[hider= Erissil Stagshoof]

[b]Name:[/b] Erissil Stagshoof

[b]Age:[/b] 112

[b]Gender:[/b] Female

[b]Race:[/b] 'Wood Elf' (Bosmer)

[b]Birthsign:[/b] The Thief

[b]Appearance(from head to toe):[/b] This Bosmer stands at a proud height of five-feet-and-three-inches (160.02 cm), her life spent in the lush woodlands of her homeland probably having something to do with that, as well as the mixed heritage of Bosmer biology.

Rich locks of auburn hair tumble down from her head to the middle of her back, most commonly either left free or drawn up into a topknot of sorts, autumnal leaves and the feathers of various birds woven into the curls and about her pointed ears, two small but noticeable antlers of bleached bone visible as they poke through fringe of hair on either side of her forehead.

Below this nest of hair and thin brows of a similar colour is a face that has never seen a drop of foreign blood, a curious and expressive visage holding the balanced oddity of Mer features – a face both beautiful to look upon, but equally just as otherworldly; this is no travelling tradesman or mercenary soldier, but the slender and point-chinned face of one who has spent their entire life in Valenwood. Eyes of pure black look out from deep-set sockets, high cheekbones flanking a slender and slightly button nose, a mouth with full but pale lips concealing two rows of pointed teeth behind them, all set into flesh 'Caucasian' in colour but almost constantly daubed with a layer of dirt and grime.

She possesses a graceful and sylphlike form of packed muscle as one progresses lower – her limbs like coiled springs of corded muscle and her overall frame not as 'light' as one might expect from one of the Mer – she is nevertheless broader than her Altmer cousins across the shoulder, and owns the athletic form of one who has spent their entire life in a constant state of exercise and readiness for conflict; life within Valenwood is [b]anything[/b] but easy, and she is living proof of this.

One thing that does mark her out from any other lineage of Mer are the various elaborate tattoos and markings patterning her body and face (the facial marking being especially extensive, covering almost any spare flesh) using a method unknown to man, but probably carved into the flesh, causing it to look more like bark if the dye should fade. These designs vary from appearing as the veins of forest leaves, to the swirls and interlocking variations more often seen among the Bosmer peoples than any others of their kindred. These patterns are generally varying hues of green, giving Erissil a more natural camouflage as well as accentuating her already otherworldly look.

She wears nothing upon her hardened feet, capable of walking over most things without damage.

[b]Biography:[/b] Born deep in Valenwood, in the densely forested region known as Malabal Tor, to the rightly feared and often avoided Stagshoof tribe, there is actually very little to tell of Erissil or her life before the arrival of Hector Sibassius and his expedition into her homeland. She grew up much like any other Bosmer, taking on the religion of the Green Pact from her extended family and being trained in the use of the bow by her father, learning all that she needed to know to survive; in the end, isn't it always about survival?

She was seventy-six when the Great War of 4E171 began, when the Aldmeri Dominion and the Imperial forces of Emperor Titus Mede II began their drawn out conflict of bloodshed. In spite of Thalmor control of Valenwood – following from three years earlier, when the Dominion had first annexed the 'province' – and some support from the otherwise insular Bosmer, the Stagshoof clan remain as neutral as they can and therefore outside of the worst of the fighting; whether this was due to allegiances or simply because of their isolation from the outside world did not matter.

Time moved along as it did...the Imperial forces beat the Elvish forces back...and Valenwood went on as it always had. 

The blood of Bosmer had been spilt though, for not all had remained out of the conflict, and it was only a year before the end of the war that a group of Aldmeri-aligned Bosmer assailed the treetop homes of the Stagshoof clan. It was a somewhat unfair fight, for the terrain and locals knowledge was with the defenders, and by the end of the raid it would appear that the attackers had simply disappeared into the woodlands.

The clan feasted well after that.

Unknowing of faraway things such as the Stormcloak rebellion, the Stagshoof people were nevertheless highly connected to their land, and when an unknown presence entered the forest they were one of the first to [i]feel[/i] it in the roots and the air. Something was not right, something had to be done.

It was a gloomy day when an odd Bosmer, one clad in light clothing of an Imperial manufacture and telling tales of faraway lands and the things to be seen and found there, appeared before the clan and wove tales of these places in such a way that could capture not only the imagination but the heart of his listeners. 

He assured them it would be to the benefit of them all to send forth one of their own into the world, for better or for worse, for hard times were coming and Valenwood would not always be as isolationist as it now remained.

Much debate was had before Erissil – the first volunteer to step forth, and to take her first steps as an adventurer - was gifted leave to go, the Mother and elders of the clan not particularly happy with her decision - clearly the Imperial Bosmer had learnt how to lie during his time in the Empire.

Unaware of the outside world or the dangers on the other side of her forest home, she now goes to start her new life with an almost childish excitement. What will she learn from others? What will they look like? What do they [i]taste[/i] like?

Little did she know, as she made her way into the chill northern lands, that her life was about to change...

[b]Personality:[/b] Like most of her kind she is generally affable and welcoming of outsiders, Valenwood having taken in its fair share of strangers in its long existence, although coming from one of the more insular clans she remains wary and cautious – even skittish – around those she has entirely no connection to; adding to this later penchant for observation before interaction is her bare-bones grasp of Tamrielic, what she does speak usually being quite broken and causing others to see her as unintelligent - possibly true in the conventional sense, but animal cunning and almost genius-like improvisational skills usually put that to rest quite quickly!

What probably effects her personality and mental state the most is [b]not[/b] her isolation from 'Civilised society', but a long standing religious tradition of those Bosmer who choose to remain in the deep depths of Valenwood, known to the world as the Green Pact. It is this pact with Y'ffre that not only keeps her from devolving back into a more primordial form (hence the presence of antlers growing from her body), but it also causes her to appear more savage than would otherwise be the case.

Eating a slain foe within three days (the so-called Meat Mandate), protecting the flora and fauna of Valenwood, and producing products of non-plant based varieties are just a few of the things – along with a lot of faith – required of the Green Pact Bosmer.

It is a religious belief that Erissil follows to the letter, and those accompanying her should probably be aware of, for if they cause her to break the Pact...then it may well be their carcasses upon her plate.

[b]Skills:[/b]

[i]Major:[/i] 

- Archery/Bow:  It is well known in the wide world that the Bosmer are some of, if not [b]the[/b] finest archers in all Tamriel. Whether it is something in their blood, a natural part of them, or their upbringing, this is as true with Erissil as any other of her kind. When she uses the bow it is with a skill and fluidity honed from over a century of experience – fast, unerring, and lethal.

- Pathfinder: While there may well be those versed in stealth and subterfuge throughout the world – the Dark Brotherhood being a prime example – within the confines of Valenwood it would be hard to find anyone better than the diminutive inhabitants of the place. Erissil has spent her entire life having to live (some would say cope) in what is essentially the most unsafe 'forest' in Tamriel, a place where to anger the wrong critter or a neighbouring clan could mean your painful end at any moment, something that has affected her development deeply.

Tracking, and path-finding, are things come as second nature to her; do you need an animal ran to ground and bagged? No problem. A throat slit by an unseen assailant in the dead of night, as if they were killed by the jungle itself? Easily done. Need some natural poisons to coat a weapon? Here they are.

Within the brick and thatch confines of a city her skills are expectedly negated by her environment, but adaptability is something in which she excels, even if a large basket or within a layer of thatch is not the perfect place to hide.

[i]Minor:[/i]
- Duel wielder: Versed in the axe-and-dagger style of Bosmer fighting, she is capable of using two smaller weapons almost as if they were extensions of her limbs. Most commonly this is her hatchet and knife, as she hasn't tried with larger weapons (yet).

- Animal Companionship (Racial Power): There is no magic within her, beside the affinity that all Bosmer seem to have with the creatures of nature, and while she is able to perform many feats that may appear magical to others there is no magic involved beside basic instincts and decades of honing them in the light deprived depths of Malabal Tor. This includes 'connecting' with various creatures of the wild – wolves, bears and more – all sensing within the Bosmer something that more civilised individuals lack, a spirit of the wild perhaps?

- Imitation (Speech): While not an exact mimic, Erissil is capable of copying others in a surprisingly accurate way, whether this is vocal sounds (or 'words' to everyone else) or simply their way of moving, she will study and recite until she gets it right. Maybe not capable of impersonating the Emperor, if you play enough games of cards or chess with her...well...you'd best be prepared to eventually lose.

[b]Equipment:[/b] Although the Bosmer are not forbidden to use material such as wool, fibres from fur and flesh, and other such thing, there are those within Valenwood that are more barbarous than others. The Stagshoof clan have never shied away from showing themselves in this more backward light, proud followers of the Green Pact and unconcerned with the outside world unless it comes knocking.

Due to this, Erissil clothes herself in such little clothing that strangers would no doubt find it salacious!

On her lower body there is nothing but a stout belt of woven hide, hanging from it a breechclout crafted from the same creature (the ubiquitous stag that gave the clan its name), squares of hide draped over the front and the back - the cloth winding over the belt, under it, and over it again – but leaving the bare legs free to move as they will.

As one moves higher and follows the line of her firm flesh they shall find the remainder of the animal, a large male by the amount of skin it left over, has been crafted into 'shawl' of sorts – a large piece of the hide able to be wrapped about her shoulders, reaching down to her lower back, an imported brooch of Imperial design used to fasten the two together about her neck; beneath it she wears nothing but a strip of hide to keep [i]everything[/i] in place when traversing her home.

At a pinch, and in times of need, she can don loose-fitting robes of gossamer and flax layered over the top of with more sturdy treated leather – these reinforced sections mostly covering her shoulders and around the waist area, but prefers to leave the restrictive clothing for those who need it.

Her armament, such as it is, follows along these lines – her foremost weapon being the ever present bow of her people, a 'short bow' of a recurved design constructed from imported wood and layered with bone, the string made from animal hair. Paired with this is a quiver, worn across the back, containing numerous arrows of varying designs. From the most common arrow, a simple triangular-headed shaft, to bodkin arrows more capable of piercing thick flesh and armour. These tips are usually crafted from bone, although some make use of iron for arrows that would otherwise be unable to penetrate anything more than leather armour.

For closer fighting (which she tends to avoid) as well as general purpose tasks, she carries on her hips – one tucked into her belt and the other in a sheath on the opposite hip - an iron-headed hatchet capable of being thrown or as a melee weapon and a double-edged dagger handled with deer bone.

Lastly are what one would call 'miscellaneous' items – these includes a bone pendant of Y'ffre's symbol that hangs about her neck, and a small pouch at the rear of her belt containing medicinal herbs.


[b]Other:[/b] She enjoys mimicry and playing tricks, is a pretty good seamstress with materials she knows, and is eager to learn if a little withdrawn at first.[/hider]