Foreword

This is a small conversion project to introduce The Elder Scrolls as a campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. There are other projects like it, and they may even be better. What sets this project apart is that it is expressly limited in scope. It provides you just enough resources to get started, and does not change any of the mechanics of the world's greatest roleplaying game.

Specifically, this resource has been written with the following goals in mind:

• It must be compatible. Nothing in this conversion should make it incompatible with the Systems Reference Document.

• It must be balanced. The races and archetypes depicted should not be stronger or weaker than what one would find in an official D&D resource.

• It must not duplicate. The Player's Handbook already covers all the rules, so they will not be repeated here.

• It must be compatible with the lore. My point of reference is the Three Banners War, a point in time during which we know most about the state of the world across Tamriel. However, with some creativity, you could use this campaign setting for later eras as well.

• It must not contain any fanon. Or as little of it as possible. It wouldn't be possible to write this conversion without making some assumptions, but generally everything should be grounded in existing lore.

Please remember that this is a homebrew. I tried to make it slick-looking and whole, but you are free to tinker with it as you like. That is, after all, the joy of homebrewing. If you disagree with some choices I made or spot some grave error, please e-mail me at carmen@carmenbianca.eu or find the Markdown source for this resource online at https://gitlab.com/carmenbianca/tes5e.

Chapter 1: What Is The Elder Scrolls?

The Elder Scrolls is a series of video games made by Bethesda and ZeniMax. The world of The Elder Scrolls is well-known for its attention to detail and realism, replete with an interconnected structure of various societies, cultures, and religions, each backed by a thorough historical basis, revealed through in-game literature and deep, multi-tiered conversations.

The Elder Scrolls series is named after the Elder Scrolls, also known as the Aedric Prophecies, scrolls of unknown origin and number which simultaneously archive both past and future events. The number of the Scrolls is unknown not because of their immense quantity, but because the number itself is unknowable, as the Scrolls "do not exist in countable form". They are fragments of creation from outside time itself, and their use in divining prophecies is but a small part of their power. They simultaneously do not exist, yet always have existed.

The Elder Scrolls embraces the ambiguity of the unreliable narrator. Many things are lost to history, or shrouded in myths and folklore. Some parts of history are only covered by biased accounts, and other parts are covered by vastly different contradicting accounts. Which is true? Can they both simultaneously be true? Is it at all sensible to think in terms of truths? These are the questions that The Elder Scrolls poses.

What is certain, however, is that Nirn is a world filled with adventure and exciting stories. Many tales have been experienced and shared, but there are many more waiting to be told.

Low Epic

Tamriel is an epic world. A world-ending threat, the Planemeld, is taking place and threatens to absorb all of Nirn into Coldharbour, subjugating all mortals to the God of Schemes. This danger is pressing, but near a graveyard, you find a skull on the ground that asks you to find his bones and reassemble him. In return, he will help you deal with the cultists that wander the site.

Sometimes, small and mundane stories where the stakes are low are equally as enjoyable as epic, world-threatening stories. The Elder Scrolls invites you to sample both, and see which you like best. If you do not much care about the Planemeld, then perhaps the prophesied Soulless One will take care of it, and you can focus on smaller heroics. But if you really want to save the world, then there are enough threats that loom over all of Tamriel.

Magic Is Mystical

A celestial rock or moonlet known as Baar Dau hovers above Vivec City. It was prevented from crashing into the city by the Living God Vivec. Vivec allowed it to remain looming above the city so that if its people ever ceased to love him, the rock would fall and destroy them.

But the spell levitate only lasts 10 minutes and can only support a target that weighs up to 500 pounds. Does this mean that Vivec knows a special spell called greater levitate? What about the Dark Anchors that appear all over Tamriel: does Molag Ball know a spell called conjure dark anchor? But perhaps these are gods, and different rules apply for mortals. The Bosmer Greenspeakers use rituals of speech or song to grow entire villages in just a few days. Is there a spell shape building from tree?

Not all spells and magical effects can be expressed in terms of rules in a book. Sometimes, magic is just mystical and does strange and unexpected things. Allow Tamriel's magic to surprise you.

The Great War

The Daggerfall Covenant in the north-west, the Aldmeri Dominion in the south, and the Ebonheart Pact in the north-east. War ravages the continent, and is a fact of life in the province of Cyrodiil. Though the Empire of Cyrodiil exists under the rule of Empress Clivia Tharn, she fell under the thrall of the necromancer Mannimarco, making the Empire a de facto vassal of Molag Bal, the God of Schemes.

There is no part of Tamriel that is untouched by this Great War. It is most obvious in the border regions, where armies march and skirmishes take place, but also the faraway regions, whose trade has diminished and whose men and women are conscripted to fight in Cyrodiil. Some regions are not involved in the war, most notably southern Hammerfell, the Gold Coast, and Western Skyrim. But in those places, too, there are those who see opportunity in the war that rages beyond their borders.

It is 2E 582. The drums of war sounded two years ago, and are only growing louder. As a player character in Tamriel, you possess remarkable skills. How has the war affected you? Did you fight, and for which faction? Did war ravage your home, or did your loved ones leave to fight in Cyrodiil? If you didn't take part in the war, why didn't you fight and what did you do instead?

The Planemeld

Around the start of the campaign, enormous inter-planar hooks known as Dark Anchors are starting to appear all over Tamriel. They attempt to pull Nirn into Coldharbour. Molag Bal, the God of Schemes and Daedric Prince of domination and enslavement of mortals, is responsible for this Daedric invasion.

Much like the war that rages across Tamriel, the Planemeld is impossible to ignore. And with the provinces divided, few are left to oppose the invading Daedra. The Fighters Guild and the Mages Guild are the most prominent organizations that want to lead an invasion of mortals into Coldharbour.

If It Exists In D&D, There Mightn't Be A Place For It In Tamriel

The Elder Scrolls is a closed universe with its own developed lore. The elves on Tamriel are very different from the elves that you'll find in the Player's Handbook. Other races, like the halflings, simply do not exist. The multiverse, too, is a very different place, along with the divine beings that inhabit it.

When creating a character for a campaign set in Tamriel, it might be a good idea to draw from the setting of The Elder Scrolls first, and find a race and class that matches your character concept second. For instance, a Wyrd witch could very well be a druid.

The other way around works just the same. If you wish to play a tiefling from the Player's Handbook, you could reasonably use the tiefling traits to create a Dremora character. With your DM's blessing, you might need to tweak a few features here or there.

Failing that, you could work to incorporate your idea into the world. Perhaps your tiefling is a type of Daedra that has never been seen before. Or maybe your dragonborn hails from the uncharted dragon land of Akavir. With a little creativity, you can find a justification for almost anything.

But just because you can, does not mean you should. I invite you to use your creativity to expand the world of Nirn, but I also invite you to enjoy it for what it is.

Races

This campaign setting comes with ten playable races from all over Tamriel. While I hope that you enjoy their implementations, you may choose to replace their mechanics with some of the more widely tested races of the Player's Handbook and other official sourcebooks.

• Altmer. The high elf from the Player's Handbook is a good substitute, although Altmer do not have darkvision or fey ancestry, and sleep like normal people.

• Argonian. The lizardfolk from Volo's Guide to Monsters is an excellent substitute.

• Bosmer. The wood elf from the Player's Handbook is a good substitute, although Bosmer do not have darkvision or fey ancestry, and sleep like normal people.

• Breton. The human or half-elf from the Player's Handbook are excellent substitutes, although Bretons do not have darkvision or fey ancestry. You may also choose to use the variant human with the Magic Initiate feat.

• Dunmer. The drow from the Player's Handbook is a good substitute, although Dunmer do not have darkvision, sunlight sensitivity, or fey ancestry, and sleep like normal people.

• Imperial. The human from the Player's Handbook is an excellent substitute.

• Khajiit. The tabaxi from Volo's Guide to Monsters is an excellent substitute.

• Nord. The human from the Player's Handbook is an excellent substitute.

• Orc. The half-orc from the Player's Handbook is an excellent substitute, although Orcs do not have darkvision.

• Redguard. The human from the Player's Handbook is an excellent substitute.

There are also other races on Tamriel that are not covered by this campaign setting. If you wish to play them, perhaps consider some of the following substitutes.

• Ayleid. The Altmer is an excellent substitute.

• Chimer. The Dunmer is an excellent substitute.

• Dremora. The tiefling from the Player's Handbook is an excellent substitute.

• Falmer. The Altmer is a good substitute. Replace some of the spells from Syrabane's Boon with ice-themed spells.

• Goblin. The goblin from Volo's Guide to Monsters is an excellent substitute.

• Imga. The bugbear from Volo's Guide to Monsters is a good substitute.

• Ka Po' Tun. The Khajiit is an excellent substitute.

• Kothringi. The human from the Player's Handbook is an excellent substitute.

• Maormer. The triton from Volo's Guide to Monsters or the sea elf from Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes are excellent substitutes, although Maormer do not have darkvision or fey ancestry, and sleep like normal people.

• Minotaur. The minotaur from Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica is an excellent substitute.

• Tang Mo. The tabaxi from Volo's Guide to Monsters is a good substitute.

• Tsaesci. The yuan-ti pureblood from Volo's Guide to Monsters is an excellent substitute.

These are, as mentioned before, mere suggestions to help you on your way. Feel free to be inspired by them, but do not feel constrained by them.

Oblivion

Oblivion is a realm within the Aurbis, the universe encompassing all the Planes of Existence, and is mainly inhabited by the Daedra—et'Ada who did not contribute to the creation of the Mundus, and who are often thought to be evil.

Oblivion, unlike Mundus, is not a single realm. Instead, there are at least sixteen major Planes of Oblivion, each ruled over by one of the Daedric Princes, and over 37,000 other documented planes, including chaos realms and pocket realities, although there exists far more than that. Most realms are maintained by greater Daedra, although some are ruled by mortals who have ascended to immortality.

Each plane is different in appearance, depending upon the nature of its ruler. They can range from beautiful to desolate; some are even too strange for mortal comprehension.

Aetherius

Aetherius, the Immortal Plane, is thought to be the origin of all magic and arcane arts. It is a common belief that the soul of a dead person, assuming they are not Nirn-bound for some reason, goes to Aetherius, to continue on as a spirit.

Aetherius, much like Oblivion, consists of a multitude of realms which serve different purposes, except they are all "of everlasting imperfection". For Nords, their chosen place in Aetherius is Sovngarde, the Hall of Valor. The Redguards have a different place in Aetherius, called the Far Shores, as do the Khajiit, a realm known as the Sands Behind the Stars. The Imperials simply call it Heaven. These locations are not necessarily exclusive to those particular races, but may depend on an individual's beliefs, choices during their lifetime and the manner of their death, including the possibility of servitude to the Daedra in Oblivion.

Aetherius is thought by many to be the home of the Aedric spirits, though very little is actually known as travel to Aetherius is extremely rare. The Magna Ge, or "Star Orphans", who fled Mundus and created the stars, reside here.

From time to time, fragments of Aetherius fall from the heavens. The people know these fragments as "shooting stars", and from time to time, such Aetherial fragments are found on Nirn. Skyshards are one such type of fragment, said to carry the essence of Nirn. They can be seen splitting into shards as they fall to Nirn during specific lunar alignments. When three shards meet, they re-form into a silvery prism by some unknown process and confer the power unlocked by the merger to any being that comes nearby.

Tamriel

Tamriel is one of the continents on Nirn, and is its mythic and symbolic center. In Aldmeris, Tamriel translates as "Dawn's Beauty". Tamriel is a great melting pot of cultures and races; it is home to at least a dozen races, with dozens more having died out or changed.

There are nine distinct provinces, each home to one of the more populous races of Tamriel.

Cyrodiil, the Imperial Province, is a province in the south-central region of Tamriel, and the home of the race of men known as Imperials.

Black Marsh is a dense swampland region of southeastern Tamriel, home to the reptilian humanoid race of Argonians and a race of sentient trees known as the Hist.

Elsweyr is a region that lies on the southern coast of Tamriel, and is home to the feline Khajiit. It is divided into two major climates: savannahs, badlands and dry plains in the north, and fertile lands of jungle and rainforests in the south.

Hammerfell is a province in the west of Tamriel dominated by the wasteland of the Alik'r desert. It is inhabited by the human race of Redguards, who fled to Tamriel after their home, Yokuda, was destroyed.

High Rock is a province in the northwest section of Tamriel. Most of the province is inhabited by the human Bretons, who have divided the province into multiple Breton city states and minor kingdoms. The northern tip of central High Rock also contains Orsinium, the city-state of the Orcs.

Morrowind is a province in the northeast corner of Tamriel, and the home of the Dunmer, or Dark Elves. It is dominated by the large island of Vvardenfell and its centerpiece, the ash-spewing Red Mountain.

Skyrim is the northernmost province of Tamriel. It is a cold and mountainous region inhabited primarily by Nords, a tall race of men.

The Summerset Isles is a province in southwest Tamriel consisting of fourteen islands of varying size. It is inhabited by the Altmer, High Elves who arrived after their home of Aldmeris was lost.

Valenwood is a densely forested, sub-tropical region that encompasses the southwestern coastal plain of Tamriel. It is the home of the Bosmer, or Wood Elves.

Early History

Much of Tamriel's history is known and documented, but large swathes are still unknown, particularly the periods known as the Dawn Era and the Merethic Era. Tamriel's very beginning can be traced to the Ehlnofey, a group of et'Ada who decided not to abandon Mundus, and instead worked to keep it viable. They remained in the mortal realm and populated it, becoming the progenitors of the modern races. Many followed the example of Y'ffre and sacrificed themselves to form the rules of nature, the Earth Bones.

During the War of the Ehlnofey, the wandering Ehlnofey fought the Ehlnofey who remained settled in their former home. During this war the original singular landmass of Nirn was broken apart into at least four major landmasses—Tamriel, Akavir, Atmora, and Yokuda. The wandering Ehlnofey were ancestors to all men, while the settled Ehlnofey were co-ancestors with the Aldmer to all mer, or elves. It was at the end of the Dawn Era that the Aldmer of Aldmeris began to diverge along cultural and biological lines, starting the process that would lead to the modern mer races: Altmer, Ayleids, Bosmer, Chimer, Dunmer, Dwemer, Falmer, and others.

The First Era

King Eplear Camoran united the wild ancestral Bosmer and created for Valenwood its first effective political identity, something that is called one of the "greatest military feats in Tamriel's history". This feat was so great, that it ushered in the First Era. Eplear is also remembered as a benevolent, welcoming king who invited refugees from the troubled Ayleid Empire and elsewhere to live in Valenwood with the Bosmer. Over the next centuries, the other races would stake out their provinces as well.

In the third century of the First Era the Alessian Slave Rebellion saw the humans of Cyrodiil overthrow their slavers, the Ayleids, marking the point at which humans began to dominate Tamrielic history. Saint Alessia made a covenant with Akatosh to create the Dragonfires and the Amulet of Kings. The covenant stated that so long as the Dragonfires remained lit and one of Alessia's heirs wore the amulet, the realms of Oblivion would be cut off from Nirn. Alessia founded the First Cyrodilic Empire, and as its first Empress, she established a new religion, a fusion of the Nordic and Aldmeri pantheons known as the Eight Divines.

In the eighth century, the Battle of Red Mountain took place between the Chimer (led by General Nerevar) and the Dwemer. The whole truth of what happened cannot be determined due to conflicting accounts. Regardless, by the time the dust settled, much of that dust was all that remained of the Dwemer. Though Nerevar died, his people claimed victory. Nerevar's lieutenants Vivec, Almalexia, and Sotha Sil rose to power among the Chimer. Within a few years, they would become Living Gods, leading the Chimer to transform into the Dunmer. They manipulated preexisting ancestral and Daedra worship into the Tribunal Temple dedicated to their worship, and concealed the truth of how they gained their divinity.

A century later, a warrior wave of Yokudans escaping the continent's destruction, the Ra Gada, drove the beastfolk and Nedic peoples from Volenfell. Over time, the name "Ra Gada" became corrupted into "Redguard", and the race claimed Hammerfell as their homeland.

In the twenty-fourth century, after a long period of relative stability, the War of Righteousness broke out in Cyrodiil, following years of internal strife within the Alessian Order. After decades of conflict, the First Empire dissolved.

In the twenty-eighth century, the First Akaviri Invasion occurred. Tsaesci of Akavir landed in Tamriel, cutting a swathe of destruction through Skyrim and Cyrodiil, spurring Reman Cyrodiil to rally the Colovian West and Nibenean East. Cyrodiil was again united for the first time in centuries. The unified army defeated the Akaviri, and the Second Empire was established.

The Second Empire entered a period of quick expansion in which it subjugated the surrounding human provinces. The never-before-conquered province of Valenwood later fell to the Second Empire. A century later, the swamplands of Argonia were conquered and redubbed Black Marsh. The last war of conquest began an attempt to bring Morrowind, the only province outside Imperial control, into the Empire. Progress was slow, and the three Living Gods of Morrowind's Tribunal proved to be extremely capable leaders. After a century of warfare, both sides were approaching exhaustion and agreed to a truce to bring an end to the war.

The Akaviri Potentate

Under the Reman Dynasty, the emperor's chief advisor was called the Potentate. Reman Ⅰ had decisively defeated an Akaviri invasion, but other events forced him to offer the defeated army amnesty in return for their service in his own army. This led to Akaviri influence in other spheres of life, and over time the position of Potentate was usually filled by one of the snake people.

In the late First Era, the Potentate Versidue-Shaie plotted to overthrow the empire. He first contrived the assassination of Crown Prince Juilek, and then the of the emperor himself. With the death of the emperor, Versidue-Shaie declared that he was taking over the leadership of the empire, but is retaining his title of Potentate. In the same speech, he declared the end of the First Era, and the start of the Second Era. Thus began also the period of the Akaviri Potentate.

The Interregnum

The collapse of the central authority of the Second Empire led to centuries of bickering between racial alliances, small kingdoms, and petty states. During this time, the Empire of Cyrodiil existed by name only, and was confined to the region of Cyrodiil alone.

The Interregnum was marked by a general decline in living standards across Tamriel. A note in one tale from the era goes so far as to call the prevailing attitude on of "anti-intellectualism". Another source talks of the "dark and cumulative losses" of the period, and a third describes the period as "days and nights of blood and venom". A further sign of intellectual decline was the transformation of the Dwemer in popular culture from a mysterious and unfathomable race to a mere vehicle for light comedies and romances. Additionally, roads and cities fell into ruin and were not repaired until centuries later. Even the famed Amulet of Kings was lost.

Some regions and organizations found the period full of opportunities. The services of the Dark Brotherhood, a guild of assassins shrouded in shadow and mystery, were much in demand, and the society filled its coffers with gold. High Rock, an area with a history of factionalism was more able to deal with the collapse of central power and fared much better than the rest of Tamriel, lapsing back into its usual structure of kingdoms and city states without difficulty.

After losing its status as an Imperial territory, Orsinium was sacked and destroyed by Breton and Redguard forces. The Orcs were scattered across the North in a great exodus. Yashnag and his people, exiled from High Rock, fled east to reclaim lands in Skyrim they felt were theirs by ancient right. By this point in time, Skyrim had split into a Western and Eastern Kingdom following the assassination of High King Logrolf in 2E 431. The King of Western Skyrim, Svartr, was ineffective in holding back the Orcs and the Reachmen that plagued the Western Kingdom during his rule. The chiefdom was a bane upon Western Falkreath for more than thirty years, until it was burned out by Hakkvild Yashnag-Slayer in 2E 467.

In Valenwood, things were not faring any better. When many Bosmer migrants from Cyrodiil settled in New Joy near the traditional town of Cormount, adherents of the Green Pact—a strict religious code followed by many Bosmer—were shocked by the Cyrodilic customs of their wayward cousins. Meanwhile, the migrants flaunted the "backwoods" nature of the natives, seeking easy pleasures in the trade that flowed through Cormount. Tensions between Cormount and New Joy grew to a boiling point. It is unknown who cast the first torch, but one dark night in 2E 420, the settlement of New Joy was burned to the ground, and those who fled were slain. Later in 2E 489, the Blacksap Movement was founded in Cormount, hoping to formalize the Bosmeri approach to the Green Pact, thereby preventing the very misunderstandings that led to the tragic events of New Joy.

Moreover, the walking city of Falinesti disappeared in the fifth century. The walking Elden Tree normally migrates between four sites in Valenwood, one for each season. But one time when it departed from one of its seasonal sites, it simply never arrived at the next site. Falinesti has not been seen or heard from since. Before the city disappeared, the Battle of Falinesti took place between the Bosmer and Khajiit. The battle was short and vicious. All Khajiit were butchered, and some were even roasted alive before the Bosmer troops ate them.

The Knahaten Flu

Whether the terrible Knahaten Flu arose from natural causes, or was created by an Argonian shaman in retaliation for his people's oppression, is still a matter of debate. But its result was clear. The plague began in Stormhold in 2E 560, and quickly spread to every corner of Black Marsh, killing all those not of reptilian stock. For over forty years, it held the Province in its grip, decimating entire cultures and driving outsiders from the land. Though the Flu originated in Black Marsh, Argonians themselves were immune to the Flu.

Early symptoms of the Flu include "general malaise, loss of appetite, and fatigue", followed shortly by aching muscles, sharp pain in the shoulders, chills, and watering eyes. Late-stage symptoms include wracking cough, high fever, and blood flowing out of the nose, eyes and eventually the mouth. The most prominent sign of the disease was a red, granular rash, which did not itch but spread all over the body. Death usually occurred within three painful days of infection, but some victims were able to survive for up to a week.

While the worst of the symptoms could be alleviated by sorghum-tea and chicken broth, the search for a cure was impeded by many questionable alleged treatments. For instance, a Redguard named Perizada supposedly saved an entire village with a potion made by boiling clannfear claws in salt water, but she later succumbed to the plague herself.

How the disease spread is not definitively known. One source claims it was airborne, while another claims that it was spread through physical contact with the victim's particular rash. The latter theory is supported by reports that infected people who covered their rashes with clothing and bandages were less contagious. Though they were immune to the Knahaten Flu themselves, Argonians were often suspected to be carriers of the disease, perhaps due to the common belief that they had created it.

Regardless of the Flu's source, the situation in Black Marsh became increasingly favorable to the Argonians after the disease struck. After the dissolution of the Second Empire, Cyrodiil lost its grip over most of the province. Once the Flu struck, the Empire lost any hope of controlling Black Marsh.

At its height, the Knahaten Flu engulfed most of Tamriel. It spread from Black Marsh, where it started, to southern Morrowind and across the Topal Bay to Elsweyr, and from there to Valenwood and even High Rock.

The Flu managed to destroy cities, religions, and even entire cultures. It claimed one of Valenwood's most legendary heroes, Oreyn Bearclaw, who performed many good deeds in Valenwood before succumbing to the disease. Also in Valenwood, the Flu nearly wiped out worshipers of Z'en, leading to the Bosmer abandoning his worship entirely soon afterward.

The entirety of Elsweyr suffered greatly from the Flu, though the city of Senchal suffered the most. A strain of the disease crossed the channel in 2E 560 and infected most of the populace. Soon there was damage to the city itself, as paranoia raged rampant, and entire sections of the city were burned to slow down the Flu, never to be rebuilt again.

Then, past all expectation, help arrived from an unforeseen direction: over the western waves came the Altmer of Summerset, bringing physicians, healers, desperately needed supplies. And one more thing: hope. Hope that Elsweyr would survive.

At first, many Khajiit were suspicious. Never before had the haughty High Elves helped the Khajiiti—why now? But their canonreeves passed among the Khajiit, as if unafraid of the flu, and explained: the Altmer did it not from friendship, but from policy. The Khajiit needed their help now, and they would need the Khajiit's help later. Invaders were coming to southwest Tamriel, they said, and the Altmer could not repulse them without Khajiiti claws at their side.

Founding of the Greater Daggerfall Covenant

The dreaded Knahaten Flu had reached High Rock and swept through Wayrest. The high and mighty were not exempt, as it consumed the entire Gardner royal household. Succession fell to Emeric, who ascended to the throne, beginning the Cumberland Dynasty. There was reportedly a "Halo of Gold" around the sun on the day of his coronation.

King Ranser of Shornhelm offered the hand of his daughter, Princess Rayelle, to King Emeric both early and often. For a time, it seemed that the two would marry, and Rayelle would become queen. But on a visit to Sentinel, King Emeric's eyes first beheld the Princess Maraya, daughter of King Fahara'jad. From that moment, Emeric swore that Wayrest would have no queen but Maraya. There was another unexpected benefit: As her dowry, Maraya brought a trade agreement between Wayrest and Sentinel.

The Five Companions

Shortly after declaring himself Emperor, Varen put together a group of adventurers called the Five Companions to rediscover the lost Amulet of Kings. Varen desired to use the Amulet of Kings to rekindle the Dragonfires in a ritual aimed at persuading Akatosh to alter his heritage and make him a Dragonborn, and thus a legitimately ordained ruler of the Empire.

The companions included Varen himself, the Nord warrior Lyris Titanborn, the Redguard swordmaster Sai Sahan, Grand Chancellor Abnur Tharn, and the Altmer necromancer Mannimarco.

Lyris was the personal bodyguard to Varen, and presumed to descend from giants. Sai Sahan was the captain to Varen's Dragonguard, and once upon a time attempted to revive the old Yokudan art of sword-singing, but failed. Abnur Tharn was the Imperial overlord of Nibenay, and an ally to Varen during his war when he provided Varen with secret intelligence about the Imperial City that would aid him in deposing Leovic.

Mannimarco, lastly, served as chief advisor to the court of Emperor Varen Aquilarios. It was at Mannimarco's urging that the Five Companions were formed to go on an epic quest to locate the Amulet of Kings. Varen was joined by his companions, and together they scoured the face of Tamriel, following countless leads, until finally they managed to find it.

The Soulburst

The necromancer Mannimarco had convinced Emperor Varen Aquilarios that, despite not being Dragonborn, as all true emperors must be, if they slightly modified the coronation ritual, they would be able to both relight the Dragonfires and convince Akatosh to gift Varen with the blood of a dragon.

So in 2E 578, having successfully located the amulet and returned to the Imperial City, Varen and the Companions initiated the ritual with the Amulet. It was then that Mannimarco revealed his treachery. Mannimarco corrupted the Amulet of Kings, and, by performing the ritual, Varen broke the divine covenant of Akatosh and Alessia which protected Nirn from the forces of Oblivion. The Elder Scrolls, mystical scrolls that simultaneously archive both past and future events, named this event the Soulburst.

As the veil shattered, a wave of magical energy that disrupted the connection between the souls of the denizens of Nirn and their mortal hosts radiated outwards from the Imperial City. Mystical aftershocks propagated all across the planet, as mages died or went met. Red Mountain trembled in Morrowind, earthquakes shook Skyrim and heavy storms devastated the coastlines of Elsweyr and Valenwood. The constellation of the Serpent grew so large that it dominated the night sky and seemed to threaten every star sign at once. Nirn became vulnerable to the forces of Oblivion, as Daedra began appearing in greater numbers than ever before.

Emperor Aquilarios was lost in the explosion. Lyris was captured by Mannimarco to be sacrificed, Abnur simply fled from the city altogether, and Sai Sahan fled with the amulet to an unknown location. Clivia Tharn became the new Empress Regent, and fell under the thrall of Mannimarco.

Founding of the Aldmeri Dominion

Earlier in the sixth century, King Hidellith and his wife Kinlady Tuinden conceived a child. Princess Ayrenn was born on the 5th of Second Seed in 2E 555. All Summerset, Auridon, and Artaeum celebrated her birth for fifty-five days.

It was foretold that Princess Ayrenn would reflect the restless and turbulent times in which she was born, and so it came to pass. Nimble and quick-witted, she was quick to master the lessons of her tutors, and from an early age often adopted unorthodox approaches to schoolwork. In fact, she sometimes became so engrossed in her independent studies that her whereabouts were unknown for days at a time. She would often return from these field trips with unusual knowledge and display remarkable new skills.

One day in 2E 573 the entire royal family of Alinor gathered at the Crystal Tower to celebrate Ayrenn's matriculation to the Sapiarchs' Labyrinth, where she was to study Altmeri Regal Praxis and Ceremoniarchy for the requisite 3,555 days. But Ayrenn didn't arrive—somewhere between the Palace and Tower the princess had disappeared, and she was nowhere to be found. The Sapiarchs, however, reported that the night of her disappearance was filled with signs and portents: the constellation of the Lady seeming to ride the constellation of the Steed, the Great Orrery spun backward, and a young eaglet was found atop the statue of Topal the Explorer.

While a long search was begun, in truth, Ayrenn had claimed her own destiny. She had stolen away to the Isle of Balfiera to live with the Direnni at the Adamant Tower. She hunted the frost trolls of Skyrim, delved into the depths of a Dwarven ruin, and crewed with a pirate captain of Cyrodiil. She once flew upon an enormous kite on the winds of the Alik'r Desert, and danced with nereids in the Illessan Hills.

The Three Banners War

With Queen Ayrenn vying for control of the Ruby Throne to reestablish Elven dominance over Tamriel to protect it from the carelessness and wrongs of Man that had led to the Soulburst, the Daggerfall Covenant and Ebonheart Pact could not sit idly by.

High King Emeric marched on Cyrodiil to overthrow the false empress and all her brood, and restore the Second Empire as the successor to the Reman Dynasty, so that peace and justice may once more rule the provinces. To save Cyrodiil from madness, murder, and decay, for the true flame of the Empire of Man still burned in the Daggerfall Covenant.

The Ebonheart Pact took a more radical turn, aiming to wipe away the rash rule of the Empire and end once and for all mortals' entanglements with higher power from beyond Nirn. They wished to scour the Ruby Throne from the face of Cyrodiil, and sweep away the decaying remains of the Empire of Men. They wished to replace it with a grand Tamriel Pact, in which the independence of all the provinces is guaranteed.

The Planemeld

Chapter 3: Life in Tamriel

This chapter covers a lot of the day-to-day conventions in Tamriel that the history chapter skimmed over. It also covers the varieties of faith of the peoples of Tamriel, and additional character options such as backgrounds and class archetypes.

Constellations and Birthsigns

There are thirteen named constellations in the sky. There are three Guardian signs; the Warrior, the Mage, and the Thief, each of which protects three charges. Each of these twelve signs corresponds to one of the twelve months in the Tamrielic year. The thirteenth sign, the Serpent, has no guardian or month and moves around the sky, usually threatening the other signs.

A birthsign is the constellation under which a person is born. Many people in Tamriel believe that each birthsign bestows bestows unique magical powers to those born under it.

Varieties of Faith

There are many ways in which the peoples of Tamriel revere their divine spirits. This list is by no means complete. It only includes the most important spirits revered by native members of the culture. Some et'Ada, especially Daedra, are common between cultures, but known by different names, and sometimes have different cultural significance.

Shezarr

The Missing Sibling, God of Men

Shezarr is a Cyrodilic version of Lorkhan whose importance suffered when Akatosh came to the fore of Nibenay religion. Shezarr was the spirit behind all human undertaking, especially against Aldmeri aggression. He is admittedly a thinly-disguised version of Shor, and even in the Colovian West of Cyrodiil, they recognize Shezarr by the name of Shor.

"Shezarr's Song" is a creation myth of Cyrodiil. It says that Shezarr brought the idea to the other gods of becoming mothers and fathers, being responsible, and making great sacrifices, with no guarantee of success. It involved cutting off parts of themselves to create a world, sacrificing power and control. It was a new and strange idea, but Shezarr spoke beautifully to them, and moved them beyond mystery and tears. Thus the Aedra gave free birth to the world. It took a great toll: they were no longer young, and strong, and powerful, as they had been from the beginning. The Daedra mocked Shezarr and the other Aedra, and decided to make their own worlds within themselves where they wouldn't have to sacrifice control, though they came to envy the Aedra's creation, and often sought to steal from Shezarr and the others. Some Aedra were disappointed, bitter, and angry with Shezarr, and with all creation, for they felt Shezarr had lied and tricked them. These Aldmeri gods, led by Auri-El, decided to seek vengeance on Shezarr for reducing them to their "disgusting" selves. But the gods of men and beastfolk, led by Akatosh, were pleased with creation despite their great sacrifices.

Stendarr

The Steadfast

Stendarr is the God of Mercy, Charity, Well-Earned Luck, and Justice. He is also acclaimed as the God of Compassion, and Righteous Rule by Might and Merciful Forbearance.

Stendarr, through his priests, resolutes, and templars, makes his will known to the mortals of Tamriel, and commands them to "be kind and generous to the people of Tamriel. Protect the weak, heal the sick, and give to the needy". Stendarr offers mercy to all mortals and he welcomes heretics, the afflicted, the hopeless, and the forgotten. The Divine cherishes and protects all mortals regardless of whether they acknowledge him or not, and he does not distinguish between worshipers and heretics. The priests of Stendarr act as a conduit, and he provides guidance and assistance to mortals through them. He also offers help in the form of healing as Stendarr can mend any wound, stay any disease, and soothe any broken soul.

The mercy of Stendarr does not extend to the enemies of mortals, who are referred to as Abominations, and the Divine considers them abhorrent and unnatural, and deserving of extermination without mercy

Zenithar

The Trader God, The God That Will Always Win

Zenithar, the God of Work and Commerce, the Provider of our Ease, is considered a cultivated god of merchants and middle nobility, being the deity of wealth, labor, commerce and communication. He has strong ties to Cyrodiil and High Rock. The introduction of the worship of Zenithar was largely tolerated in Hammerfell due to his similarities to a Yokudan agricultural deity. His priests teach that the path to peace and prosperity is through earnest work and honest profit, not through war, bloodshed, or theft. Zenithar is seen as a warrior god, but one who is restrained and reserved in times of peace.

The Aldmeri Pantheon

The ancient Aldmer believed they are the relatively feeble descendants of the Aedra ("Aedra" roughly translates to "ancestors"), who populated the Mundus so that it might last despite Lorkhan's deception. As their hierarchical society developed, the lower classes stopped worshiping their own "lesser" Aedra in favor of those claimed by their social "betters". Thus the Altmeri pantheon slowly formed around the most popular and well-known of the Aedra, contained within this section. Aedra worship is most common among the Altmer, Ayleids, Bosmer, and Falmer.

Trinimac

The Warrior, the Paragon, Champion of Auri-El

Trinimac was a prominent god of the early Aldmer. In some places, he was even more popular than Auri-El. He was a warrior spirit of the original elven tribes that led armies against mankind, and was known as the strongest of all the et'Ada who wandered Nirn. He is often depicted holding his sword Penitent, also known as Vosh Rakh, the "Blade of Courage". Boethiah is said to have eaten Trinimac and assumed his shape so the Daedric Prince could convince a throng of Aldmer to listen to him, which led to the creation of the Orcs and Chimer.

Trinimac became particularly well-known for spreading what is today the Altmeri understanding of the events surrounding Lorkhan. He preached that Lorkhan's idea for the mortal realm had been a trick all along and fomented war against Lorkhan and his followers, men. He believed that "tears were the best response to the Sundering", and encouraged hatred of Lorkhan.

Xarxes

The Ageless One

Xarxes, the God of Ancestry and Secret Knowledge, began as a scribe to Auri-El and has kept track of all Aldmeri accomplishments, large and small, since the beginning of time. He created his wife, Oghma, from his favorite moments in history. He is worshiped by Altmer and Bosmer. Hermaeus Mora claimed that the knowledge he gave to Xarxes was recorded in the Oghma Infinium. The scholar-priests of the divine scribe, secretive though they are, are said to preserve an ancient tongue long forgotten to any but their order.

Y'ffre

The Singer, the Storyteller, Spirit of the Now

Y'ffre is the God of Song and Forest, and the most important deity of the Bosmeri pantheon, also worshiped by the Altmer, Bretons, and Falmer under the name Jephre. While Auri-El might be the king of the gods, Y'ffre is revered as the spirit of "the now". According to the elves, after the creation of the mortal plane everything was in chaos. The first mortals were turning into plants and animals and back again. Then Y'ffre transformed himself into the first of the Ehlnofey, or "Earth Bones". After these laws of nature were established, mortals had a semblance of safety in the new world, because they could finally understand it.

Out of the primordial Ooze, Y'ffre first brought forth the Green, consisting of all plant life, from mosses to the mighty graht-oaks, teaching the birds to sing and the waves to lap against the beach. Next to materialize were Y'ffre's people, the Bosmer. He instituted the Green Pact between the Bosmer and the Green, which forbade any harm to the plant life of Valenwood. In exchange, the elves could request the forest shape itself to their needs, providing food and shelter, and also were able to tap into certain atavistic forces of nature, reflecting their chaotic origins.

Y'ffre is strongly associated with songs and stories, as a mythical expression of his role in shaping the story of nature. His acts of creation are described as "tales", and he is said to have given the first name to every living creature, solidifying their place in the world. Y'ffre sang to Aetherius, weaving songs so beautiful that stars were compelled to dance and sway, continuing to wink and blink afterward in memory of that song.

Z'en

God of Toil, Agriculture, and Payment in Kind

Although Z'en is the god of agriculture, he is rumoured to have a larger realm of influence than just crops and cattle. Some adherents also understand payment in kind to mean vengeance for wrongs of the past. In the Altmeri folklore he is called Xen, and is an aspect of the Aurbis like the other Aedra. Z'en is often compared to the Imperial god of commerce Zenithar, with Zenithar considered the more refined of the two.

His shrines once spanned the whole of the Valenwood before the Knahaten Flu decimated his faithful.

The Khajiiti Pantheon

The Khajiiti pantheon encompasses a myriad of gods, both temporal and otherwise, a fraction of which are detailed below. Of the dark spirits, or dro-m'Athra, who are represented by the inverse phases of the moons and are associated with the gods Lorkhaj and Namiira, the Khajiit rarely speak.

The Khajiiti creation myth differs a lot from others. It starts with two litter-mates, Ahnurr and Fadomai, who gave birth to the first cat, Alkosh, then Khenarthi, Magrus, Mara, and S'rendarr. After this litter came a second litter, and for Ahnurr, two litters was enough. But when Khenarthi was lonely in the skies, Fadomai tricked Ahnurr to make her pregnant again, and Fadomai gave birth to the moons Jode and Jone, Nirni, and Azurah, the dusk and dawn.

Ahnurr caught Fadomai while she was birthing and was angry, so Fadomai left to birth the last of her litter far away in the Great Darkness. So Lorkhaj became the last of her litter.

When Fadomai knew her time was near, she gave the Lattice to the two moons, so that their motions might shield her children from Ahnurr's anger. Fadomai then turned to Nirni and said: "Nirni, to you Fadomai leaves her greatest gift. You will give birth to many people as Fadomai gave birth today." When Nirni saw that Azurah had nothing, Nirni left smiling.

All Fadomai's children left except Azurah. And Fadomai said, "To you, my favored daughter, Fadomai leaves her greatest gift. To you Fadomai leaves her secrets." And Fadomai told her favored daughter three things.

After many phases, Nirni came to Lorkhaj. She could birth many children, but had no place to keep them. Then Lorkhaj offered to fashion Nirni a place. But the Heart of Lorkhaj was filled with the Great Darkness, and Lorkhaj tricked his siblings so that they were forced into this new place with Nirni. Many of Fadomai's children escaped and became the stars, and many of Fadomai's children died to make Nirni's path stable. The survivors stayed and punished Lorkhaj.

But Nirni soon forgave Lorkhaj for Nirni could make children. And she filled herself with children, but cried because her favorite children, the forest people, did not know their shape. Azurah then used her secrets to fashion Nirni a new people, the Khajiit.

Alkosh

Dragon King of Cats, God of Time, the First Cat

A cultural hero, and one of the earliest gods among the Khajiit culture, his worship was co-opted during the establishment of the Riddle'thar, although worship of Alkosh as a deity continues to flourish among Elsweyr's desert-blasted regions. Most commonly depicted as a fearsome dragon with feline features, the Khajiit typically describe Alkosh as "a real big cat". Popular myth among the Khajiiti holds that he repelled an early Aldmeri pogrom of Pelinal Whitestrake.

Azurah

The Dusk and the Dawn

Azurah was given three secrets by her mother. She was then told to take one of Nirni's children and change them, making them the fastest, cleverest, and most beautiful of creatures, naming them the Khajiit; second, that they must be fashioned as the best climbers, to climb upon the winds of Khenarthi's breath and set Masser and Secunda aright, lest they fail; lastly, that the Khajiit must be the best deceivers, able to hide their true nature from others.

When Nirni cried because her children did not know their shape, Azurah came to her and said, "Poor Nirni, stop your tears. Azurah makes for you a gift of a new people." Nirni stopped weeping, and Azurah spoke the First Secret to the Moons and they parted and let Azurah pass. Azurah took some forest people who were torn between man and beast, and she placed them in the best deserts and forests on Nirni. Azurah in her wisdom made them of many shapes, one for every purpose. Azurah named them Khajiit and told them her Second Secret and taught them the value of secrets. Azurah bound the new Khajiit to the Lunar Lattice, as is proper for Nirni's secret defenders. Then Azurah spoke the Third Secret, and the Moons shone down on the marshes and their light became sugar.

But Y'ffer heard the First Secret and snuck in behind Azurah. Y'ffer could not appreciate secrets, and he told Nirni of Azurah's trick. So Nirni made the deserts hot and the sands biting, the forests wet and filled with poisons. Nirni thanked Y'ffer and let him change the forest people also. Y'ffer did not have Azurah's subtle wisdom, so Y'ffer made the forest people Elves always and never beasts, and he named them Bosmer. From that moment they were no longer in the same litter as the Khajiit.

Baan Dar

The Bandit God, the Pariah

In most regions, Baan Dar is a marginal deity, a trickster spirit of thieves and beggars. In Elsweyr he is more important, and is regarded as the Pariah. In this aspect, Baan Dar becomes the cleverness or desperate genius of the long-suffering Khajiit, whose last-minute plans always upset the machinations of their (Elven or Human) enemies. He has also lent his name to the Baandari Pedlars, the traveling Khajiiti merchant tribe. The Bosmer of Valenwood also worship their own aspect of Baan Dar, who is popular primarily due to his association with skill in archery.

Jode and Jone

The Lunar Lattice, Big Moon and Little Moon

Together, the moons represent duality, fate, and luck. In Khajiiti religion, Jone and Jode are aspects of the Lunar Lattice, or ja-Kha'jay. Jone and Jode are revered in a unique manner by each sub-species of Khajiit, as regards their aspect at the time of the Khajiit's birth.

Khenarthi

Goddess of the Winds, Gatherer of Waters

Khenarthi is the strongest of the Sky spirits. Her breath sustains her kin, Jode and Jone, on their path through the sky. In some legends, she is the first to agree to Lorkhaj's plan to invent the mortal plane, and provides the space for its creation in the void. She is also associated with rain, a phenomenon said not to occur before the removal of Lorkhaj's divine spark. When "true cats" die, Khenarthi flies their souls to the Sands Behind the Stars.

Rajhin

The Footpad, the Thief, the Purring Liar

In life, Rajhin was the most infamous burglar in Elsweyr's history, said to have stolen a tattoo from the neck of the Empress Kintyra as she slept. He is accredited with using the Ring of Khajiiti in his thievery, making the ring famous. After his death, Rajhin was inculcated among the Khajiit gods, to serve as an example to them of cleverness and adroit ability. His blessing is most often asked for before undertaking activities of a less-than-lawful nature.

Riddle'Thar

The Two Moons Dance, the Sugar God

The cosmic order deity of the Khajiit, the Riddle'Thar was revealed to Elsweyr by the prophet Rid-Thar-ri'Datta, the Mane. The Riddle'Thar is more a set of guidelines by which to live than a single entity, but some of his avatars like to appear as humble messengers of the gods.

The Tribunal Temple

The Tribunal, also called Almsivi, is the triune of Almalexia, Sotha Sil, and Vivec worshipped by the Dunmer, with the exception of Ashlanders. The three Gods rule over Morrowind as its leaders. How they achieved godhood is not certain, but the Tribunal Temple holds that the Tribunal "achieved divine substance through superhuman discipline and virtue and supernatural wisdom and insight. Like loving ancestors, they guard and counsel their followers".

As soon as the Tribunal achieved divinity, Azura appeared and cursed them. The Daedric Prince issued the prophecy that Nerevar would return to punish them for breaking their oaths. When Sotha Sil waved off her omens, the Dunmer were created, and Azura gave a final prophecy: that the Dunmer would share the Tribunal's fate until the end of time.

Though confused at first, the Dunmer did come to accept the Tribunal as their new gods. Theological concerns gave rise to the idea of the "Anticipations", the "Good Daedra" the Chimer had worshipped before the Tribunal's apotheosis. So while the Tribunal had once been mortal, and non-existent before that, their Anticipations were said to have guided the Chimer in their stead. The three Living Gods were anticipated by Boethiah, Azura, and Mephala respectively.

Vivec

The Poet, Warrior-Poet, Guardian God-King of the Holy Land of Vvardenfell, Vehk

Vivec has always represented the spirit and duality of the Dunmer people, which is reflected in his half-Dunmer, half-Chimer appearance. For hundreds if not thousands of years, he has mostly resided at the pinnacle of his Palace in Vivec, his capital, which is visited by hundreds of pilgrims and tourists daily.

Much of Vivec's early life is muddled by suppositions, metaphor, and time, but it can be assumed he grew up in Morrowind during the First Era. Eventually, he would become the junior councilor to Lord Indoril Nerevar, the Hortator, under whom all of the Great Houses and Ashlander Tribes were united.

Vivec is one of the more active members of the Tribunal, prolific both in poetry and in the writing of his own versions of history and philosophy. As well as playing a role as a political leader (to this end he created the Buoyant Armigers, a personal military order who exemplify his best traits), he is considered a final authority on many esoteric and metaphysical concepts, such as the means of attaining divinity—the Walking Ways.

Contrary to his Anticipation Mephala, the Dunmer in general do not envision Lord Vivec as a creature of murder, sex, and secrets. Rather, they conceive of Lord Vivec as benevolent king, guardian warrior, poet-artist. But unconsciously, they accept the notion of darker, hidden currents beneath Vivec's benevolent aspects. Nevertheless, the teachings of the Temple and the teachings of Vivec himself can be summarized as follows: "Your fourfold duties are to: Faith, Family, Masters, and all that is good. Perform holy quests and bring luster to the Temple. Never transgress against your brothers or sisters, and never dishonor your house or your ancestors. Serve and protect the poor and weak, and honor your elders and clan".

Daedra

Daedra are divine beings that did not take part in the creation of the Mundus, and thus retain the full breadth of their power. They have a very real impact on the mortal realm; in one way or another, Daedric influence touches everyone on Tamriel.

The word "Daedra" is of Aldmeri origin, and roughly means "not our ancestors", as opposed to Aedra—"ancestors".

Daedra are often referred to as demons, but this is misleading. All Daedra have a penchant for extremes and are therefore capable of tremendous acts of devastation, but their different spheres make them apply their power in different ways, and their infinite diversity makes speaking about them generally difficult. Thus, it is often impossible to accurately label them as "good" or "evil"; the one thing that can be stated with certainty is the Daedra are beyond mortal comprehension (as mortals seem to be beyond Daedric comprehension).

Daedra come in many forms. Undoubtedly there are true Daedra, such as the Daedra Princes and highly intelligent Dremora. There are many lesser beings known to be in league with these greater powers.

A Daedra's physical form can be ruined, but it cannot be truly killed; the soul (more specifically known as the animus or vestige) of a slain Daedra returns to the void of Oblivion until it manages to coalesce into a physical form again. A slain Daedra is often said to have been "banished" or "purged" instead of "killed" to reflect this. It is not known what happens to a Daedra killed in Aetherius, though it has been suggested that this may be the one way to permanently kill a Daedra.

Daedric Princes

Daedric Princes are the most powerful of the Daedra, and are commonly worshiped as gods. Each has a particular sphere, which it is said to govern. Daedric Princes may assume a typically masculine or a typically feminine form, sometimes both. They are usually referred to as Princes regardless of what gender they appear most frequently as.

Each Daedric Prince, with the exception of Jyggalag, is said to have their own plane of Oblivion, over which they have control. The limits on their planes, powers, and influence are not readily understood, as there are over 37,000 other planes over which they exert little or no control.

The Daedric Princes seem to view men and mer as little more than minor amusements, occasionally applauding the actions of mortals when they exceed their expectations. They do not know the mortal sense of "good" and "evil", and usually have extremist tendencies, which is why men and mer fear them greatly. However, several princes do seem to take genuine pleasure in tremendous acts of devastation.

Although the beings are considered evil by most, they are widely worshiped in the realms of Tamriel. Elaborate shrines are created to honor the Daedra as gods. They often take a keen interest in their worshipers, and it is speculated that this is either because of the obvious ego-gratification of being somebody's god, or because the Daedra like to keep an eye on potential future subjects. Mainstream religious authorities discourage Daedra worship, and often mount witch-hunting expeditions to drive out Daedra worshipers from the local area.

For the most part, dealing with the Daedra, one gets the distinct impression of being mused over as a person peering under an upturned rock may momentarily wonder at the lives of the bugs living ignorantly there.

Azura

Queen of Dawn and Dusk, Mother of the Rose, Queen of the Night Sky

Azura of the Crimson Gate (also known as Azurah) is a Daedric Prince whose sphere is dawn and dusk—the magic in-between realms of twilight—as well as vanity and egotism. She is also the Anticipation of Sotha Sil. Azura is one of the few Daedra who maintains the appearance of being "good" by mortal standards, and presumably feels more concern for the well-being of her mortal subjects than other Daedric Princes. She is one of the few Daedric Princes who constantly maintains a female image, and is perceived accordingly.

Boethiah

Prince of Plots, the Dark Warrior, Deceiver of Nations, Queen of Shadows, Goddess of Destruction

Boethiah (also spelled Boethia) is the Daedric Prince who rules over deceit, conspiracy, secret plots of murder, assassination, treason, and unlawful overthrow of authority. Boethiah loves competition and battle, and is depicted as a great caped warrior, often in a stoic pose. While typically depicted as male, Boethiah is occasionally referred to as female.

Championed by the Prophet Veloth, Boethiah is considered by the Dark Elves to be their original god-ancestor. Through his illuminations, the eventual Chimer, or Changed Folk, renounced all ties to the Aldmer and founded a new nation based on Daedric principles. Veloth and his movement were staunchly opposed by the followers of Trinimac, a powerful ancestor spirit of the Aldmer. In response, Boethiah took on Trinimac's form (supposedly by eating him) and proceeded to deride and humiliate him before his followers before corrupting and transforming him into Malacath and his followers into the Orsimer.

All manner of Dark Elven cultural advances are attributed to Boethiah, from philosophy to magic to "responsible" architecture. Ancient Velothi allegories are foundation stories of Chimeri struggle where Boethiah uniformly succeeds against enemies of every type. The Tribunal Temple teaches that he is the Anticipation of Almalexia.

Clavicus Vile

Prince of Bargains

Clavicus Vile is the Daedric Prince whose sphere is the granting of power and wishes through ritual invocations and pacts. Vile has a companion named Barbas. While capable of selective shapeshifting, the form it assumes most of the time is that of a dog. Vile himself is depicted as a small jovial fellow with horns protruding from his forehead. He is aptly described as a Daedra who likes souls for the sake of having them.

Hermaeus Mora

The Golden Eye, Gardener of Men, Prince of Fate, Lord of Secrets, the Abyssal Cephaliarch, the Woodland Man, the Old Antecedent, the Scryer, the Inevitable Knower, Demon of Knowledge

Hermaeus Mora (or Herma-Mora) is the Daedric Prince whose sphere is the scrying of the tides of Fate, of the past and future as read in the stars and heavens, and in whose dominion are the treasures of knowledge and memory. He describes himself as "The riddle unsolvable. The door unopenable. The book unreadable. The question unanswerable." He is vaguely related to the cult origins of the Morag Tong if only by association with his sibling, Mephala. Apocrypha is Hermaeus Mora's plane of Oblivion, an endless library where all forbidden knowledge can be found. The books all have black covers with no titles, and the library is haunted by ghosts forever searching for knowledge. Unlike most Princes, Hermaeus Mora does not take on a humanoid form at all, manifesting instead as grotesque assemblages of eyes, tentacles, and claws, or a featureless purple vortex known as the Wretched Abyss. His servants include Seekers and Lurkers.

Hircine

The Huntsman, Father of Manbeasts

Hircine is a Daedric Prince whose sphere is the Hunt, the Sport of Daedra, the Great Game, the Chase. Hircine created the various therianthropic diseases which transform mortals into beasts and is therefore the guardian of were-creatures. They reflect his sphere admirably, hunting at night and being hunted by day. Hircine's existence appears to have been discovered later than other Daedric Princes, as he does not appear in the most ancient records and summonings of him were rare or non-existent. Hircine is a sportsman who enjoys giving his prey a chance for victory, however small. He is typically portrayed with a great spear and either the head or skull of a deer.

Jyggalag

Prince of Order

Jyggalag is the Daedric Prince of Order. His sphere represents logical order and deduction, and has taken account of every detail of the world and of every action that has ever taken place on Mundus or Oblivion, long before they actually happened. Jyggalag commands his own Daedra, the Knights of Order, which are spawned from obelisks summoned by his followers, the Priests of Order.

Malacath

God of Curses, Old Knocker, Orc-Father

Malacath (also known as Mauloch or Orkey) is the Daedric Prince whose sphere is the patronage of the spurned and ostracized, the keeper of the Sworn Oath, and the Bloody Curse. Malacath was created when Boethiah ate the Altmeri ancestor spirit, Trinimac, although Malacath himself says that this tale is far too "literal minded". Trinimac's devout Elven followers became the Orsimer ("Pariah Folk" in Aldmeri), or Orcs. Some disagree, claiming that Trinimac still exists and Malacath is a separate entity. Malacath is not recognized as a Daedric Lord by his peers, which fits his sphere perfectly.

Mehrunes Dagon

The Exalted and Most Puissant Lord, Gerent of Dagon, Mehrunes, Black Daedra Lord, the Razor, the Thieftaker, Mehrunes Godsbody, the Red Arms That Went Up

Mehrunes Dagon is the Daedric Prince of Destruction, Change, Revolution, Energy, and Ambition. He is associated with natural dangers like fire, earthquakes, and floods. Dagon is an especially important deity in Morrowind, where he represents its near-inhospitable terrain as one of the Four Corners of the House of Troubles. In most cultures, though, Dagon is merely a god of bloodshed and betrayal.

Mephala

Webspinner, Spinner, Spider, Teacher of the Secret Arts, Queen of the Eight Shadows of Murder

Mephala is a Daedric Prince whose sphere is obscured to mortals. To the Dunmer, she is the Anticipation of Vivec. Unlike many other Daedric Princes, who almost always appear as the same gender, Mephala appears as either male or female depending on whom the Daedric Prince wishes to ensnare (though she's typically female). Mephala's only consistent theme seems to be interference in the affairs of mortals for amusement. Mephala's sphere seems to indicate a careful plan carried out through executions, each life a portion of a massive web. It is little wonder that Hermaeus Mora, the "Demon of Knowledge", is considered Mephala's sibling.

Mephala sees the affairs of mortals as a weave; pull but one thread and the whole thing unravels. The Dunmer associate Mephala with more simple concepts—lies, sex, and murder. Mephala directly helped to found the infamous cult/society of the Morag Tong, and they claim to murder for the Daedra's glory.

Meridia

Lady of Infinite Energies, The Glister Witch

Meridia is an obscure Daedric Prince, associated with the energies of living things. Meridia has a great and everlasting hatred for the undead and will greatly reward any who eliminate them from the world. Meridia is one of the few Daedric Princes who is usually not considered to be wholly evil. However, in the Iliac Bay area, she is known as the Daedra Lady of Greed and as an avid collector of human specimens.

Meridia (originally known as Merid-Nunda) was believed to have been a Magna-Ge, a family of divine beings that fled to Aetherius soon after the creation of Mundus. For supposedly consorting with illicit spectra, she was cast out of Aetherius and took the mantle of a Daedric Prince. She created her realm of Oblivion, known as the Colored Rooms, by bending and shaping the rays of light from Magnus, the sun. Mankar Camoran (incorrectly) attributed Coldharbour to her, which is the realm of Molag Bal, one of her enemies. Her realm is inhabited by the Aurorans. Some Daedra Seducers are also in her service.

Some say that Meridia is staging a war against Molag Bal to prevent the Planemeld.

Molag Bal

God of Schemes, King of Rape, Harvester of Souls, Lord of Brutality, Prince of Rage

Molag Bal (Fire Stone, or Stone-Fire, in the Aldmeri language) is the Daedric Prince whose sphere is the domination and enslavement of mortals. His main desire is to harvest the souls of mortals and to bring them within his sway by spreading seeds of strife and discord in the mortal realms. One legend claims that Molag Bal created the first vampire when he raped a Nedic virgin named Lamae Beolfag, who in turn slaughtered a group of nomads. He also made pacts with other mortals and turned them into vampires. He is a Daedric power of much importance in Morrowind, where he is always the archenemy of Boethiah, the Prince of Plots. Other enemies are Meridia and Mephala, and he is known to be allied with Azura.

Molag Bal's realm of Oblivion is Coldharbour. As befits his sphere, Coldharbour is a desolate, apocalyptic image of Nirn, which is achieved by both mocking imitation and outright theft of parts of the mortal realm. It is inhabited by Daedra and the eternally-tormented souls of mortals called Soul Shriven. Descriptions of the plane vary widely, but all accounts agree that Coldharbour is a dismal, cold, and largely lifeless realm.

Through the Planemeld, Molag Bal intends to pull all of Nirn into his realm.

Namira

Lady of Decay, Spirit Daedra, the Great Darkness

Namira (or Namiira) is the Daedric Prince whose sphere is the ancient darkness. She is the ruler of sundry dark and shadowy spirits, and is often associated with spiders, insects, slugs, and other repulsive creatures which inspire mortals with an instinctive revulsion. Namira also appears to be associated with beggars and the beggaring gifts of disease, pity, and disregard.

Nocturnal

The Night Mistress, Mistress of Shadows, the Unfathomable, Empress of Murk, Daughter of Twilight, Mistress of Mystery, Lady Luck, Ur-dra, Saint of Suspicion

Nocturnal is a Daedric Prince, or "Daedric Princess", whose sphere is the night and darkness. She is frequently depicted accompanied by jet-black ravens, which are said to have the power of speech.

The Evergloam is a realm of Oblivion, created and ruled over by Nocturnal, the Daedric Prince of Shadow. It is a realm of perpetual twilight, and the "cradle of shadow". The Evergloam consists of a primary plane and several pocket realms, including the Shade Perilous and the Crow's Wood. These realms are thought to be constantly shifting, and perceived differently by different mortals.

Peryite

The Taskmaster

Peryite is one of the Daedric Princes that dwell within the realm of Oblivion. Although he is typically depicted as a green four-legged dragon and often takes on the form of one, Peryite is considered one of the weakest of the Princes. His sphere of influence includes tasks, natural order (to not be confused with the perfect order of Jyggalag), and pestilence.

Sanguine

Prince of Indulgence, the Reveler

Sanguine is a Daedric Prince whose sphere is hedonistic revelry, debauchery, and passionate indulgences of darker natures. Sanguine is depicted as a portly man with a dremora-like head with horns, always with a bottle in his hand or a whore under his thumb. He is thought to control thousands of realms.

The Myriad Realms of Revelry are a congeries of one hundred thousand pocket and sub-realms of Oblivion, created and ruled over by Sanguine. The realms are used mainly as pleasure pockets, refashioned to meet the needs and desires of its visitants. As such, Sanguine himself has very little control over them.

Sheogorath

The Mad Star, the Mad Lord, the Mad One, the Mad God, the Skooma Cat, Lord of Never-There

Sheogorath is the Daedric Prince of Madness, Fourth Corner of the House of Troubles, and Sovereign of the Shivering Isles. His motives are said to be unknowable. His realm, best known as the Shivering Isles, has also been called the Madhouse. It's believed that those who go there lose their sanity forever. Of course, only the Mad God himself may decide who has the privilege to enter. The Golden Saints, or Aureals, and Dark Seducers, or Mazken, are his servants. The Mad God typically manifests on Nirn as a seemingly harmless, well-dressed man often carrying a cane, a guise so prevalent it has actually been coined "Gentleman With a Cane". "Fearful obeisance" of Sheogorath is widespread in Tamriel, and he plays an important part in Dunmeri religious practice.

Vaermina

The Gifter, Weaver of the Panoply

Vaermina (also spelled Vaernima) is a Daedric Prince whose sphere is the realm of dreams and nightmares, and from whose realm evil omens issue forth. She is seen as one of the "demonic" Daedra, and some have also claimed her sphere ties somehow to torture. Vaermina's plane of Oblivion is Quagmire, which is described as a nightmare realm, where every few minutes reality shifts and becomes ever more horrifying. "A dark castle one moment, a den of ravening beasts the next, a moonlit swamp, a coffin where he was buried alive."

Backgrounds

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Battle of Glenumbria Moors

Song on the famous 1E 482 battle between the Alessian Empire and the Direnni

---

Who took up their arms that winter dawn,
Who to Glenumbria came
To raise their hand,
'Gainst tyrants stand
And to die in freedom's name?

---

Who stood on the field upon that hour,
Who answered Direnni's call?
Men Breton-born all came that morn
To defend the land for all.

---

Rise, rise to freedom rise,
Arise ye Breton sons and daughters!
Ride, ride to freedom ride,
Truth and glory to the brave!

---

And when the battle it was joined
Alessians three to one,
The sky lit bright
With magic's light
And with magic it was won.

---

For all they stood on blessed ground
Whence all her power came
The rocks would yield
What might they wield
All in Direnni's name.

---

So children of this Breton land
Ye best remember well
All those who for High Rock stood
Brian, Ancois, Rielle;
Men of the north,
All who stood forth
Till all oppressors fell.

Balfiera

The Isle of Balfiera is an island region within the northern portion of Iliac Bay. It is known as the last site of the Direnni Clan, whereas the rest of High Rock is freed from the Dirennis. However, the isle is most renowned as the site of the Direnni Tower, or Adamantine Tower, the oldest known structure in Tamriel. Legends say it was constructed on the "little island" by the gods themselves so they could hold their own negotiations.

Daggerfall

Daggerfall is the largest city in Glenumbra, located at the southwestern end of the peninsula. The kingdom of the same name is ruled over by King Casimir. The order Knights of the Dragon have the official duty of protecting the city and royal family of Daggerfall.

The people of Daggerfall are said to be obsessed with their own past. The culture of the land reflects its history: they believe in a strong military presence and enjoy covert activities, but are traders first and foremost. Perhaps because of these influences, Daggerfall hosts a robust black market, including skooma smuggling, which supplies destinations as far away as Morrowind, and an ambitious Thieves Guild. A sophisticated banking industry is also well-established.

Wayrest

One feels that one is in a modern city when one visits Wayrest, but there is a magic in the air that could only come from centuries of civilization

Shornhelm

Shornhelm is known as the Crown City of the North, because the settlement is the seat of power of Rivenspire, ruled by their royal Kingship. The Council of the North is also found in Shornhelm, governing the region in lieu of an absent monarch. Baron Wylon Montclair, Baron Alard Dorell, and Countess Eselde Tamrith currently sit on that council.

Shornhelm is built on the foothills of the Kurallian Mountains. The land surrounding Shornhelm is ridged, with steep hills and hidden vales in the region known as the Eyebright Feld. But the land also has various old ruins, even the Old Shornhelm Ruins in the southeast, near the trading town of Hoarfrost Downs. The outskirts contain farmlands. Down the road is the fortified stronghold of Oldgate, which connects Rivenspire to the region of Stormhaven. To the west lies the rest of the Eyebright Feld, and the territory of House Ravenwatch, an ancient, distant family who reside in the town of Crestshade.

Northpoint

Mirroring Southpoint in faraway Valenwood, Northpoint is a city found at the northernmost point of High Rock. Northpoint is an important harbor-town on the Sea of Ghosts, that bridges the gap between the city-states of Daggerfall and Solitude. The city-state is known as the ancestral home of House Dorell, one of the political families of Rivenspire. The Dorell are known for their maritime and mercantile expertise. The city of Northpoint is ruled by Lord Ellic Dorell, son of Baron Alard Dorell, the patriarch of House Dorell.

Northpoint is found in the smaller region of Boralis, which serves as the northern coast of Rivenspire. Northpoint is built atop of the hill, Dore Elard, which overlooks the Sea of Ghost. Despite being a notable port, Northpoint city does not have a harbor, instead, the city harbor is found down the road on Northsalt Village. What makes Northpoint unique is that shore. The shore has deep waters that can accommodate large ships. There is a myth in Northpoint that a creature known as the Ithguleoir that haunts the seas around the city.

Underneath Dore Elard is a large cove, commonly used by pirates. The southern outskirts of Northpoint contain farmlands owned by House Dorell. Along the coast are various ruins, Ayleid ruins and Shipwrecks alike. The mysterious caves of Breagha-Fin can be found, looking onward towards the city, on the base of the mountains.

Breton

Bretons are the human descendants of the Aldmeri-Nedic Manmer of the Merethic Era and are now the inhabitants of the province of High Rock. They are united in culture and language, even though they are divided politically, for High Rock is a fractious region. Bretons make up the peasantry, soldiery, and magical elite of the feudal kingdoms that compete for power. Many are capable mages with innate resistance to magicka. They are known for a proficiency in abstract thinking and unique customs.

Keen Thinkers

Bretons are said to enjoy intellectual pursuits; they often have an affinity for anything related to logic and ordered complexity. Their love of knowledge and affinity for commerce drives them into a host of careers, including trading, the military, sailing, medicine, textiles, manufacturing, writing, theology, philosophy, banking, all kinds of artistry, and other scholarly pursuits. Espionage has also proven to be one of their strong suits; Breton double agents, assassins, and spies have turned the tide of wars throughout recorded history.

Two Pantheons

Bretons are not disposed to excessive religion, but most accepted the Aldmeri pantheon of gods while under elven rule, then made the transition to the Divines. The most notable spirits traditionally worshipped by Bretons are Akatosh, Magnus, Jephre, Dibella, Arkay, Zenithar, Mara, Stendarr, Kynareth, Julianos, and Phynaster.

Born For Adventure

Though they have several paths to prosperity, becoming a nobleman by performing quests and services to curry favor with various rulers is considered the best way, which has created a cultural "quest obsession" among young Bretons. The desire to find some great opportunity for fortune and glory has made Bretons venture all over northern Tamriel, even to such remote locations as Thirsk on the island of Solstheim, where one adventurous Breton once earned the position of chieftain.

Breton Names

Bretons have both given names and family names.

Males Names: Andre, Barnard, Blaise, Brandon, Clinton, Colin, Davide, Delacourt, Emmanual, Francois, Gregory, Hannibal, Jean, Louis, Marc, Mathieu, Philip, Roland, Samuel, Timothy, Vincent

Female Names: Adeline, Alexia, Aren, Belle, Carena, Ciara, Dessire, Elain, Freyda, Gabrielle, Grace, Hester, Lexi, Maelle, Michelle, Nessa, Olivia, Pyn, Rianne, Saly, Sara, Taern, Veronica, Ysabeth, Zeli

Family Names: Ashton, Beaufort, Celata, Dufont, Edette, Franc, Galien, LaRouche, Merchad, Panoit, Ronise, Serene, Talbot, Varin, Zurric

Breton Traits

Your Breton character has certain characteristics in common with other Bretons.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1.

Age. Your elven lineage allows you to live slightly longer than your human counterparts. Your average lifespan is 150 years.

Alignment. Bretons tend towards neutral good. Their feudal governments lend them a mix of freedoms and laws, depending on their station in life.

Size. Due to their elven ancestry, Bretons are typically more slight of build than the average human. They range from 5 to 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Cantrip. You know one cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.

Spell Attunement. When you take damage from a spell or magical effect, you can use your reaction to capture some of the incoming energy, lessening its effect on you. You have resistance to the damage type of the spell until the start of your next turn. After you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Skill Versatility. You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice.

Tool Proficiency. You gain proficiency with one type of artisan's tools of your choice.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice.

Crowns and Forebears

The social strata of the Redguard has long been fractured. When Hammerfell became a province of the Second Empire and demarcated in the Imperial custom, Redguard society was formally divided into two main socio-political groups: the Crowns and the Forebears.

The Crowns are descended from the High King and the Na-Totambu who ruled in Yokuda; they hold Yokudan tradition in high reverence and greatly dislike foreigners. The Crowns stick mostly to the ancient Yokudan pantheon. Many of the Crowns are nomadic tribesman who mainly travel around the Alik'r, and though they adhere to traditional Yokudan beliefs, they have also developed a deep, spiritual attachment to their adopted land. They venerate deities and spirits of all kinds, from pixies (or faeries) to Satakal the Worldskin.

The Forebears are descended from the Ra Gada warrior class which conquered the province, and in so doing were exposed to many Nedic (and later Breton and Imperial) traditions and ideas, while the ancestors of the Crowns were not. The Forebears seek modernity; they are more cosmopolitan than their Crown counterparts and more welcoming of foreigners and different ways of life. They have adopted modified Imperial and Breton styles for their dress, architecture, and names, and many have even reorganized their traditional gods and spirits to fit into the Imperial pantheon of the Divines. However, it is often unclear if they have the same understanding of these deities that others possess, as they often use a name of one of the Divines when referring to a Yokudan deity.

Forebears are generally predominant in coastal cities and other major trade centers in the north, while most Crowns live in more secluded regions in the south, notably the deserts and other inhospitable areas.

The divide between these two factions is so pronounced, that it is considered a great shame for a Crown to marry a Forebear.

Sentinel

Sentinel is a great city of the Redguards, and the capital of the kingdom of Sentinel. It is located in the northwestern hills of Hammerfell, overlooking the Iliac Bay. Its population is relatively low due to the inhospitable nature of the surrounding Alik'r Desert. However, some fertile fields can be found along the coast near the city. The main street of the city of Sentinel is a great market between the docks and front gates. The city is an exotic retreat for the nobility of Daggerfall and Wayrest, who delight in the cooking, craftsmanship, and plays which can be found there. Many great and famous people throughout history have called Sentinel their home.

Stros M'Kai

Stros M'Kai is an important tropical island off the southern coast of Hammerfell near the Cape of the Blue Divide. It is renowned for the completely steam-powered Dwemer ruins of Bthzark and the observatory of similar design containing a telescope and orrery.

Much of Stros M'Kai's area is taken up by the city of Port Hunding, which is popular among many seafarers. Its most famous landmarks include a statue of Frandar Hunding in the harbor and a great palace to house the city's ruler. The small settlement of Saintsport is found at the southern tip of the island. There are very few other settlements, apart from the nomadic Yokudan campsites.

Hew's Bane

Hew's Bane, originally known as Khefrem's Boot, is a peninsula in southern Khefrem on the south coast of Hammerfell. The region is named after Prince Hubalajad, or "Prince Hew", who attempted to bring civilization to this corner of Hammerfell in the early days of the Ra Gada. He discovered a barren peninsula hostile to most life; scorching heat and seasonal flooding led to brackish water and ground which was unsuitable for crops. Despite his best efforts, Prince Hew was foiled at every turn, and nearly all his endeavors resulted in failure.

The extreme climate of Hew's Bane leads to a landscape of scorched rocks and sand dunes alternating with bubbling streams and lush desert foliage. The peninsula is home to exotic species such as the kotu gava and haj mota, as well as more mundane creatures like lions, lamia, and assassin beetles.

It was during Prince Hew's rule that the city of Abah's Landing was founded. Located beside a natural protected harbor on the east side of the peninsula, what started as a simple soldier's camp and shantytown soon grew into a sprawling walled city which dominates the region. Hubalajad himself constructed a lavish palace within the city, from which his descendants would rule for several generations. The prince also raised the imposing No Shira Citadel to the south of the city, although the fortification was quickly undermined by seasonal flooding and had to be abandoned. The impressive Princes Gate established northern passage to other Ra Gada holdings. Hubalajad's uncle, Magnifico Bahraha, was magically sealed within the royal tomb along with his followers when he was discovered to be a necromancer, something completely repugnant to devout Yokudans. The crypt became known as Bahraha's Gloom, although the nature of its inhabitants was kept secret from the locals. The prince himself was buried in a shuttered tomb beneath a great rock formation in the southern deserts.

At the end of the First Era, the peninsula began to go by the name of "Hew's Bane" rather than Khefrem's Boot. Popular myth had transformed Prince Hew into a comic figure, replacing his tenacity with a perceived thick-headedness. In time the city of Abah's Landing came to be ruled by self-styled "merchant lords", powerful families and conglomerates who profited immensely from the rampant piracy and banditry in the region. The Thazahrr Cartel is one such organization. The hinterlands of Hew's Bane were populated almost exclusively by pirate crews and Maormer slavers. The local outlaws in Abah's Landing formed a highly structured criminal organization called the Thieves Guild, which profited from playing the merchant lords against each other. The free city of Abah's Landing thus developed a deep rivalry with the opulent kingdom of Taneth to the north, whose traders usually bore the brunt of this thievery.

Elinhir

Elinhir, also known as the City of Mages, is a town in eastern Hammerfell, close to the border with both Skyrim and Cyrodiil. It is located in the Craglorn region, close to the Skyrim town of Falkreath.

Elinhir is the oldest surviving city in Craglorn. It was originally a Nede settlement, as evidenced by the city's tall Apex Towers. According to some legends, it was built at the impact site of a great skystone that fell from the sky. The Apex Stone of the Mage, a powerful remnant of the Nedic religion, is located beneath the city. The city was overseen by Governor Pomptinus from 1E 2820 to 1E 2852 as part of the Second Empire, during which time the city sewerworks were constructed. Before the beginning of the Second Era, Elinhir was similar to the rest of Craglorn in that it was settled mainly by those unfit for life inside the Empire, and it was constantly preyed upon by bandits and Iron Orcs.

Early in the Second Era, a group of rogue mages led by Felix "Blackcaster" Augustus arrived at the city after departing from the Mages Guild and attempted to occupy the ruins of the Apex Tower. The mayor refused them, and in retaliation the mages seemingly made a deal with the Iron Orcs so that they would besiege the city. In a show of might, the mages drove the Orcs away, and subsequently signed the Apex Accord with the town's leadership. Under this agreement, the mages would protect the town for as long as the people of Elinhir provided support for the operation of their mages' academy.

From these rogue mages grew the Blackcaster Mages Guild, who eventually came to rule over the city. Elinhir still served as a haven for outcasts, but was "civilized" under the strict rule of the mages. Despite being labeled as renegades by the Mages Guild, Elinhir prospered under the mages as their academy grew.

Redguard

Redguards are the most naturally talented warriors in Tamriel. The dark-skinned, wiry-haired people of Hammerfell seem born to battle, though their pride and fierce independence of spirit makes them more suitable as scouts or skirmishers, or as free-ranging heroes and adventurers, than as rank-and-file soldiers.

Martial Society

Redguards (formerly "Yokudans") hail from the western continent of Yokuda, which sank into the sea in ancient times. The cause of Yokuda's sinking is attributed either to natural factors (earthquakes, tsunamis, or volcanic eruptions) or to the revenge of a defeated band of Ansei called the Hiradirge. Upon the sinking of their homeland around 1E 792, the Yokudan fleet set sail to the east, eventually arriving in what would later be called Hammerfell. The bulk of the refugees remained on the island of Herne while the Ra Gada, the Warrior Wave, continued on to mainland Hammerfell.

When they arrived, the Ra Gada attacked all settlements of Nede and Mer along with the native beasts, and conscripted those they did not slay as laborers or servants for the "warrior-sailors" of the Ra Gada. After only a few brutal months, the Ra Gada had established a strong presence along the western shores of Hammerfell, disrupting and replacing the Imperial and Nordic raiders who had preyed upon the area for centuries. From the footholds along the coast, they continued to launch assault after assault, eventually succeeding in driving off the Orcs and making way for the High King and the Yokudan royalty, known as the Na-Totambu, to safely arrive in Hammerfell.

Their Yokudan heritage left them with advanced seafaring, agricultural, military and even astronomical knowledge that allowed them to thrive in a place where others merely hoped to survive. Redguard society is extremely martial, and nearly everyone is expected to have a grasp of basic weaponry and combat, although only the rulers are generally expected to have detailed knowledge of strategy, formations and tactics. Only the strongest, fastest and smartest Redguards are accepted into the demanding military (which consists mainly of various knightly orders; Redguards don't traditionally have a standing army), and they are expected to prove themselves worthy by facing death. Even their entertainment, like snake charming, bears some risk to it.

The practice of magic has generally been frowned upon dating back to at least the Second Era, and outsiders are not tolerated in many parts of Hammerfell. Many believe that no "true" Redguard would stoop to using magic, considering it a weakness. Certain schools that teach the Way of the Sword forbid students to use magic and enchanted weapons.

The Honored Dead

When a Redguard dies, priests typically perform a consecration ritual in the name of Tu'whacca at their funeral. The body is then interred in a painted sarcophagus within a subterranean tomb, along with the deceased's favorite weapons, servants, and pets. It's not unusual to find that their crypts and tombs can be even larger and more elaborate than their homes for the living. This is all symptomatic of a Redguard respect for departed relatives, a respect so fervent it is similar to the ancestral worship of some other cultures

Though the Redguards abhor necromancy, their religion has also led them to abhor any sort of interaction with the undead. Tradition bound them not to fight the honored dead, making them particularly vulnerable to necromancers and undead creatures.

Such was the importance of this ideal, that the culture of the Alik'r evolved around it. However in later years many realized that exceptions must be made. One example is the Ash'abah, a tribe of Redguards who have made it their duty to purify mausoleums and destroy the undead wherever they may be found. As a result, they have been shunned from Redguard society, and are exiled to live as nomads in the wastes. Their existence is nevertheless tolerated due to the necessity of their role.

Redguard Names

Redguards have only their given name. In addition to their given name, sometimes Redguards will also have a surname, of sorts, deriving from a person or place that they are related to.

The prefixes for these derivation names are as follows:

• at- = "Direct descendant of"

• af- = "Related to"

• al- = "Comes from"

This means that Abadai at-Aira is the child of Aira. Halam af-Jahi is the cousin, nephew, uncle, or grandson of Jahi. Maja al-Bergama hails from Bergama.

Male Names: Amir, Azzada, Baurus, Cyrus, Daron, Ennis, Falion, Garry, Hillod, Ian, Jawana, Kayd, Lesley, Nazir, Neville, Pyke, Roderick, Shamar, Talib, Wayn

Female Names: Anora, Braith, Caminda, Dahlia, Eriana, Gwen, Hussonia, Iman, Jamie, Kerah, Kiara, Lette, Minerva, Niyya, Oleta, Rona, Shelley, Tavia, Umana, Zaria

Redguard Traits

Your Redguard character has certain characteristics in common with other Redguards.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity, Strength, and Constitution scores increase by 1.

Age. Redguards reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.

Alignment. Redguards mostly follow the good alignments. Many of the people of Hammerfell strictly follow their laws, while nearly an equal amount disregard them entirely.

Size. Redguards are known for their tall, gaunt frames and finely toned physiques. They range from 5 to 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Adrenaline Rush. In the heat of combat, adrenaline rushes through your veins. When you roll a 19 or 20 with a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction to make another melee weapon attack.

Redguard Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned or diseased, and you are resistant to poison damage.

Athletic Build. You have proficiency in the Athletics skill.

Redguard Sword Training. You have proficiency with the longsword, rapier, scimitar, and shortsword.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common.

Dra'bul

Not in Wrothgar, but in Valenwood, Dra'bul is a Wood Orc camp in central Malabal Tor, west of Vulkwasten. It is inhabited by the Drublog clan, one of several clans in Valenwood. For many years, the Wood Orcs lived peacefully near the Bosmer, but recently they have become aggressive and started attacking cities and towns. Some attribute this to the fact that the Dominion has neglected to offer the Wood Orcs a place in their alliance, a great insult to the warrior race, depriving them of the glory that would come with fighting in such legendary battles as this Alliance War provides.

Some Bosmer look upon the Wood Orcs with disdain, perhaps due to them cutting trees and using wood for so many of their needs. A long time ago, Ayleids arrived at the Wood Orc town of Abamath and killed its inhabitants. To this day "Abamath" is used as a rallying cry by some clans, tracing their ancestry to those who fled the slaughter, and striving to cleanse their ancestors' shame by proving their ferocity.

Orc

Orcs, also called Orsimer or "Pariah Folk" in ancient times, are sophisticated, brutish elves of the Wrothgarian Mountains, Dragontail Mountains, Valenwood, and Orsinium. They are noted for their unshakable courage in war and their unflinching endurance of hardships. In the past, Orcs are widely feared and hated by the other nations and races of Tamriel.

Strength and Steel

Orcs are famed for their skill in smithing, particularly with the metal called Orichalcum, which they use to forge armor and weapons. The resulting armaments are heavy and require great endurance to wield, but offer peerless strength and durability. They also work with ebony, and have unique skill in tooling leather for exceptional flexibility and toughness.

Pariah People

Many Orcs seek to escape traditional life in the strongholds. Orc women may want to escape being "just another wife" to the chieftain. They leave to join the Imperial Legion, see the world or otherwise seek their fortune; some eventually return to the strongholds, but many do not. Orcs who do not live in strongholds are derisively called "city Orcs" by those that do, and are considered soft outsiders just like non-Orcs.

Orc Names

An orc has a given name and a family name. Orc family names are always prefixed depending on gender. "Gro-" for males and "Gra-" for females. A child will take the father's name if male, or the mother's name if female.

Male Names: Agronak, Bazur, Bogrum, Dubok, Dul, Gaturn, Ghorub, Gogron, Grommok, Hanz, Krognak, Kurz, Lumdum, Luronk, Magra, Magub, Maknok, Orok, Rugdumph, Shagol, Ulmug, Urbul, Ushnar

Female Names: Batul, Borba, Bumph, Homraz, Mazoga, Mog, Mor, Oghash, Orag, Rogbut, Rogmesh, Snak, Ugak, Umar, Umog

Orc Traits

Your Orc character has certain traits deriving from your Orc ancestry.

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 2.

Age. Orcs could live up to 100 years old, but many Orcs seek to die a good death before they become weak and a burden to their clan. They rarely live longer than 50 years.

Alignment. In Orc society, only the strongest thrive. This makes them evil in the strictest sense.

Size. Orcs are broad and hardy. They are usually around 6 feet tall and weigh around 200 pounds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Menacing. You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill.

Relentless Endurance. When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

Orcish Combat Training. You have proficiency with simple weapons. In addition, you have proficiency with light armor.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Orcish.

Subraces. There are three varieties of Orcs on Tamriel; City Orcs, Stronghold Orcs and Wood Orcs. Choose one of these subraces.

The Veiled Heritance

The Veiled Heritance is a covert group of Altmeri nationalists formed in response to the rise of Queen Ayrenn and the Aldmeri Dominion. Vehemently against the young queen and her Bosmer and Khajiit allies, they seek to depose her and appoint their own regent, the Veiled Queen.

The Heritance consists mainly of disenfranchised veterans and youths. Many more traditional Altmer despise the Dominion due to their feelings of racial superiority and dislike Ayrenn due to her unorthodox wanderings as a youth. As such, the Heritance enjoys widespread support. The group's main presence is on Auridon.

Artaeum

The Isle of Artaeum is the third largest island of the Summerset archipelago, located off the southwest coast of Summerset Isle. Artaeum is the home of the Psijic Order, the oldest monastic group of Tamriel, which is devoted to the study and practice of Mysticism, which they call the "Old Ways" or "Elder Way". The island has a tendency to vanish from Nirn, being placed in a pocket realm for centuries at a time. Like it is wont to, it disappeared 350 years ago around the time the Mages Guild was founded.

The Isle of Artaeum has idyllic orchards and clear pastures, still and silent lagoons, misty woodlands, and the unique Psijic architecture that seems to be as natural as its surroundings. The Ceporah Tower is a relic from a civilization that predates the High Elves by several hundred years. It is the location of the Dreaming Cavern, which Sotha Sil once used as some sort of portal into the realms of Oblivion, but which has since been sealed off by the Psijics.

Firsthold

Firsthold has been an integral part of the realm of the Summerset Isles since its foundation. It is one of the two High Kinlordships of the island of Auridon, ruling over the northern part of the region. Since the Middle Merethic Era, Firsthold has been ruled by House Rilis. House Rilis is regarded as one of the most prestigious and well-connected among Altmer noble families, and even working under their service is well-considered in the highest circles of the Summerset Isles. The current ruler is High Kinlord Rilis ⅩⅢ, succeeding the cruel Rilis ⅩⅡ, who committed horrible acts in the depths of his palace.

Firsthold is the centre of shipbuilding industry in the Summerset Isles. The iconic Altmeri Swan Ships are built in the wharves of Firsthold. These heavy ships impulsed by extensive sails, have formed the bulk of the prestigious Summerset and Dominion Armadas since, at least, the Second Era. However, they are not only used as warships, and most of the passenger travel and trade from and to the mainland is done with Swan Ships.

Firsthold's constant flow of trade both by sea and land has also been proven profitable to outlander merchants, mostly Khajiit, who import goods from the mainland. However, the strongest ties of trade are with Valenwood and the rest of the mainland.

Skywatch

Skywatch has been an integral part of the realm of the Summerset Isles since its foundation. It is one of the two High Kinlordships of the island of Auridon, ruling over the southern part of the region. Since the Late Merethic Era, Skywatch has been ruled by House Errinorne, whose members are also scions of royal Aldmeri blood. Errinorne High Kinlords and Kinladies have always hosted a large and vibrant court in their palace and city, where murder and conspiracy between members of the middle and lower nobility have been always common. High Kinlord's servants, from chefs to musicians and handmaidens, are mostly Bosmer and Khajiit, who work in very poor and harsh conditions.

Skywatch docks are visited by all kind of people from across Tamriel, however, sailors are discouraged to leave their ships and the very docks and make deals with the local Altmer could be difficult. But its port is third in importance in Auridon after those of Vulkhel Guard and Firsthold. Most of maritime transport of passengers is done with Valenwood. Skywatch docks mostly import goods from the mainland to Auridon hinterland. The Darkvale Costers are a prominent group of Altmer merchants who operate from Skywatch, importing and exporting goods by sea, mostly alcoholic beverages, as far as Morrowind. The Greenvine Traders are a competing group of Bosmer, based in Skywatch, who engage in importation from Valenwood, mostly of alchemical components and food. They are thought to be dishonest with their clients, being more similar to a criminal cartel. Although they are not the only who trade with Valenwood: other traders also import hand-hewn Bosmer crafts.

Wood Elf immigrants to Auridon during the First and Second Eras introduced the locals of Skywatch to Mud Ball Merriment, a New Life festival. It consists in throwing mud balls at everyone. But each year, there is a specific target, mostly nobles, that the Bosmer agree most needs to be humbled. Mud on the face reminds the participants that life is not always so self-important. With the New Life comes a bit of fun to Skywatch, for those who are not too proud to take part.

Alinor

Alinor is the traditional capital of the Summerset Isles, being the home of Summerset's monarchy. Alinor is known for its impossibly high skyscraping towers and its hypnotic swirling ramparts. Following Ayrenn's ascension to the throne, the city-state of Alinor was inducted into the Aldmeri Dominion. However, with the capital of the alliance being the city of Elden Root, Queen Ayrenn was forced to leave Alinor, and so in her place was her cousin, Alwinarwe, the Proxy Queen of Alinor.

Alinor is a heavily walled-off city, built atop a stone foundation considering the geography around Alinor. The streets are somewhat narrow, towered over by tall buildings and filled with tall bright street lights. Southern Alinor has a river running along the streets from the mountains, and into the sea.

Cloudrest

Cloudrest is one of the High Kinlordships of the Summerset Isles, and is colloquially known as the "Aerie of the Altmer", because it overlooks the great plains of Summerset from the highest mountain in southwest Tamriel. It is the home of the Welkynar, who are a knightly order dedicated to protecting the Summerset Isle, and known for their Gryphon mounts.

The Aerie at the top of Cloudrest is the base of operations for the Welkynar. It is ostensibly a seat of power, but it works primarily as a fortress, with ballistae and catapults along the wall. Cloudrest has a particularly odd style of architecture, a mixture of Strangler vine-esque buildings, atop of old ruins

The Crystal Tower

The Crystal Tower is an ancient, mystical structure located near the northern tip of Summerset Isle, northwest of Cloudrest. It was built by the early Aldmer as a monument to their ancestors, and is considered sacred to the Altmer. Before the construction of the Arcane University in Cyrodiil, it was the pinnacle of magical learning in Tamriel. The top of the Crystal Tower is reserved for interring the dead. The southernmost tips of the Dragon's Teeth Mountains of mainland Tamriel can be seen from the top parapet of the tower. The interior of the tower is white and radiated light. It contains a Great Library and a treasury with many ancient tapestries and other relics. The Crystal Tower is famed for its animal pens, which hold many different creatures from all across Tamriel.

Shimmerene

Shimmerene is known as the "City of Lights", for it is a beacon of light amidst the seas that divide the main island and the region of Auridon. As a mercantile port, the city's ports are constantly flowing with transport between the isles, and most overseas trade comes into Summerset from here.

Sunhold

Sunhold is a leading force in the province's sea-based endeavors, from being the heart of export in Summerset, to a nigh impenetrable fortress that withstands the neverending onslaught of the Maormer. The naval armada in Sunhold is considered the best in the Isles.

Sunhold's origins date back many years when High Elven society branched into tribes, and when the Gryphons dominated the skies. On a fateful hunt, an Altmer tribesman, Ulorome had discovered a Gryphon egg in an abandoned nest. Assuming it would never hatch, Ulorome returned to his tribe, preparing to cook it for a feast. As he set it on a fire, his entire tribe was overwhelmed and sang songs of hearth and family, as they felt blessed with this egg. But the singing and warmth had hatched the egg, and a baby Gryphon, with wings as red as a Phoenix, emerged out of the egg. Ulorome, thanking the gods for the baby, named the creature Cel-himwe, who would become the first mountable Gryphon in Summerset. Because of the combined forces of Ulorome and Cel-himwe, Ancient Sunhold expanded, and Ulorome's lineage would go on to rule the settlement. Cel-himwe received a reputation, being known as the Red Wind to the Maormer, as well as being the progenitor of the famous Sunhold line of Gryphons. Sunhold would go on to become a major settlement in the province.

Altmer

Altmer are proud and graceful people who consider themselves to be the highest echelon of society. Their cities celebrate an enlightened culture filled with a love for art, magic, music, and beauty. They are known as High Elves to the human races, which Altmer consider an adage to their culture, while humans understand it to mean proud or snobbish.

Divine Descendants

Altmer are thought to be the most direct, unaltered descendants of the original Aldmer elves, who were themselves the direct descendants of the Aedra (Aldmeris for "ancestors"). As their hierarchical society developed, the lower classes of Aldmer stopped worshiping their own "lesser" Aedra in favor of those claimed by their social "betters". Thus the Altmeri pantheon slowly formed around the most popular and well-known of the Aedra, which included Auri-El, Trinimac, Syrabane, Phynaster, Magnus, and Y'ffre.

Lorkhan is the most unholy of the higher powers to the Altmer, as he forever broke their connection to the spirit plane. He is said to have convinced or contrived the Aedra to bring about the creation of the mortal plane, upsetting the status quo. As the impetus for creating the Mundus, Lorkhan is at the center of the great ideological schism between the elven and human perspectives on the event, which is known as the Sundering to elves, and thus opinions of him vary dramatically in Tamriel.

Exploration and Adventure

Altmer that take up a life of adventure usually do so for the sake of discovery and exploration. Always curious and passionate for a deeper understanding of their interests, Altmer will commonly seek out careers that allow them to travel and study at their own pace. Altmer also enjoy exercising their martial prowess or gaining greater magical power, and adventuring allows them to do so.

Altmer Names

The Altmer have only a single given name. They choose names that have the same elegance and nobility they see fit for their kind.

Male Names: Aesmer, Arondil, Calanor, Cinnar, Cornor, Dandos, Eanor, Earran, Elikar, Erymil, Falion, Heldil, Iramo, Lermion, Miratar, Naarwe, Naemon, Ocando, Pircalmo, Quaranon, Rolancano, Sanyon, Tholbor, Valtir, Yancol

Female Names: Alwaen, Areldur, Astorne, Cariel, Curwe, Earrona, Elanwe, Erille, Falen, Fistalle, Gathewen, Hildara, Inare, Karinnarre, Kirstar, Lamoline, Linwin, Malanie, Minique, Naire, Quen, Ruma, Sorcalin, Telandil, Valla, Vilva

Altmer Traits

Your Altmer character has a variety of natural abilities, the result of thousands of years of elven refinement.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Age. Altmer live two to three times as long as humans, with a 200-year-old Altmer being old and a 300-year-old altmer being very, very old.

Alignment. Altmer hold themselves and others to incredibly high standards. They are orderly and devoted to the traditions of their ancestors. This makes most Altmer lawful.

Size. Altmer range from under 6 to over 7 feet tall and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Cantrip. You know one cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.

Syrabane's Boon. You can cast detect magic with this trait. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast enhance ability with it, and starting at 5th level, you can also cast dispel magic with it. Once you cast a spell with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Studious Nature. You gain proficiency in your choice of one of the following skills: Arcana, History, Nature or Religion.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common, Altmeris, and one extra language of your choice.

The Wild Hunt

It is known that in desperate times the Bosmer can gather in a Temple of Y'ffre and call upon the Wild Hunt, a ritual that allows those present to return to the Chaos Times, turning them into a sea of horrific shapeshifting monstrosities which pour violently over their enemies until none remain. Then, the shapeshifted turn on each other in what is described as a "cannibalistic orgy", which could be an attempt to cleanse themselves, abominations, from the face of Tamriel. This has, however, not always worked, and it is said that all monsters in the world may have come from previous Wild Hunts.

Bosmer are not proud of the Wild Hunt and will not discuss it with outsiders. It is a point of regret and solemnity, one of very few in their culture.

The Green Pact

The Green Pact, also known as the Treaty of Frond and Leaf, is a strict code upheld by many of the Bosmer of Valenwood. It is said to have guided their existence since the beginning of the "great story". Its rules are clear. Do not harm the forests of Valenwood. Do not eat anything made from plant life. Eat only meat. When enemies are conquered, their meat must be eaten, not left to rot. Do not kill wastefully. Do not take on the shape of beasts.

According to the Bosmer, after the creation of the mortal plane everything was in chaos. The first mortals were turning into plants and animals and back again. Then Y'ffre transformed himself into the first of the Ehlnofey, or "Earth Bones", which established the laws of nature and put an end to the Chaos Times. It is said that his first creation was the Green, all manner of plant life, from the smallest flower to the largest graht-oak. Second were his favored people, the Bosmer. His third creation was the Green Pact, between the bosmer and the Green, to ensure the survival of both.

It is said that any Bosmer that violates the Green Pact is be condemned to return to the formlessness of the Chaos Times. Their names would be scrubbed from the story Y'ffre is telling and replaced with silence. This may be a tale used to frighten children into eating their dinner, however.

The tenets of the Pact have led to many tensions with allies and others who have disrespected their beliefs. More than once, the Bosmer have gone to war to protect the Green. While many "civilized" Bosmer don't adhere as closely to the Green Pact as their tribal brethren, they nevertheless often seem to be staunch advocates for respecting its tenets. Green Pact Bosmer are fanatical in their devotion to the Pact.

The Spinners, Bosmeri priests and historians who record the story of their people, are charged with enforcing the Green Pact, and are said to hold the real power in Valenwood. Spinners believe that Y'ffre sings through them as they tell their stories.

Other Inhabitants of Valenwood

The Bosmer share Valenwood with the Imga, intelligent apes, and Wood Orcs, along with the many beasts of the forest, including Centaurs. They have a long history of welcoming those who seek refuge within Valenwood. They accepted slaves fleeing the Ayleids, and then Ayleids fleeing the slaves, without showing favorites. Around the time of the Alliance War, they also freely welcomed Argonian refugees who had left their homeland in protest over the formation of the Ebonheart Pact.

The Silvenar

The Silvenar is the Voice of the People for the Bosmer. While often viewed by outsiders as a title for the Bosmer's political representative for foreign affairs, the Silvenar is more than a mere politician. Each person who bears the title is thought of as merely the Silvenar's aspect. The Silvenar represents the Bosmer people legally, physically, and emotionally. He reflects the state of the Bosmer people in his way of thinking, his health, and even his gender. He is inseparably tied to the Bosmeri people, and they to him, making him supernaturally empathic and aware of their concerns. As the Voice of the People, the Silvenar has many rights which grant him great authority in Valenwood. For one, only the Silvenar can grant foreign building and trade contracts, meaning any foreign power which wishes to build in Valenwood or do business with the Bosmer must deal with the Silvenar first.

No Silvenar can be without a Green Lady. The Silvenar has a mystical connection with the Green Lady, like with all Bosmer, only much deeper. While the Silvenar represents the civilized nature of the current Bosmer, the Green Lady has the raw physicality and passion of their primal past. If the Silvenar dies, his Green Lady's bestial nature is irrevocably unleashed, and her fury turned on all those involved until she joins him in death. Upon the death of the Silvenar, the new Silvenar officially takes on the title at a wedding. This wedding, which is known as the Handfasting, is an important occasion for the Bosmer which only occurs once in a generation. It is responsible for both anointing and marrying the Silvenar and the Green Lady.

No wedding can take place without Rotmeth, and the Handfasting is no exception. Rotmeth is made from fermented meat seasoned with thunderbug organs, takes years to brew, and is considered a precious ritual beverage that symbolizes "the muscle of the boar, the power of the forest, the strength of the Bosmer people".

Silvenar

Silvenar is a giant graht-oak city in central Valenwood. The holiest city of the Bosmer was founded by the first of the Silvenar and his followers. It is home to the Silvenar and his Green Lady, and they are assisted by a number of Spinners, commonly three, one for each time: The past, the present (also known as "the now"), and the future.

In springtime, the Bosmer pilgrim to the Den of the Eldest, an ancient strangler. There, they offer thanks to Y'ffre for the blooming of yet another spring, and they read the history of their home in the branches of the Eldest. Then, a great festival is thrown by the Green Pact Bosmer, in celebration of the Springtime and the Eldest. Then, Elves celebrate long into the night, drinking and regaling each other with stories of past festivals, honoring the first pilgrim who tended to the Eldest: the first Silvenar and the first Green Lady.

Elden Root

Elden Root is a city surrounding the ancient giant graht-oak tree known as the Elden Tree, which is said to have seeded all of Valenwood. It is the capital of the Aldmeri Dominion.

Elden Root is found in the center of Grahtwood, within the region of Green Hall. A river from the northeast flow down into the Elden Root basin, and forms in a lake that takes up the eastern outskirts of the city. All around the city are Ayleid ruins, reminiscent of the Ayleid migration that came into Valenwood. These ruins are largely inaccessible, save for the inner caverns of Elden Hollow, where the ruins are found in the shadow of the city, in the southwest.

Traditional dwellings on the forest floor give way to woven, naturalistic abodes in the graht-oak's branches, connected by mobile platforms that ferry about people and supplies under manual power. It is also common that drunks fall down from the branches of the Elden Tree.

At the highest branch of Elden Root lies the Throne Room, the city's seat of power. Members of the Camoran Clan rule from Elden Root through the Throne. Descending downward leads into the Great Trunk Artisans Court, where various craftsmen made their business. Branches that diverge from here lead into local guilds such as the Fighters Guild and Mages Guild. Downward into the ground level are many merchants and caravans, as well as the local shrine of the Spinners. The land outside of the ground floor is occupied by tree-pods and foreign architecture, such as the Altmer Embassy.

Beneath Elden Root, in the ruins of Elden Hollow, is an ancient orrery. According to legend, if any person stepped into the center of this orrery when it was activated, it would reveal their inner self. However, the secrets of activating the orrery have been lost to time.

Southpoint

At the very southern point of Valenwood lies the coastal city of Southpoint. The city was founded in 1E 2729 by the Colovian governor Zantonius, born in Kvatch. It became the main port and Imperial colony in the Kingdom of Grahtwood, then an administrative division of the Second Empire in Valenwood The Rites of Xarxes Memory, an Altmer-imported celebration, is held annually in its cathedral.

Woodhearth

Woodhearth is a coastal city in southwestern Valenwood. The city was constructed by the Second Empire in the late First Era to act as an Imperial outpost with the aim of facilitating trade with the native Bosmer. Imperial-style buildings, port, sewers and walls in the settlement were constructed back in that time.

The Bosmer had mixed reactions to Imperial presence. After several violent attacks against the settlement, a peace was eventually struck with the Green Pact Bosmer tribes and a Bosmer settlement was created adjacent to it. Natural Bosmeri architecture began to replace the Imperial original buildings, which were gradually replaced or fell into disrepair, though the city in general thrived. As the Bosmer secured their place within the Empire, control was gradually ceded back to autonomous Bosmeri rule and a treethane began to rule over the cosmopolitan population, having a reputation for determined leadership and fair judgment.

The Thalmor established its Valenwood headquarters in Woodhearth to oversee the region. Many settlers came from the Summerset Isles, replacing many of the old Imperial-style buildings with Altmer-style ones, resulting in a beautiful mixture of Imperial, Bosmeri and Altmeri architecture.. Woodhearth so became one of the principal mainland ports in Greenshade.

Woodhearth is considered one of the safer places in Valenwood for foreigners, despite skooma smuggling beyond the city's streets and the infamous Bosmer thieves. Beside drugs dealing, contraband of other products are also common through its extensive and partially abandoned Imperial sewers.

Marbruk

Marbruk is an Altmeri city located deep in the forest of Valenwood, on the border of Greenshade and Grahtwood. Marbruk was constructed after the incorporation of Valenwood by the Aldmeri Dominion in 2E 580 to defend Greenshade from the Ebonheart Pact. Hoping to accommodate their Altmer allies, the Bosmer ignored the felling of trees involved in its construction. The Altmer, in turn, attempted to respect the Green Pact by importing the wood and stone required from outside of Valenwood, and faced little opposition from the local tribes.

The city featured modern Altmeri architecture built atop the original Ayleid ruins, which hosted the criminals and smugglers. Besides of its military role in defending Greenshade from invaders, Marbruk was built as an example and a symbol of what the Dominion should be and how united it was, regardless of race and origin. However, many accused the Altmer of intending to "civilize" with their presence the "wild" Valenwood and its inhabitants, even banning Bosmer ancient traditions and customs like smoking dried insects, walking without shoes, or the Rite of Theft. All of this under an important presence of Thalmor agents in the city, who enforced these new laws.

The new city was also home to a secure vault, below its Mages Guild's Hall, where the Dominion stored some of its most priceless treasures: a small greenhouse with four rare plants, including Crimson Nirnroot; a Relic Room which held Ayleid relics, including the Crown of Nenalata, recovered from a Bosmer thief who was apparently practicing the Rite of Theft, and traded it back to the Dominion for a song, confounding the Altmer; and the Staff of Magnus, then into the possession of the Dominion.

Ironically, during the construction of Marbruk in the Second Era, it was reportedly the relatively "civilized" Bosmer living in cites like Woodhearth who voiced the greatest opposition to the destruction of Valenwood foliage. The Green Pact Bosmer, meanwhile, showed more fascination than anything else.

Arenthia

Arenthia is a city on the border with Cyrodiil and Elsweyr. Is the resulting amalgamation of various cultures that reside, and have spread influence throughout the march. It is an important trade city that is nestled on the fork of both the Crescent River and the Strid River. It was named after the first King of the Wood Elves.

Arenthia was recently recaptured by the Aldmeri Dominion from Colovian invaders.

Greenheart

Greenheart is a city in southern Valenwood. The city is a walled settlement, built upon magic-made cliffs and giant trees, which supports Altmer-style buildings. Crowning Greenheart, sits the Tower where the Throne of the Wilderking is, made from both marble and living magic-shaped trees.

The city's history and the one of the mysterious Wilderking are intertwined. The first Wilderking was an Altmer mage sent by his overlords to Valenwood to build a great city during the early First Era. He chose the place where Greenheart currently stands to fulfill his purpose, before he even became the Wilderking. There, the Altmer builders met to help the mage, but after a violent struggle between the forest and the colonists, who were trying to build Greenheart, all ended up dead except for the mage, who forgot about his previous memories.

The forest had agreed to obey the mage if he became the Wilderking. From the dead builders, he raised the first of the Hollow, who would become the guardians of the Wilderking and, therefore, of Greenheart. The initiative was forgotten by the Wilderking's former overlords, but the new god-king shaped the ground and the trees to build his capital city. He grew a big graht-oak in the middle of the settlement, which served him as the seat of his throne. In time, the Bosmer from southeastern Greenshade began to recognize the Wilderking as their only and supreme ruler: making Greenheart the capital of a region that would come to be known as the Wilderking Court.

When Valenwood joined the Aldmeri Dominion, Greenheart, along with the rest of the Wilderking Court, refused to be incorporated. The treethanes and the common people said that they did not recognize the Camoran king of Elden Root as their ruler, but the elusive Wilderking, who resides in Greenheart. As such, the Wilderking Court remains relatively independent.

Bosmer

Bosmer, or Tree-Sap people, are the Wood Elven clan-folk from the forests of Valenwood. Bosmer rejected the stiff, formal traditions of Aldmeri high culture, preferring a more romantic, simple existence in harmony with the land and its wild beauty and creatures

Strange Customs

The Bosmer have many customs that are unique to Valenwood. The Rite of Theft is a cherished Bosmeri custom, though one which outsiders have trouble appreciating. The Bosmer steal from each other, and upon return of the stolen item, they demand a boon commensurate to the item's worth. Outsiders who understand the Rite of Theft may use it to their own advantage. Three Altmer, the so-called "Heroes of the Sanctuary", once used the Rite of Theft to secure a safe port of Summerset ships.

Another custom is the practice of the Mourning War, common in the tribes outside of the cities. When a tribe member is slain, he or she is symbolically replaced via a hostage-taking raid on a neighboring tribe. If the deceased was an especially powerful or prestigious member of the tribe, multiple captives may be taken to replace them. The captive or captives undergo a period of physical torture, supposedly to test their worthiness, and then are joyously welcomed into the clan. Traditionally, the victim was given the deceased tribe member's position, possessions, and family, though this practice may be rarely honored in modern ages.

Skilled Adventurers

As some of the greatest hunters and scouts in all of Tamriel, many Bosmer leave their villages to seek out greater challenges. They are born warriors, excelling at martial combat, and they have a natural connection with beasts and plants.

Those that have ignored the Pact and turned their back on Y'ffre are expelled from their tribe. An exiled Bosmer usually has no other option than to seek out adventure elsewhere.

Bosmer Names

Most Bosmer have only their given name, but it is not unheard of to have a family name, which is typically descriptive of their skills or ancestry.

Male Names: Aengvir, Athragar, Baenlin, Brenor, Calthindor, Deros, Drinlin, Elseer, Faenir, Fangaril, Filalmoth, Firras, Gelin, Hadran, Inluin, Lenor, Malgoth, Niden, Ording, Rollin, Saldir, Thranor, Urunil

Female Names: Aerin, Althel, Belwen, Candel, Distel, Elphinia, Erwin, Evelie, Fangil, Ganwen, Glaras, Herdor, Indanas, Laen, Miniel, Nara, Pishna, Ralion, Sednel, Thralin, Uunril, Zifri

Family Names: Arrow-Catcher, Blood-Letter, Daintyfoot, Flameheart, Greenwood, Longshot, Many-Legs, The Bold, Tree-Killer, Woodwalker

Bosmer Traits

Your Bosmer character has a variety of natural abilities in common with other Bosmer.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Age. Bosmer live two to three times as long as humans; with a 200-year-old Bosmer being old and a 300-year-old Bosmer being very, very old.

Alignment. Most Bosmer are good, preferring to avoid violence if they can. Many Bosmer religiously follow the tenets of the Green Pact, but they are not otherwise known to be expressly lawful.

Size. Bosmer are often a head smaller than humans. They are rarely over 5 and a half feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

Y'ffre's Favor. While you abide by the Green Pact, you gain Y'ffre's patronage and protection. You can cast animal friendship with this trait. Once you cast the spell, you can't cast it again with this trait until you finish a short or long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell. In addition, you can communicate with plants in a limited manner. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return. You have advantage on all Charisma checks you make to influence them.

Bosmer Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned or diseased, and you are resistant to poison damage.

Natural Archer. You have proficiency with the shortbow and longbow.

Quick and Nimble. You have proficiency in the Acrobatics skill.

Languages. You can speak, read and write Common and Bosmeris.

The Mane

The Mane is a unique breed of Khajiit, which acts as the leader of the Elsweyr Confederation. Elsweyr's current mane is Mane Akkhuz-ri. Khajiit tradition holds that only one Mane can be alive at one time and, more specifically, believe that there is actually only one Mane who is reborn again and again in different bodies. There has been no recorded incident of more than one Mane contending for power, although whether due to the truth in the Khajiit belief or whether the ruling Mane takes care of any potential rivals is unknown. Manes can only be born under a rare alignment of the moons Masser and Secunda when, according to legend, a third moon actually appears.

In older days the Khajiit would shave off their manes in deference to the Mane, braiding them into locks which the Mane would incorporate into its own mane. The Mane is so weighted down by the hair that movement is difficult without aid and they often travel the countryside by means of a palanquin. As the population grew, however, this became impractical, although the Khajiit still remove their manes and the current Mane still wears the hair of its tribe and Warrior Guard which includes several hundred in number.

Though the Mane is the spiritual leader of all of Elsweyr, the Khajiit are led in their beliefs by mysterious figures known as "Clan Mothers", whose duty it is to disseminate the cultural myths among their kind, and who maintain autonomy from the Mane and the disparate tribal leaders. It is widely held that the Clan Mothers are greatest force among the Khajiit. It is they, ultimately, who control both the harvest and refining of Moon Sugar, and thus they who are seen as the most influential.

Moon Sugar

The moon sugar of Elsweyr is the holiest of substances to the Khajiit. They speak of sugar as others speak of the soul or the life force. The Khajiit understand it to be "crystallized moonlight", caught in the water of the Topal Sea and brought to the sugarcane groves of the Tenmar by the force of the twin tides.

Moon sugar has a variety of uses; it is alternately a seasoning and a magical ingredient, a source of communion with the holy moons and a dangerous and addictive drug. It has analgesic and soporific effects; it makes users "happy and stupid". In humans, its consumption causes a euphoric state followed by complete exhaustion. Khajiit are relatively resistant to these effects because they consume it in some form every day, but over-consumption can cause the euphoric state and even addiction.

Moon sugar is commonly refined into a more potent and addictive form known as skooma. Skooma is a hallucinatory narcotic that is extremely addictive. Its victims are left in constant, alternating states of delusional euphoria and lethargy.

Torval

Torval is a city found in the southern forest region of Pellitine. It is known as the home of the Mane. The Mane and their tribe live in exotic palaces, which are surrounded by symmetrical sugarcane gardens where the Mane would meditate. The Mane's Warrior Guard patrols the sacred grounds, preventing anyone from entering and disturbing the Mane.

Like other areas in Elsweyr, Torval contains a Temple of Two-Moons Dance, with this one, in particular, being known for producing great fighters and excellent training in all of Tamriel.

Senchal

Senchal is known for being an infamous, yet influential, port city in southern Tamriel. It is filled to the brim with crowded bazaars and open-aired markets. The highly-populated harbor contains all sorts of pirates and smugglers that operate across the southern sea, and the Topal Bay. It is possible to buy anything in Senchal, including a fresh corpse. Supposedly, the Sload of Thras would buy corpses from Senchal's black market and ship it on their airships

The most well-known district of Senchal is Black Keirgo, the slums of Senchal. It is considered squalid and dangerous, with a large Moon Sugar influence. There are illegal sugar dens located throughout the streets, consisting of all sorts of people, even nobility.

On the 16th of Sun's Dawn, commonly known as Heart's Day, King Dro'Zel was visited by a bard from the town of Gil-Var-Delle, who recounted the ancient tale of Polydor and Eloisa. The tale had left Dro'Zel in dismay and anguish, so much so that he summoned Molag Bal to destroy the town, leaving a haunting husk of the former settlement.

Sometime later by the 6th of Sun's Dusk, King Dro'Zel was named one of the new Advisors to Emperor Reman Cyrodiil III. After the Emperor was assassinated, Versidue-Shaie proclaimed the arrival of the Second Era and his new position. The only person clapping was King Dro'Zel.

Senchal is possibly the city that was affected the most by the Knahaten Flu. Entire neighborhoods were razed amidst the chaos to cure the flu in Senchal. These ruins were never rebuilt.

Corinthe

Corinthe is a city located on the northern edge of the region of Pellitine, known for carpenters and woodworking. The main gate in Corinthe is known for its stature, being called the Great Gate of Corinthe. Corinthe once contained a place known as the Grand Archive, which held text of ancient Elsweyr in the Merethic Era. The land surrounding Corinthe is open savannahs, populated by the Desert Lynx, which are totem animals of the pastoral Khajiit tribes. They are used in managing moving herds. Corinthe is the home of the First Corinthe Hussars, horsemen that utilize the Pellitine Mustang that live in the area.

Outside of the city outskirts is the ruins known as the Temple of Agamanus. The Temple was dedicated to Agamanus, the Sphinx of Gazia. At one point, the temple had fallen into disrepair and obscurity, along with Agamanus' history.

Dune

Dune is a prominent merchant town with a bustling crowd of caravans and herders, as well as, an artistic one, with painted pavilions and statues with intricate carvings of gold, red, and black. Dune is located near the borders of Valenwood in the west, and Cyrodiil in the northeast. To the northeast, near the exact border to Cyrodiil lies Fort Sphinxmoth. Which was established to control the feuds between both the Khajiit and the Wood Elves, though it would waver between control, either by the Empire of Cyrodiil, or one of the warring tribes.

Dune is a large metropolis built on the hills that lead into the rest of Anequina. Dune is heavily-fortified, but not without its artistic attributes. The high walls and battlements of Dune are ornate, with crescent moons adorned across the walls. But despite this, Dune's walls are made out of wood, with some buildings falling into disrepair. But regardless, Dune continues to stand.

Rimmen

Rimmen is seen as the epitome of Elsweyri hospitality. It is an oasis in the harshlands of Northern Elsweyr, as tropical plants and trees grow on artificial canals that flow from the great Anequinian aqueducts across the Kingdom of Rimmen. It is built atop of a hill that descends into the High Savannah, which is the upper tier of Northern Elsweyr, anchored by Riverhold to the west. Just to the south is a large ravine where the Scar desert begins.

Outside of the city's walls are water fields on the steppes for Moon Sugarcanes and several small farmhouses. Further south towards the S'rendarr's Cradle Adeptorium is the expansive Rimmen Necropolis, which despite the name, it is not a part of the city. It was supposedly created from a superstition that has fallen out of favor.

The aqueducts empty in the town square, into relaxing pools of water where several people pass the time to relax and meditate. The Artisans District is found in the northwest of Rimmen. In the center is various craft stations covered by a large Khajiiti pergola. On the path to the Rimmen Palace is the Baandari Bazaar, an expansive marketplace found along the canal. Continuing north is the northern district, where the Tonenaka Shrine is found. When the Akaviri of the then-defunct Second Empire entered Anequina, they brought their culture with them, and it changed Rimmen forever. They built the Tonenaka in the traditional Akaviri style. It is described to hold ten-thousand statues crafted from sculptors across southern Tamriel. Along with the shrine, there is the Hall of the Lunar Champion, initially built for the Khajiiti Mythic-Hero, Khunzar-ri. Castle Rimmen overlooks the entire city, and it is where the King and Queen of Anequina live.

In 2E 576, the city of Rimmen was ruled by King Hemakar and Queen Numara. As Emperor Varen Aquilarios was occupied in Cyrodiil, Euraxia Tharn was sent on Imperial business to Rimmen, where the King welcomed her kindly. This proved to be the King's greatest mistake. Using her militia of Nibenese mercenaries, Euraxia Tharn conquered Northern Elsweyr and executed the royal family. She was known as a tyrant across Anequina, from Rimmen to Riverhold. As time went on, Queen Euraxia imposed heavy and costly taxes such as the fur tax, built siege weapons meant to destroy Rimmen should the people rebel, and even work with a cult of necromancers led by Zumog Phoom. Euraxia's forces spanned across Northern Elsweyr, eventually taking Riverhold in the western hills.

Because of the ongoing Three Banners War, the Aldmeri Dominion were pre-occupied in Cyrodiil, and so the Khajiit are on their own in the war against the foreign occupier. Lord Gharesh-ri has promised to commit forces to liberate the city.

Khajiit

Hailing from the tropical province of Elsweyr, Khajiit are feline humanoids, known for their grace and intellect. Nomadic and inquisitive, the Khajiit rarely stay in one place for long.

Khajiit Names

Each Khajiit has a single name in their language, Ta'agra, but it is also common for a Khajiit to go by their Tamrielic name, usually given to them by men or mer. These common names are typically descriptive of the their personality or quirks.

Male Names: Akrah, Azbishan, Balag, Dazur, Eilun, Fa'alar, Ghadar, Hilan, Jahirr, Khasar, Lansur, Maniz, Malirzzaka, Nakkhu, Oblan, Pinar, Rakhad, Razur, Sabra, Tabil, Urjen, Vashpar, Yan, Zaban, Zino

Female Names: Abizah, Azum, Bakkhara, Bindu, Darali, Elamusa, Fedura, Hani, Inama, Kala, Kiasha, Manabi, Mura, Nayya, Pinirai, Samati, Sebazi, Shuzura, Tahara, Tohiba, Urbani, Vaifa, Yana, Zara, Zurka

Tamrielic Names: Ashenfur, Black-Paw, Clevereyes, Dawnwalker, Dusty-Claw, Elf-Biter, Firebreath, Four-Toes, Iron-Ear, Kink Tail, Silvertongue, Soft-Fur, Sugar-Claws, Tender-Paws, Wet-Whiskers

An important aspect of Khajiit names are honorifics, more commonly among males than females. They reflect their status in life or society, and can change accordingly. Thus, it is considered improper and insulting to apply a wrong honorific. Commonly a Khajiit takes up just one honorific at a time, as using two either shows great ignorance or great pride. They also sometimes are given in terms of endearment, banter or deceit. Rarely, even non-Khajiit take up Khajiit honorifics.

Honorifics are usually a prefix before or suffix after a Khajiit's name, usually separated by an apostrophe, uncommonly a hyphen, or rarely without separation.

Khajiit Traits

Your Khajiit heritage manifests in a variety of traits you share with other Khajiit.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2.

Age. The lifespan of Khajiit is about one hundred years.

Alignment. Most Khajiit are chaotic, considering laws more akin to suggestions.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

Darkvision. You have a cat's keen senses, especially in the dark. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Keen Senses. You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Cat's Claws. Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Ta'agra.

Subraces. There are many distinct furstocks of Khajiit. Choose one from the following subraces.

Stagger and Sway

---

A love song

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O my sweet love, she waits for me,
Through storm and shine, cross land or sea.
I run to her and together we,

---

Sway as we kiss
Sway as we kiss

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Her graceful shape I heave on high
And in one hand I hold her nigh
Her waiting lips are never dry

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Sway as we kiss
Sway as we kiss

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Come the morn she goes
The taste of her remains
And in my mind, I see us sway

---

Sway as we kiss
Sway as we kiss

The Old Ways

Ysgramor and the Atmorans brought with them the worship of animal gods: the hawk, wolf, snake, moth, owl, whale, bear, fox, and most importantly the dragon. Over time, as Nord beliefs evolved, the traditional Nordic Pantheon of Divines emerged as personifications of natural forces and ideas. Many scholars believe that the Nordic Pantheon is the same as the orthodox pantheon, merely with different names (there are certainly many parallels), and many Nords who have adopted the Divines evidently have this understanding.

The Throat of the World

The Throat of the World is the highest peak in the province of Skyrim. Some consider it the highest mountain of all Tamriel, but most historians agree that Red Mountain is higher.

Seven thousand steps lead up the mountain to its summit, where the settlement of High Hrothgar is located, and where the Greybeards live their lives of absolute silence. The legends of the Nords state that mankind was formed on the mountain when the sky breathed onto the land. Their Songs of the Return therefore describe Ysgramor's voyage to Tamriel from Atmora as a return rather than an exodus. Many pilgrims travel to the mountain and climb the seven thousand steps to its peak.

During the Dragon War, the great dragon Alduin was lured to the top of the mountain by a group of Nords. After seeing that they could not defeat him, the Nords sent him forward in time using an Elder Scroll. The event created a hole in time itself atop the mountain, called the Time-Wound, or "Tid-Ahraan".

Windhelm

Windhelm is a city in northeastern Skyrim, close to the border with Morrowind, and is the only substantial city in the Hold of Eastmarch. It is not only the oldest city in Skyrim, but is the oldest continuously inhabited human settlement in Tamriel. Windhelm was once the capital of the First Empire of the Nords and the old palace of the Ysgramor dynasty, the Palace of the Kings, still stands in the center of the city. Like most Nord cities, Windhelm has a Hall of the Dead where bodies are interred, overseen by a Priest of Arkay who ensures that corpses are properly consecrated and cared for.

In 2E 572, it was sacked by the Akaviri army of Ada'Soom Dir-Kamal, and the then-ruler of the city, Mabjaarn Flame-Hair was slain in battle along with her daughter Nurnhilde. The Palace of the Kings was one of the few of the city's original structures that survived these events, but it was badly damaged. The palace court was temporarily displaced as High King Jorunn elected to repair the rest of city first, before completing the palace.

Solitude

Solitude is a major port city on the northern coast of the province of Skyrim. It is famous for being the northernmost town in Tamriel. After the downfall of the Second Empire and the assassination of King Logrolf, Jarl Svartr of Solitude challenged the legitimacy of Logrolf's heir, Freydis, leading to the division of Skyrim into two kingdoms. Solitude then became the capital of Western Skyrim. It is one of the wealthiest cities in Skyrim, serving as the foremost merchant town along its north coast.

Falkreath

Falkreath is a major city near the southern border of Skyrim. It is known for its vast graveyard and melancholy atmosphere. Some of the greatest warriors and noble jarls in all of Skyrim are buried in Falkreath's graveyard. The pine forest that surrounds Falkreath is vast, covering a large part of Falkreath Hold. In the city's general vicinity are ancient Nordic ruins and abandoned towers that have been used by the local bandits as redoubts.

Sometime before 2E 437, the Orcs under the command of Yashnag gro-Yazgu had taken control of Western Falkreath Hold, posing a threat not only to the city-state of Falkreath, but the sovereignty of the whole Western Skyrim. The Jarl of Falkreath was slain by Yashnag, leaving the hold to his son, Hakkvild. Yashnag's orcs continued to be a serious threat for Jarl Hakkvild, forcing the young jarl to take to arms and challenge the Orc chieftain in an ancient ritual. In the end, Yashnag was slain by Jarl Hakkvild, who took the name "Yashnag-Slayer" after his victory. With their leader dead, the Orcs fled back into Wrothgar, and Hakkvild reclaimed all of Falkreath. Years later, Kurog gro-Bagrakh's Orcs attempted to reclaim the land that used to belong to Yashnag, but this time the Nords were able to defend themselves and repel the invaders.

Riften

Riften is a city built on the shores of Lake Honrich, nestled within the Fall Forest. It lies close to Skyrim's borders with Cyrodiil and Morrowind, and enjoys robust trade with the latter via the nearby pass through the Velothi Mountains. Riften is also the home of the Thieves Guild in Skyrim, and has become infamous as a town where the aspiring rogue or thief can rise among the criminal underworld.

Whiterun

Whiterun is a city in central Skyrim. It is divided into three districts: the Plains District, used as a marketplace where all the merchants, stalls and inns are located; the Wind District, used as a residential area; and the Cloud District, where the palace of Dragonsreach is located. The Gildergreen tree, grown from a sapling from the legendary Eldergleam, is an ancient tree located in the city, worshipped by followers of Kynareth.

The mountain on which the city was built was discovered by members of the Five Hundred Companions of Ysgramor, who discovered the Skyforge, an abandoned forge with the ability to smelt superior Skyforge Steel. The local elves feared the Skyforge as a relic of the gods. Following Ysgamor's death, Harbinger Jeek of the River built the mead hall of Jorrvaskr beside the Skyforge, founding the settlement. This group became the Companions, a famous band of mercenaries.

Markarth

Markarth is a city in western Skyrim, and the capital of The Reach. It is noted for its Dwemer architecture and the extensive ruins of a Dwemer city, Nchuand-Zel, beneath Understone Keep.

Control of Markarth and the Reach has changed many times. Markarth was inhabited by the Dwemer until their disappearance in 1E 700. The natives of the Reach, a people of mixed Breton descent, assumed control of the city and the surrounding lands. After the collapse of the Second Empire, Markarth, along with the whole Reach, was ruled by the Reachmen under the Despot of Markarth. The Reachmen conspired with Mannimarco and the Tharns to further Molag Bal's Planemeld, and Nchuand-Zel was occupied by Daedra. Vanus Galerion stormed this complex some time before 2E 581 while hunting Mannimarco.

Nord

The Nords are the children of the sky, a race of tall and fair-haired humans who are hardened by the harsh environment and climate of Skyrim. They are fierce, strong and enthusiastic warriors, and many become renowned warriors, soldiers and mercenaries all over Tamriel.

Nord Names

Every Nord has a given name, but only some Nords have clan names. Sometimes, a Nord will be given a title, which can be used before or after their given name. A title is usually a description of a great feat or a personality trait. Such as Heinrich the Ugly or Lyra Wolf-Child.

Male Names: Arnbjorn, Balbus, Carsten, Daglin, Erik, Fjol, Gunder, Hans, Iver, Jayred, Keld, Larthjar, Manheim, Nels, Olav, Regner, Sten, Torbal, Ulfgar, Valdemar, Wilmuth, Yngvar

Female Names: Aeta, Bergritte, Dagny, Elda, Fryssa, Greidil, Hilde, Igna, Jala, Katria, Lillith, Margret, Nura, Olga, Ruki, Svenja, Temba, Una, Vori, Ysolda

Clan Names: Blackthorn, Ebonhand, Firebeard, Hairy-Breeks, Ironhand, Long-Tooth, Ravencrone, Stonearm, Twice-Killed, War-Bear, Windcaller

Nord Traits

Your Nord character has certain characteristics in common with other Nords.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Strength score increases by 1.

Age. Nords reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.

Alignment. Most nords are hardworking and good-hearted. They take comfort in their traditions and are distrusting of outsiders. They tend toward the good alignments.

Size. Nords are the largest of men, ranging from 6 to 7 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Cold Weather Expert. You are accustomed to living in a cold and harsh climate. You are proficient in the Survival skill. In addition, you have resistance to cold damage.

Nordic Resilience. You have advantage on all Constitution saving throws against non-magical effects. You do not have advantage on saving throws made to maintain concentration on a spell.

Toughness. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level.

Tool Proficiency. You gain proficiency with the artisan's tools of your choice: smith's tools, brewer's supplies, or mason's tools.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common.

Dunmer

Dunmer, or dark elves, are the Daedric-worshiping elves from the alien province of Morrowind. "Dark" is a term used not only for their darkened skin tone, but also from their ill-fated history and general cultural philosophies.

The Great Houses

Morrowind is ruled by five Great Houses: House Hlaalu, House Redoran, House Telvanni, House Indoril, and House Dres. The Great Houses traditions derive from ancient Dunmer clan and tribes, but now function as political parties. Dunmer Great House membership is largely a matter of birth and marriage, but outlanders may also become retainers of a Great House, or may be adopted into a Great House.

House Hlaalu governs western-central Morrowind from its ancient capital of Narsis and is largely concerned with business and diplomacy, seeking to strengthen ties with at times unconventional allies such as the Empire. Although profit is often a primary objective, traditional Hlaalu practice recognizes the value of a good reputation over money.

House Redoran governs northwestern Morrowind from the city of Blacklight, close to the border with Skyrim. The main focus of House Redoran is maintaining the traditions of the settled Dunmer and, more specifically, the way of the warrior.

House Telvanni governs eastern Morrowind. The house comprises mainly highly egocentric and ambitious mages, and is known to many as the house of the master wizard. Here, it is common to rise through the ranks by eliminating or otherwise 'indisposing' other members. The Telvanni, in general, do not interact with other Houses or Guilds.

House Indoril governs the heartland of Morrowind from the historic capital city of Almalexia. The Indoril are orthodox and conservative supporters of the Tribunal Temple and Temple authority, and have always held prominent positions within the Temple hierarchy. Throughout history, the fates of House Indoril and the Temple have been closely linked.

House Dres governs south-eastern Morrowind from the city of Tear. The Dres have a mainly rural but still very wealthy agrarian agricultural society, maintaining vast saltrice plantations on the plains and marshes surrounding Tear. The Dres are also the Dunmer that ship slaves to the other Great Houses, keeping thousands of captives, mostly Argonians, in their infamous slave-pens of Tear and the surrounding plantations.

Dunmer Names

Dunmer typically have given names and family names. Those that are the traditional inhabitants of Vvardenfell, known as Ashlanders, also have unique tribe names.

Male Names: Alanil, Aren, Balyn, Boler, Dathus, Evo, Fevris, Gaelion, Hort, Liero, Meryn, Nels, Orval, Ranor, Sarayn, Tavryn, Tendris, Traven, Uthrel, Varon, Vedam

Female Names: Almsi, Amili, Arara, Badala, Balynu, Bronosa, Dalyne, Diren, Ethal, Faras, Gadela, Gelaa, Hlava, Indrasi, Madrana, Nela, Orea, Rila, Sia, Teranya, Urila, Valdrana, Wren

Family Names: Andrano, Arvel, Belas, Dralas, Darethi, Drethen, Falen, Galen, Helvi, Hlaalo, Indaren, Marvel, Moren, Nelas, Omoril, Ralas, Romori, Rothandus, Sarandas, Selaren, Telas, Uveran, Varyon, Veleth

Ashlander Names: Addarari, Asserbassalit, Assunudadnud, Daririnaddunumm, Esatliballit, Gilu, Hairshashishi, Kil, Mirshamammu, Nerendus, Rapli, Serimilk, Timmiririan, Yassabisun, Zabamat

Dunmer Traits

Your Dunmer character has a variety of natural abilities in common with other Dunmer.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity, Strength, and Intelligence scores increase by 1.

Age. Dunmer live two to three times as long as humans; with a 200-year-old Dunmer being old and a 300-year-old Dunmer being very, very old.

Alignment. Dunmer tend to be neutral with a propensity for chaos. They have rejected many of the traditions that were set before them, while adopting their new customs of their own.

Size. Dunmer have average builds similar to humans, and their height is between 5 and 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Fire Resistance. You have resistance to fire damage.

Fire of Red Mountain. You know the green-flame blade cantrip. In addition, when you use the Attack action, you can substitute one attack with this cantrip. You must finish a short or long rest in order to cast the cantrip in this way again. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this cantrip.

Ancestor Guardian. Your ancestors protect you from harm. You can cast protection from evil and good targeting yourself with this trait. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast hellish rebuke with it as a 2nd-level spell, and starting at 5th level, you can also cast spirit guardians with it as a 3rd-level spell. Once you cast a spell with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Dunmer Combat Training. You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow and longbow.

Languages. You can speak, read and write Common and Dunmeris.

Argonian

Argonians, also known as People of the Root, or Saxhleel in their native tongue of Jel, are the reptilian natives of the swampland known as the Black Marsh. The other races of Tamriel sometimes refer to them as "lizards" or the "Lizard Folk", which can be considered derogative. Argonians possess the most alien personalities in all of Tamriel, perceived by other races as to have no personality nor emotions.

Outside of Argonia, little is known of their homeland or native culture, and their alien physiology and customs are not well understood by scholars. They have been perhaps the most misunderstood of all the intelligent races.

Despite their alien outlook, some Argonians make an effort to understand and, in their own manner, befriend people of other races. Such Argonians make faithful and skilled allies.

Cautious and Loyal

Because they are hard to understand, humans and elves treat Argonians as cold-blooded in nature. Although this is physically true, Argonians create deep and long lasting bonds with their own people and allies. Part of this misunderstanding is in part attributed to their emotionless demeanor, which makes them nearly impossible to get to know. They are also notoriously slow to trust outsiders.

At their core, Argonians are fiercely loyal allies, making the difficulty of learning their ways and getting to know their tribes well worth the effort. Allied Argonians will fight to the death to protect anyone they deem to be family or friend.

A remarkable trait of the Argonians is their ability as a culture to forgive and forget quickly. The many tribes of the Black Marsh believe that hating each other is to hate themselves, as they are all People of the Root. They believe that it is better to forget and move on, not dwelling on the past or the future, and simply focus on the present.

Distrustful and Isolationist

History has not always been kind to the Argonian people. The ancient Chimer of Morrowind first utilized the Lizard Folk as slaves centuries before their Dunmer ancestors would do the same. Imperial forces have made several attempts to break through the thick swamps and jungles of the Black Marsh and had set up bases around the coastlines, essentially annexing their culture from the rest of Tamriel.

Argonian Names

Argonians take their names either from Jel, their native tongue, or from the common human language. They use simple descriptive names, usually based on an individual's notable deeds, actions, or appearance. For example, an Argonian traveler may be called Nhakik, which translates as "wander", or an Argonian who is a notable swimmer may be called Swims-with-Haste, in Common. Both their Jel names and their common names are frequently hyphenated, but not always.

Male Jel Names: Ah-Ra, Asheeus, Bar-Neeus, Chanka, Deeh, Geel, Jee-Tah, Motuu, Nexith, Oosh, Pad-Ei, Resari, Skeehei, Tanaka, Teeka, Uta-Ra, Vara-Zeen, Wanum-Neeus, Xal-Geh, Yelus

Female Jel Names: Am-Eepa, Asska, Beek-Ja, Churasu, Dakee, Deel, Ei-Ei, Geeh, Heek-Sa, Jukka, Kal-Mei, Leetu, Meerana, Nam-Ja, Pekai-Vilax, Reesa, Sisar, Tulut, Wih-Jat, Xula

Tamrielic Names: Black-Scale, Cuts-with-Words, Deepswimmer, Dusty-Claws, Eyes-like-Night, Follows-the-Sun, Juggles-Scorpions, Keen-Eyes, Purple Plumes, Sings-to-Lions, Walks-in-Ash

Argonian Traits

Argonians share certain racial traits as a result of their reptilian descent.

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Age. Argonians are hatched from eggs, and typically live less than a century.

Alignment. Most argonians are neutral good. They often see themselves as protectors and guardians.

Size. Argonians are between 5 and 6 feet tall, but their frills and feathers often make them appear larger. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a swimming speed of 30 feet.

Amphibious. You can breathe air and water.

Argonian Resistance. You have advantage on saving throws against being diseased. You are immune to poison.

Protective Scales. You have tough, scaly skin. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 11 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.

Bite. Your fanged maw is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Jel. Jel originates from the Hist, and involves a lot of non-verbal body cues that convey meaning and mood. Uniquely in Tamriel, Jel has no verbal tenses.

Races