User:JibstaMan/CorradusV1

Growing Up
Born in Cheydinhal in Cyrodiil. His mother died giving birth to him. His father abandoned him and left him to die on the small island. A priest found him. The priest looked for suitable parents and found them in Chorrol.

He grew up with new parents. They gave him the name Corradus. Life was hard, gold was scarce. His (adoptive) father, Claevetius, was a soldier and wanted his son to become one as well, when he would be older. His (adoptive) mother, Pritania, was a priestess in the Chapel of Stendarr.

One day, Pritania was asked to go to Odiil Farm because someone became sick. On her way there, she got robbed and badly wounded. Guards found her just in time and she was brought back into Chorrol. She barely survived the attack, but after some time, she was back to her old self.

Claevetius thought the glass was half empty and was mad at the Gods. Pritania was just glad to be still alive and thanked Stendarr for his mercy.

On his 12th birthday, his parents told him that he was adopted. a few months later, Claevetius died during the Battle of the Red Ring. Since then, Corradus had to work hard in order to put food on the table. Most of the time he was working, the rest of the time, he would spent with his mother. His father’s wishes were soon forgotten. Joining the Imperial Legion would mean supporting the Thalmor and their White-Gold Concordat. Instead, Corradus learned to be a priest.

Pritania died of illness when Corradus was 17 years old. First he threw himself into more work to escape from his loss and loneliness. A priest, colleague of his mother, allowed him to stay in the chapel. He sold his parents house for a fair amount of Septims.

The Search
When he was 18, he decided to go look for his birth parents. He found the priest that found him when he was just a baby. He learned that his mother died while giving birth to him. When he went on to look for his father, he didn't find anything. With the money he gathered, he stayed in Cheydinhal. He didn't give up easily. Soon, everyone knew of his presence. A week later he had spoken with pretty much everyone, but still nobody knew anything about his birth father. One night, when wandering around, he saw someone he hadn't spoken to yet. Before he could ask anything, the person told him “If you value your life, leave!”.

But Corradus wasn't about to give up. The following night he was looking around, hoping to meet the shady person again. All of a sudden, a man comes out of the shadows and throws him to a wall. Next thing he knows, he has a knife to his throat. A hooded man stands in front of him, dressed completely in black. “Last chance, leave now or you won't live to see the next sunrise.” Corradus didn't know what to do. He thought ‘Should I ask or do as I’m asked?’. But he realized there was no time for rationalizations. Instead, he just acted on instinct. His hand reached to the hood and he pulled it down. He saw an old man with lots of scars. Those eyes, the hate in them, incredibly hard to forget. Surprised by this move, the man stood still. But as soon as the moment came, it passed. He struck the dagger in Corradus' shoulder. Corradus falls to the ground, with his back against the wall. The man looks down at him and they make eye contact. Then he puts the hood back over his head, crouches and prepares to slit Corradus’ throat. The only thing Corradus can say is “Father?”. A little sign of hesitation fills the shadowy figure in front of him. The dagger at his thought moves down a distance almost unnoticeable to the naked eye, but he feels he can breath a bit easier. But then the dagger returns and his skin starts to split.

His life flashes before his eyes. It all feels meaningless. Nothing was worth while. Everything he worked for is dead. He has build up nothing. He has no home, he has no one that will miss him once he's gone. And gone he'll be, he will die right here, just so he could meet his father. His birth father, who obviously was a member of the Dark Brotherhood or maybe some other shady organization. It doesn't matter, death is looking at him, Sithis will have another soul to play with. All those prayers, all those hours spent serving Stendarr and the other Divines. But for what?

Then, all of a sudden, the man vanishes. Corradus tastes metal in his mouth - blood. The dagger is gone. When he looks to his left, he sees the hood. Completely pierced by an arrow. He looks at the rest of the body, but it's hard to see the figure in the darkness. He looks to the right and sees a guard with a torch coming closer. Every second that passes makes him feel weaker. Blood pours out of his shoulder.

Corradus is weak. He barely notices the guard that's trying to help him. He can't make a sound, let alone form a word. He's thinking, about his life, about everything he worked for, about his dreams, his ambitions. But nothing gives him meaning, nothing gives him a reason to fight for his life. Then he loses consciousness.

He wakes up in the Chapel of Arkay. The wound on his shoulder is wrapped with bandages. The familiar face of the priest walks into the room, looks at him and smiles. "You my friend, you defied death once again. You must have some good friends up there!" Corradus can't help but smile, although he doesn't feel like that is true.

Weeks pass while he is recovering in the church. The priest and Corradus have many conversations about varying subjects. But the one the priest is most interested in, is what Corradus is going to do with his life. "I'm serious, you've witnessed more miracles in 18 years then I personally have in my many years. I believe the Gods have something in store for you. You'll just have to listen and keep your eyes open." Before long, Corradus gives in; "I guess you're right. I know how to be a priest more then I know anything else." When he's fully recovered, the priest prepares a private ceremony, in which Corradus pledges his life in service of the Gods.

Corradus returns to Chorrol and attends in the Chapel of Stendarr. After a few years, he hears many stories of unrest from Skyrim. He starts to get support from the people in Chorrol to go to Skyrim to help the religious refugees. After a while, he travels to Falkreath and speaks to Dengeir, the Jarl of Falkreath. Corradus proposes to build a village for miners and fishers. Dengeir gives the green light and the build starts. A couple of years pass and the village is done and Corradus calls it "Mercy's Watch". The village contains a few houses for miners, a chapel and an inn. Corradus lives in the chapel and serves as a Priest of Stendarr.

Most of the villages are non-natives; Orcs, Argonians and Khajiit. But the village also attracts a few ambitious people seeing opportunities in the new villages. Among them is Ileana. She gets along with Corradus very well, though he remains distant because of his pledge to the Gods.

Unhelpful Dragonborn
The Dragonborn refused to help Balgruuf after Before the Storm. And of course, the inevitable happens! A dragon attacks Mercy's Watch. Without proper preparation and defenses the village is hopeless against the attack. Many houses get destroyed. The inn badly damaged, but the chapel is undamaged. Many of the villages died, killed by the dragon, burning and collapsing houses. Corradus manages to save a few and bring them to the shelter in the chapel. But when he reaches the inn and finds Ileana dead, he is devastated. He completely forgets his surroundings and sits next to Ileana, mourning, weeping. More houses get destroyed, but Corradus is not in this world anymore.

When he wakes up, he is still well and alive and it disgusts him. "Why do I live and everyone else die". After a while, he gets back up and walks to the chapel, to his chambers and simply goes to bad. He doesn't attend to the wounded, he ignores everyone and locks himself in.

The Dragonborn arrives in the village, having seen the smoke in the distance. When he gets into the chapel, people ask him to talk with Corradus. He picks the lock of Corradus chamber and opens the door. Corradus lies on his bed in fetus position. The Dragonborn talks to him and tries his best to talk him out of his pitiful state. After a deep psychological conversation, the Dragonborn manages to convince Corradus to at least do his priestly duties. Corradus starts helping the wounded, but not much more.

Time passes and Corradus remains depressed and deprived of the will to live. But then the Dragonborn arrives at Mercy's Watch with a group of refugees; Talos worshipers (from rescuing J'Bash-Ei). After a new conversation in which the Dragonborn - with J'Bash-Ei's help - convinces Corradus to help the refugees, Corradus slowly started to return to his old self. Sometime the Dragonborn returns from his adventures and talks to Corradus and soon they become friends.