28DCD Day Twenty-Eight (Trygve): Playlist (HA! Finally!)

I give up.

Well, that’s not entirely true. I am giving up my initial idea for this entry which was to compose a complete play list in the style of a movie soundtrack highlighting Trygve’s life and his part in the story up to this point, with maybe some hints as to things that are going to happen. I had all kind of song titles in this vein too: Trygve’s Lament, The Healer’s Repose, Requiem for a Conviction, and all kinds of stupid stuff like that.  I planned to draw these songs from all the fantasy-styled artists I’ve been listening lately, perhaps intertwining them with some modern songs as well.

28DCD Day Twenty-Seven (Trygve): Relationships [Creator]

A/N: I really did not expect this to be so long.  And I’m actually working on a longer piece that discusses some of the things I go into here.  Also, I’m still working on the playlist too. If I’m not finished that by tomorrow, I’ll just post a few ideas about music and writing (updating last year’s list) and some things that remind me of Trygve.

But today I speak of Trygve and my relationship with him.  Without mincing words, I fucking love Trygve.  He is, so far, my favorite of all the original characters I’ve created.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Elspeth too but Trygve, apart from his personality, motivations, and moral compass, is special to me for the simple reason is that he is my favorite type of character.  The one who is charged with speaking uncomfortable truths, of pointing out when our heroes are acting self-absorbed, reckless, self-serving, or just plain being dumb.

28DCD Day Twenty-Six (Trygve): Dinner Party

Your character can have a dinner party with anyone from the present game or in Tamriel’s history.  Who do they invite? Feel free also to include any gods from any pantheon, characters from other stories, or anything you think would fit your particular character.

“Oh, I don’t really like parties…”

28DCD Day Twenty-Five (Trygve): One Thing

If Trygve could change one thing about himself, what would it be?

Trygve is fairly confident, but he knows that he often takes things too seriously, obsessing over things that don’t warrant the level of thought he gives them.  But he likes to find order and logic in the things he observes, which leads to overanalyzing.  There isn’t much room there for just letting things go and he would like to be able to, particularly when it comes to his expectations of other people and how they conduct themselves.  He won’t admit it, but there are moments he envies Lydia’s idealism and ability to sympathize with people.

28DCD Days 23 & 24 (Trygve): Everyday Shit and Favorites

I don’t have that much to say about everyday stuff that is different from what I wrote last year on the topic.  I will say that with the assumption that tea exists in Tamriel, one of my favorite parts of Dragonborn was learning that one of the plants used to make tea is canis root.  I also discovered an herbal tea mod and I’m really quite sad that I can’t use it.  I think Trygve’s preferred tea is Orsinian Battle Tea because it’s hearty and a little bitter, whereas Elspeth prefers Akaviri Ceremonial Tea and Lydia, Nordic Mountain Tea.

28DCD Day Twenty Two (Trygve): Alignment

A/N: Note that this post contains spoilers for readers not caught up though the story.   There is also a vague reference to something that happens in Game of Thrones, season three if you haven’t gotten around to watching it yet.

This exercise gave me so much trouble last year that I had Pyrelle walking me through every question on the on-line quizzes to try to figure out which alignment best applied to Elspeth.  And having spent so much time thinking about character alignment, I knew Trygve’s immediately.

Chaotic good (heading toward neutral)

28DCD Day Twenty-One (Trygve): Dear Future Me

Dear Trygve,

Does it ever get easier?

Sincerely,

Trygve Wartooth of the Rift, Son of Birkir

28DCD Day Twenty (Trygve): Relationships [Riften]

Trygve’s family was well-respected around the Rift and while he never felt particularly attached to the place, he always felt obliged to stay on good terms with the people there, particularly in Riften where both of his parents conducted their respective trades.  This idea of simply staying on good terms gave way to feelings of actual responsibility when he became thane. When he returned from Solitude, he simply wanted some work though he didn’t want to tie himself to an actual job so that he could take off again when he was ready.   Jarl Laila charged him with taking care of Riften’s skooma problem and then made him thane.  He was reluctant at first because he would not want to treat it simply as a symbolic title, but he soon realized that he could do some good for the hold, while still having the freedom to explore.

28DCD Day Nineteen (Trygve): What happens in Riften, stays in Riften

(What actions has your character taken that he regrets or questions? Does he have any justification for them, and if so, what?)

A few posts back I mentioned that the hardest thing he’s ever going to do is coming up.  When that is over, not a day will go by where he won’t question that he did the best he could and that the choices he made were the best ones.  He knows his actions are justified, but he will always question whether or not the end justified the means.

For a while after Jori died, he regretted stopping to help the wounded Forsworn.  But over time he’s come to accept that it was the right thing to do and while he still wishes he had been better prepared for an attack, he doesn’t question it any more.

28DCD Day Eighteen (Trygve): Friends, Enemies, Frenemies

Still working on the playlist.  I came across one earwig recently that reminds me of Trygve, but only to the extent that is quite possibly the last song on the world that belongs on his soundtrack.

Anyway…

Trygve’s not the easiest person on Nirn to get along with.  He’s introverted and aloof, and while he enjoys company, he doesn’t seek it out.  He’s more likely to form close acquaintanceships than intimate friendships, usually over shared interests such as hunting, sparring, playing cards, and drinking mead.  In general, Trygve respects people with a strong work ethnic who show dedication to their respective beliefs and cause, though he disdains any sort of blind loyalty, believing that no individual, ideology, or philosophy is above criticism.

Well-meaning boyfriends notwithstanding, the easiest way to become an enemy of Trygve’s is to pose any sort of threat to the Dragonborn.

To this point, Trygve doesn’t have any frienemies.  I do think that, as Jarl Laila’s do-gooder Thane, he has a kind of tenuous community-oriented relationship with Brynjolf, which is sort of hinted at later.  Under the right circumstances I think there is some potential for an amusing anti-buddy road trip story, but I’m not writing that.