across when a breeze blew in from the side.

           She crossed her arms and shivered, coincidentally pulling his arm closer.

           “We’re almost there.”

           She stopped as a few white flecks blew in.

           “What is it?”

           Holding out a hand she caught them on her fingertips, watching them melt on her leather gloves. “Snow?” She looked to the side as more flecks began to fall. She gaped slightly, her surprise coming out in a breath of white mist.

           “What?”

           Slipping from his arm she stepped to the rail to stare out. “I didn’t know it snowed in Cheydinhal.”

           “We are just south of the Jerall mountains.”

           Snow floated through the blue fog to land softly on the river, on either side silhouettes of willow branches swayed in the breeze, brushing against the water’s surface.

           “It’s beautiful!” she breathed.

           Garrus stepped up beside her confused, to him it just looked like snow. It used to be beautiful but now it was just a sign of how cold it was going to be, that he needed to make sure everyone had enough wood for their fires and hope he didn’t have to guard outside today.

           But watching her wide smile and her bright brown eyes seemed to put the beauty back into it. With a smile he looked from her to the snow. “It is, isn’t it?”

           Another gust of wind made the snow swirl and dance.

           His eyes lit with a curious glint, though the air was no less cold it felt less bitter, the sky was just as gray but felt less dreary now. Nothing had changed and yet something changed it all. Slowly his gaze shifted back to her, eyes filling with adoration, his voice a whisper. “It’s a beautiful thing.”

           Feeling his gaze on her she looked at him confused. “The… snow?”

           He quickly looked away. “Well yes, it is,” he cleared his throat. “But what I meant was: it’s a beautiful thing, how someone can come along and turn your entire day around.” He nervously looked back to her.

           Her head tilted back with a warm smile. “Happy to do so.”

           Nervousness slipping away he returned the look.

           They faced forward.

           The air grew darker and bluer before the blue began to fade, the scene before them ever changing; but it also grew colder.

           As she shivered Lecrinn kept glancing at Garrus from the corner of her eye. Stepping closer she looped her arms around his.

           “Do you want to go in?”

           “Nah,” she leaned her head against his shoulder. “Unless you want to,” she looked up, keeping her head against him.

           Unable to contain the bubbling grin he stayed faced forward. “I’m all right.”

           Seeing the corner of his smile widen so did hers.

           Together they watched the snow fall, warmed by the other’s company.

#they eat eventually #25daysoftescheer #tescheer #day ten: snowfall #oblivion fanfiction #oblivion #the elder scrolls #tes #garrus darelliun #hero of kvatch #fanfiction #writing #my writing #lecrinn #thiefguard