[hider=Keegan Vasque]
[center][img]https://farm1.staticflickr.com/949/41841335441_21b97780ce_o.jpg[/img]
[sup][color=c7a958]Arson suspect portrait, released by the Knights of the Dragon[/color][/sup]
[h3][u]    [b]K[/b]eegan [b]V[/b]asque    [/u][/h3]
[sup][sup][h3]Male Altmer | 72 | Ritual[/h3][/sup][/sup]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/w0XWwEk.png[/img][/center]
[center][h3][u]   [b]P[/b]rofile   [/u][/h3][/center]

[b][u] Birthplace   [/u][/b]

[indent]Firsthold, Auridon[/indent]

[b][u] Appearance   [/u][/b]

[indent]Dark-blond, olive-eyed and even-toned golden skin. Keegan's exterior remains as finely kept as possible. Scars are few, but often they preside over vital areas to show his assailants did not mess around. The picture perfect skin and the rare, lethal scars contrast greatly with each other. One thing to note is his slightly crooked nose, which is the favorite of his haters' fists. 

Bred according to thorough Altmeri standards, Thaleruim was almost indistinguishable from his grandfather's portrait. His parents made sure he styled himself just like the proud high elf they were. He was told to shave his face clean, which highlighted the angular elven features. He was told to walk with a straight back, which exhibited the lithe and two meter tall physique of the highborn. He was outfitted with elegant clothing, sleek and posh jewelry and every other significant personal belongings that were decorated with his family crest. In short, the young Thaleruim looked like a spoiled brat.

But since leaving the Summerset Isles, keeping a good appearance became increasingly impractical. As Keegan Vasque, the Altmer man no longer has access to a thick wallet. In the early years of his travels, Keegan was even forced to sell off his fancy jewelries just to pay for the next meal. Lack of proper grooming facilities also eroded that proud Altmer face. His hair grew wild and unsettled, the formerly spotless golden skin became frequently laden with dirt. The adult Keegan looked not so much a highborn anymore.

As an illusionist though, Keegan must appear tolerable to his audience. So before every show, he would put on the finest tunic, spit-shine his boots to perfection and tie up his hair in a neat ponytail. The illusionist Keegan carried himself with vigor, prancing about on the stage to keep the patrons entertained. They were all part of the trick, Keegan said, one's appearance is often the grandest illusion.

As a mercenary, nobodies gives a damn about appearance. That just spurs on Keegan's fashion side even more. If the meatheads can beat in combat, then he'll beat them in fashion. Sure a water resistant greatcoat is handy in Skyrim, but he doesn't have to settle with the same drab eyesore that every Nord wears. No, Keegan is a man that accessorizes.[/indent]

[b][u] Motivations and Outlook   [/u][/b]

[indent]On the outside, Keegan strives to be agreeable, at least to the agreeable people. He offers small talk to amiable folks and even willing to share some stories of his own. But then there are the hostile kind, and Keegan saw no shortage of them. He will very much judge a book by its cover; a person is guilty unless proven innocent. In particular, Keegan is not fond of the Nords, Redguards and the beast races, since most of them proved themselves as ignorant, brutish, deceitful or all three. Still, there is the odd apple in every basket, and he can see himself warming up to them if they warm up to him. He appears meek and awkward with strangers, because of his isolated upbringing and a career of staged interactions. Outside of familiar faces or scripted dialogues, Keegan often jumps between less comprehensible stutters and sudden rants.

He hates fighting sentient beings. Sure, there's lingering doubts of compassion that held him back from killing, though he never really killed another person before. But the real gripe was how unpredictable they were. See, wild animals and monsters are single minded, they fight to the death and it was kill or be killed. With man and mer though, they would trick and confuse their opponents; not knowing whether it be friend or foe, threat or safety.

Growing up in an eugenic society, the notion of social class never left Keegan's mind. Though it isn't much of a choice, but an automatic distinction that always existed in a subtle sense. He frequently categorizes a person based on their knowledge, their manners and the ways they handle themselves. One thing Keegan learned to ignore is wealth. Based on these assumptions, Keegan would lean towards the "better people". True friends have been scarce in his life, because how quick and frequent people were to take advantage of him, Keegan is highly reluctant to get close to anyone.

Having been through much in his life, there is nothing more important than personal security. Keegan would rarely fight a lopsided fight, preferring to retreat or subvert the engagement. Self preservation is his utmost priority. Still, losing some trusted friends did make Keegan value loyalty. If his allies saw a worthwhile battle, he might also see it as worthwhile. In general, Keegan despises crime, but does not think much when criminal matters are used to his benefit or his foes' suffering. When it comes to honor and the law, the word "opportunist" fits him perfectly.

Keegan enjoys juggling as personal entertainment, not so much as public performance. He can juggle fairly well on a spacious stage, with a respectful audience. When the theater shrinks and the audience becomes rowdy, Keegan tend to fumble more than he would otherwise. Still, there's something about holding big balls that keeps him juggling.[/indent] 

[b][u] Background   [/u][/b]

[indent]
[hider=Background]
[indent][i]Firsthold, Auridon, 4E 133 - 171[/i][/indent]
They were architects, foundation-layers of the great elven civilization. It was a profession that commanded much respect on the Summerset Isles. For anyone outside of the nobility, or the current Thalmor regime, architects' prestige are only paralleled by mages and artists. Skoerrho and Aervyn were such people, just as their fore-elders and their fore-elders' fore-elders. When a child was born, and a child of excellent measurements, Skoerrho and Aervyn was more than thrilled to continue two long lines of esteemed architects.

The newborn Thaleruim though, was anything but enthusiastic. He hated lessons in blueprint-drawing, frequently sneaked away from structural engineering and loathed nothing more than looking at brick and wood. However, Thaleruim learned rising above, or sneaking beneath, his station was a fate not to tempt. The society of Firsthold was a strict one, after all, there are no better place for the mighty Altmeri nation to enforce its superior values than its homeland. There were a myriad of punishments dished out for his rebellious nature, most of which are not appropriate for discussions in public. Nevertheless, Thaleruim grew up begrudgingly, not for one second interested in the path set by his parents. So at his thirtieth birthday, the young lad was taken to an “adjustment clinic”, ran by an illusionist mage specialized in “psychological correction”. Thaleruim thought it was the end of him, free will bound to be taken. However, the mage saw a peculiarity in him. The young mer was curious about magic, especially the school of illusion. He also had with him a quick wit, complemented by talk not so much posh but engaging to the audience. It was these curious traits that changed the mage's intent, she would not alter his mind; but instead, began secretly teaching Thaleruim the art of magic.

Eight years later, the old mage died in her sleep. Some say her years finally caught up to her, while others said it was poison from a bitter rival. Whatever the case was, Skoerrho and Aervyn were not impressed. Eight years of progress, Thaleruim was far from the fine elven specimen they hoped to sculpt. He became more focused in his studies, though it was merely a facade taught by the mage for his own sake. Beneath the surface, it was obvious this mer's heart was set on illusions, not architecture. His parents were desperate, Aervyn was infertile at this point, and the thought of their only heir dodging his destiny meant extreme measures must be taken. It was said the Thalmor operated a facility in Alinor City, a ward dedicated to the most ill of the mind. This was the future decided for Thaleruim. Fortunately, he intercepted the letter before it reached his parents. How could they do this? Was there any love for an offspring? Or was it entirely vengeance for his rebellious streak? Thaleruim didn't wait to find out, he ran for the first ship in port.

[indent][i]Hammerfell, 4E 171[/i][/indent]
The ship sailed for several days, probably less than a week but more than four days. In the duration, Thaleruim hid in the ship's underbelly, making a nest of wooden crates and meals of rats. The conditions were miserable, he could not sleep with sounds of heavy footfall above, creaking wood below and nauseous embrace of the sea all around. Near the end of his journey, the young stowaway was discovered. Truthfully, he was somewhat glad to finally see daylight. The crates he hid behind were now being lifted away by armored soldiers. Thaleruim boarded a troopship, one headed for war.

War was much nearer than Taleruim thought. The day of his discovery happened off the coast of Hammerfell, targets for the Auridon Marines. This ship was one of dozens, a part of a massive invasion fleet. It was obvious he was not part of detachment, but there was little the captain could do. They were merely hours away from storming a beach firmly entrenched by Redguard soldiers. Thaleruim was told to stay out their way, so he held on tight to wooden railings while foreign sands stained with red.

The battle went on for hours, and it was clear from the beginning that the grim faces of elven soldiers predicted a costly fight. The Redguards erected obstacles along the beach, with nasty traps sprung underneath the sands and archers poised behind the treeline. The Marines, on the other hand, had access to shipborne siege weapons. Projectiles and spells pummeled the defenders. Their enemies were all native Redguards, not a single Legionnaire was in sight. These were men and women fighting for their homes, for their lives, and a fight to the last warrior. So it was, after a day of painstaking slaughter, hundreds of corpses from both sides littered the waterfront. 
	
From that day on, Thaleruim would bore a permanent hatred for violence. There were political reasoning behind this, as they always had. But on the battlefield, it all quickly became moot. The sands of Hammerfell, ones that collected bones since the first era, cared not for righteous causes, but only martial might and strokes of dumb luck. It was decided then, Thaleruim would rather risk his parents' ire back home than continued being exposed to bloodshed. However, the captain could not spare a ship for just one passenger. He marched with the troops to a minor village not far from Hegathe. Little resistance, the captain said, a village of children and elderly, they assumed. Reality was not so kind; they have stumbled upon a stronghold of 500 Forebear warriors, every single one armed to the teeth. They slugged it out in another chaotic bloodbath. Fighting was done from building to building, doors to doors. This time, the defenders were not easily uprooted. Smell of death would permeate through the village for years, and it was said that sand spirits nearby were forever corrupted by this wanton display of destruction. In the end, the Altmers were defeated. Many Marines would be executed by vengeful Redguards, but for Thaleruim, who was assumed a messenger, the fate of imprisonment awaits.


[indent][i]Hammerfell, 4E 172 - 175[/i][/indent]
After being captured, Thaleruim was immediately imprisoned in Hegathe. He was brought there on a moonless night, with nothing in sight but endless desert. When he and the other captives came near the city's edge, they were blindfolded, chained together and led down to some kind of dungeon. Thaleruim had a separate cell to himself, but just across the wall, he could hear pained groans of two Marine recruits. About five days into his predicament, one marine was dragged away, screaming and never to return. Some uncountable days later, Thaleruim could not longer hear the other marine. It all became clear that the desperate elf cut himself and bled to death, the long gash on his forearm was obvious despite how hard the wardens tried to cover it up. Thaleruim concluded that his fellow prisoners must have been tortured, but for what it seems, he himself was never subjected to mistreatment. Sure, the food was absolutely appalling, and the cramped stone walls didn't leave much room for comfort. But only a pair of Redguards, clad in chain-mail and masks would occasionally question him. They, a man and a woman, judging by their voice, asked him about military intelligence. Thaleruim answered truthfully every time; he simply didn't have anything to tell. The interrogators stopped coming after a time, probably just leaving the Altmer boy to rot. 

But Thaleruim could not be left alone. Soon after that last visit, he heard fire and steel clashing outside the prison walls. Apparently, Dominion raiders attempted a prisoner rescue, only to be routed by defending wardens. That incident did, however, convinced the Redguards that Hegathe was no longer secure. By the next morning, Thaleruim was chained together with two Altmers and a Bosmer, put inside a dark wagon and shipped off to a Bankorai penitentiary. The two Altmers were probably the few remaining marines, and they accepted whatever fate awaited them by keeping quiet. The Bosmer, on the contrary, was a fresh capture and yelled non-stop. He talked about signing up in order to flee his demanding family, but only to be met with a disastrous ambush in southern Hammerfell. He even dug out a glass locket from Auriel-knows-where, and offered to the wardens in exchange for freedom. The Redguard captain was not impressed by this unforeseen bribery, he grumbled when the Wood Elf told how he stole this locket from his mother and regretting the act. The captain eventually heard enough, he snatched the locket away, and shattered it against the ground.

The Bosmer cried, he sunk to his knees, oblivious to the captain shouting at him.

The captain shouted, again and again, commanding the wood elf to shut up.

The wood elf did not.

And so, the captain took a nearby shovel. He aimed the broad side of its head against the Bosmer's head, intending to knock him out. After all, this individual could be a valuable prisoner, one that might give up information regarding Dominion troop movements. But the reality was that the captain was simply frustrated. He swung wider than anticipated, and the skull of a mortal creature suddenly seemed all too week in the face of iron. The Bosmer's head cracked, in just one impact, he was dead.

"No, no more interruptions, you all hear me!?" The captain tried to sound firm, but his voice undeniably wavered. His hands trembled with the gripped shovel, which still dripped blood. He herded the prisoners back into the wagon, and hesitated just a moment before closing the door. In front of three High Elves, he asked Tu'Whacca for forgiveness and proceeded to dig a makeshift grave for the deceased. Thaleruim was shocked, his mind raced to comprehend what had just transpired; what went through the minds of the Bosmer and the Redguard? Perhaps Thaleruim was also reminded of himself, how similar he was to the Wood Elf; just what went through his own head? 

However, the prison in Bankorai didn't give him much time to ponder it. His new wardens were "extraction specialists", and they certainly lived up to the name. They brought every torture, terror and pain imaginable and unimaginable to Thaleruim. They took him to the brink, threatened to push him over, and did it over and over for weeks. Thaleruim tried everything he could to free himself; he would start with the truth, that he was no part of the war and merely an unfortunate victim in it. Unsurprisingly, it was not bought. Then, he made fake intelligence and fed it to the interrogators. Well, they still didn't trust him. It was either that his made-up troop movements simply did not sound plausible, or these jailers continued torturing him just to satisfy their own sadistic fantasy. They drowned his head in urine one day, stuck a spike in his foot the other and finished off by setting his hair ablaze. Humiliation and brutality continued endlessly, until the arrival of one Breton man.

Four years had passed when Jat the Traceless came to Bankorai prison from Skaven. The Great War was finished in Cyrodiil by the signing of the White-Gold Concordat. To the west, war went on for Hammerfell. The Redguards were no longer part of the Empire; a nation now stood alone against the onslaught. To the eyes of the Redguards, the Imperial Legions were just as to blame for their plight as the elven invaders. So it only made sense that in 4E 175, Bretons and Imperials became equally suspect as elves and Khajiits. Henceforth, Jat fell victim of a witch hunt. Once an expert illusionist and street performer, Jat abruptly found himself surrounded by a mob of his former patrons and was incarcerated by some he used to call friends. The Redguards threw him inside a damp and cold cell, there were two haystacks, and one Altmer slouched against the wall.

From Jat, Thaleruim's hope would be renewed. Three years had taken their toll on Thaleruim, who should be at an age where he transitioned from childhood to maturity. A time where he was vulnerable and a time when his enemies tore him down. Jat came through like a beacon to ship lost at sea. During their time as fellow prisoners, Jat would tell tales of his adventures; stories of his amazing performances across Tamriel. He also learned of Thaleruim's aptitude in illusion and vowed to train him as his apprentice when they escape. At first, Thaleruim laughed as such talk; for all intents and purposes, they were never getting out. No, Jat responded, they'll have to try. So they did, by secretly communicating with other prisoners, they were able to engineer a riot. Once the riot paralyzed the wardens, Jat and Thaleruim, along with an Altmer marine and a common thief, dashed out of Bankorai and crossed the border to High Rock. 

[indent][i]Wayrest, High Rock 4E 176 – 4E 188[/i][/indent]
Four people, a motley band of wanted criminals made one of the most daring escapes in history. They had to thank other prisoners in Bankorai, because as soon as their riot was put down, every single one was executed. For Thaleruim, Jat, Castine (the Altmer marine) and the nameless thief, their freedom was sweet indeed. Once arriving in Evermore, the group went their own ways. The thief was first disappear, he vanished without a sign during the first night. Castine would find herself on a ship back to Alinor, intent on reuniting with her husband. Jat and Thaleruim hitched with a caravan to Wayrest, the city where Jat was born and a place where they could earn honest living.

From 176 to 180, Jat delivered on his promise. He took Thaleruim under his wing as they performed magic tricks for bewildered citizens. Thaleruim grew leaps and bounds with illusion, Jat was a patient teacher and his apprentice's eagerness furthered their progress. In just four years, Thaleruim could be called an adept. Though he lacked formal certification, his proficiency with a variety of spells could not be doubted. Magic was not all of Jat's trade, he also passed on mundane tricks, the sleight of hand and knowledge of machinery. They took Wayrest by storm, tales of two bewildering magicians and their bottomless bag of stunts would be commonplace on the streets. Through their success in Wayreset, Thaleruim would even reinvent himself with a new name. Keegan Vasque was someone Jat frequently murmured about in prison. As far as Thaleruim was concerned, Keegan was either Jat's own mentor, his grandfather's hound or the shoemaker from his youth. Either way, Jat said the name was fitting. So the Altmer man would no longer be Thaleruim the runaway, but as Keegan Vasque, the incredible magician.

180 also saw Castine reunited with the former Thaleruim, now Keegan. While she was away, fighting for the Dominion and fate uncertain after capture, her husband took the liberty of remarrying a thirty-some year old girl. Castine was furious, she could not believe her spouse cheated so easily. Moreover, it was because her ex-husband was the last link to Alinor. Her parents were deceased and her brother was killed in Cyrodiil. With nothing left, she took the return ship back to High Rock, intent on finding her friends from the prison break. For a man named the Traceless, Jat was remarkably easy to find. He and someone called Keegan Vasque were widely known across Stormhaven. 

After a surprising reunion, Castine started working as the duo's bodyguard. High Rock is a place of intrigue, backstabbing both figurative and literal. So the addition of a former soldier greatly enhanced their security. No longer would Jat and Keegan be harassed back stage, nor would their prized costumes be stolen while in transit. Castine also started training the performers in the combative arts. Jat, as a human, was fairly well-aged at this point, anything entirely new did not come easy for him. Keegan, on the other hand, made some progress under Castine's guidance. He acquired a novice's skills in polearms; which was later complemented by the purchase of a bladed staff. 

Despite all of their success, nothing could prepare Keegan and his friends for 188. The Corsairs, pirates led by the vicious Ambrose Mackin and the cunning Blaise Dupont, sacked the Wayrest and murdered its monarchy. In that fateful night, Keegan, Jat and Castine were finishing a performance in Wayrest Theatre. What would normally be a quiet evening was replaced with screams and fire. Busting through the theater doors was pirate captain Dupont himself, a dozen Corsair fighters in tow. Without a single regard for her own safety, Castine charged with her blade drawn. She was outnumbered twelve to one, and was only able to injure one pirate before being disarmed. Jat, who saw an imminent danger in front and carnage beyond the theater doors, attempted a paralysis spell at Dupont. The magical projectile veered, it took down Dupont's lieutenant, not the captain himself. Keegan was not brave like his friends, he cast an invisibility spell, which allowed him to vanish in plain sight. He held his breath to the point of suffocation and flattened himself against the wall, he could inch his way past he pirates if they stay distracted. Indeed, Dupont's goons all fixed their eyes on Jat, who stood defiant in front of twelve swords. He glanced to exactly where the invisible Keegan hid, frowned, and spat straight into Dupont's eyes.

Time seemed to stop as Dupont calmly wiped spit off his face. The pirates held their ground behind their leader, waiting for his next command or move. Jat bore his gaze on the concealed Keegan, silently begging him to leave. Keegan couldn't, he froze like a deer caught in the carriage lights, clutching white-knuckled onto the invisibility spell. He had no courage to reveal himself, but also could not bring himself to leave. So the Altmer starred wide-eyed all the while Dupont aligned his saber with Jat's neck. The first first slash nested halfway into Jat's neck, and Dupont withdrew his saber with bits of blood and skin. Jat quickly dropped to his knees, unable to hold his own weight. Before Jat could fully tumble over, Dupont caught him and immediately beckoned two pirates to hold Jat in place. For the second time, saber evened with neck, and this time, metal would cut through clean.

The final expression on Jat's detached head was that of pain, probably from the first decapitation attempt. There were no calm acceptance commonly described in stories; severed windpipe did not produce tranquility during the last seconds of life. Keegan cursed himself, seeing Jat's head roll across the floor made bile tumble in his stomach. For all the fear he felt, twice the anger crushed over. When the pirates turn their attention to Castine and started to rip off her armor, Keegan broke his spell and charged at the nearest pirate. He would not let his friend be violated by these villains. 

Keegan's staff blade sunk into a pirate's thigh, eliciting a pained groan in response. He swung the staff over, knocking another pirate off balance. The momentary confusion gave Castine time to tackle a Corsair and seizing his knife. Their element of surprise was lost, and the pair still had to contend with eight foes. So Castine grabbed Keegan and ran, dodging a thrown dagger when they neared the doors. But another projectile came in the form of an ice spike. Keegan threw up his left hand in an futile effort to solidify a ward. Defensive magic was foreign to him, the hastily cast ward could not prevent the spike from impaling Keegan's hand. Thankfully, Keegan's defense did reduce the velocity and broke off half of projectile. If not for his quick thinking, that very spike would have been lethal. The pair of Altmers sprinted, sneaked and climbed their way out of Wayrest. When Keegan came a decent way from the wall, Castine was no longer with him.

[indent][i]Daggerfall, High Rock 4E 189 - 4E 204[/i][/indent]
First stop off Wayrest was Camlorn, a city that Jat liked and where his ancestors hailed from. At a cemetery there, Keegan pondered what Jat meant to his life. Simply put, he owes his life to Jat; if not for his outrageous breakout, or his mentorship in magic, there would no Keegan today. Between rows of tombstones, a plaque was laid with Jat's name. By Auriel, Keegan never had the chance to ask if that was the real name at all. For the remainder of 188, Keegan traveled around High Rock looking for Castine. By the end of the year, he was as clueless as he started with. So a prayer sent to the divines and Keegan moved to Daggerfall. 

The first weeks at Daggerfall were rough. With Stormhaven now a Corsair Republic, Breton monarchies stumbled to comprehend this new balance of power. The people were uneasy, not many were in the mood for entertainment. The flickering fire in the Rosy Lion reminded how much he had fallen; in just a month, Keegan had drank away all of his savings. On his last night before forced eviction, Keegan started juggling bottles in the tavern, an act Jat used to be fond of. Three bottles, four bottles, soon Keegan was rotating seven bottles through the air. Dozens were gathered around to watch this fascinating elf, one of them would be Keegan's second chance at life.

Horace Fontaine was eager and brave, equipped with a fresh bag of coins inherited from his parents; he planned big business ventures. His gamble was the old theater, one that had fell out of use since the Great War. Sure enough, the city sold him the property for a bargain. Horace had a fancy stage, but he still needed shows to sell. There it was, a drunken elf juggling seven bottles in a tavern. The future star of Daggerfall. Under the patronage of Horace, Keegan found himself back on the stage, single handily dazing crowds with spectacular displays of illusion. Coins began flowing and fair-weathered friends flocked to his side. This time around, Keegan chose to diversify his stakes. He became an associate in Synod's Glenumbra chapter, where he partook in part-time study of conjuration and destruction in order to properly defend himself.

However, Keegan's next crisis didn't come from his own errors, but rather, other's error. In short, another magician's flaming familiar had gone awry, and a fire quickly consumed the entire theater. The building was burned down and many badly hurt. The magician responsible was the first to burn, and his corpse was nothing more than a pile of ash. Keegan, by sheer strokes of luck, survived perfectly intact. The survivor in this scenario became the scapegoat. Keegan was billed as the perpetrator behind the fire, he was also billed with a massive fine that was far beyond payable. That night, two massive thugs cornered him, but they immediately fell to an elven woman's blade. Castine had escaped Wayrest and took up mercenary work. She never gave any explanations on why she was at Daggerfall, only that Keegan should go to Skyrim.

[indent][i]Skyrim, 4E 205[/i][/indent]
Skyrim was a frigid place, one that seemed inhospitable both naturally and socially. Crossing over the mountains in wintertime further compounded the problem. Most of Keegan's belongings have been repossessed by Horace, so he was left with little more than his clothes and a small batch of coins. The Morning Star of 205 was the coldest Keegan ever saw. According to the locals though, it was just snow as usual. With little cash on person, Keegan would have to work immediately, lest he be frozen to death in the wild. His first job in Skyrim was exploring a dwarven ruin with a group of adventurers. The group was young and foolhardy; most of them made short work of the lesser machines but only to become pulp under the hammer of a centurion. Keegan was always behind everyone else, so it only made sense that he came out unscathed besides a sphere breaking his staff. The other survivors were warriors, they claimed the mage did no work and deserved no rewards. Of course, the meatheads hauled off bags of dwarven ingots, anything that resembled gold and even ancient utensils. Keegan was left with one object; a stick. 

The brass stick was apparently a control rod, but it failed to shut down any automatons. What it did do, however, was discharging sparks of lightning. It also had four metal prongs protecting its core, a charged soul gem. In a way, this rod would fill the role of Keegan's old staff.

By the time ice thawed and spring replaced winter, Keegan was also desperately low on funds. He chose to spend his last Septims to Markarth after hearing its mining business. Before he could enter the city, he was stopped by a man called Ashav. Mercenary work, Ashav told him, there are profits in war, just waiting for the right person. There would be danger, sure, but this company in particular only guarded the rear. Keep your head down and money will come to you in no time, Ashav promised. He offered a contract and a bag full of gold; it was irresistible.

One week later, the gold was very much resistible. The company had conducted a head-on assault against the Forsworn, and though Keegan was spared of the heavy fighting by volunteering as a scout, he nevertheless realized this mercenary business was too violent for his taste. To make matters worse, Ashav was a drunkard, and his second was a giant blockhead known to bully whoever he wanted to, which meant Keegan most of the time. Before he had the chance to quit, though, he was shipped off to Windhelm. The new challenger? Snow demons from Akavir.

Like most people present during the Siege of Windhelm, Keegan was way too stunned to properly articulate his opinions on the Kamals. When the city fell and the mercenary company barely escaping, Keegan decided that it's better to stick with a group of armed people than going out there on his own, at least until the Kamals are gone. However, life with the company only got tougher, and the pay got lower. Before the end of the month, Keegan was finding himself on a sinking ship, a burning forest and some convoluted murder plot that he did not want to touch with a thousand foot staff. The only reason that he stayed until the end of Sun's Height was a bunch of debt collectors coming to get him, and being saved by Do'Karth, a fellow mercenary.

What finally broke Keegan was a letter from home, from Summerset. His parents have been reeducated by the Thalmor, and after their recent release due to regime change on Summerset, they seemed to be blaming their misfortune on Keegan. Even worse was the fact that the company lieutenant beat him senseless for "communicating with the enemy", and then got woken up by guards dumping piss on his face.

Enough is enough, Keegan decided. He ran off that night and boarded a cart to Solitude. He didn't think about what to do next, figuring that anything would be better than that wretched merc company. Turns out, it would not be so. With so little in his pocket, Keegan had to find work immediately just to eat. He became an entertainer at the Winking Skeever, juggling large spherical objects in front of unruly crowds. Then, the debt collectors returned.

No one would think that Keegan would be rescued by the same group of mercs he deserted, and yet, that was exactly what had happened. This time was Ariane Fontaine, a mystic and the niece of the very man that sent these collectors after him. The mercs were regrouping from failed assignments in Solitude and was now leaving for Jehanna, High Rock. When Keegan asked why Ariane had saved him, she simply responded that Ashav needed him alive to be tried for desertion. Still, as a sign of what could only be goodwill, Ariane returned to Keegan his dwarven staff, something he had lost leaving Dawnstar.

Fair enough, Keegan actually followed her back to the company, and was acquitted and offered another chance to enlist. Keegan agreed, partially because of his hatred for the Winking Skeever overwrote the hatred of the mercenaries, and partially because he wanted to go to High Rock anyways, so that he could see that son of a bitch Horace Fontaine again and make sure Horace never interferes in his life ever again.[/hider][/indent]
[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/w0XWwEk.png[/img]
[h3][u]   [b]C[/b]apabilities   [/u][/h3][/center]

[b][u] Attributes   [/u][/b] 

[list]
[*][u]Major[/u]: Intelligence
[*][u]Minor[/u]: Personality
[/list]

[b][u] Skills   [/u][/b] 

[list][*][u]Expert[/u]: Illusion 
[*][u]Adept[/u]: Enchanting, Alteration 
[*][u]Apprentice[/u]: Summoning, Speech 
[*][u]Novice[/u]: Light armor, Spear, Provisioning, Destruction (Shock), Woodworking, Athletics
[/list]
[b][u] Weaknesses   [/u][/b]

[indent]Keegan is heavily indebted, owing several thousand Septims to very powerful parties; some of whom have sent debt enforcers after him. 

His left hand is weakened; while it is still used for common tasks, it lacks precision and strength. Problem with the left hand also makes Keegan incapable of dual casting difficult spells. Physically, Keegan is not very well-conditioned, making him less hearty than the typical warrior.

When in awkward, scary, exciting, or just unexpected situations, Keegan will involuntarily stutter. While Keegan is perfectly capable of delivering pre-written speeches and performances, he is less capable when communicating on the spot. He has settled into an reserved personality, as talking about himself may leak out secrets that Keegan does not want to reveal.

Keegan is also prone to seasickness, though it is becoming less severe as he adjusts to maritime travel.[/indent]

[b][u] Spells   [/u][/b]

[list][*][u]Illusion[/u]: Calm, Fear, Rally, Frenzy, Muffle, Invisibility, Clairvoyance, Charm, Blind, Mental paralysis
[*][u]Alteration[/u]: Waterbreathing, Manipulate weight, Manipulate locks, Transmute, Oakflesh, Telekinesis
[*][u]Conjuration[/u]: Conjure familiar, Bound dagger, Soul trap
[*][u]Destruction[/u]: Flames, Sparks
[*][u]Hybrid[/u]: Detect life (physical via alteration and mental via illusion), Magelight (alteration for environmental illumination, illusion for personal night vision)
[/list]
[b][u] Tactics   [/u][/b]

[indent]Subversion over attack; this is Keegan's favored approach to conflicts. His skill sets are poorly suited for head-on engagements. Instead, Keegan employs a vast array of illusion and alteration spells to keep his opponents confused. This is merely a delaying tactic; in most cases, he needs to either withdraw or seek assistance from allies. As a last ditch effort, Keegan can use his staff in melee, spew out short sparks and even conjure up a bound dagger. All methods of attack mentioned above are greatly ineffective against a prepared combatant; sparks and bound dagger can only be sustained for mere seconds, and Keegan is also by no means talented with polearms.

When working together in groups, Keegan offers miscellaneous benefits to his partners. He rallies those on his side with spells, filling them with vigor and a little recklessness. He can also detect important objects on the field, such as traps, hidden paths and concealed enemies. By finding secrets with illusion and alteration, Keegan is therefore able to defuse some of them by manipulating their weight or magically open locks.

For defense, Keegan's leather-reinforced robe offers minimal protection against weapons. His stamina are also limited, but he can run surprising fast in a panic. Keegan knows how to form a simple magic armor (oakflesh) for minor durability increase. Overall, Keegan prefers to hide behind cover and armored companions.[/indent]

[b][u] Relations and Affiliations   [/u][/b]

[list]
[*]Skoerrho (Altmer), father
[*]Aervyn (Altmer), mother
[*]Jat the Traceless (Breton), mentor, deceased
[*]Castine (Altmer), friend and former bodyguard
[*]Horace Fontaine (Breton), theater owner and now his debt owner
[/list]
[indent]Formerly associated with the Daggerfall Theatre and Synod Glenumbra. Both organization have disavowed him as a criminal.

Within the band of mercenaries, Keegan feels like a fish out of water. Though he is reluctant to make friends, he nevertheless keeps a amiable frontage unless provoked.

[hider=Opinions]
[b]Jorwen[/b]: Bulk of a man and the prime example of a career warrior. Safe to say, Keegan does not feel comfortable around Jorwen's type. But he could not ignore the Red-Bear's prowess, and is surprised to see him less confrontational than expected. Keegan genuinely feels sorry for Jorwen's disappearance, as he had fought with the Nord not long before and had fled their battle for his own safety. In addition, Jorwen was one the select few Nords that had a normal conversation with him, and watched his back in combat just like everyone else. Keegan wouldn't admit it openly, but he misses Jorwen.

[b]Solvieg[/b]: Hearing talks about Jorwen's daughter but never meeting her, Keegan has the basic respect for her as her father. Of course, her tantrums couldn't be missed from a mile away; there's the typical angry Nord Keegan came to know and hate. Though he rarely fought beside Solveig, Keegan had heard how she fought hard and loved hard. Whatever that actually meant was something Keegan does not wish to find out, and thankfully, she is no longer with the company after Dawnstar. Some say Solveig went to search for her father. It is a stupid idea, but brave and takes a sort of conviction that Keegan wishes he had.

[b]Sadri[/b]: Another elf and mage, Sadri is somewhat relatable to Keegan. The Dunmer's odd adventures keeps nights around the campfire interesting. Keegan is overall warmer towards Sadri than most others. Since the shipwreck, Keegan was not particularly impressed at Sadri's "healing skills". Perhaps it was losing his pipe, or perhaps it was losing his sanity in the fields of battle, Keegan finds Sadri acting increasingly strange, and thus prefers to give him a wide berth for his strangeness; maybe Solveig leaving drove Sadri crazy. Maybe, and that's just more reason to stay away from battle-crazed Nords and drug-crazed Dunmers (except for taking out battle-crazed, cat-kicking Nords). On the other hand, Gustav's taken a liking to Sadri, and that's something that may end up in the Dunmer's promotion. Good for him.

[b]Sevine[/b]: Another red-haired Nord, only younger and without the beard. As much as Keegan tried to comprehend her sympathy towards the vulnerable, he thinks she is too compassionate for this cutthroat business. During the siege, Sevine came up with improvised catapults and crude ammunition. She's clever, Keegan will say that. Well, he's not sure if sleeping with a Khajiit is that smart, though. A smooth-skinned being getting intimate with a beastfolk disgusts Keegan to the same degree as masturbating with hot sauce. As Keegan leaves, he couldn't help but feel bad for Sevine. She went through the ringer only to find her friends and loved one gone. There were rumors of the huntress leaving to return to home in Falkreath, and Keegan hopes she does just that. After all that Sevine's endured, she deserves some time off with family.

[b]Leif[/b]: Keegan hates boats, he finds it bizarre when the Raven-Stone brings out his "good times" on the waves. How anyone could find joy rocking on the sea is beyond him. What more odd was how this man is devoid of venereal diseases. Like Sevine, Keegan sees Leif a crude Nord. Now, his downfall from a proud sailor-warrior to a heartbroken mess is truly dramatic. Keegan will be sure to document the life (and possibly death) of the Raven-Stone, for one killer drama script.

[b]Sagax[/b]: To be honest, if there's anyone as unfitting in the company as Keegan, Sagax would be it. At a first glance, Keegan thought Sagax did the same job as Dough-Boy, and thus choosing not to bat an eye at him. After hearing the Imperial enduring trial by fire, Keegan began developing positive views towards Sagax. Indeed, Sagax's own optimism is almost infectious. How is it possible for someone to act this cheerfully after multiple suicide attacks? Well, he's not that optimistic after Roze died. What goes up must come down; the lesson here for Keegan is to never go up. Sagax resisted the urge to climb on things during the banquet, but couldn't resist the frenzy to run around like an idiot. Silly lad; one cannot run from every single problem, as Keegan learned first hand.

[b]Utu-ja[/b]: Slimy illiterate lizard, a proper Altmer would not deign to look at it. Now that Utu is dead, Keegan's not going to miss him.

[b]Tsleeixth[/b]: A lizard conjurer, that's got to be a first. As much as he was conditioned to avoid beast races, Keegan couldn't help but feel curious at Tsleeixth's abilities. Differing from Utu, Tsleeixth is clearly better mannered, therefore much more pleasant to be around. Tsleeixth is a polite and educated man that had the misfortune of suffering the worst injuries. Keegan thinks Tsleeixth is much better off pursuing an intellectual career, but then again, so should Keegan himself. So why are they both still here? In the end, neither of them remained. Keegan's just glad he left before he ended up like Tsleeixth.

[b]Roze[/b]: Obviously something shady is going on with the Breton woman. Rumors are things tend to go missing around her. Keegan dealt with Breton thieves in Daggerfall; they might be harmless on the surface, rows of daggers lined the internal of their bodices. Though he wants absolutely nothing to do with a criminal, Keegan couldn't help but wonder if Roze had been framed for something she didn't do as well. Whatever secret Roze holds, Keegan is not going to find out. She died pretty abruptly, and maybes it's for the better.

[b]Rhasha[/b]: Cats are sly by nature, or that's what books told Keegan. In the real world, Khajiits are pegged as second class citizens by the Dominion and con-beasts by the Bretons. Suffice to say, Keegan hasn't too many counter-examples telling him otherwise. Therefore, he approaches Rhasha with caution. However, closing Keegan's wound garnered respect. That respect went away knowing Rhasha was the one responsible for that wound in the first place (albeit accidentally). Respect or not, an expert alchemist like Rhasha dying to a poisoned blade is a sad irony. Keegan heard that Rhasha writhed in pain for six hours after suffering critical injuries at Dawnstar, and that the lingering poison and paralyzing infection gradually ate him away in the most agonizing manner. Before dying, Rhasha supposedly cursed his gods for abondoning him. This Khajiit's tale is a tragic one indeed.

[b]Vurwe[/b]: Altmers are rare sights in Skyrim, but Keegan is not sure whether he should rejoice at seeing a fellow countrywoman. While she understands the savageness of the north, and reminded him of Alinor far away, the typical Thalmor arrogance exhibited by Vurwe lessens the cordiality of a familiar kin. Well, she's dead. Pretty sure someone in Summerset will be mourning, but no one around Keegan is, and Keegan doesn't feel like mourning.

[b]Do'Karth[/b]: Like dealing with Rhasha, Keegan employs caution around Do'Karth. Though he is grateful for the Khajiit's medical skills. During the siege, Do'Karth went above and beyond to help everyone in need. Keegan never saw anyone (let alone a Khajiit) with such altruistic spirits. Talking with 'Karth went better than expected; Keegan could say he started to trust this Khajiit. Indeed, this cat is interesting to be around and an unexpectedly effective mercenary that attacks and protects. However, Do'Karth's done attacking and protecting after Jehanna. If this Khajiit quits, out of all the mercenaries, then it must say something about the company.

[b]Niernen[/b]: Frail looking and displaying intense herpetophobia, Keegan fells sorry for whatever ordeals Niernen went through. He finds common ground with Niernen's taste for high culture and distaste for the wretched folks. Just as Keegan thought he found someone with something in common, Niernen went missing. Knowing it was Kamals on their tail, the only thing left for this veteran battlemage were prayers of passing. Now she's back? Well, Keegan is utterly confused. Why doesn't she stay the hell away from this war? It must be brain injuries getting the better of her. Indeed, Niernen's presence at the banquet probably caused more harm than good, due to her setting expensive people and stuff on fire.

[b]Trius[/b]: A dark and brooding man, likely entangled with the kind of crowd nobody likes. This Dunmer is mysterious, unpredictable and surprisingly dangerous. While Trius tags along with the company (and Ashav doesn't mind), Keegan knows well enough to stay away from an unstable, masked rogue. He supposed to be concerned over Trius' sudden disappearance, but Keegan feels only relief.

[b]Kaliri[/b]: Truly a strange woman in terms of manners, she alternates from voodoo curiosity to perpetual restlessness. While Keegan generally chats up fellow magic-users with ease, this one proves a hard pill to swallow. Kaliri somehow made acquaintance with the two least likely person; the Nords Sevine and Leif, but repulsed by Altmers. This is perfectly fine, as Keegan is more than happy reciprocating the hostility. Boy, wasn't it great she didn't plan to join the company?

[b]Almad[/b]: A new man, not one of brute force but of elegance. Generally, Redguards always favored brutality over elegance. This one is quite different, his aura reminiscences of the few intimate encounters Keegan had with other men. He hopes he gets a chance to know this person, to finally find a Redguard bearing the ever-so-rare divine-blessed radiance. It was a shame to see him go, but Keegan did get to know Almad later, intimately. And then some crazy Argonian [i]roleplayer[/i] killed him. Oh well, all good things must come to an end.

[b]Marcel[/b]: In short, the Breton makes Keegan uneasy. Within close proximity, Keegan feels his magicka disturbed by this individual. An almost terrifyingly polite exterior piles onto the arcane disturbance. Looking on the bright side, Marcel at least sounds honest and straightforward. But this also rules any interesting conversations. Marcel appeared to have a sense of honor (and a heart) in rescuing Adaeze, but their failure clearly weighs both of them down. For now, it looks Marcel's toughing it out, being the rare few that hasn't broke down at some point. Mentally broken down, that is. Keegan saw Marcel badly injured on his way out of Castle Evermore; how this Breton keeps going is beyond puzzling.

[b]Daixanos[/b]: So far, this guy seems like Utu-ja number two. Ashav can vouch for him, so Keegan will have to sit beside those stinky scales. On the bright side, this one knows how to read bounty ledgers, at the very least. Fast, lethal and lacking personality, Dax is as mercenary as they get. Keegans thinks Dax will fare quite well in the company, and even though he doesn't like Dax, Keegan's actually happy that someone unfazed by those traumatic events is taking the fight to their enemies.

[b]Raelyn[/b]: A decent singer and entertainer, though she can get offensive at moments. Keegan can say he sympathizes with another performer turned mercenary, but her investigative behaviors do set off alarms. This Imperial has a highly punchable face. Well, she got left behind in Dawnstar, and probably dead. Shit.

[b]Bharzak[/b]: It's hard not to feel sorry for this Orc mage. Captured by the Kamal, fitted with a deadly collar and sent on a suicide mission, Bharzak managed to survive all of her ordeals. Keegan is glad to have rescued her and brought her expertise into the company. But then she was condemned by Dawnstar and assassinated in the mine she was forced to work in. Fate is truly cruel to her, and Keegan wishes Bharzak peace in Malacath's realm.

[b]Alim[/b]: Slippery guy that came into the company from nowhere. This individual may have ulterior motives; keep away. Keegan can't deny that it's hilarious seeing Alim transformed into a chicken. Must be the kid's true self shinning through. Keegan saw him celebrate with Relyssa while people are dying. What a prick, just like Keegan himself.

[b]Piper[/b]: Macho and insecure, the perfect combination that Keegan hates. This kid has the worst personality ever, and whether or not her skill can compensate remains to be seen. Hopefully not, so the company can get rid of her. In the end, Keegan got himself out before anyone got Piper out. Oh well, maybe they'll make a merc out of her yet.

[b]Narzul[/b]: Keegan didn't expect this Dunmer to be Niernen's brother, as they seem very different on the surface. He is an angry and powerful warrior, though with Morrowind firmly being the mercenaries' enemy, Narzul's true loyalty worries Keegan. Narzul remains a mystery to Keegan, but one thing's for sure; this Dunmer is one angry son of a guar.

[b]Dar'Jzo[/b]: Old fart that's clearly out of his league. Dar'Jzo belongs in a retirement home, or a litter box, judging by how much he vomits. As little as Keegan thinks of this Khajiit, he can relate to Dar'Jzo seasickness. Speaking of relate, Keegan has to give it to Dar'Jzo for his "performance" in Jehanna. Barely a week in and they got rid of the biggest asshole in the company; bravo! Keegan heard this Khajiit may be leaving with his grandson. Smart decision; fighting for the sake of a grudge is never healthy, and one should cut their losses while they still can.

[b]Maj[/b]: Keegan finds it hard to believe that there's someone as loud as Leif. Actually, with Leif taken down a notch by Sevine and Do'Karth, Maj may be the most talkative person in the company. In short, she's annoying. Even so, Keegan's somewhat concerned that she just disappeared. Maj seemed cheerful before, so what happened to her during the banquet?

[b]Adaeze[/b]: This Bosmer with identity crisis combines the worst of Piper and Narzul; insecure and angry. All that boast and insult couldn't save her from an unfortunate demise. Keegan finds her death shocking, but is glad to get rid of the least personable mercenary. 

[b]Ashna[/b]: A proud bandit, that alone turns Keegan off. But she died in the most painful manner possible. No one in Keegan's eyes deserves to be slowly roasted alive like that, not even bandits.

[b]Wylendriel[/b]: Unlike Ariane, Keegan doesn't think Wy smells that bad. With that said, her mental state had been unstable, to say the very least. Keegan's thankful that he stayed clear of their chaplain, and  never needed her services. Keegan always respected the divines, and how someone that pious could suffer so horribly is concerning. Maybe the aedra aren't as benevolent as he thought.

[b]Relyssa[/b]: Keegan saw Alim smooching this woman. Keegan doesn't who she is, and he doesn't care.

[b]Ariane[/b]: Keegan's not sure how to feel about Ariane. On one hand, she gave him a second chance in the company. On the other, she is partly the reason for Horace, her uncle, sending the debt collectors after him. In the end, Keegan killed Ariane's uncle without thinking about the consequences on her. So Keegan would prefer to forget about Ariane and hope to never meet her again.
[/hider]
[/indent]

[b][u] Other Capabilities   [/u][/b]

[list]
[*]Juggling big balls
[*]Forging documents
[*]Good swimmer
[*]Large reserve of magicka from Altmeri ancestry and multi-decade practice
[/list] 
[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/w0XWwEk.png[/img]
[h3][u]   [b]I[/b]nventory   [/u][/h3][/center]
[indent][table=bordered][row][/row][row][cell]
[b]§ [u] Cash & Valuables  [/u][/b]
- 30 Septims
[/cell][cell]
[b]§ [u] Keys & Lockpicks  [/u][/b]
- Daggerfall Theatre backstage key (door no longer exists)
[/cell][/row][row][cell]
[b]§ [u] Weapon & Ammo  [/u][/b]
- Dwemer Electric Staff
[/cell][cell]
[b]§ [u] Tools & Crafting Materials  [/u][/b]
- Tea infuser
- 6 new and empty tea bags
[/cell][/row][row][cell]
[b]§ [u] Clothing, Armor & Jewelry  [/u][/b]
- [url=http://img12.deviantart.net/dc53/i/2012/233/c/a/troll_face_mask_by_shizuke1984-d5bx01d.jpg]Painted wooden mask[/url]
- 2 sets of robes; 1 unhooded spidersilk, 1 hooded leather
- Quilted trench coat
- Tanned leather boots and footwraps
- Cable knit gloves
- 2 flax pants, 1 cotton pants, 2 waxed wool pants 
- 2 cotton shirts, 1 flax shirt
- Ashlander scarf
- Copper locket; minor magicka boost enhancement
- [url=https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/97f773a8-6fe9-473f-a7a8-a953f958b3a0_1.4d6cde162f1175c7f99be69d45457e4b.jpeg]Fake mullet wig[/url]
[/cell][cell]
[b]§ [u] Books & Documents  [/u][/b]
- Healing scroll 
- Medium ward scroll 
- Blank parchments
- Mercenary contract 
- [i]The Lusty Argonian Maid[/i] comic adaptation
- Fake identifications:
	- Haafingar performer's grant as "Shifty Banana"
	- Vvardenfell Outlander Militia dogtags as "Rhyume" (forged)
	- College of Whispers enchanter certificate as "Daile" (forged)
	- Senchal shipping manifest as "Captain Laurence" (stolen)
[/cell][/row][row][cell]
[b]§ [u] Potion & Arcane Supplies  [/u][/b]
- 3 common soul gems 
- Bottle of medium magicka potion 
- Bottle of cure disease potion
[/cell]
[cell]
[b]§ [u] Consumables & Ingredients  [/u][/b]
- Pouch of jasmine tea leaves
- Box of cabbage cookies
[/cell][/row][row][cell]
[b]§ [u] Bags & Containers  [/u][/b]
- Medium cloth satchel with staff bindings 
- Leather belt with bandoleers for small objects 
- Waterskin
[/cell][cell]
[b]§ [u] Other  [/u][/b]
- Linen for emergency sanitation 
- Wooden mug
- De-feathered quill and vial of black ink
- Moisturizing lotion
[/cell][/row][/table][/indent]
[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/w0XWwEk.png[/img]
[url=https://youtu.be/ZaMX0Cs5Bc4]Theme Song[/url][/center]
[/hider]