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Grim Tales - Sibling Rivalry Domina - Fenrir Unbound Book III - Chapter 8
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Grim Tales - Sibling Rivalry Domina - Fenrir Unbound Book III - Chapter 8
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38 comments
Nice bit about the towers, too, both in the link you gave and in your comment to lordburnch.
And so Domina's plans take shape... I wonder how long it will take for her to find out what her brother is really up to now, and what he knows. (Hopefully just long enough for her plans for Grim and Fenrir to fail spectacularly.
Nicely done, both pics and story!
I have started some work on the next few chapters which will cover a lot more about Grim, Domina, Avrein, and the Eye of Magnus
Foolish, foolish... Miss Domina, you believe in this plan for divinity? *evil chuckle* Then I shall give you divinity through the blade of the Dire. My quest shall give you the freedom you seek! When the first Master returns he shall give you the choice. Consider your self blessed, wormling... -The Elder Dire-
Keep up the good work!
UESP:
I could quote more sections and more sources but the bottom line is that, while mostly a concept, they also have a physical component. Some have also been deactivated.
As for the Thalmor and their plans - I think that is open-ended at the moment although this person makes a good case why the Thalmor do NOT want to destroy the towers but instead may just want to gain power to achieve their goals:
http://www.reddit.com/r/teslore/comments/1x2l6j/a_differing_perspective_on_towers_and_thalmor/
In the end a lot of this is vague and open with many discussions among fans about what it all means and why. I went with the one I did because I don't think anyone really knows how the Thalmor will achieve their goals and the lore isn't clear.
Which is how I like it frankly. I hate when lore gets to specific as it limits creativity and freedom. It has to be concrete to a point, of course, but the nice thing about a lot cosmic creation stuff is that there is room for interpretation.
And no offense, as none is meant, but I do not wish to get into a lore debate as they seldom go anywhere. Should I want to then there are more than enough of them on the forums across the net (which also shows how many ways there are to interpret things) I can dive into.
To me lore is meant as a guideline, especially lore like this which is pretty open to interpretation.
Thank you for the comment on using UESP as a better source of material - I do find it better and use it more often - in this case the WIKI just summed up my idea best for a quick cut and paste.
Also Elder Dire will have to get in line with that blade for Domina
Thank you for the feedback and comment Derek!
Even though I know you're probably a pro by now at doing screenshots, I can't imagine how much time you put into some of them, but it's well worth it, since they definitely add substance to your stories.
Speaking of stories, this one was no less awesome than the rest of them. I'm glad you delved into Domina's past in more detail this time around; she is truly a deliciously despicable character which makes me all the more eager to see her head get bitten off by some deadly werewolf jaws. And oh-boy is she going to be pissed when she finds out Avrein is falsifying most of the info he's been giving her lately...
Good luck on the rest of the story, and you know things are really starting to get serious as soon as one realizes Domina's crazy enough to wipe the existence of life from creation's memory. Also, interesting read on the Thalmor's Manifest. :-)
This particular set of shots was a bit of a pain - especially as Ondolemer and Ancano hate each other. Unless I kept very careful tabs on them they would constantly get into fights - was very annoying to both me and Domina.
I always knew the Thalmor were pretty nasty. At best I thought they wanted to enslave the human race and use them as servants/slaves - keep them well under control so they could not cause wars any more. At worst I thought they just wanted to kill all humans (or exile them to oblivion). Apparently I gave them to much credit. Based on the lore they want nothing less then to destroy all of Lorkhans work so they return to a state of unity and divinity before the cycle of life/death was created. I am not sure how that will really work out for them in the end ... I would guess not exactly they way they might hope. But it is always hard to reason with, or apply logic to, fanatics.
There has been some discussion about the Thalmor being the "big" enemy in the next TES game but nothing official. Still it would be interesting.
It was nice seeing a few shots from when Grim was a 'guest' of the Thalmor; that was a hard time in his life and quite defining for him too. Interesting to see it from Domina's perspective. I almost felt her horror at returning to the camp and finding all that carnage... but ultimately, I can't find any sympathy for them.
Her persuasion of the council just goes to show her supreme confidence in herself (once again, that DRIVE) and also demonstrates her as being as lethal off the field as on. With that silver tongue at her behest, why the need of joining the front lines to attack Grim head-on. She's definitely the puppet master (or mistress). This is all culminating to something extremely powerful and remembering Erik's last tale, something bad. I know you're beginning the wrap up of this part of Grim's tale so I know something big is coming. Suddenly I feel afraid for all concerned. Most especially Avrein who I have an ominous feeling might become the expendable pawn....
The one thing I think I could do a lot better is provide more dialogue/context to drill home how her primary focus is to bring "her people" back to the golden age - life before Lorkhan the Trickster tricked the gods and had mundus created, bringing the cycle of life/death and thus removing the divinity that all Altmer "deserve".
She hates half-breeds because they are a corruption of their purity. To her it is the same as when someone desecrates a holy shrine - it is the worst sin possible. Granted it is the parents that do it is them she has the most wrath for (like her mother). The half-breeds themselves are an insult in her eyes and need to be killed for their own good - but her hatred is not all consuming, she isn't insane and she can control her emotions - hence why Avrein lived and even why she might use one or two if she absolutely has to (usually informants).
Humans ... they are just dangerous animals. She doesn't truly hate humans in the way she does half-breeds. Humans are just an unfortunate consequence of Lrokhans actions. The Thalmor are going to dissolve reality, which means everyone, and they assure people that the humans souls will also return to a state of grace. I doubt she believes that - in her mind they will just return to the void or something like the dreamsleeve.
Although the whole Thalmor thing is a bit odd if you ask me ... you destroy all of reality, including all the mer races ... what do you think is going to happen then? That all the mer instantly become gods or some divine race? Like many fanatics I don't think they have really thought this through. I think this is why many of the Altmer (and other mer) view them as a bit on the crazy side. It is TES though, with actual gods and all that, so who knows.
I would suspect (pretty strongly) that the types like Elenwen and Ondolemer, who enjoy their power and position, might get to that point and go "You know what? I think I like being the ruler of the world. Lets just NOT destroy all of existence and instead say the time is not right ... so we can go ahead and enjoy our power."
That is why Domina makes them nervous. Domina would pull the switch without a second thought, without hesitation. She wants to turn off reality and that is what drives her. What is a mortal death compared to the immortality of the soul? Nothing, thats what. That is why she can kill with so little emotion - she knows their souls will find salvation when she reaches her ultimate goal.
Ooops I went off again, sigh. So much I want to write about with my characters. I am a bit narcissistic myself I guess :p
Just to be clear I am not wrapping up Grim's story by any means, but I am wrapping up a bit part of his story in the sense that he will find the eye ... something he has been after for all three books (in theory although he really didn't know much of his destiny in book 1 which was more just about coming of age). There will be some big things going on not sure how people will react. But deep down in Saarthal there is clearly going to be a confrontation between Grim, Avrein, and Domina ... and Grim's only ally is Tolfdir ... his beloved Wolfgar and Erik stuck in the cave during the powerful storm and unable to help. Yet Grim is not without his resources so perhaps not all hope is lost.
I really liked those flashbacks on Grim's torture as I never quite read those chapters but rather figure what was going on seeing the images before.
I feel so sorry for Avrein, him being such an odd mystery and used only as a tool.
Ugh. Can't wait for the next chapter!
Aye those images came from a past story. In short the story took place over 5 chapters I think and they were a flashback overlap story. Meaning as I told his current story he was jumping back in his memories to the past. At 16 he was kidnapped by the Thalmor (we know know it was by Lord Kalanar and his daughter Domina) and tortured. It was this episode that Fenrir revealed himself and offered to unleash Grims true blood line - warning him that it would change his life for evermore and that he would be sworn to follow Fenrir). Grim agreed and that was his first transformation into a werewolf.
At the current time Grim was rescuing Thorald from Northwatch Keep. As Grim stalked the keep it caused him to return to his past and both the past and current became super imposed. The importance of this whole thing was that he remembered his past (which he had buried) and thus was able to become more whole and integrate his past into his current personality. In the end it let him understand where a lot of his rage and hate towards the Thalmor came from and thus let him control it better.
Anyhow glad you enjoyed the story!
They were published this or last summer if I'm not misstaken *Dons her ponder-cap*, running around in those simple thieves clothes made out of cloth out in the snow.
And now to Domina... As much as I've liked her half brother Avrein, I don't like her. She is like some feline predator, deadly and extremely dangerous and what is most disturbing about her that she only pretends to feel, while in truth it seems like she is cold as some dwemer automaton, killing all feelings in her heart in pursuit for her own goals, thinking of emotional vulnerability as dangerous weakness... her murder of her own mother was disgusting, it is one of most terrible sins in my opinion, such patricide, but for Domina it was like removing another chess figure from the board...
And the way she did it... Despair made an appearance again, it was very interesting to see her once again round Kalanar family and I guess she has killed Domina's mother the same way she tried to kill Avrein? And knowing Domina's character it is little surprise that Molag Bal servant took certain fascination with her. Domina would have made a fearsome daughter of Coldharbor, making first vampire - Lamae Bal look like an amateur...
Grim certainly should beware this monster of a woman, for she will stop at absolutely nothing to get what she wants...
The notion that her own father practically made Domina a wh*%# for a while, selling her to lords for his benefits certainly played a part in forming her character... No wonder that she sees sex as a tool of manipulation now. I bet she never could fall in love... such feelings are not for her. apparently men found her desirable, but in my perception, even if she is beautiful, the mix of arrogance and pride, along with scorn that is almost always present in her expression tend to ruin a good impression from her beauty... but on the other hand, I am not a man, so it is hard for me to judge the men tastes in women.
Domina's relationship with Avrein was also a disturbing one, built on lies and manipulation. As true Thalmor, her hatred for half breeds must be exceptional and seeing her brother every day... but I gave her kudos for being a very good actress, her poor brother did not suspect a thing until he decided to start his own investigation. now, knowing that she had an audacity to kill her own mother, i have no doubts that she will kill her brother as easily, once his usefulness will end...
The memories about how she met with Grim were very interesting, even if painful to see. Even back then I've thought that the woman who tortured him was freakin sadist and what a twist of fate, that it was Domina! I am so glad that Grim put an end to that father of hers, the Mer certainly deserved it as well as other Thalmor, for they have no redeeming qualities in my opinion... Too bad that Domina was away, it could have saved Grim a lot of troubles if he killed her with the rest of those Thalmor.
The Thalmor council was interesting to watch. finally her plan of what to with the Eye of Magnus and how to keep Fenrir on a leash has became known! Domina is not only good actress, she is a good orator as well, given how she managed to sway other members of the Council towards her plan... By the way, loved that fight between Ankano and Ondolemar, too bad that he couldn't fry Ankano alive...
The letter from Avrein proved right that he had his doubts since he shamelessly lied about Grim's personality and it was amusing how Domina bought it without a second though. If only Grim could get Avrein on his side, to dispose of this horrible woman would be much easier... still i hold hope that Avrein will see one day that he is nothing to his sister and anywhere else he could have a chance to start new life then continue being a servant to his sibling.
Domina's knowledge about the eye of Magnus was a surprise and i guess we will know more about that magic from Grim's perspective, while he was at Saarthal.
I am so looking forward for continuation and thank you very much for sharing your awesome work!
When I create villains (antagonists) I see many ways to do it but two tend to stand out. Sympathetic villains are those you can understand, relate to, and even like or feel sorry for. Avrein is meant to be one of those. Another example might be if Hadvar and Ralof where main characters. In the game both are very likable yet they are on opposite sides. In this case neither is really a villain except by the defintion of whose side you are on. Meaning if you were Hadvar then Ralof would be your antagonist. Would be a very difficult situation.
The other kind are the real nasty villains - Astrid, Madame Zuzu, and now Domina. They may have some reason for being bad, and even a little sympathy, but overall they tend to just be evil and cold. To me Miraak seems to be like that. I have not read anything about him that makes me like him in the least.
Anyhow I struggled a lot with Domina which is why this story took me over two weeks to finish. It was always my plan to make her a true nasty villain but I wasn't sure how much "sympathy" I should try to build. The following is what made up my decision to write her as I did even though knowing a deeper, more conplex antagonist is often more interesting and hence better writing.
It has to do with the Thalmor in general. This is not like the Imperials versus the Stormcloaks where both sides have good reasons for what they do. Even though the Thalmor proport to represent the Aldmeri Dominion they are an extremist group focused on the total destruction of the world and reality as we now know it. They are the ultimate hate organization - with only those in their group being the ones worth saving.
The Altmer themsevles saw them as extremists and outcasts and did not take them seriously. Yet they managed to take over and now sell themselves as bringing peace and a return to the golden age before humans destroyed it. That, to me, is their propoganda for recruitment and the general populace. Only those at the top level know their ultimate goals - the destruction of the towers and the dissolving of Mundus and all Lorkhans work. This is not some simple political group. They want mass genocide and annhilation.
So I asked myself, what type of person would it take to be the supreme leader of such a group? I saw three basic types. The power-mad who only cares about power; the fanactical type who believes so strongly in the cause they will do anything to achieve it, and the third is the person who feels there is no other choice - that to them it is the only viable alternative left. The third tends to be more likely to be a sympathetic style and certainly not Domina.
Domina is not really in it for power, although of course she wants power. No she is a mix of the fanantical and the powerful. She is also an extreme narcassist with all the related insecurities - she craves approval at some level and most of that is probably do to a cold mother and a father who purposely raised her to be that way, so she would be dependent on him.
Lets put it all together then. A mother who married for social status and who had no interest in raising Domina; instead letting Kalanar do it. Psylia just wanted to do her research and enhance her reputation among the other houses. Psylia was very cold-hearted even though she started to realize her mistake near the end. Her father was cold, professional, demanding, and ruthless. He loved Domina in his own twisted way yet at the same time she was just a valuable tool (like many children are to some parents). Toss in the Altmer trait of not wanting to show emotion with those two parents and you can see why she can be a cold person. Lastly she has a gift and a curse from a dark prince in the ancient past. That connection to the prince is bound to have influenced her from birth as well.
Now you have this strong willed, ruthless, cold-hearted child who wants to be perfect in every way and admired. She sees a chance to gain power and admiration by becoming the counter-prophecy and leading the Thalmor.
Yet I could have made her a bit more likable even still. I did not because I think anyone who would want to lead the Thalmor is simply not a good person. I think they have to be a bit twisted in some way and pretty damn ruthless and cold; partially even a bit sociopathic. Racial supremisits I think is what the lore indicates.
When it came to her mother, something I know you really hate about her, I will say her mother was a pretty cold hearted person as well - only in the end did she feel some guilt over the Breton mage and decide to raise her son ... and over time began to question her husbands devotion to the Thalmor. Domina never bonded with her - she only bonded with her father. So there wasn't any lost love there. Even then she did hold off. In the end her mother was to much of a risk factor, as well as a traitor to her people (in Domina's eyes).
Even then I debated not doing it (even though Domina was pretty much writing herself at this point). Yet someone who purges half-elves and leads a group of genocidal meglomaniacs probably isn't going to hesitate much over killing a mother she has no real connection to. In the end I figured killing her mother was no more evil or nasty then many other things she did and that it was also fitting with her character.
I also debated on the part with Lord Kalanar "encouraging" Domina to sleep with certain key men in the Thalmor command as a way for both of them to gain favors and deals. Yet in the context of the character, time period, and world setting, I did not think it completely unreasonable for him to act this way and yet still care for his daughter in his own way.
Anyhow I went in and out for days on this and finally just had to make some decisions on how I wanted her portrayed.
Keep in mind she is a master manipulator. She is adored by most of the Thalmor and seen as a brilliant and charismatic leader. Not loved perhaps but respected and admired. Like many fanatics she has a powerful aura about her that helps to convince others to follow her. In her own mind she is doing all of this for the greator good of "her" people. Of course she also expects to be the leader of it all but that is a given in her mind.
Consequently she feels little emotion for anything but herself and her own goals. Basic traits of her personality type. Sadly people like this exist even in our own world.
OKAY. To much rambling, sorry. Back to your comment and some quick follow up points. It was Despair that killed Psylia. I wanted it a little vague but Despair had her "hook" into Psylia not because of Kalanars death (no love lost there) but over her own past and decisions regarding the Breton Mage and even her failure with Domina.
As for Domina being a daughter of coldharbor ... that is indeed a scary thought. Would not be a good thing if she served Molag Bal I suspect.
As for looks - I suspect "good" men would not find her desirable, at least not once they got even a small clue what she was really like but she is like a succubus in her ability to manipulate. Most of the men she slept with would be the rougher colder type only interested in sex and nothing more. Whether she ever had a chance at something more ... well I actually have some notes on that in my plot line but I am trying to balance how much I write on her with all the other threads I have going.
Aye Ancano loves Domina (well maybe lust for her body and her power is a better way to put it) and Ondolemer was insulting to her. Their may be more trouble there later.
As for Grim and Saarthal ... well I think I left enough bread crumbs to suggest something is going to happen there ...
PS - One last thing to mention on power. The truly power-mad might actually get to the final goal of the Thalmor and then decide to sabatoge it I think. With all that power why give it all up? That is why Domina is more of a fanatic side of things. Only a fanatic would give up so much for their beliefs I think. Unless the power mad thought it would truly make them a god.
Elenwn, and Ondolemer, I might put more into the power section. They already think Domina is too headstrong and I suspect those two would not mind just ruling over all versus actually destroying Mundus and all of reality. It could be interesting to see how those two continue to deal with both Domina and Avrein.
And i really like the shot where Grimulfr is bound with that Thamlor in front of him.
The light is great and his muscles...
Btw love orchestra Themes especially from the Dark Knight!