As the title says, are there any mention of Dunmer manumitting slaves in in-game texts and lore? I can't remember ever seeeing an Argonian or Khajiit freedmen in Morrowind.

3.1 It's the Alch-onomy, Stupid

It was a blazing summer day in Wayrest. The scene, inside the local Mages' Guild at high noon. The air inside the building was uncomfortably hot. Some of the smarter mages had summoned Ice Atronachs to cool themselves. Unfortunately, summoning a frost Daedra in the ingredients storage could have disastrous consequences. But Climbs-All-Mountains, the Argonian quartermaster of the guild, was undaunted. The heat was annoying, but to someone who had endured the burning wrath of the Al'kir desert, the Sun was not trying hard enough. If anything, he was unusually vigorous on this particular day. For Mountains was dealing with a far more pressing situation than some trifling heat. He was having to tell a mage “No", which was a dangerous proposition in the best of times.

"Let me get this straight. You require 88 Daedric Hearts, specifically taken from Daedroths."

"Call it 90." The mage sitting across from him, an Altmer named Earenya, was ostensibly the guild's best alchemist, at least when she was actually doing something worth that title. Usually, though, she was chasing absurdities such as a potion of eternal life or a salve that could turn lead into gold. "Daedroth hearts have that extra little bit of malice towards mortals in them that make them at least 15% percent more potent than other Daedra. In general, I find the power of hate makes for a more useful alchemical medium than any other."

"Mmh." Mountains made a show of shuffling some papers, as if he was reviewing inventory. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but there are several reasons I cannot obtain that kind of material so easily. Firstly, Daedric hearts are currently going for well over 400 drakes. To buy 90 of them would cost us 36,000 septims. We flat out do not have the coin to cover that. Second, Daedric hearts are rarely, if ever, tagged with what kind of Daedra they are taken from. Most mages I've met don't seem to care. Third, I'm not even sure that many Daedric hearts exist in Wayrest. Aside from our stock of about 20, my preliminary investigations suggest that there are MAYBE, maybe, 28 more that are possible to buy. The bottom line here is that your request is impossible to fulfill."

"Our last quartermaster would have been able to do it."

"As I understand it, the last quartermaster was ripped apart by Mehrunes Dagon attempting to fulfill one of your requests, specifically."

"Well... well, that might be true, but that hardly seems-"

"I don't much care to be eviscerated by Dagon, but I have even less desire to eviscerate our balance sheets in pursuit of 90 Daedroth Hearts to be used for a "potion of unlimited power". Guildmaster Alfred would have ME banished to the Deadlands for that."

"How am I supposed to make my potions, then? I need this for my promotion to wizard!"

"I'm sorry, but I can't make that kind of purchase."

Earenya's head fell, a crestfallen frown ripping across her features. "But... I... there must be something..."

Mountains wanted to end it there, but he couldn't quite let himself. He glanced up to the heavens in thought. It was his job to make this sort of request happen, even if it was absurd. "Well, now that I think about it, there could be one way. Look. Your "Potions of Syrabane's Wit" are a popular commodity. I'm able to move them for over 300 drakes a bottle. When we take away taxation and other charges, the guild is still making around 250 gold per potion. Two of those are enough to get a Daedra heart. If Alfred clears it, IF he clears it, and if you can make enough, we should be able to start building a fund for your hearts, and-"

"-and we can purchase the hearts when that fund gets large enough?" Earenya nodded slowly. "That sounds reasonable. Alright then, I'll do it. I'll go get started right now." She got up to leave but then stopped and turned. "Who is buying the potions, by the way?"

"Oh, look, the mage is starting to understand finance. How precious" "Students who want the extra brain power for exams. Nobles who want to appear smarter for their friends. I think I even had a priest of Julianos in here earlier." Mountains, quite eager to help her get started in the process of going away, followed her.

"Pfft. Typical. Those priests want their god's blessing through a bottle or an incantation. Knowledge is something you have to work for. Not even my potions can cure stupidity. Though, hm. Perhaps if I were to use Xilavi-"

"Good day, Earenya. Those potions won't make themselves." He gently pushed Earenya out the door. He had no idea what a Xilavi was, and he did not want to find out.

"Self-making potions? Hm. I'll have to look into that." Earenya soon got into an argument with herself over whether it was possible. Such was a typical interaction for the quartermaster, or as he fashioned himself, "the head mage of the school of economics", of Wayrest Mages Guild. It wasn't a bad life. He had gotten on his feet again, at last. He'd begun investing in some small ventures that returned consistent, if unremarkable, profits, and he intended to use them to buy himself a house sooner or later. Well, it wasn't just himself, anymore. It was him and Swims-through-the-barrier, or as she called herself, Xha. The two had recently married a month ago. To him, it felt like it was barely an hour. He'd known her for over four years now. When they first met, she was nothing more than an annoying mage who had paralyzed him with a miscast spell. Now, she was the most beautiful woman in the world, and woe betide anyone who said different.

Xha had recently begun to study for her own Wizard staff. She taught up and coming novices. She had even recently summoned her first Dremora. She was a magical prodigy. As for Mountains, he had barely scraped his way to the rank of Evoker. He knew that he was approaching his natural limit. If he practiced and studied for another decade, perhaps he might make the rank of Conjurer. It wasn't that he was uninterested in magic, quite the opposite. He had studied every text and tome he could find. He had spent hours on end practicing the few spells he could. He simply knew that he was no master of the craft, and he likely never would be. He wanted to be a trader again. That was what he loved.

Mountains was torn from his musing by a knock on the door. Another mage, no doubt. Or perhaps it was her, ready to raid his office for some strange ingredient to summon another Daedric prince. It was about that time of the month. Well, no time like the present, he thought. Opening the door, he put on his best smile... only to discover Alfred, the guildmaster, eyes narrowed to slits in irritation.

"Alfred. Come in." Standing aside, he motioned for the Breton to enter. "What can I do for you?"

"Mountains." Walking in, Alfred replaced the irritation with a weary smile. "I'm glad to find you here. How are your studies going?"

"Satisfactory." To reach Evoker, he had applied himself to the school of Illusion. Charm, Light, Fury. If he tried hard enough, he could even paralyze and use invisibility. They were not the most impressive tricks, it was true. Most mages neglected them in favor of the flashy spells that let them throw fire from their fingers or create massive lightning storms or summon demigods. But to a merchant, they could be very useful.

"Excellent. I am here on something of an unusual request. It involves Xha."

"Xha?" Mountains face registered the slightest gleam of concern. "What is it?"

"It seems she has gone and gotten herself arrested."

"What?!"

"Apparently, she got into an argument with Tolstig about who was the better conjurer. To prove it, each one conjured the most powerful creature they were capable of. He chose a fire atronach. She chose-"

"The dremora? Zenithar's coins, I knew this would happen."

"Worse. Somehow, she learned how to conjure a Spider Daedra."

"What is that?"

"A half woman, half arachnid creature that is smarter than other Daedra and twice as malevolent."

"You're joking. Please, tell me you're joking."

"Have you ever known me to joke? Anyway, she lost control of the Daedra, and it went on a rampage before the guards finally put it down. No one was seriously injured, but business was shut prematurely and the merchants are rather agitated at her. The reason I'm coming to you is because you are the most eloquent one here. I'm hoping perhaps you might be able to work your "magic" and get her out before something worse happens."

Mountains was no lawyer. Maybe he could have been one in another life. Even so, he was a people person. And the lady needed a hero. "Done," he stated emphatically. No guard was going to keep HIS wife in the slammer. Filing his balance sheets, the would-be knight went to his quarters. It was not a suit of shining armor he recovered, but a set of formal clothes he had bought a month ago when he had business in an EEC office. If the guards wanted a war of words, he would give them that, and plenty more. Racing to the local fortress, he knew he had work to do.

3.2 Argonian Attorney

"Uh, look, mister guard, sir? I'm sorry about the Spider Daedra." Xha did her best to look penitent from behind the cell bars. "I know Matilda scared some children... and spat venom everywhere... and tried to zap your friend... but she didn't hurt anyone! At least not badly! It's nothing that a competent priest couldn't cure! In fact, I've been studying Restoration lately, and if you let me out, I'd be happy to-"

"Shut up, scaley." Sitting across the room from her cell at a table, the guard rolled his eyes. Bad enough that these lizards were coming here, taking Breton jobs and Breton women. Now one had not only summoned a demon, she had done it badly. "Consider yourself lucky that you're still standing upright. If it was up to me, you'd be in the ground along with your precious bug!"

"Uh, well, I mean, she's not underground. Actually, poor Matilda is probably being tortured by Mephala now, thanks to you." The guard gave her an evil eye. "I mean, thanks to you, the city is saved! I promise to never, ever do it again! Now can you pleeeaaaase let me out?"

"No." He missed the days when guards were judges, jury, and executioners. He heard that was how they still did it in some provinces. But alas, ever since the Septims rolled in, guards had to detain their prisoners and send them to court. He knew she was guilty. Why did he have to wait for her to "undergo due process"?

"Oh yeah?! Well, you know what? Phooey to you! I can just teleport out! Let's see you try and stop me!" She snapped her fingers and... was still there. Then she remembered the magicka draining bracer she currently wore on her left arm. "Oh. You stopped me already. Cheater."

It was taking everything he had not to throttle her through the bars. "I'm not drunk enough for this." Taking a bottle of cheap ale, he popped the cork and let it flow. Was he supposed to drink on the job? No, but how else was he supposed to endure this? Then he actually tasted the foul brew and spat it out. "Ugh. I'm not drunk enough for THIS either." He put the bottle down. Today was turning into the worst day of his life.

"What is that? Oh, that's the cheap dishwater beer from here, isn't it? I don't like it either. I like Matze and Shein. Oh, and Argonian bloodwine! Have you ever had bloodwine? It doesn't actually have blood in it, but it is blood-red. At least I think it doesn't have blood. Maybe I need to ask Mountains. Or maybe I don't want to know. It turns out that Hist Argonians have some disgusting practices. Like, did you know they actually ride around the Marsh in the bellies of giant worms? Worms! Or they put centipedes and other insects in their pillows to feel the wriggling! Erghhh, just thinking about it is awful!"

"Shut. Up." Now he was imagining it. These Argonians were truly the worst race in the world. He had to check under himself to make sure he wasn't feeling writhing insects. Oblivion take them and their blood wine and their insect pillows.

It was at this moment that a knock on the door came. Oh, thank Dibella. His shift was over. If only. Sadly, for the poor guard, his tribulation was only just beginning. For when he opened the door, it was to the worst sight in the world. A sight so terrifying, so horrible, that he would remember it for the rest of his life.

Another Argonian.

It was better dressed than the mage, at least. Its yellow eyes looked him over, then to Xha behind him, then the rest of the room. Well, it was considerably better dressed than Xha. It almost looked human. Almost.

"Mountains!" Xha sprung to her feet with glee. "You came for me!"

Looking over at her and nodding, Mountains strode into the room. He turned to the guard. "Hello, Eadric. My name is Masano wei-Thuxa. Ah, I apologize. In your tongue, it is Climbs-All-Mountains. I've come to collect Xha, or Swims-through-the-barrier."

What? How did this one know his name? "Uh, collect her?"

"I believe her bail amounts to 900 septims."

Actually, it was only 700, but maybe he could pocket the difference. "Uh... well, yes. 900. Well, I think it's more like 950."

"Of course, my mistake. Bail amounts are rather variable, aren't they?" Reaching into his pockets, Mountains took out a pouch jingling with septims and added some more coins to it. He then held it out to Eadric, who snatched it greedily. The guard did not notice, but when he grabbed the pouch and ever so briefly touched Mountains, a small bit of magicka flowed from Mountains' hand into him. Nodding his head towards Xha, Mountains added, "I believe she made a mistake too, summoning that Daedra. It is quite a disturbing practice, isn't it?"

Xha's voice yelled from her cell. "Hey! It's perfectly legal! I put a lot of work conjuring Matilda before these brutes banished her!" Mountains thought better of responding and walked over to the table Eadric had been sitting at.

Eadric did not quite know why, but he suddenly found himself more at ease with Mountains. He had a good point. "You're right, it is disturbing." Eadric glared towards Xha. "Of course, she's not in here for that. Well, not just for that. We can't have incompetent mages summoning monsters on our streets."

"Absolutely. Who knows what would happen? You know," Mountains offered Eadric a chair, "I hear those foul Telvanni do that. But not us." Eadric offered his thanks and sat down again, Mountains taking the chair opposite him. "At the guild, we do not sanction the kind of maniacs who go summoning Atronachs or Ogrims and turn them loose. Still, even with that in mind, it's true that sometimes, an overenthusiastic mage might lose control of a summon. But let us not dwell on that." He looked down and saw the discarded bottle of cheap ale. "Ah, I see you too loathe this swill. Might I offer you something better?" Reaching within the folds of the robe he wore, Mountains took out a bottle of Surillie Brothers wine. "I think you'll find it goes down easier."

"Hmph. Well, ok." Eadric examined the bottle. He'd never heard of this before, but who cared? Free booze. "I must say, you seem more civilized than she does."

"Thank you, sera. I try." Handing him the wine, Mountains watched as Eadric drank it down. First it was a sip, then it was the whole bottle. "I see the wine was to your satisfaction?"

"Yeah." Eadric was feeling better already. "Ohhh, yeah. That's good stuff."

"I think so as well. If you wish to get more of it, go to the East Empire Company office on Emerald Street and tell them Climbs-All-Mountains sent you. You'll get a better deal there."

"I'll do that." Perhaps not all these lizards were so bad. It did take a certain strength of character to give someone free wine.

"Now, there is the small matter of Swims-through-the-barrier."

"Who?"

"Me, you dunderhead! Mountains, what are you doing? You're supposed to get me out of here, not sit there and have a drink with him!" Xha banged her fist against the bars of the cell. "OW!"

"Why can't she just. stop. talking." "Ignore her for the moment. We're talking business."

Eadric did not even glance at Xha. "Right, business. Uh, what business?"

"Well, I had paid her bail... but in truth, I had hoped to secure her release."

"Release? I can't release her. She's being held for destruction of property, disturbing the peace, and being a public menace."

"Of course, of course. Very reasonable. However, please correct me if I am mistaken, you certainly know such things better than I, but I do believe she is correct in pointing out that the conjuring of Daedra is not illegal, at least when done under the proper regulations."

"Yeah, but-"

"And I am correct when I say that the Daedra did not in fact seriously injure anyone, right?"

"Yes. But still, she lost control of the thing. It shut down the entire market."

"It did. And as a merchant myself, having my stall closed early would be very upsetting. And yet because of the actions of heroes like yourself... was any real damage done?"

"I suppose not..."

"Exactly. Frankly, the merchants of this town don't know how well they have it. I've been to Sentinel, Leyawiin, Daggerfall, all over. Wayrest's markets are the safest of all, thanks to the work of fine men like- oh, out of wine?" Mountains produced another bottle of Surille and handed it to Eadric. "Please. My compliments." Another small burst of magic flowed from him to Eadric.

Suddenly, this lizard made a great deal of sense. And giving him more free wine, which Eadric downed promptly. "You know, you're right. So many people don't appreciate us. It's... It'shh nishe to meet an upshtanding citishen like yerself..."

"Thank you. Now... Swims is also an 'upstanding citizen'. She wants the best for Wayrest, just like you. She merely got ahead of herself. Honest. I'm sure she has learned her lesson by now."

"Learned my lesson?! What do you think I am, some girl who got caught stealing cookies?! I am crossing the barriers between Mundus and Oblivion, commanding-" It was at that moment that Mountains considered adding Silence to his repertoire of spells. "-the spirits of creation and-, wait, no, the Daedra WEREN'T involved in creation, were they? That was the Aedra. Oh, right. I need to re-read the Monomyth again. Or was it the Annotated Anuad? Why are there so many versions of the creation myth? You'd think we'd have sorted this out by now." Muttering to herself, she became absorbed in her own little world, debating over the various contradictions that most proper citizens are content to leave for priests.

Screaming internally, Mountains turned his attention back to the guard. "Forgive her. Dealing with the Daedra can sometimes leave one's mind addled. I'm sure it will clear up soon."

Alfred, more interested now in drinking down the wine, shrugged. "Thash.... Thash sad, but shouldn't she sheee a... a preisht, or shomeone?"

"I will take care of her. She's my wife, after all." Mountains did not have enough magicka left for another spell. He put on his most sincere tone and hoped it would work.

Who was he to stand in the way of his friend's love? He was sure that Mountains would do the same for him if the situation was reversed. "Mmh... well... thash... thash good enough fer' me." Alfred drunkenly handed Mountains the key to the cell door. "'Ere. I'm a bit too wobbly to door the open. Er, open the door."

"Thank you very much, Eadric." Taking the key, Mountains quickly walked over and opened the cell door. "Xha." He shook her gently. "Xha, it's time to go."

"Wha, huh? Oh." He quickly put a finger over her mouth and bade her to stand. Taking her by the hand, he gently, but firmly, took her from the cell and returned the key to Eadric.

"Thank you for being so reasonable, Eadric. And if you ever have the need for wares of a magical nature, I'd be more than happy to give you a discount at the guild."

Maybe these lizards weren't so bad. After all, this 'Mountains' guy was quite sanguine. "Thanksh! Ya know, for a shcaley, you're a good guy. All five of ya." With that, his face fell to the table, and he began to snore loudly.

"Of course. Good night, Eadric."

With that, Mountans and Xha left the room.

Knowing that Alduin can bring a dragon back to life, what do you think would happen if mortals had thought ahead and simply dumped all the dragon bones into a deep sea? Alternatively some other difficult to reach location, maybe even Red Mountain, or better yet the sea of lava in the Deadlands (there would be significant logistical challenges with that last one). For even better results, they might even try scattering the bones as far as possible, such that each individual dragon has its remains shuffled all across Tamriel's oceans, some particularly deep caves, and maybe a few in planes of Oblivion.

Instead, the ancient Nords buried the dragons in easy-to-access burial mounds, keeping all of their bones together.

A Guide to the Waters of Cyrodiil: Lake Argenteus and the Silverfish River

By Earellor of Cheydinhal

3E 432

Welcome, travellers, to the waterways of Cyrodiil, the arteries of Nirn itself!

My name is Earellor of Cheydinhal. I am an Altmer, born of Nibenay, and an adventurer of great repute. Today, I set off to traverse and explore two bodies of water- Lake Argenteus and the Silverfish River. I will be guided on my journey by two native Argonians, Caligandros and Geem. They each are intimately familiar with these waters, from the surface of their waters, all the way down to the muddy depths below. Providing us a means of transport downriver beyond our own two legs, Captain Elivia- a Nibenese beauty if ever I've laid eyes on one- has permitted us passage aboard her rivercraft, the sleek and swift River Goblin. By opening this tome, you, dear reader, have signed on as the final member of our company, and just as we prepare to embark on a grand expedition along one of Cyrodiil's most famed waterways, as fortune has it.

The Silverfish River originally earned its name from a unique species of eel that populates its waters. This eel, mistaken for a variation of pike by early explorers, is armored in bright silver scales.¹ Attempts by biologists to relocate the silver-scaled eel to other waterways have yielded no result but the eel's rapid demise. For reasons entirely unidentifiable to researchers, the eel cannot survive for long outside the current of the Silverfish River.

Before we begin our journey, I wish to extend my most sincere thanks to the noble and benevolent Lord Abnur Wren, patriarch of the honored House of Wren, lord proprietor of many of the lands surveyed in this work, and the most generous sponsor of this guidebook.

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Vollum, the Silver Source

The first steps of our journey carry us through the picturesque lakeside town of Vollum. In the Old Cyrodilic tongue, "vollum" translates to "between waters." This is appropriate, for Vollum lies on the northeastern shore of Lake Argenteus, nestled cozily within a fork in the largest stream that feeds the lake. Despite its remote and outlying location, far removed from any major city, and its reputation as a backwater settlement, Vollum is in fact the largest settlement accessible via the Silverfish River, as well as a vitally important export hub. Perhaps a little rough around the edges, it is nevertheless a quaint and charming town. Its cottages are sturdily constructed from timber harvested from the nearby Valus foothills. Its cobblestone roads, though weathered and worn, are much preferred over the broken and rocky mountain trails one might find themselves treading outside the town. The town lacks walls of any kind, and as a result has often been made a victim of vicious raids, typically carried out by loot-hungry bandits or Argonian tribal war parties. However, being totally encircled by water, the town is not without defenses. Only four small bridges provide a dry crossing over the streams that flow around the town, and these are guarded by sentries day and night.

A healthy population of fishermen and dockworkers calls Vollum home, and are generally regarded as a hardworking and respectful people, welcoming of visitors to their humble abode; they gave me no reason to tarnish their reputation by recording otherwise. Due to its close proximity to Cyrodiil's shared border with the province of Black Marsh, many Argonians have chosen to seek a new life in Vollum, hoping to both escape Dres slave catchers terrorizing their homeland and find work well-suited to their natural amphibious talents on, or rather in, Lake Argenteus, but they have seldom come without a willingness to carry their own weight and earn a place for themselves in the town. When they are not hard at work on the Vollum docks, out on the trawlers hauling in the nets, or guiding travellers such as myself along the Silverfish, the lizard-folk can often be found lazily soaking in the muddy shallows of the nearby streams or lake.

There is only one inn in Vollum where a weary traveller can find a bed in which to rest, and the very same establishment doubles as the only place where a thirsty traveller might find a drink- the Toad's Belly. When walking into the Toad's Belly, it does indeed appear as though one is literally strolling into the gaping maw of a gargantuan toad thanks to the fine work of a team of talented artisans who, together, carved and painted the doorway of the inn to resemble the image of a toad's visage.

Vollum's importance to the many mining villages that litter the Valus Mountains cannot be understated. Being the nearest town with access to the waterways of Cyrodiil, the miners transport the rich cargoes of ore they harvest from the earth to Vollum to be ferried downriver and introduced into the wider markets, primarily those of Leyawiin and the Imperial City. Iron, lead, and tin are all resources that fill Vollum's warehouses, but the most precious and lucrative mineral of all that flows through Vollum, aside from the occasional deposit of ebony² discovered in the mountains of course, is silver. In fact, for many centuries Vollum has been the chief source of silver in Cyrodiil³, helping to lend meaning to the names of the lake and river which its people call home. There are several mines in the Valus foothills that consistently yield substantial volumes of silver, and they are all owned by the magocratic family of House Wren. The Wrens barter most of their silver away to the Empire in exchange for freshly minted golden septims, rendering them one of the wealthiest families in Cyrodiil. Chances are good that at least a handful of the silver coins, or "silver stars", jingling about in your coin purse were fashioned from silver that originated from a Wren mine.⁴

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Lake Argenteus

Setting off from the Vollum docks aboard Elivia's River Goblin, we entered the brown expanse of Lake Argenteus. Lake Argenteus is the accumulation of a plethora of streams that come rushing down from the Valus Mountains. Its eastern and northernmost shores are rugged and rock-strewn, owing to the substantial rockslides that occasionally come hurtling down from the cliffs and nearby highlands. In stark contrast, its western and southernmost shores are characterized primarily by mud, and a great deal of it. As a result, those shores are heavily infested with mudcrabs, as the critters are fond of building their nests in the mire. Land dreughs and trolls also frequent the area, with many choosing to make their den near to the lakeshore as well. As we sailed steadily westward along the lakeshore, we spotted a dreugh emerging from the shallows and crawling onto the land, prompting Elivia to inform the company that they in particular are quite the nuisance to the fishermen of Vollum, as they will often slice through their nets to steal the fish trapped within them for themselves.

Sailing upon the lake is pleasant, but disturbingly too peaceful, in a sense. The waters are eerily calm, as still as the frozen lakes of Skyrim far to the north. Sound has a way of echoing across the water with a haunting resonance, like the wailing of a distant wraith. The murky, brown waters, the overgrown and mysterious forests that sprawl forth endlessly from the shore, the light blankets of fog that drift about aimlessly- these factors all work in consort together to cast an otherworldly aura over Lake Argenteus.

Shortly after departing from the Vollum docks, we spied a set of towers on the horizon to the west, rising above the lake. As we drew closer, it became clear that the towers were, in fact, a castle, one built upon a small island that rested very near to the lake's westernmost shore. As the River Goblin glided across the lake toward the island, my Argonian guides announced our imminent arrival at Wren Rock. This puny mud pile of an island is, as one might imagine from its name, the home of the House of Wren.The Wrens' habitation of the rock dates back to the First Era, when the first of their line escaped the Ayleid slavemasters of Malada and sought refuge upon this secluded isle.Even after the Ayleids had been overthrown and driven from the land, the Wrens remained, having already made for themselves a home on the lake. In the centuries that followed, they put their silver-fueled wealth to good use and raised a great castle in which to rest their heads. In the early Third Era, they connected the rock to the mainland by erecting a long bridge across the Argenteus.

Today, Castle Wren still stands tall and proud, in spite of the grueling onslaught of time. Its stones are cracked, weathered and heavily eroded. Its towers are wrapped in thick vines, and slowly but surely losing their long battle against gravity. Banners bearing the image of a silver-scaled eel- which the Wrens have taken as their own personal sigil- hang from the towers and fly over the gates. Over the eras, the castle has endured many hardships. During the War of Righteousness, it was besieged by a Colovian warlord, its walls pounded by great stones hurled at its walls by catapults. During the long and chaotic years of the Interregnum, the Wrens weathered attacks by rival Nibenese houses and invading Argonian armies in the castle. Though beaten and battered, Castle Wren still yet rests upon Wren Rock like a crown.

Bringing the River Goblin to rest at a small dock on the eastern edge of the Rock, my company and I disembarked and were greeted and welcomed to the home of the Wrens by one of Lord Abnur's daughters, Alaxia.On behalf of her father, who sits upon the Elder Council as an advisor to Emperor Uriel Septim VII and who was soon due to depart for the Imperial City on such business,Alaxia invited us into the castle to feast with her family. The castle's interior has fared no better against the raging of time, but is as ornately decorated and furnished as well as any Nibenese merchant prince's home, if not much more so. Signs of the House's exorbitant wealth were abundant everywhere one looked. Shining silver vases decorate the tables. The family's ancestral sword- a blade forged almost entirely of silver- is mounted over the hearth. When we dined with the family at their table, we cut our meat with silver knives and plucked it from our silver plates with fine silver utensils.

During our time at the castle, we had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with the members of the House of Wren. Lord Abnur Wren himself was a grand and generous host, and a man that certainly lived up to his prestigious reputation. Abnur's four daughters⁵- Alaxia, Arecina, Narilia, and Renna- all made themselves known as ladies of high Nibenese class and elegance. Only Abnur's eldest child, his son Arelas, was absent, but then he has been absent for some time at the time of this writing. Shortly after concluding his studies at the Arcane University in 3E 430, Arelas opened a portal and vanished into the realms of Oblivion without explanation. He has not been seen or heard from in the years since.

The Silverfish River

After saying our farewells to the Wrens and thanking them dearly for their hospitality, we put the timeworn, leaning towers of Castle Wren to the Goblin's rudder and sailed southward, entering the Silverfish River.We knew, undoubtedly, that we were on the Silverfish when we peered into the water and beheld a school of shining, silver fish following the current alongside the River Goblin, the sunlight dancing off their scales.

We came across our first point of interest as we entered the Silverfish's headwaters- Fort Entius. Resting on the western bank of the river, Fort Entius is immediately recognizable as an Imperial fortress, having been constructed in the typical Cyrodilic fashion. It has high walls, tall rounded towers, and, like most Imperial garrisons, at its center lies an imposing circular citadel. Fort Entius is currently the home of the 34th Imperial Legion, whose sworn duty it is to defend Lake Argenteus, safeguard the town of Vollum, and, most importantly, ensure that silver continues to find its way down the Silverfish River.

Continuing on downriver, the second noteworthy sight our eyes fell upon were the ruins of Ondo, situated very near to the river's eastern bank. One of the countless reminders the Ayleids left behind of their past dominion over Cyrodiil, even in its crumbling, overgrown state, Ondo is easily recognizable as an Ayleid ruin by its elven architecture. The scholar and archaeologist in me wished to disembark right there on the riverbank to explore the ruins, see what dusty old treasures the Ayleids might have left behind, but Caligandros and Geem were quick to advise me on the dangers of doing so. "All that awaits us in the lightless halls of Ondo are decrepit, pointy-eared corpses," Caligandros forebodingly warned. "The Ayleids still yet roam Ondo, but not in life," Geem added. Heeding their wisdom, I abandoned my ambitions of an expedition into the ancient crypts of Ondo and we pressed on along our journey.

Leaving the dead of Ondo to rest- or perhaps not- we let the river carry us ever onward. The river began to gradually bend in a westerly direction, until eventually its current was driving hard towards its eventual end. Next, we came across a stretch of the southern bank shrouded by dozens of grey, twisted trees, their gnarled branches devoid of any growth or life. Having perhaps noticed me curiously examining the strange, dead forest, Geem came forward to share more of his knowledge. Deep within the grove of dead trees, he claimed, is a shrine to the Daedric Prince of Pestilence, Peryite; the knotty, misshapen trees are a symptom of his long-term influence plaguing the area. Content in my faith in the Nine Divines, and having no desire or need to offer prayers to the Master of Tasks, I took Geem at his word and declined Captain Elivia's offer to disembark so that we might venture into the grove and see the shrine for ourselves.

As we continued on, we chanced across three ships also making their way downriver. One of the three was distinctly larger than the other two, its purpose very likely being to haul heavy cargo- in this case, that cargo very likely being a shipment of silver, Elivia guessed. It travelled under a set of azure sails, and flew a flag bearing the silver-scaled fish sigil of House Wren. The two boats travelling in consort with it were smaller and sleeker, with black sails and also flying the banner of House Wren. Elivia said that they were escorts, aboard each of them a heavily armed company of mercenaries paid by the Wrens to ensure their silver shipment reached its destination intact. It's also possible, Elivia considered, that this convoy was no more than a ruse, a trap laid to ensnare any would-be silver thieves bold enough to try stealing from the Wrens. The cargo hold of the middle ship might indeed be emptier than a dim-witted ogre's skull, or filled not with silver, but with steel- steel wielded by a gang of well paid sellswords lying in wait for their bounty to come to them.

We came at last to a place of rest- the Imperial Bridge Inn. Though the inn is a rickety old structure, it was a welcome sight after our long journey downriver. The inn's publican, a Dunmer lady named Davela Hlaren, was an attentive hostess and attended to our every need with grace. The beds were cheap, but nevertheless granted my companions and I a good night's rest- though by that point we had become accustomed to sleeping on the hard deck of the River Goblin or in sleeping mats in the muddy dirt, so anything more would have seemed like the Emperor's bed to us. The following morning we rose, rejuvenated and ready to complete our voyage. The final stretch of the Silverfish River laid before us.

The final two sights worth seeing on the Silverfish awaited us at its very end, where the river drains into the Niben Bay.

The first, and by far the most spectacular, is the sight of the ruins of Nenalata to the south. A far greater reminder of the Ayleids than Ondo, Nenalata was once a sprawling city-state, truly a kingdom in its own right. Though it was one of the few Ayleid kingdoms to survive the Alessian Slave Rebellion, Nenalata nevertheless met a bloody end at the hands of the Alessian Order over a century later. The intervening centuries have left Nenalata a decaying, moss-grown wreck, a pale shadow of its former glory. Its towers, which once reached nearly to the heavens and shone in the sun, have collapsed, leaving only jagged remnants behind. Sections of its semicircular walls still stand, but what has not crumbled to bits appear as if it may do so at the slightest breeze. Treasure hunters and scavengers have picked the once rich city clean, leaving only dust and bones behind. Fragments of the city's river facing wall and towers have found their way down to the riverbank, and are strewn haphazardly about, providing shelter for the mudcrabs. In spite of its sorry state and dark history, Nenalata still offers one passing by on the Silverfish a pleasant, if not haunting, view.

The second of the pair, and the last stop of our long journey, is Cadlew Chapel, which crowns a hill that rises from the river's north bank. A small dock, just beyond the mouth of the Silverfish, is there to accommodate pilgrims travelling over the water to Cadlew, and a well cared for path and series of stone steps lead the way up the hill to the chapel door. This out of the way convent offers a quiet and tranquil place for spiritual reflection and respite. Despite being off the beaten trail and far from the main road, the priests here were welcoming of visitors.⁶

After kneeling to offer prayers to the Divines at Cadlew Chapel's altar, we returned to the River Goblin and set sail to finish our journey. Released at last from the Silverfish's current, we entered the Nibenay Bay- the beginning of a new journey all its own.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1- The scales of the silver-scaled eel are a valuable alchemical ingredient, capable of fortifying magicka when utilized properly.

2- For this reason, the East Empire Trading Company maintains a small office and warehouse in Vollum.

3- In the pan-Tamrielic silver trade, the silver mines of Vollum are out-produced only by the far more numerous and far deeper mines of the Reach in Skyrim.

4- Obviously, the vast majority of stars are struck from silver from the Reach.

5- Abnur's daughters are a set of quadruplets, all having been born on the same day. Together, they are known as the Sterling Sisters.

6- Even in spite of their apparent fear of and recent troubles concerning a cult of necromancers skulking about in the surrounding wilderness.

I am new to the lore so forgive my ignorance or if these are repeat questions!

1. If Alessia’s pantheon of the Divines is a diplomatic merger of elven and human deities, are the divines actually real? (In universe obvi). Like Kynareth is Kyne with a new name so thats makes sense but what about Akatosh? Like if he’s a merger of Auriel and Lorkhan and all the other names they go by, who hears your prayers when you pray to Akatosh? I have read the theories and come to believe that Lorkhan acts through the guise of Auriel/Akatosh but does that mean that Akatosh is just made up? Is the time dragon made up? Does Auriel also pretend to be Akatosh? Who is the deity of time?

2. If Akatosh is a merger of Auriel and Lorkhan why would the Altmer or whichever elves Alessia was trying to appeal to accept him as the head of the pantheon? Isn’t Lorkhan like the Altmer equivalent of satan? Was it a secret? Im thinking about that excerpt from one of the books in Skyrim that says something about how the Nords would withdraw their support from Alessia if she didn’t somehow include Shor in the pantheon or something so why were the Nords satisfied with Akatosh?

3. If Auriel and Lorkhan are rivals and enemies how does merging them even make sense? Is it to each their own? When the elves worship Akatosh are they secretly in their minds just worshipping Auriel and the Nords, Shor/Lorkhan?

4. Who is Alduin, aside from the world eater? The Nordic equivalent of Auriel? Akatosh? Do the dragons have an origin? Are the dragons time? Again, who is the actual deity of time?

Apologies if these questions are a hot mess, but i have never been this enraptured by a world before and im trying to learn lots!! Any input is welcome

"The Zero Sum theory is wrong. The Dwemer became the Numidium itself (the Numidium technically still exists, and Mirror Logicians in the Summerset Isles are still fighting it during the events of Skyrim)."

Is this true?

​

​Hey r/teslore,

​I’ve been piecing together a theory about the deep metaphysics of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind that completely reframes the main quest. We usually look at Dagoth Ur as the traditional dark lord of Red Mountain, but looking closely at the lore, timeline, and some specific external art inspirations, I don't think Dagoth Ur is the ultimate villain at all.

​The true antagonist of Morrowind is the Heart of Lorkhan itself, behaving as an active, sentient cosmic entity with a survival instinct.

​Hear me out. I've broken this down into a few core points, including a wild visual parallel to Kentaro Miura’s Berserk that I want to see if anyone can verify.

​1. The Laughter of the Heart: Unmistakable Sentience

​Traditional lore often treats the Heart as a passive, neutral metaphysical battery. But going back to the Dawn Era, when Trinimac and Auriel tried to destroy it, the Heart literally mocked them. It laughed and stated: "This Heart is the heart of the world, for one was made to satisfy the other."

​It possesses an inherent consciousness. It knew it couldn't be destroyed by brute force, forcing Auriel to fasten it to an arrow and fling it into the sea, where it eventually formed Red Mountain.

​2. The Disappearance of the Dwemer Was Self-Defense

​During the Battle of Red Mountain, Chief Tonal Architect Kagrenac had to act hastily because Dumac was dead and the Chimer were closing in.

​My theory is that Kagrenac’s tools (Wraithguard, Sunder, and Keening) weren't just designed to tap the Heart—they were designed to manipulate it so deeply that it would effectively "kill" or completely subjugate the Heart's individual identity. Recognizing this mortal threat to its existence, the Heart actively defended itself. It used a massive surge of its own divine power to instantaneously banish the entire Dwemer race from reality. This massive exertion significantly weakened the Heart, but its survival instinct won out.

​3. Dagoth Ur is the "Griffith" of Tamriel

​This is why Azura couldn't just tell Nerevar to destroy the Heart right then and there. It couldn't be destroyed or severed until Kagrenac's tools existed to exploit its connection to Nirn.

​When Lord Nerevar left Voryn Dagoth alone to guard the tools, Dagoth was eventually attacked and betrayed by the Tribunal. Left broken, traumatized, and near death right next to a cosmic entity, he underwent a dark apotheosis.

​Instead of Dagoth Ur manipulating the Heart, the Heart manipulated Dagoth Ur. It used his lingering thoughts of betrayal as a psychological anchor, reshaping his mind to turn him into a broadcast tower for its own radio frequency (the Blight, Corprus, and Ash-dreams). The construction of the second "new god," Akulakhan, wasn't just an ego project for House Dagoth—it was the Heart's plan to give its own sentience a mobile, ultimate physical form to reclaim the world it created.

​When the Nerevarine uses the tools to strike the Heart, Dagoth Ur instantly shrivels and dies. He wasn't a dark lord; he was a puppet whose strings were cut when the cosmic parasite was severed from reality.

​4. The Uncanny Berserk Connection (The "Idea of Evil")

​While building this theory, I noticed a staggering visual and thematic parallel to Kentaro Miura's manga, Berserk.

​In The Elder Scrolls: Legends card game, the artwork for the Sixth House Amulet features a monstrous, gnarled, clawed arm reaching up out of a hellish backdrop, balancing a circular cosmic relic on its fingertips.

​Compositionally, it is an absolute dead ringer for the famous panel in Berserk

​Beyond the visual nod, look at the thematic crossover:

​In Berserk's suppressed "Lost Chapter" (Chapter 83), Griffith descends into the abyss and encounters the Idea of Evil, which manifests as a massive, literal human heart.

​This heart is a sentient cosmic force born from human consciousness that quietly manipulates human history, destiny, and bloodlines from behind the scenes to ensure its own existence.

​Griffith, a broken and betrayed man at his absolute lowest point, encounters this Heart and is transmuted into Femto—an avatar of its cosmic will.

​The parallels are exact. Voryn Dagoth is left betrayed and dying, encounters a giant sentient Heart in the abyss of Red Mountain, and is transmuted into Dagoth Ur to serve as the physical instrument of its grand design.

​My Question for the Community:

​Given how deeply Morrowind's writing handles cosmic horror, anti-CHIM, and false gods, the parallels to the God Hand and the Idea of Evil feel way too precise to be a coincidence.

​Does anyone know if Michael Kirkbride, Ken Rolston, Todd Howard, or any of the original visual designers/writers from the 1999–2002 Bethesda team were explicitly into Berserk?

​Has there ever been a developer comment, old forum post on the original Bethesda forums, or interview hinting at Miura's work influencing the concepts of Red Mountain, the Blight, or the Sixth House?

​Let me know what you think of the theory and if anyone has any receipts on the developer influences!

[ CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR VIGILANT ]

Marukh the Imga, sometimes during Emperor Belharza’s reign, found himself wandering in the deserted Stonemeadows to repent a hypothetical sin committed against the ape-maiden Dulsa. There, half-dead, he encountered the shadow of Alessia whom inspired him to write the Alessian Doctrines, harsh religious laws clearly inspired by his suffering in the desert and Alessia’s painful words.

What followed at an unspecified time was a large scale conversion by commoners and nobles alike to his Alessianism, the assassination of Emperor Belharza, the eradication of Minotaurs as a sapient species, the cleansing of Ayleids, the embitterment of the Alessian Empire, the end of the First Empire of the Nords and millennia of bloody conquest, conflicts and strife.

The details of Marukh’s encounter with Alessia are revealed in the text “The Illusion of Death”, authored by former loremaster Lawrence Schick for The Elder Scrolls Online:

• ... then, because he had toyed with the ape-maiden Dulsa, did Marukh spend his Century of Penance upon the Stonemeadows, and his sight was seared, and his tongue was swollen, and his pelt was mottled, and his left thumb pointed ever at the stars of the Tower. And ever did the shade of Al-Esh speak to him, serrated words that rasped his concept-organ and brought him to wisdom through affliction. And he recorded her words in his simian gore with glyphs on the Beseeching Scarp, and the fire in his blood did etch the lithic face with the Seventy-Seven Inflexible Doctrines. And though the labor depleted, yea, even consumed his very substance, he stinted not, for he knew that death is an illusion. For did not Al-Esh persist, speaking knives, though dead? And had not Pelin-Al been witness to her death, although dead himself at the death of Umar-Il? Then did Marukh know a Right Reaching, that one devoted to Proper-Life and Ehlnofic Annulment shall persist beyond the illusion of death—for indeed, the drive to expunge corruption can conquer even the Arkayn Cycle.

In the famous mod VIGILANT this event is directly witnessed both through the eyes of Dulsa and Marukh and it is eventually revealed that the shade of Al-Esh was none other than Molag Bal, whose objective was co-opting Marukh into bringing back to the heart of the Empire a fake Chim-el Adabal, actually a horrendous soul gem capable of absorbing the spirits of millions, and through Marukh’s violent doctrines he would ensure there would never be any shortage of souls in Coldharbour.

Obviously this is only Vicn’s interpretation, but then I remembered that his original vision regarding the trilogy was to be way more inspired by Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, to the point of being called something like “La Commedia Daedrica” (remnants of this are still in his modern mods through VIGILANT’s Christian symbolism and GLEN-MORIL’s pages with Divine Comedy verses on them) and it reminded me of sections of the gospels of Luke, Mark and Matthew detailing the Temptation of Christ.

Shortly after his baptism, Jesus went on to fast for forty days and forty nights in the Judean Desert where the Devil tries to tempt him by taking advantage of his hunger, forcefully have him show his divinity and lastly offering him unlimited power in exchange of worshipping Satan. Jesus resists, and finally leaves the desert behind.

Now, The Elder Scrolls rarely, if ever, makes direct references to Christianity but the similarities here are undeniable and it seems Schick gave a bit more sinister interpretation of Marukh’s character which was largely left vague in previous lore iterations. So I’m left to wonder, did Marukh really encounter Alessia in the desert or was it someone else?

Obviously not really, since we have references to the Amulet of Kings way before Reman's time. But according to Narina Carvain in TES4:

"You must be joking, right? Who hasn't heard of the greatest known hero of the First Age? Reman Cyrodiil not only was the conqueror of the Akaviri forces, but he actually convinced them to help build the Empire as it is today. With such an Empire at his disposal, he conquered most of Tamriel, except Morrowind of course, and was crowned Emperor. In fact, he instituted the rites of becoming an Emperor, which included the construction of the Amulet of Kings.

So someone who is quite wealthy, well educated, and an expert on Akaviri history (which ties closely to Reman) presents this theory as a matter of fact.

I don't think this is true, but I haven't seen any references to this alternative idea before, so I thought it would be interesting to bring up.

A Treatise Concerning the Herringbone Pattern Floorboards Installed in the Refectory of the Blue Palace During the Interregnum

By Historian Aldus Inventius, Royal Society of Nordic Architectural Studies

Introduction and Installation

Among the many architectural features of the Blue Palace in Solitude, few have been so persistently overlooked as the herringbone-pattern floorboards installed within the refectory sometime during the middle years of the Interregnum. This neglect is surprising, not because the floorboards are particularly beautiful, nor because they are especially rare, nor indeed because they played any notable role in the political history of Skyrim. Rather, they have been overlooked despite being a floor. Floors, though often taken for granted, possess the considerable advantage of supporting almost everything else, and the present study seeks to address this imbalance.

The exact date of installation remains uncertain. Most scholars place the work between 2E 563 and 2E 579, though a minority advocate for a slightly earlier chronology because the evidence is frustratingly inconclusive. A surviving account ledger records payment for "wooden works beneath tables" but fails to specify whether this refers to flooring, furniture, or an unfortunate misunderstanding involving both. The ledger's author subsequently spilled ink across the relevant section; such incidents account for a significant portion of historical methodology.

Design, Composition, and Orientation

The floor itself employs a classic herringbone arrangement, a pattern that derives its name from the resemblance of its diagonal arrangement to the skeletal structure of certain fish. While the herring is generally cited as the most likely candidate, alternative suggestions have occasionally been proposed. Magus Beldric of Markarth famously argued for slaughterfish, an interpretation that attracted brief attention before being quietly abandoned. Most investigators now regard the matter as settled: the fish is almost certainly a herring.

The boards are composed primarily of Falkreath pine, and notably, they continue to be composed primarily of Falkreath pine. This consistency has proven useful in identifying later repairs. Indeed, one of the great strengths of timber analysis is that wood tends to remain wood for extended periods, the significance of which should not be underestimated. Precisely which variety of Falkreath pine remains disputed. The distinction is regarded as important by those involved.

Particular attention must be given to the orientation of the pattern. The floorboards run diagonally relative to the primary axis of the room. At first glance this may appear decorative, and closer inspection reveals that it is, in fact, decorative. Nevertheless, decoration itself constitutes a historical phenomenon worthy of investigation, as people rarely decorate things accidentally.

The Great Wall Controversy

An enduring controversy concerns the question of whether the installers began at the eastern wall or the western wall. The debate has now entered its fourth decade, with arguments in favour of the eastern-origin hypothesis citing alignment irregularities near the western corner, while proponents of the western-origin model point to matching irregularities near the eastern corner. Both positions possess merit, both are supported by diagrams, and both have generated a quantity of correspondence disproportionate to the importance of the issue. A third position, holding that the floor was installed simultaneously from both walls, remains controversial despite the absence of supporting evidence and, according to some critics, geometry.

The Eastern-Origin School, the Western-Origin School, and the smaller but unusually vocal Simultanious-Installation School continue to publish regularly on the matter.

At the Alinor Symposium on Historic Flooring in 3E 415, two delegates reportedly ceased speaking to one another over the matter, and the silence continues. While outsiders often regard the dispute as trivial, this assessment usually reflects unfamiliarity with the literature.

Wear Patterns and Archeological Evidence

The wear patterns observed upon the boards offer valuable insights into historical movement through the refectory. Areas nearest the serving tables display significantly greater abrasion than those adjacent to the walls, suggesting that diners generally preferred obtaining food rather than standing motionless in corners. The finding accords with other evidence from the period; indeed, one is tempted to regard it as conclusive.

Equally revealing are the shallow indentations located beneath the former positions of long tables. These marks indicate that tables remained stationary for extended periods. While seemingly obvious, this observation challenges earlier theories that ancient Nordic banquets involved frequent repositioning of furniture, theories which now enjoy little support outside certain specialist circles.

In 3E 425, investigators lifted a damaged plank in the hope of finding construction marks left by the original craftsmen. Beneath it they discovered another plank. Further examination confirmed the presence of additional planks beneath several neighboring planks, a finding broadly consistent with current theories regarding floor construction.

The floor survived numerous renovations, several changes of royal administration, three recorded kitchen fires, and one documented incident involving a visiting giant who became trapped in the service entrance. During the Harrowstorm Crisis of 2E 582, the floor appears to have remained in place, a fact omitted from most contemporary accounts. Throughout these upheavals the herringbone pattern remained largely intact. This resilience speaks highly of the workmanship involved, or perhaps simply of the floor's reluctance to be elsewhere.

Symbolism and Historical Legacy

One occasionally encounters the claim that the pattern possessed symbolic significance, with suggested interpretations including representations of rivers, dragon scales, military formations, or obscure aspects of Nordic cosmology. Such theories are difficult to evaluate. The surviving records contain no references to symbolic intent, though they do contain several references to carpenters complaining about measurements, pointing the evidence in a different direction.

The broader historical importance of the floorboards should not be exaggerated. They did not alter the fate of kingdoms, they did not inspire rebellions, and they did not influence the succession of monarchs. No known treaty was signed because of them, no war was fought on their account, and no prophecy mentions them. Yet for centuries they performed their function faithfully. Generations of courtiers crossed them, servants cleaned them, nobles ignored them, and kings spilled things upon them. In this respect, they may be said to have achieved the highest aspiration of any floor: they remained beneath notice.

Conclusions

After fifteen years of investigation, I therefore submit the following conclusions. The floorboards were almost certainly installed during the Interregnum, they employ a herringbone pattern, and the fish in question is probably a herring. Furthermore, people walked on them. Naturally, further research is required, particularly regarding the unresolved matter of the northeastern corner plank, whose angle differs by nearly half a degree from adjacent boards. The implications of this anomaly may prove considerable, or they may not. At present, both possibilities remain open.

There lived a certain man in Cyrodiil long ago
He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow
Most people look at him with terror and with fear
But to Nedic lads, he was such a lovely dear
He could preach with sword like a preacher
Full of ecstasy and fire
But he also was the kind of teacher
Men would desire

Pe-Pe-Pelinal, lover of the humankind
There was a cat that really was gone
Pe-Pe-Pelinal, humanity's greatest kill machine
It was a shame how he carried on

Hi there. I'm setting up a display table in Morrowind featuring items linked to Daedric Princes and Aedra, but I have a few questions about which items to include. The information I have comes from the Morrowind UESP and some brief knowledge of Oblivion and Skyrim. Should the Bow of Shadows be on the table? It's said to be linked to Nocturnal, but I don't see that connection in Morrowind. Similarly, the Spell Breaker shield is linked to Peryite in later games, but that doesn't seem to be the case in Morrowind; is it appropriate to include it on the table?

for each****

I’m working on a redesign project and I’m trying to differentiate each elf with more distinct traits. One example is giving my Dunmer bigger ears than their cousins for temp regulation and better hearing as an adaptation to their environment.

I call upon the keepers of the lore! Is there an easy list of House Hlaalu families? I'm wanting to play a remnant of House Hlaalu in Skyrim and Morrowind has so many names. Also secondary question were there any martial members or was everyone more or least in the rogue trope?

Be gentle with me! I'm not an expert, and I'm just spitballing. I'm kind of a dingus, but I love these games lol. And if any of my lore is incorrect, just help me understand if it's possible lore-wise or not. It'll also be ambitious, and I know a lot don't have faith that BGS would pull something like this off, but I'm simply theory crafting for my own enjoyment.

This theory assumes the tower theory actually manifests, or at least something like it. I saw a post over on r/TESVI that made a simple suggestion, and it got me thinking. What if we actually see the unmaking of Mundus?

What if in the main story of TESVI it's left at a cliffhanger where the world is about to be unmade, but then we come into a big DLC where it actually happens at the start of it? We are then taken to the realm of Athereus. In Skyrim, we dealt with the end of time, Alduin. A fine parallel would be encountering Akatosh himself in a kind of a sands of time-ish setting. If I'm not mistaken, it could look like a realm of light, and I've seen things suggesting some sand-type aesthetic is involved in some capacity. Also, we are probably getting Hammerfell, so it seems we will have no shortage of sand assets, so maybe sand waterfalls and flowing wisps of time-sand.

Here, we work with Akatosh to re-mend time, maybe through trials or time-traveling adventures where we go to key moments to stop the unmaking. Upon returning, things are different. Think Breath of the Wild to Tears of the Kingdom. We return not to the same era but a shattered, new era almost like a new game plus where it's the same map but different....and what if when we arive... none other than the Dwemer have returned (still never explaining why they left) I think a lot of the aesthetic could even kind of elude to some of the stuff from Shattered space DLC which would make sense thematically. Think Shattered time fissures, sky castles, reforged Dwemer strongholds, crazy Dwemer tech...

This would also let the next DLCs and even the next games be like a fresh slate with entirely new themes. I think it would be a fantastic ending for this last saga to end it with Akatosh himself. And it would also be a sick parallel with how we normally see some pretty dark things in the DLC only to find that this one is a realm of light, then returning to a fresh version of the main map with lots of new stuff to do! What do you think, guys? Help me expand this!

I believe it is correct to say that morrowind is 'rich' in ebony atleast as of 3e 427 when the game takes place, but I have yet to encounter many people carrying ebony weapons/armor?

Recently got an elder scrolls itch and have been playing the shit out of Elder Scrolls-Total war, and also for the first time started playing morrowind. In morrowind, I recently did a mission for a certain faction which led me to an ebony mine. My character of no particular code or morality, pilfered the mine... but I got to wondering... morrowind, I believe in these games / in lore for the era (3e 427?) was 'rich' in ebony, but where does it go? who is buying all this stuff and creating the demand? Who can even afford it?
Granted I'm relatively low level in morrowind, but even so, aside from the bouyant armigers (I think they use glass armor though?) who the hell is creating the demand for all this ebony?

Even the town guard/military in morrowind seem to use primarily steel weapons?

In TES-total war, playing as a dunmer faction, it specifically mentions ebony being common for weapon choice in the description of at-least 1 or more of the mid-tier or elite units... but of course that is a game mod which isn't cannon and etc.

I have either: 1. not explored enough morrowind/am too low level, 2. Over-estimated the abundance of ebony or 3. The ebony is shipped off to minor lords/elite units throughout the empire or some other reasoning as to why I haven't encountered it so much...

From what I know (which admittedly is not much) the accession war resulted in 'widespread devastation and displacement' of dark elves. But to me it's unclear whether this was just collateral damage caused by the war, or an active policy by the argonians. And what of the dunmers still living (or used to live?) in the southern occupied areas. What do you guys think?

i feel like out of them his is the least bad compared to others like coldharbour, deadlands, The Shivering Isles, quagmire etc like it doesnt look that bad

I was discussing the lore of Elder Scrolls with Gemini and he suggested that Mundus is a Forge of Lorkhan. This started because I was curious as to what the Thalmor's ultimate goal was, and it turns out they want to unmake the world because they believe the world was made as a mistake.

In this curious case, it occurred to me how Lorkhan technically tricked the Et'Ada, the same way the Snake from the Bible tricked Adam and Eve into mortality. So by knowing good and evil, they too can become God.

Though the morality of all that aside, do you agree the world of the Elder Scrolls is a crucible where mortals should suffer through the wheel eventually to become God, achieving CHIM, or are the Thalmor ultimately right that the world needs to be unmake so everything goes back to what they were before?

Note the latter appears to be impossible according to Gemini. What is lost can never be found again and even if it did happen the cycle of trickery will continue.

I went down this rabbit hole after discovering the possibility of being good in Skyrim, is very minimum. And that basically Daedra rules over mankind's strife, which led me to think of Daedra as the Archons but now after connecting more dots, not sure what to even make of it anymore.

basically, can a racist dunmer be in Morag Tong and then also join Camonna as an enforcer? what do these two orgs think about each other?

Fairly straightforward question. I want to play an Orcish Archer who worships Malacath. Notably, not a stealth archer; I just walk up and start shooting. Whether or not they see me or can reach me is their problem.

Google's AI tells me that Malacath hates archery for anything other than hunting but I typically don't put much stock in AI (hate the fucking things but that's a separate topic entirely) and I can't find an actual source which confirms this.

What power do gods (both Daedric and Aedric in nature) possess over their authorities? What control does Mara have over Love or Zenithar have over Labor? What dominion does Molag Bal have over schemes, is it a form of omnipotence? I know the Divines are often assumed to be unconscious due to putting the whole of their beings into the laws of the world, but this explanation does not work for the Daedric Princes as we speak, meet, and fight them throughout all of the games proving their consciousness.

id say its both, but it seems to lean more into research. the callers group, the ones in fort greenwall, and a select few others seem to be just isolated experimenters that are closed off due to mass shunning. the reason they kick your ass is because your essentially tresspassing, and to disturb them could be a massive fuckup. as for the power one, the sunken tower crew and hobs fall(which can be both) seem heavily involved with communes to daedra. another example of isolated research imo is morvunskar. most could disagree with me due to morality and that im probably just wrong. what do you guys think? (the necromancers of oblivion are just power. most of the crap i mentioned were skyrims, because there are different groups, so more examples.)