TES - Oblivion
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Siskin
Siskin Carduelis
Fandom: The Elder Scrolls
Setting: The locations and events found in TES: Oblivion
Race: Human (Imperial)
Sex: Female
Age: 24
Height: ... average?
Zodiac sign: The Ritual
Description
Has bright orange hair with braids in it.
Personality
A real go-getter, willing to tackle tasks from which the sane shy away. Also a bleeding heart who can't stand to leave the helpless un-helped; often bites off more than she can chew. Has a flippant, absentminded sense of humor and a tendency to hoard books in her waterfront hovel in the Imperial city.
About
A clear player-character stand-in!
Siskin is a member of the Thieves' Guild and an errand-girl for anyone and everyone who meets her eyes and tells a sob story. She's proficient at archery and illusion magic, is terrified of the undead, and is mildly claustrophobic.
Built-in story:
As far as her past goes... it's weird. Siskin can remember her life, her family - it's all there - but it's like she and they never existed. Conversely, when she wakes up in rags and shackles on the floor of an Imperial Prison cell, she has no idea of how she might have come to be there - no relevant memories are forthcoming. It's as though somebody has completely re-written her history, or like she's been transplanted into someone else's.
However, the wall of the cell is folded back like a door and there's a pathway beyond, so rather than linger, she leaves.
KS-specific additional detailsThe rough-hewn tunnels and ancient subterranean tombs are dim, not unlike a rabbit's warren. She scavenges some light armor, a weapon or two; she discovers the ability to conjure fire in her hands. She overtakes an Argonian on the path, whose displeased mutterings make it clear that he didn't expect to be a babysitter (which is just too bad, because there was a zombie, AN ACTUAL ZOMBIE back there and she's NOT going to deal with that alone).
And of all people they find the King. He seems kindhearted, and he seems tired, and he seems to recognize her. And then he's killed.
Something's going on that she doesn't understand, but the quest to figure it out couldn't be more clearly defined.
Extras
Regarding her name, a Siskin is a kind of songbird that's related to the goldfinch. "Carduelis" is a genus of birds in the finch family. TL;DR: Girl's name is Bird Bird. -
Korumaj-Salai ("Dog-ears")
Korumaj-Salai
("Dog-ears" to some)
Fandom: The Elder Scrolls
Setting: The locations and events found in TES: Oblivion
Race: Argonian
Sex: Male
Age: 20s
Height: On the tall side
Zodiac sign: The Shadow
Occupation: Shadowscale assassin, looking for a way out of the fold
Description
Pointy. Movements are casual by design; the grace is natural.
About
Like all Shadowscales, Korumaj-Salai was born (hatched?) under the sign of The Shadow and thereafter given over to the Dark Brotherhood for assassin training. As Argonian society is based around family-like village units and solidarity, his isolation from his people made him an outsider. The name he was given when he came of age indicates their distrust for him, translating roughly to "one who keeps his own council/he who keeps secrets" - a trait which, though necessary for an assassin, makes integrating with his village all but impossible.
Korumaj-Salai took to his training like a duck to water and as an assassin is more than proficient. He has an understanding of the way people work which serves him well but which leaves him with low expectations of others. Part of his good humor comes from viewing himself subconsciously as something like an adult among children - as though the actions of those less competent than himself are merely amusing antics to he humored and waved off.
Personality
Very professional on a job; takes his work very seriously.
Surprisingly jovial and easygoing underneath his Shadowscale training. His personality like that of one aware they are dreaming and ready to go with the flow. This aspect of his personality does not, however, interfere with his savviness and awareness of reality. He has no illusions about the nature of man and will allow no trespass upon his person or tolerance.
Built-in story:
Korumaj-Salai, though very good at his job, had come to find that he was getting no satisfaction from it. But you can't just quit being an assassin for no reason; it's not done, and more than that, it's a dangerous endeavor. You know too much. So, in order to acquire some plausable deniability, he gets himself caught and thrown in jail.
Unfortunately, his carefully-confessed-to crime is such that the jail he gets thrown into is a little bigger than he had hoped it would be, and his sentence a little more final - people don't come out of the Imperial prison after a short and pleasant stay.
Siskin-specific additional detailsDue to a twist of fate, the cell he is assigned to already has an occupant - an unconscious Imperial girl with brightly-colored hair. Then fate twists a bit further, and King Uriel Septim breezes in, pardons his crime, rambles about the girl on the floor, and leaves through the wall. Korumaj-Salai is not one to look a gift horse in the mouth and promptly uses this new escape route. Then the girl catches up to him partway through the maze and he's got a tagalong.
Things seem a little weird with the girl, though. A little too purposeful - a little too unlikely. He thinks on what the King said about her, and he comes to think he can almost see her future - the big things she's destined to do, because the gods are clearly messing with something here. And he thinks, what an amazing opportunity - you can't get pulled back into the job you wanted to quit if you've got another engagement. Maybe it's safer to stick with someone who's supernaturally death-proof, in spite of the dangers she can't seem to avoid. So he becomes HER tagalong. And the rest, I'm hoping, will be history.
Extras
I tried to build his name properly. "Korumaj" is a bastardized version of what I believe is a Turkish word for "conservator" and "Salai" comes from a word for "secret."
