This article lists several notable characters in the computer and video game The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Though many characters exist in the game, several aid the player and shape the events of the main storyline.
Almalexia
:Main article: Almalexia
Almalexia is one of the three living Gods of the Tribunal Temple. In the Tribunal expansion, she tricks the Nerevarine into becoming a pawn in her master plan. Almalexia then confronts the Nerevarine within the Clockwork city of Sotha Sil and attempts to make him her ultimate martyr.
Caius Cosades
Caius Cosades is the Vvardenfell district leader of a secret imperial organization, known as the Blades. He plays a major role as the quest-giver for much of the main plot-line, which eventually leads to the destruction of Dagoth Ur. He starts the main character off with some simple quests from his home in Balmora and new players often end up using Balmora as a central hub for travelling and questing due to it being the first major city they get to know.
Caius is called back to the Imperial Province of Cyrodiil once you reach a certain point in the storyline, and is not seen or heard from again throughout the rest of the game. Explaining his recall to the Imperial City, Caius alludes to the sequel by saying "When the emperor dies, nine hells are going to break loose." This foreshadows the events in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, as the emperor dies at the start of that game and the gates of Oblivion begin to open in Cyrodiil.
Presence of some specific equipment in Caius' house suggests he might be addicted to the drug Skooma. Indeed, if the player asks Caius about himself in a conversation by selecting "Caius Cosades" as a topic, Caius describes himself as "an old man with a skooma problem"; Although this is more likely a cover story as Caius is an important Imperial servant and agent living in the middle of an outlander-hostile town. Another point with his drug addiction is that he has 5 moon sugar on him if you kill him which are used to make skooma, he also has a skooma pipe under the bed.
After the "Oblivion crisis," a letter written by him stated he was stationed in a city called Kragenmoor, Morrowind. It is, apparently, a town controlled by the House Hlaalu near the Cyrodiil border.
Divayth Fyr
Divayth Fyr is an ancient Telvanni wizard that resides at Tel Fyr, and a member of the Psijic Order. He has four "daughters" (Alfe, Beyte, Delte, Uupse), custom created clones to keep him company living with him. Divayth plays a major role in the main storyline of Morrowind. As the player slowly fulfills the Nerevarine prophecies their character becomes infected with the deadly corprus plague. Divayth has been performing experiments for many years, especially in trying to find a cure for corprus. This is very apparent in the fact that he has a Corprusarium, a sanctuary for those infected with Corprus, in the lower levels of his spire of Tel Fyr. Through his experiments he believes that he finds a cure, and because you are willing, he tests it on your corprus-infected character. The potion, however, does not cure you of Corprus entirely; instead, it removes all of the negative side effects of the disease while allowing you to retain the positive ones. Thus, you have the complete disease resistance that Corprus gives, but no loss of attributes.
M'Aiq the Liar
M'Aiq (Pronounced My-eek) is a Khajiit character who gives the player his opinions on various subjects in the game; he also gives out information about the game, most of it either being unprovable or false. While M'Aiq's available conversational topics in Morrowind lead the player to expect he will give official responses and break the fourth wall, he answers most topics in an oblivious, farcical manner so that he arguably does not. One possible exception to this is his opinion on multiplayer in Morrowind.
M'Aiq in Morrowind
In Morrowind, M'Aiq gives his opinions on the following topics.
* How to become a lich (A "very easy" process, requiring three objects not found in the game)
* Where to find dragons (Which exist "everywhere", but only very high up)
* Horses (Which are not found in Morrowind)
* Where to find nude characters (It exists on an island the player cannot reach)
* Rope climbing (Not possible in Morrowind)
* Weresharks
* Multiplayer (Telling the player to consult the Argonian Im-Leet or the Nord Rolf the Uber)
Interestingly, two of his topics are factually accurate. However, one of them can easily be considered another joke.
M'Aiq in Oblivion
In Oblivion, M'Aiq is a character who pokes fun at some of the complaints expressed by Bethesda's online community during the game's development, while giving partial rebuttals to some of those comments (as opposed to the blatantly farcial comments he made in Morrowind). Such things include the outfit that he wore in Morrowind, which does not exist in Oblivion, the lack of children in the game world (hinting that they would "ruin all our fun"); others were the lack of throwing weapons that existed in Morrowind, but are unavailable in Oblivion, and the absence of crossbows.
Unlike Morrowind, M'Aiq is not found in a single place. He is often seen running at a rapid clip, but can also often be seen outside various towns. His AI programming prompts him to constantly seek out calipers to pick up and hold onto.
Nerevar
:Main article: Nerevar
Indoril Nerevar was the first Hortator, or leader, of the unified Chimer. The main character of Morrowind is Nerevar reincarnate, or the "Nerevarine"
Sotha Sil
:Main article: Sotha Sil
Sotha Sil one of the three living Gods of the Tribunal Temple. He is the only god of the Tribunal that separates himself from the matters of Morrowind and Morrowind itself, as opposed to the other gods (Vivec and Almalexia), who have a more open connection with the Morrowind populace; he chooses to live a reclusive life in his "Clockwork City," an extensive complex he designed, where he constantly works on his robotic constructs. If playing the Tribunal expansion, the player finds the corpse of Sotha Sil in the heart of his Clockwork lair. It is later reveiled that he is killed by Almalexia.
Vivec
:Main article: Vivec
Vivec is one of the three living gods of the Tribunal Temple, he is the 'warrior-poet' of the Tribunal. Although extremely hard, the player can optionally kill him and use the strange Dwemer artifact he carries to complete the main quest.
Yagrum Bagarn
Yagrum Bagarn is a Corprus-infected Dwemer that stays in Divayth Fyr's Corprusarium. He fashions himself as "the last living Dwarf," due to the incident that destroyed the Dwemer. He claims he was "exploring an 'Outer Realm'" when the rest of the Dwemer vanished, so whatever happened to them did not happen to Yagrum. He contracted corpus at one point during his wanderings, and was driven to madness by the disease. Divayth Fyr brought him to the Corpusarium where he resides. The disease has apparently taken a terrible toll on his body, which resulted in his, now, bloated and distorted frame; Yagrum's legs have even been replaced with a spider-like mechanism, due to either the loss of his legs or the outright lack of walking ability.
Almalexia
:Main article: Almalexia
Almalexia is one of the three living Gods of the Tribunal Temple. In the Tribunal expansion, she tricks the Nerevarine into becoming a pawn in her master plan. Almalexia then confronts the Nerevarine within the Clockwork city of Sotha Sil and attempts to make him her ultimate martyr.
Caius Cosades
Caius Cosades is the Vvardenfell district leader of a secret imperial organization, known as the Blades. He plays a major role as the quest-giver for much of the main plot-line, which eventually leads to the destruction of Dagoth Ur. He starts the main character off with some simple quests from his home in Balmora and new players often end up using Balmora as a central hub for travelling and questing due to it being the first major city they get to know.
Caius is called back to the Imperial Province of Cyrodiil once you reach a certain point in the storyline, and is not seen or heard from again throughout the rest of the game. Explaining his recall to the Imperial City, Caius alludes to the sequel by saying "When the emperor dies, nine hells are going to break loose." This foreshadows the events in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, as the emperor dies at the start of that game and the gates of Oblivion begin to open in Cyrodiil.
Presence of some specific equipment in Caius' house suggests he might be addicted to the drug Skooma. Indeed, if the player asks Caius about himself in a conversation by selecting "Caius Cosades" as a topic, Caius describes himself as "an old man with a skooma problem"; Although this is more likely a cover story as Caius is an important Imperial servant and agent living in the middle of an outlander-hostile town. Another point with his drug addiction is that he has 5 moon sugar on him if you kill him which are used to make skooma, he also has a skooma pipe under the bed.
After the "Oblivion crisis," a letter written by him stated he was stationed in a city called Kragenmoor, Morrowind. It is, apparently, a town controlled by the House Hlaalu near the Cyrodiil border.
Divayth Fyr
Divayth Fyr is an ancient Telvanni wizard that resides at Tel Fyr, and a member of the Psijic Order. He has four "daughters" (Alfe, Beyte, Delte, Uupse), custom created clones to keep him company living with him. Divayth plays a major role in the main storyline of Morrowind. As the player slowly fulfills the Nerevarine prophecies their character becomes infected with the deadly corprus plague. Divayth has been performing experiments for many years, especially in trying to find a cure for corprus. This is very apparent in the fact that he has a Corprusarium, a sanctuary for those infected with Corprus, in the lower levels of his spire of Tel Fyr. Through his experiments he believes that he finds a cure, and because you are willing, he tests it on your corprus-infected character. The potion, however, does not cure you of Corprus entirely; instead, it removes all of the negative side effects of the disease while allowing you to retain the positive ones. Thus, you have the complete disease resistance that Corprus gives, but no loss of attributes.
M'Aiq the Liar
M'Aiq (Pronounced My-eek) is a Khajiit character who gives the player his opinions on various subjects in the game; he also gives out information about the game, most of it either being unprovable or false. While M'Aiq's available conversational topics in Morrowind lead the player to expect he will give official responses and break the fourth wall, he answers most topics in an oblivious, farcical manner so that he arguably does not. One possible exception to this is his opinion on multiplayer in Morrowind.
M'Aiq in Morrowind
In Morrowind, M'Aiq gives his opinions on the following topics.
* How to become a lich (A "very easy" process, requiring three objects not found in the game)
* Where to find dragons (Which exist "everywhere", but only very high up)
* Horses (Which are not found in Morrowind)
* Where to find nude characters (It exists on an island the player cannot reach)
* Rope climbing (Not possible in Morrowind)
* Weresharks
* Multiplayer (Telling the player to consult the Argonian Im-Leet or the Nord Rolf the Uber)
Interestingly, two of his topics are factually accurate. However, one of them can easily be considered another joke.
M'Aiq in Oblivion
In Oblivion, M'Aiq is a character who pokes fun at some of the complaints expressed by Bethesda's online community during the game's development, while giving partial rebuttals to some of those comments (as opposed to the blatantly farcial comments he made in Morrowind). Such things include the outfit that he wore in Morrowind, which does not exist in Oblivion, the lack of children in the game world (hinting that they would "ruin all our fun"); others were the lack of throwing weapons that existed in Morrowind, but are unavailable in Oblivion, and the absence of crossbows.
Unlike Morrowind, M'Aiq is not found in a single place. He is often seen running at a rapid clip, but can also often be seen outside various towns. His AI programming prompts him to constantly seek out calipers to pick up and hold onto.
Nerevar
:Main article: Nerevar
Indoril Nerevar was the first Hortator, or leader, of the unified Chimer. The main character of Morrowind is Nerevar reincarnate, or the "Nerevarine"
Sotha Sil
:Main article: Sotha Sil
Sotha Sil one of the three living Gods of the Tribunal Temple. He is the only god of the Tribunal that separates himself from the matters of Morrowind and Morrowind itself, as opposed to the other gods (Vivec and Almalexia), who have a more open connection with the Morrowind populace; he chooses to live a reclusive life in his "Clockwork City," an extensive complex he designed, where he constantly works on his robotic constructs. If playing the Tribunal expansion, the player finds the corpse of Sotha Sil in the heart of his Clockwork lair. It is later reveiled that he is killed by Almalexia.
Vivec
:Main article: Vivec
Vivec is one of the three living gods of the Tribunal Temple, he is the 'warrior-poet' of the Tribunal. Although extremely hard, the player can optionally kill him and use the strange Dwemer artifact he carries to complete the main quest.
Yagrum Bagarn
Yagrum Bagarn is a Corprus-infected Dwemer that stays in Divayth Fyr's Corprusarium. He fashions himself as "the last living Dwarf," due to the incident that destroyed the Dwemer. He claims he was "exploring an 'Outer Realm'" when the rest of the Dwemer vanished, so whatever happened to them did not happen to Yagrum. He contracted corpus at one point during his wanderings, and was driven to madness by the disease. Divayth Fyr brought him to the Corpusarium where he resides. The disease has apparently taken a terrible toll on his body, which resulted in his, now, bloated and distorted frame; Yagrum's legs have even been replaced with a spider-like mechanism, due to either the loss of his legs or the outright lack of walking ability.
Tamriel is the fictional continent where the events of The Elder Scrolls games take place. It is located on the planet of Nirn, which is the mortal realm of the finite and the partial, as opposed to the immortal realms of the infinite and the absolute. In the Elder Scrolls, Mundus, another name for Nirn, is the Elvish root for the human word "mundane", meaning ordinary. Some, such as the Mythic Dawn however, view Tamriel as an extension of the realm of Oblivion itself.
The name Tamriel is said to mean 'Starry Heart', while, according to Arena, it is also Elvish for 'Dawn's Beauty', however in the Nu-Mantia Intercept Tamriel is 'the starry heart of Dawn's beauty'
History
Recorded Tamrielic history is divided into four distinct eras, the First Era, the Second Era, the Third Era, and the Fourth Era:
* First Era - The long First Era is mostly marked by the shifting of power from Elves to Men and the birth of some of the most powerful religions in the land. From the heartland of Tamriel, we learn of the struggling human race: from their miserable fate as slaves to finally being able to push out their Altmeri masters from the land. From the northeast part of the continent, the Heart of Lorkhan tempts so many mortals, from the Dwemer to Chimer and eventually Humans. The Divine Heart causes a terrible war, and the extinction of a once great race, the Dwemer.
* Second Era - The Second Era starts after the Akaviri Potentate assassinates the last of the Cyrodiil line. This is also the era when some of the most powerful factions in Tamriel are born, the Mages' Guild and the Dark Brotherhood being two from among the greatest to arise during this time period. The era finally ends after Tiber Septim, wielding a Dwemer artifact called Numidium, successfully unites the entire Tamrielic landmass once again.
* Third Era - The Third Era, which some describe as the most glorious era thus far, is the time of the Septim Dynasty. In fact, the long line of Septim Emperors almost reaches an end at several points in the history of this period. Some of the significant events are the War of the Red Diamond, a civil war over the succession, and a long decade of reign by the traitorous Jagar Tharn. Furthermore, this era is marked by the rebirth of Nerevar Indoril, the greatest Chimeri general; as well as the rebirth of Numidium and the second Dragon Break that follows.
* Fourth Era - In the final days of the Third Era, the emperor, Uriel Septim VII is assassinated at the beginning of the next chapter in the Elder Scrolls, Oblivion, along with all his heirs, save one illegitimate son, Martin. In the final fight for Septim's life, the Blades were aided by an escaped prisoner. It was this escaped prisoner who rescued Martin from the siege of Kvatch, this prisoner who again and again stormed Oblivion, and this prisoner who recovered the Amulet of Kings. It was also this prisoner, called Champion of Cyrodiil, Hero of Kvatch, and Savior of Bruma, who witnessed Martin's ultimate self-sacrifice to end the Oblivion Crisis, and with it, the Third Era.
There are two other Eras previous to the aforementioned four. They are the 'Dawn Era' in which the universe and everything in it came into being, and the 'Merethic Era', otherwise known as the Mythic Era, in which Mer (Elves) first arrived in Tamriel and all manner of mythological occurrences are said to have taken place. These two Eras are commonly considered to be outside of verifiable history, as humanity did not possess a written language to speak of until the end of the Mythic Era. Aldmeri records, on the other hand, date back to the beginning of ME, however these are not open to Imperial scholars.
Government
Tamriel was effectively an Empire, until the end of the Oblivion Crisis, that was ruled by an Emperor of the Septim dynasty. Technically speaking, it was referred to alternately as the Third Empire of Man, the Third Dynasty, or the Seat of Sundered Kings. The centre of the Empire was Cyrodiil, which was the home of both the Emperor and the Elder Council, which serves administrative functions and as an interim government during times of instability. Upon the death of the Emperor, the new Emperor is usually the oldest legitimate child (preferably a son) of the dead Emperor. However, spouses, younger children, siblings and on at least one occasion, an illegitimate child have taken the throne. Below the Emperor is the Elder Council, effectively a Cabinet of sorts. This body rules the Empire in interregnal periods when no heir is to be found. The details of Imperial government below the Elder Council are convoluted and obscure. In addition, each Province has its own government which sees to the affairs of that Province. The Provincial government works parallel to a local Imperial government that seems to handle the Empire's business in that Province, in collusion with the Provincial government. After the death of the last of the Septim Emperors and the disappearance of the last Septim heir, the head of the Elder Council and de facto head of state is Imperial High Chancellor, Grand Battle-Mage Ocato. This role is only practical, however, and may be compared in function to the British Governor-General.
Geography
Tamriel consists of nine provinces, each of these provinces corresponds with their own culture and race, with the exception of High Rock, which houses two distinct species:
*High Rock, inhabited by Bretons, man/elf hybrids on the human side; also Orcs or Orsimer, aldmeris for 'Pariah Folk': Elves so ruined and corrupted that they are often mistaken as akin to goblins and/or trolls. Orsimer live in the city of Orsinium.
*Hammerfell, inhabited by Redguards, in the native also Yokudans, enterprising expansionists from the west, commonly mistaken for men, but not in fact related. Once housed a significant Dwemer* population. It was later Orcish territory until the landing of the Yokudans in their Ra'gada, or "Warrior Wave." It is from this wave that the Redguards take their name, and their swift, easy conquest of Hammerfell that earned them their reputation as the best soldiers upon Nirn.
*Skyrim, inhabited by Nords, hardy men of the north and the only remaining direct and unchanged descendants of the original human 'Nedic' settlers from across the now frozen Sea of Ghosts.
*Morrowind, inhabited by Dark Elves, or Dunmer, meaning 'accursed folk' in Aldmeris. This region once also housed a large Dwemer population. All that remains are their ruins.
*Black Marsh, inhabited by Argonians, highly evolved lizard people, who are commonly looked down upon as beastfolk. For this reason, the Argonians were formerly a popular slave race.
*Elsweyr, inhabited by the Khajiit, cat folk, also commonly looked down upon as savage. The Khajiit were also common slaves.
*Valenwood, inhabited by Wood Elves, or Bosmer in the Elven, meaning 'tree-sap folk', they are the Elven products of blood mixing with men, like the Bretons. The Bretons are a similar race of hybrids leaning more towards the Man stock-the Bosmer lean more towards the Mer.
*Summerset Isles, inhabited by High Elves, or Altmer, meaning 'superior (and/or snobbish) folk'.
*Cyrodiil, the Imperial province, inhabited by the Imperials, or Cyrodiils, a common human race who form the foundational population of the Empire, although the ruling Septim dynasty are thought to be of at least some Nordic blood (which might explain their long history as conquerors and warrior-kings). The Line of Septim is also known to have some Dunmeri ancestry.
Demographics
The main races are the Bretons, Redguards, Argonians, Khajiit, Altmer (High Elves), Orsimer (Orcs), Imperials, Dunmer (Dark Elves), Bosmer (Wood Elves), and Nords.
All these races are playable in Morrowind and Oblivion. In Arena and Daggerfall, the Orcs weren't playable; in Daggerfall, the Imperials weren't playable, either. In Battlespire, the Argonians and Khajiit weren't playable. Imperials are theoretically playable in Arena, but in some versions, a glitch in the character creation process makes them unavailable. More specifically, one chooses their character's race by selecting the appropriate province on a map. Cyrodiil, for whatever reason, is non-selectable in some versions of Arena. Other, nonplayable races include:
*The Dwemer (meaning 'deep folk' often misinterpreted as referring to their subterranean habits, should be better understood as 'wise/smart folk'), commonly nicknamed 'Dwarves' due to a dubious myth involving their befriending a race of giants, though not actually short in stature. They used to inhabit all of Tamriel, but were concentrated in Morrowind and Hammerfell. They all disappeared simultaneously during the Battle of Red Mountain, when Lord Nerevar 'Godkiller' led the Chimer* in an attack against the Dwarves to keep them from using Kagrenac's Tools. It is believed that Kagrenac attempted to use the tools in desperate gamble, causing the Dwemer to be removed from all of existence. The Dwemer were trying to use the tools to create a God (called 'Numidium') for themselves. The Chimer saw this as an affront to their gods, for whom they faced ridicule and ostracism; thusly the war. According to Ashlander tradition, Nerevar and Dagoth Ur severed the Dwemer connection to the Heart of Lorkhan at the end of this long war, and all the Dwemer turned to dust. Dagoth Ur later admits that he is not sure why. It may have something to do with the Heart of Lorkhan being what kept the Dwemer semi-immortal (un-aging).
*The Chimer, meaning 'changed folk' in Aldmeris, were a small cult of High Elves who were led by the prophet Veloth to the promised land of Resdayn, now called Morrowind. Popular legend suggests they were cursed by the Daedra when they ceased worship and turned to worshiping three god-kings known as the Tribunal. The curse, legend says, brought ash coloured skin from light gray to black in hue, red eyes which glow, as well as hair color restricted to black, white, gray and red. Understandably, this was rather horrific a thing to level at the beautiful and aesthetic High Elves, who were very proud of their gold colored skin, hair and eyes. The curse also contained a promise that some day, Nerevar Indoril would return and signal the downfall of the profane Tribunal Temple. However, Imperial scientists suggest that this is just a myth - and the real cause of the skin and eye color change was because of their change in geography. It is asserted by Imperial scholars that, while it is a fascinating story, it is more likely that the cause was the active volcano they now live by - the ash has caked into their skin, giving it the dark color, and the agitation of the ash and sandstorms in their eyes is credited with their now red eyes.
*The Ayleid, an Elven race who were the original rulers of Cyrodiil and are now apparently extinct. Their ruins can be found scattered across Cyrodiil, and are a lucrative venture for any skilled and brave enough to venture into one and return with treasures. Lesser Welkynd Stones and Varla Stones, which can be found in most such ruins, are 50 and 1000 gold a piece, respectively. There were once also Greater Welkynd Stones, but these have all been plundered and consumed. However, Ayleid sites are littered with ingenious and deadly traps, and have often become the hiding place of gangs of Necromancers, Conjurers, bandits, or other outlaws, or of tribes of goblins, or even, on occasion, vampire clans.
* The Dremora are also regarded, in-game, as a separate race-one can initiate dialogue with some Dremora, and each slain Dremora adds one to your "people killed" tally in Oblivion. Mods exist to toggle the Dremora's "playable" status, making them available at character creation.
Culture
:Main article is Pantheons of Tamriel
Other continents
Although Tamriel is the most well-known and important place in the world, it isn't the only one. Far to the north of Tamriel lies Atmora, from which the Nords came to conquer Tamriel. Atmora, in the Elvish language, means 'Elder Wood'.
To the West of Tamriel lies the sunken continent of Yokuda, from which the people that are now called the Redguards came to take over Hammerfell.
To the East of Tamriel lies the continent of Akavir, which means 'Dragon Land'. Akavir is home to the Akaviri as well as various beast races, including the Tsaesci. There are four major nations of Akavir: Kamal, Tsaesci, Tang Mo, and Ka Po' Tun. Akavir has launched multiple invasions of Tamriel. All have failed. However, a line of Tsaesci did rule Tamriel for some time.
Below Summerset Isle, just to the south of Tamriel, lies Pyandonea, the tropical home of the Maormer or Tropical Elves.
To the distant south of Tamriel supposedly lies the Elven homeland of Aldmeris, or Ehlnofey, which was devastated in ancient times (hence the early migration of Elves to other continents, namely Tamriel).
The Coral Kingdoms of Thras, an archipelago southwest of Tamriel, is the homeland of the sload, a conservative amphibious sluglike race. The Thrassian Plague devastated Tamriel around 1E2200, after which Tamrielic united navy ravaged and sank Thras into the sea. It has since recovered.
The name Tamriel is said to mean 'Starry Heart', while, according to Arena, it is also Elvish for 'Dawn's Beauty', however in the Nu-Mantia Intercept Tamriel is 'the starry heart of Dawn's beauty'
History
Recorded Tamrielic history is divided into four distinct eras, the First Era, the Second Era, the Third Era, and the Fourth Era:
* First Era - The long First Era is mostly marked by the shifting of power from Elves to Men and the birth of some of the most powerful religions in the land. From the heartland of Tamriel, we learn of the struggling human race: from their miserable fate as slaves to finally being able to push out their Altmeri masters from the land. From the northeast part of the continent, the Heart of Lorkhan tempts so many mortals, from the Dwemer to Chimer and eventually Humans. The Divine Heart causes a terrible war, and the extinction of a once great race, the Dwemer.
* Second Era - The Second Era starts after the Akaviri Potentate assassinates the last of the Cyrodiil line. This is also the era when some of the most powerful factions in Tamriel are born, the Mages' Guild and the Dark Brotherhood being two from among the greatest to arise during this time period. The era finally ends after Tiber Septim, wielding a Dwemer artifact called Numidium, successfully unites the entire Tamrielic landmass once again.
* Third Era - The Third Era, which some describe as the most glorious era thus far, is the time of the Septim Dynasty. In fact, the long line of Septim Emperors almost reaches an end at several points in the history of this period. Some of the significant events are the War of the Red Diamond, a civil war over the succession, and a long decade of reign by the traitorous Jagar Tharn. Furthermore, this era is marked by the rebirth of Nerevar Indoril, the greatest Chimeri general; as well as the rebirth of Numidium and the second Dragon Break that follows.
* Fourth Era - In the final days of the Third Era, the emperor, Uriel Septim VII is assassinated at the beginning of the next chapter in the Elder Scrolls, Oblivion, along with all his heirs, save one illegitimate son, Martin. In the final fight for Septim's life, the Blades were aided by an escaped prisoner. It was this escaped prisoner who rescued Martin from the siege of Kvatch, this prisoner who again and again stormed Oblivion, and this prisoner who recovered the Amulet of Kings. It was also this prisoner, called Champion of Cyrodiil, Hero of Kvatch, and Savior of Bruma, who witnessed Martin's ultimate self-sacrifice to end the Oblivion Crisis, and with it, the Third Era.
There are two other Eras previous to the aforementioned four. They are the 'Dawn Era' in which the universe and everything in it came into being, and the 'Merethic Era', otherwise known as the Mythic Era, in which Mer (Elves) first arrived in Tamriel and all manner of mythological occurrences are said to have taken place. These two Eras are commonly considered to be outside of verifiable history, as humanity did not possess a written language to speak of until the end of the Mythic Era. Aldmeri records, on the other hand, date back to the beginning of ME, however these are not open to Imperial scholars.
Government
Tamriel was effectively an Empire, until the end of the Oblivion Crisis, that was ruled by an Emperor of the Septim dynasty. Technically speaking, it was referred to alternately as the Third Empire of Man, the Third Dynasty, or the Seat of Sundered Kings. The centre of the Empire was Cyrodiil, which was the home of both the Emperor and the Elder Council, which serves administrative functions and as an interim government during times of instability. Upon the death of the Emperor, the new Emperor is usually the oldest legitimate child (preferably a son) of the dead Emperor. However, spouses, younger children, siblings and on at least one occasion, an illegitimate child have taken the throne. Below the Emperor is the Elder Council, effectively a Cabinet of sorts. This body rules the Empire in interregnal periods when no heir is to be found. The details of Imperial government below the Elder Council are convoluted and obscure. In addition, each Province has its own government which sees to the affairs of that Province. The Provincial government works parallel to a local Imperial government that seems to handle the Empire's business in that Province, in collusion with the Provincial government. After the death of the last of the Septim Emperors and the disappearance of the last Septim heir, the head of the Elder Council and de facto head of state is Imperial High Chancellor, Grand Battle-Mage Ocato. This role is only practical, however, and may be compared in function to the British Governor-General.
Geography
Tamriel consists of nine provinces, each of these provinces corresponds with their own culture and race, with the exception of High Rock, which houses two distinct species:
*High Rock, inhabited by Bretons, man/elf hybrids on the human side; also Orcs or Orsimer, aldmeris for 'Pariah Folk': Elves so ruined and corrupted that they are often mistaken as akin to goblins and/or trolls. Orsimer live in the city of Orsinium.
*Hammerfell, inhabited by Redguards, in the native also Yokudans, enterprising expansionists from the west, commonly mistaken for men, but not in fact related. Once housed a significant Dwemer* population. It was later Orcish territory until the landing of the Yokudans in their Ra'gada, or "Warrior Wave." It is from this wave that the Redguards take their name, and their swift, easy conquest of Hammerfell that earned them their reputation as the best soldiers upon Nirn.
*Skyrim, inhabited by Nords, hardy men of the north and the only remaining direct and unchanged descendants of the original human 'Nedic' settlers from across the now frozen Sea of Ghosts.
*Morrowind, inhabited by Dark Elves, or Dunmer, meaning 'accursed folk' in Aldmeris. This region once also housed a large Dwemer population. All that remains are their ruins.
*Black Marsh, inhabited by Argonians, highly evolved lizard people, who are commonly looked down upon as beastfolk. For this reason, the Argonians were formerly a popular slave race.
*Elsweyr, inhabited by the Khajiit, cat folk, also commonly looked down upon as savage. The Khajiit were also common slaves.
*Valenwood, inhabited by Wood Elves, or Bosmer in the Elven, meaning 'tree-sap folk', they are the Elven products of blood mixing with men, like the Bretons. The Bretons are a similar race of hybrids leaning more towards the Man stock-the Bosmer lean more towards the Mer.
*Summerset Isles, inhabited by High Elves, or Altmer, meaning 'superior (and/or snobbish) folk'.
*Cyrodiil, the Imperial province, inhabited by the Imperials, or Cyrodiils, a common human race who form the foundational population of the Empire, although the ruling Septim dynasty are thought to be of at least some Nordic blood (which might explain their long history as conquerors and warrior-kings). The Line of Septim is also known to have some Dunmeri ancestry.
Demographics
The main races are the Bretons, Redguards, Argonians, Khajiit, Altmer (High Elves), Orsimer (Orcs), Imperials, Dunmer (Dark Elves), Bosmer (Wood Elves), and Nords.
All these races are playable in Morrowind and Oblivion. In Arena and Daggerfall, the Orcs weren't playable; in Daggerfall, the Imperials weren't playable, either. In Battlespire, the Argonians and Khajiit weren't playable. Imperials are theoretically playable in Arena, but in some versions, a glitch in the character creation process makes them unavailable. More specifically, one chooses their character's race by selecting the appropriate province on a map. Cyrodiil, for whatever reason, is non-selectable in some versions of Arena. Other, nonplayable races include:
*The Dwemer (meaning 'deep folk' often misinterpreted as referring to their subterranean habits, should be better understood as 'wise/smart folk'), commonly nicknamed 'Dwarves' due to a dubious myth involving their befriending a race of giants, though not actually short in stature. They used to inhabit all of Tamriel, but were concentrated in Morrowind and Hammerfell. They all disappeared simultaneously during the Battle of Red Mountain, when Lord Nerevar 'Godkiller' led the Chimer* in an attack against the Dwarves to keep them from using Kagrenac's Tools. It is believed that Kagrenac attempted to use the tools in desperate gamble, causing the Dwemer to be removed from all of existence. The Dwemer were trying to use the tools to create a God (called 'Numidium') for themselves. The Chimer saw this as an affront to their gods, for whom they faced ridicule and ostracism; thusly the war. According to Ashlander tradition, Nerevar and Dagoth Ur severed the Dwemer connection to the Heart of Lorkhan at the end of this long war, and all the Dwemer turned to dust. Dagoth Ur later admits that he is not sure why. It may have something to do with the Heart of Lorkhan being what kept the Dwemer semi-immortal (un-aging).
*The Chimer, meaning 'changed folk' in Aldmeris, were a small cult of High Elves who were led by the prophet Veloth to the promised land of Resdayn, now called Morrowind. Popular legend suggests they were cursed by the Daedra when they ceased worship and turned to worshiping three god-kings known as the Tribunal. The curse, legend says, brought ash coloured skin from light gray to black in hue, red eyes which glow, as well as hair color restricted to black, white, gray and red. Understandably, this was rather horrific a thing to level at the beautiful and aesthetic High Elves, who were very proud of their gold colored skin, hair and eyes. The curse also contained a promise that some day, Nerevar Indoril would return and signal the downfall of the profane Tribunal Temple. However, Imperial scientists suggest that this is just a myth - and the real cause of the skin and eye color change was because of their change in geography. It is asserted by Imperial scholars that, while it is a fascinating story, it is more likely that the cause was the active volcano they now live by - the ash has caked into their skin, giving it the dark color, and the agitation of the ash and sandstorms in their eyes is credited with their now red eyes.
*The Ayleid, an Elven race who were the original rulers of Cyrodiil and are now apparently extinct. Their ruins can be found scattered across Cyrodiil, and are a lucrative venture for any skilled and brave enough to venture into one and return with treasures. Lesser Welkynd Stones and Varla Stones, which can be found in most such ruins, are 50 and 1000 gold a piece, respectively. There were once also Greater Welkynd Stones, but these have all been plundered and consumed. However, Ayleid sites are littered with ingenious and deadly traps, and have often become the hiding place of gangs of Necromancers, Conjurers, bandits, or other outlaws, or of tribes of goblins, or even, on occasion, vampire clans.
* The Dremora are also regarded, in-game, as a separate race-one can initiate dialogue with some Dremora, and each slain Dremora adds one to your "people killed" tally in Oblivion. Mods exist to toggle the Dremora's "playable" status, making them available at character creation.
Culture
:Main article is Pantheons of Tamriel
Other continents
Although Tamriel is the most well-known and important place in the world, it isn't the only one. Far to the north of Tamriel lies Atmora, from which the Nords came to conquer Tamriel. Atmora, in the Elvish language, means 'Elder Wood'.
To the West of Tamriel lies the sunken continent of Yokuda, from which the people that are now called the Redguards came to take over Hammerfell.
To the East of Tamriel lies the continent of Akavir, which means 'Dragon Land'. Akavir is home to the Akaviri as well as various beast races, including the Tsaesci. There are four major nations of Akavir: Kamal, Tsaesci, Tang Mo, and Ka Po' Tun. Akavir has launched multiple invasions of Tamriel. All have failed. However, a line of Tsaesci did rule Tamriel for some time.
Below Summerset Isle, just to the south of Tamriel, lies Pyandonea, the tropical home of the Maormer or Tropical Elves.
To the distant south of Tamriel supposedly lies the Elven homeland of Aldmeris, or Ehlnofey, which was devastated in ancient times (hence the early migration of Elves to other continents, namely Tamriel).
The Coral Kingdoms of Thras, an archipelago southwest of Tamriel, is the homeland of the sload, a conservative amphibious sluglike race. The Thrassian Plague devastated Tamriel around 1E2200, after which Tamrielic united navy ravaged and sank Thras into the sea. It has since recovered.
Daedra (pronounced , more uncommonly , sing. Daedroth) are divine creatures from fictional The Elder Scrolls universe. In the Elder Scrolls video game series, they inhabit the plane of Oblivion (a dimension of Nirn), but are also well-known to the inhabitants of Tamriel, where they are feared and hated by some and worshiped as gods by others. Daedra are very physically diverse, ranging in form from humanoid, to distinctly beastlike, and even to having their souls bound in weapons or armor. Although they can be killed by the player, they are considered immortal, as their soul is inevitably resurrected back in Oblivion in the event that their physical body is destroyed.
Introduction
According to lore from the fictional Elder Scrolls universe, the term "Daedra" is of Altmeric (High Elven) origin, its literal translation being "not our ancestors" as opposed to Aedra - " ancestors". Although the singular form of the word is technically daedroth, it has become common practice to refer to these beings in both the singular and plural simply as daedra. Daedra are frequently thought to be demonic in form. This is untrue however, with most Daedric Princes and most of the creatures being non-demonic. Daedra do wield tremendous destructive power, however, and are frequently associated with death, ruin, and disarray.
In the video game series, a Daedroth's physical form can be destroyed, but they cannot be truly killed; the soul or animus of a slain Daedroth returns to the void of Oblivion until it is able to return to physical form. The torturous period in the void can last centuries, and is the closest sensation to death that a Daedroth can experience.
In the fictional Elder Scrolls universe, Daedra are not easily defined within the ordinary bounds of good or evil, however due to the destructive acts of some Daedric princes they have come to be regarded by most as evil beings. Amongst the majority of Tamriel's populace, the Daedra are seen as naturally evil, as many concepts of evil are directly relative to the mortal world (i.e. destruction is evil, and chaos is evil), though the Daedra are simply different in and of themselves, being entities of change. As such, their evilness is not borne out of malice, but out of genuinely conflicting natures (consider alien beings attempting to terraform the earth by burning off its atmosphere and raising the temperature thousands of degrees). Similarly, humans who evince Daedric behavior are commonly thought evil, as that sort of behavior often controverts the natural order.
An interesting fact that probably explains Mehrunes Dagon's ambitions to conquer Tamriel (aside from the fact that ambition itself is part of his sphere of government), is that, according to lore in the fictional universe, Daedra spirits never really die. Simply put, Dagon cannot perform the acts that are his namesake (The Prince of Destruction). No matter how much the Lord of Destruction destroys Oblivion, it always comes back, as described in "Spirits of the Daedra". But in Tamriel, if someone dies, they stay dead and rarely do they ever "come back." This is distinctly a problem for the main characters within the game.
Daedric forms, appearances and character
In the fictional game series, Daedra appear in many different forms. The most important are the Daedric Princes, powerful spirits. There are also "lesser Daedra" beings known to be in league with these greater powers. Whether all of these constitute actual Daedra or if some are simply equivalents of the mortal realm's tame animals is as yet unstated in the game series.
In the fictional series, Daedra generally seem to view mortals as little more than minor amusements, giving some applause whenever a mortal being exceeds certain expectations. They do however take interest in their worshippers, sometimes considering them foolish, but with some Daedra thinking of them as valued servants.
The Daedra see themselves as a superior form of life and feel generally no need for any alliance or truce with any of the mortal races of Tamriel. Some Daedra may be summoned however. There is a popular notion that the summoned Daedra will then give the summoner a quest or task to fulfill and that the quest's completion will see its participant richly rewarded. Mostly these tasks are merely for the entertainment of the Daedra. This is not always so, as Morian Zenas, author of On Oblivion, claims that he was able to successfully summon and speak with Daedra without ever being asked to complete a task or a quest.
Daedric princes
In the fictional Elder Scrolls series, Daedric Princes (not to be mistaken for daedra lords or powerful but ordinary enemies) are the most powerful of the Daedra, and thus most commonly worshipped as gods. Each has a particular sphere, which it is said to govern. Although Daedric Princes may assume the form of a female or male, they have no inherent gender, and are all referred to as princes. In all, there are sixteen princes. Each Daedric Prince has one plane of Oblivion, which total sixteen in all. The most commonly known princes are Azura and Mehrunes Dagon, while Hircine made an appearance in Bloodmoon, the expansion set for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and Sheogorath was prominent in Shivering Isles, the expansion pack for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
The Daedric Princes consist of Azura, Boethiah, Clavicus Vile, Hermaeus Mora, Hircine, Sheogorath,Jyggalag, Malacath, Mehrunes Dagon, Mephala, Meridia, Molag Bal, Namira,Nocturnal, Peryite, Sanguine and Vaermina.
Lesser Daedra
In the video game series, there are many types of lesser Daedra, creatures believed to be created by the Princes as warriors, servants, playthings and worshippers. It should be noted that the descriptions of appearances given here are not necessarily always accurate, as to many Daedra appearance is a matter of choice. Belonging to a particular grouping is however said to shape their bodies and minds, and thus common traits are established.
Humanoids
According to the fictional universe, many Daedra of greater mental capacity prefer a humanoid shape and appearance. The Daedric Princes and their servants are usually among them. Daedra who usually appear in humanoid form are:
*Dremora are generally servants of Mehrunes Dagon. Featured in Battlespire, Morrowind, and Oblivion.
*Golden Saints appear as golden-skinned Elves in golden armor, and serve Sheogorath. Featured in Morrowind and Shivering Isles.
*Dark Seducers come in several varieties, and generally have a mercenary nature. They often serve Mehrunes Dagon, and can more recently be seen to serve Sheogorath in Shivering Isles. Featured in Battlespire, Daggerfall, and Shivering Isles.
* Knights of Order serve Jyggalag; they are humanoid crystallite creatures that use swords and are deadly enemies, and they have crystal hearts which can be used to activate many Order objects. Featured in Shivering Isles.
*Aurorans generally serve the Daedric prince Meridia; they appear as humanoids clad in Ayleid battle armor. They have the same hearts as the Dremora, unlike the Knights of Order hearts.
*Xivilai semi-intelligent creatures who serve Mehrunes Dagon and are seen in the planes of Oblivion. Xivilai often appear as blue - skinned humans. One is featured in Battlespire (unkillable) and they are a common creature in Oblivion.
Reptilians
In the video game series, Daedra have amongst their ranks some reptilian creatures, most of which serve Mehrunes Dagon or Molag Bal. The Daedroth is somewhat humanoid in its appearance, it walks on two legs and possesses two arms, each with deadly claws in place of hands. Its skin is almost entirely scaled and its head is similar to that of a large crocodile's. The teeth of the Daedroth can also be used in potions, and are worth a fair amount to merchants. These Daedra breathe fire, and are capable of inflicting much damage in combat.
Another reptilian Daedra is the Clannfear, perhaps one of the smaller lizards in the Daedra realm, Clannfear resemble a cross between a Triceratops and a Velociraptor - representing the upper & lower body respectively, however it is smaller than the former, yet bigger than the latter. Clannfear have small arms, each with extremely sharp claws that it uses to attack in combat. Their skin is heavily scaled, with small spikes cresting their face and forehead. If slain, a Clannfear's claws can be sold for a fair price in stores. There is also a weaker version of the Clannfear; Clannfear Runts. They are visibly smaller, with a much lower attack strength than their larger brethren. Even though Clannfear are smaller, they can be more dangerous than Daedroth due to the innate ability to reflect damage, a high defence, and very quick attacks.
*Clannfear are featured in Battlespire, Morrowind, and Oblivion.
*Daedroth are featured in Daggerfall, Morrowind, and Oblivion.
Atronach
According to the fictional series, Atronach are Daedra attached to one particular magical element. There are several varieties of atronach, and they vary greatly in terms of strength and physical appearance. All atronach are humanoid in appearance. Flame atronach are roughly human in size, appear female, and are colored black, red and orange (in Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind they were male). Flame atronach use fire magic to attack their foes.
Frost Atronach are larger in build; in The Elder Scrolls IV they dwarf humans at around 8 feet in height - their bodies are light blue in hue, they are jaggedly shaped as if assembled from huge blocks of ice. They reflect sunlight very heavily. This in itself can be a deterrent during daylight hours, as a combatant dazzled by reflecting light can have difficulty fighting in combat. Storm Atronach appear to be nothing more than collections of rocks, loosely held together in a humanoid shape by surging arcs of electricity. Their tactics consist of hurling lightning bolts at their foes and crushing them with their rocky bodies when in close combat. Slaying any of these Atronach will allow one to gather elemental salts off of the atronach's remains, which can be used in alchemical mixtures or can be sold.
Atronach have no strong connection to any Prince, serving one or another at will.
Steel and Flesh Atronach are increasingly rare, and have not been seen on Tamriel since the events of the Warp in the West. However, in the Shivering Isles expansion to Oblivion, Flesh Atronach again make an appearance.
*Flame Atronach are featured in Daggerfall, Morrowind and Oblivion.
*Frost Atronach are featured in Daggerfall, Morrowind and Oblivion.
*Storm Atronach are featured in Morrowind, and Oblivion.
*Flesh Atronach are featured in Daggerfall and Shivering isles.
Others
* Winged Twilights are the only known Daedric creatures capable of flight, they bear some resemblance to Harpies, their skin is a blue color with their skulls being about the same size as a human's, and they also possess large tails. They share features with human females, feminine facial features and hair in a ponytail. They are servants of Azura. Featured in Morrowind.
* Spider Daedra appear as a kind of spider-centaur, a large spider with a human torso in place of a head. They have the ability to summon Spiderlings and use Shock magic. They are associated with Mephala, and are so unruly and irrational that not even Mephala's worshippers will often summon them, for fear that they will disobey their orders. Featured in Battlespire, Oblivion.
* Ogrim are enormous Daedra with very little intellect, but which are chiefly sent into the mortal world to menace living things for the amusement of Daedra Princes. Ogrim are associated with Malacath. Featured in Morrowind.
* Hungers are powerful and violent warriors with some magic ability, associated with Sheogorath in the Shivering Isles and Boethiah in Morrowind. Featured in Morrowind, Shivering Isles.
*Scamps are small goblin-like creatures, skittish in nature. They are often associated with Mehrunes Dagon. Featured in Battlespire, Morrowind, Oblivion.
*Vermai appear similar to scamps, but are fairly hardier. Featured in Battlespire, Redguard.
*Herne and Morphoid Daedra resemble horned scamps, associated with Mehrunes Dagon and Hircine. Featured in Battlespire.
Daedric alphabet
The Daedric alphabet is a typeface of symbols that replace the English alphabet used in The Elder Scrolls video game series. It is incorrect to call Daedric a language, as it is simply an alternate alphabet for the English language.
History and Origins
Fictionally, the Daedric alphabet is the written form used by the Daedra and Dunmer of Tamriel. The language is strongly affiliated with magicka (Daedric letters are often referred to as sigils), with various scrolls and tomes (Such as the Mysterium Xarxes in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion) written in the Daedric alphabet. The exact source of the alphabet is unknown, it is believed to be the creation of the Daedra themselves, then passed down to the mortal realm.
In actuality, the Daedric alphabet is the creation of Bethesda Softworks, a video game studio located in Rockville, Maryland with a strong emphasis on Role Playing Games. In fact, the PC versions of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion shipped with a Daedric True Type Font.
Character Set
The Daedra use their own calligraphy, but the underlying language is closely similar to the Modern Cyrodiilic language. The following is the best known Daedric character set.
Some letters, such as Doht, Hekhem, and Jeb, have alternate forms. This is due to inconsistencies of these letters throughout the video game series. A possible fictional explanation is cultural differences between the provinces of Morrowind and Cyrodiil, the two areas of Tamriel Daedric writings are seen most. The naming convention of the Daedric lettering strongly resembles that of the real-world Phoenician alphabet.
Xayah and Yahkem
The Daedric letters Xayah (X) and Yahkem (Y) are usually omitted from the Daedric alphabet in scrolls and books found in the games. However, the letter Yahkem makes an appearance in sign and banners in Morrowind, such as the sign outside of Tel Fyr. The letter Xayah has yet to be seen in any Elder Scrolls game. Therefore, its aesthetics are purely speculation at this point and it is unknown why these letters are omitted from the alphabet in the first place.
Writing Customs
In Morrowind, a region of the fictional series, the Dunmer peoples often write words in a cluster form, instead of the standard left to right.
It should be noted that in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, none of the Daedric writings seen in the game are written in cluster form. It would seem that the word cluster is a Dunmeri custom, thus being found prominently throughout Morrowind.
Daedra worship
In the fictional universe, Daedra are widely worshipped in the realms of Tamriel with many shrines located throughout the Empire. Those who worship Daedra see them as gods, their conceptions of their respective Daedric gods varying widely. Mainstream religious authorities such as the Church of the Nine Divines disapprove of the practice. Thus, worshippers are often driven away from various localities in processes resemblant of witchhunts, though during the process many participants are often surprised at the sane, down to earth nature many of the Daedric worshippers (save Mehrunes Dagon's and Sheogorath's) possess, which contrasts greatly with the common perception of blood-drinking baby-eaters reminiscent of real-world notions of Satanic Panic. Historically, orcs and dark elves were common Daedra worshipers, but that has changed recently; The Orcs who live in Orsinium mostly worship Trinimac, the former aedric incarnation of Malacath from before the Velothi exodus, while Imperial endeavors into Morrowind have won converts to the Church of the Nine Divines.
Towards the end of the Third Era Daedra worship became increasingly more prevalent across Tamriel, with several new shrines being established in Cyrodiil and beyond. The popularity of such worship has created some speculation and rumor amongst citizens of Cyrodiil, some expressing alarm and fear, others curiosity. It is possible for one curious of the practice of worship to visit several Daedra shrines in Cyrodiil (or any other province of Tamriel).
In the video game series, Daedra worshippers often relate that they felt "called" to worship the Daedra, and thus worship by choice. Most times a worshipper follows a Daedra that most closely parallels their own conscience. For example, a follower of Nocturnal, the Daedric Prince of night, might feel a kinship with the darkness, whereas a follower of Mehrunes Dagon may have a great hunger for power.
Conjuring Daedra
In the video game series, worshippers may bind other daedric servants to this plane through rituals and pacts. Such arrangements result in the daedric servant remaining on this plane indefinitely - or at least until their bodily manifestations on this plane are destroyed, precipitating their supernatural essences back to Oblivion. Whenever daedra are encountered at daedric ruins or in tombs, they are almost invariably long-term visitors to the mortal plane.
Most daedric servants can be summoned by sorcerers only for very brief periods, within relatively fragile frameworks of command and binding. Another way daedra are summoned is by pacts made, often the daedric artifacts are lesser daedra bound to our realm by such pacts.
Entering the realm of Oblivion
In the fictional Elder Scrolls universe, the worshippers of Daedra have also tried to use their conjuring skills to enter their master daedra's realms but this is extremely dangerous even for high level summoners and warlocks. In the fourth entry in the video game series, deep within the Cyrodillic wilderness worshippers of the Daedra Peryite tried to enter his realm of Oblivion only to have it backfire and almost trap them into an eternal purgatory. The worshippers had their souls trapped on Oblivion and their bodies bound to Nirn. This results in a quest given to the player by Peryite to retrieve their souls from Oblivion. The souls could be found wandering in an eternal void without thought spouting out philosophical quotes as they wandered Oblivion.
The only safe mode of travel for worshippers of Daedra and travelers otherwise to enter Oblivion is through the stable portal of an Oblivion gate. These portals were constantly seen at the end of the third age of Tamriel as the daedra prince Mehrunes Dagon and his followers planned an invasion of Tamriel. The portals ranged in size from small gates that would open in the wilderness, to the large Great Gates which allowed the daedra to attack two cities directly. The portals are held open by a Sigil Stone at the top of a large tower inside of the Oblivion world that they linked to. The stone works as an anchor for the gate between the two realms. If the Sigil Stone is taken, the portal collapses, and any beings not native to Oblivion are sent back to Tamriel. In the Shivering Isles expansion, a new gate is opened to Sheogorath's realm of the Shivering Isles. The gate differs in appearance from Mehrunes Dagon's and can remain open indefinitely as the gate poses no threat to Nirn's or Mundus' fabrics of space. A barrier had existed between Nirn and Oblivion, kept alive by the Dragonfires in the temple in the Imperial City. Part of a new emperor's coronation was to relight the fires, which are extinguished upon the death of the old emperor. When Emperor Uriel Septim VII died during the events of Oblivion, the Dragonfires were extinguished, allowing Mehrunes Dagon to open portals to Oblivion. The Dragonfires can only be lit by an heir to the throne wielding the Amulet of Kings (the Amulet was stolen by Mankar Camoran in his plot to keep the Dragonfires dim, and thus, the way to Nirn from Oblivion remained open).
In the video game series, there has been one known exception to the aforementioned rule. This was when the currently deceased heir to the Septim bloodline, Martin Septim, opened a portal to Camoran's Paradise (a small island in Mehrunes Dagon's plane of Oblivion dedicated to and controlled by Mankar Camoran) to get the Amulet of Kings. From accounts of the Blades, Martin spent days contemplating the Mysterium Xarxes, the only book to ever be written in Oblivion itself by Mehrunes Dagon in the deserts of suffering and despair. From this, Martin determined that the portal would require four items of almost unbelievable rarity: a Great Sigil Stone, a Great Welkynd Stone, the blood of a Daedra, and the blood of an Aedra. The Champion of Cyrodiil (the player) gathered these through perilous journeys to give to Martin. Martin then opened a portal to Camoran's Paradise where the Champion retrieved the Amulet of Kings from the powerful Daedric worshipper, Camoran himself.
Introduction
According to lore from the fictional Elder Scrolls universe, the term "Daedra" is of Altmeric (High Elven) origin, its literal translation being "not our ancestors" as opposed to Aedra - " ancestors". Although the singular form of the word is technically daedroth, it has become common practice to refer to these beings in both the singular and plural simply as daedra. Daedra are frequently thought to be demonic in form. This is untrue however, with most Daedric Princes and most of the creatures being non-demonic. Daedra do wield tremendous destructive power, however, and are frequently associated with death, ruin, and disarray.
In the video game series, a Daedroth's physical form can be destroyed, but they cannot be truly killed; the soul or animus of a slain Daedroth returns to the void of Oblivion until it is able to return to physical form. The torturous period in the void can last centuries, and is the closest sensation to death that a Daedroth can experience.
In the fictional Elder Scrolls universe, Daedra are not easily defined within the ordinary bounds of good or evil, however due to the destructive acts of some Daedric princes they have come to be regarded by most as evil beings. Amongst the majority of Tamriel's populace, the Daedra are seen as naturally evil, as many concepts of evil are directly relative to the mortal world (i.e. destruction is evil, and chaos is evil), though the Daedra are simply different in and of themselves, being entities of change. As such, their evilness is not borne out of malice, but out of genuinely conflicting natures (consider alien beings attempting to terraform the earth by burning off its atmosphere and raising the temperature thousands of degrees). Similarly, humans who evince Daedric behavior are commonly thought evil, as that sort of behavior often controverts the natural order.
An interesting fact that probably explains Mehrunes Dagon's ambitions to conquer Tamriel (aside from the fact that ambition itself is part of his sphere of government), is that, according to lore in the fictional universe, Daedra spirits never really die. Simply put, Dagon cannot perform the acts that are his namesake (The Prince of Destruction). No matter how much the Lord of Destruction destroys Oblivion, it always comes back, as described in "Spirits of the Daedra". But in Tamriel, if someone dies, they stay dead and rarely do they ever "come back." This is distinctly a problem for the main characters within the game.
Daedric forms, appearances and character
In the fictional game series, Daedra appear in many different forms. The most important are the Daedric Princes, powerful spirits. There are also "lesser Daedra" beings known to be in league with these greater powers. Whether all of these constitute actual Daedra or if some are simply equivalents of the mortal realm's tame animals is as yet unstated in the game series.
In the fictional series, Daedra generally seem to view mortals as little more than minor amusements, giving some applause whenever a mortal being exceeds certain expectations. They do however take interest in their worshippers, sometimes considering them foolish, but with some Daedra thinking of them as valued servants.
The Daedra see themselves as a superior form of life and feel generally no need for any alliance or truce with any of the mortal races of Tamriel. Some Daedra may be summoned however. There is a popular notion that the summoned Daedra will then give the summoner a quest or task to fulfill and that the quest's completion will see its participant richly rewarded. Mostly these tasks are merely for the entertainment of the Daedra. This is not always so, as Morian Zenas, author of On Oblivion, claims that he was able to successfully summon and speak with Daedra without ever being asked to complete a task or a quest.
Daedric princes
In the fictional Elder Scrolls series, Daedric Princes (not to be mistaken for daedra lords or powerful but ordinary enemies) are the most powerful of the Daedra, and thus most commonly worshipped as gods. Each has a particular sphere, which it is said to govern. Although Daedric Princes may assume the form of a female or male, they have no inherent gender, and are all referred to as princes. In all, there are sixteen princes. Each Daedric Prince has one plane of Oblivion, which total sixteen in all. The most commonly known princes are Azura and Mehrunes Dagon, while Hircine made an appearance in Bloodmoon, the expansion set for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and Sheogorath was prominent in Shivering Isles, the expansion pack for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
The Daedric Princes consist of Azura, Boethiah, Clavicus Vile, Hermaeus Mora, Hircine, Sheogorath,Jyggalag, Malacath, Mehrunes Dagon, Mephala, Meridia, Molag Bal, Namira,Nocturnal, Peryite, Sanguine and Vaermina.
Lesser Daedra
In the video game series, there are many types of lesser Daedra, creatures believed to be created by the Princes as warriors, servants, playthings and worshippers. It should be noted that the descriptions of appearances given here are not necessarily always accurate, as to many Daedra appearance is a matter of choice. Belonging to a particular grouping is however said to shape their bodies and minds, and thus common traits are established.
Humanoids
According to the fictional universe, many Daedra of greater mental capacity prefer a humanoid shape and appearance. The Daedric Princes and their servants are usually among them. Daedra who usually appear in humanoid form are:
*Dremora are generally servants of Mehrunes Dagon. Featured in Battlespire, Morrowind, and Oblivion.
*Golden Saints appear as golden-skinned Elves in golden armor, and serve Sheogorath. Featured in Morrowind and Shivering Isles.
*Dark Seducers come in several varieties, and generally have a mercenary nature. They often serve Mehrunes Dagon, and can more recently be seen to serve Sheogorath in Shivering Isles. Featured in Battlespire, Daggerfall, and Shivering Isles.
* Knights of Order serve Jyggalag; they are humanoid crystallite creatures that use swords and are deadly enemies, and they have crystal hearts which can be used to activate many Order objects. Featured in Shivering Isles.
*Aurorans generally serve the Daedric prince Meridia; they appear as humanoids clad in Ayleid battle armor. They have the same hearts as the Dremora, unlike the Knights of Order hearts.
*Xivilai semi-intelligent creatures who serve Mehrunes Dagon and are seen in the planes of Oblivion. Xivilai often appear as blue - skinned humans. One is featured in Battlespire (unkillable) and they are a common creature in Oblivion.
Reptilians
In the video game series, Daedra have amongst their ranks some reptilian creatures, most of which serve Mehrunes Dagon or Molag Bal. The Daedroth is somewhat humanoid in its appearance, it walks on two legs and possesses two arms, each with deadly claws in place of hands. Its skin is almost entirely scaled and its head is similar to that of a large crocodile's. The teeth of the Daedroth can also be used in potions, and are worth a fair amount to merchants. These Daedra breathe fire, and are capable of inflicting much damage in combat.
Another reptilian Daedra is the Clannfear, perhaps one of the smaller lizards in the Daedra realm, Clannfear resemble a cross between a Triceratops and a Velociraptor - representing the upper & lower body respectively, however it is smaller than the former, yet bigger than the latter. Clannfear have small arms, each with extremely sharp claws that it uses to attack in combat. Their skin is heavily scaled, with small spikes cresting their face and forehead. If slain, a Clannfear's claws can be sold for a fair price in stores. There is also a weaker version of the Clannfear; Clannfear Runts. They are visibly smaller, with a much lower attack strength than their larger brethren. Even though Clannfear are smaller, they can be more dangerous than Daedroth due to the innate ability to reflect damage, a high defence, and very quick attacks.
*Clannfear are featured in Battlespire, Morrowind, and Oblivion.
*Daedroth are featured in Daggerfall, Morrowind, and Oblivion.
Atronach
According to the fictional series, Atronach are Daedra attached to one particular magical element. There are several varieties of atronach, and they vary greatly in terms of strength and physical appearance. All atronach are humanoid in appearance. Flame atronach are roughly human in size, appear female, and are colored black, red and orange (in Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind they were male). Flame atronach use fire magic to attack their foes.
Frost Atronach are larger in build; in The Elder Scrolls IV they dwarf humans at around 8 feet in height - their bodies are light blue in hue, they are jaggedly shaped as if assembled from huge blocks of ice. They reflect sunlight very heavily. This in itself can be a deterrent during daylight hours, as a combatant dazzled by reflecting light can have difficulty fighting in combat. Storm Atronach appear to be nothing more than collections of rocks, loosely held together in a humanoid shape by surging arcs of electricity. Their tactics consist of hurling lightning bolts at their foes and crushing them with their rocky bodies when in close combat. Slaying any of these Atronach will allow one to gather elemental salts off of the atronach's remains, which can be used in alchemical mixtures or can be sold.
Atronach have no strong connection to any Prince, serving one or another at will.
Steel and Flesh Atronach are increasingly rare, and have not been seen on Tamriel since the events of the Warp in the West. However, in the Shivering Isles expansion to Oblivion, Flesh Atronach again make an appearance.
*Flame Atronach are featured in Daggerfall, Morrowind and Oblivion.
*Frost Atronach are featured in Daggerfall, Morrowind and Oblivion.
*Storm Atronach are featured in Morrowind, and Oblivion.
*Flesh Atronach are featured in Daggerfall and Shivering isles.
Others
* Winged Twilights are the only known Daedric creatures capable of flight, they bear some resemblance to Harpies, their skin is a blue color with their skulls being about the same size as a human's, and they also possess large tails. They share features with human females, feminine facial features and hair in a ponytail. They are servants of Azura. Featured in Morrowind.
* Spider Daedra appear as a kind of spider-centaur, a large spider with a human torso in place of a head. They have the ability to summon Spiderlings and use Shock magic. They are associated with Mephala, and are so unruly and irrational that not even Mephala's worshippers will often summon them, for fear that they will disobey their orders. Featured in Battlespire, Oblivion.
* Ogrim are enormous Daedra with very little intellect, but which are chiefly sent into the mortal world to menace living things for the amusement of Daedra Princes. Ogrim are associated with Malacath. Featured in Morrowind.
* Hungers are powerful and violent warriors with some magic ability, associated with Sheogorath in the Shivering Isles and Boethiah in Morrowind. Featured in Morrowind, Shivering Isles.
*Scamps are small goblin-like creatures, skittish in nature. They are often associated with Mehrunes Dagon. Featured in Battlespire, Morrowind, Oblivion.
*Vermai appear similar to scamps, but are fairly hardier. Featured in Battlespire, Redguard.
*Herne and Morphoid Daedra resemble horned scamps, associated with Mehrunes Dagon and Hircine. Featured in Battlespire.
Daedric alphabet
The Daedric alphabet is a typeface of symbols that replace the English alphabet used in The Elder Scrolls video game series. It is incorrect to call Daedric a language, as it is simply an alternate alphabet for the English language.
History and Origins
Fictionally, the Daedric alphabet is the written form used by the Daedra and Dunmer of Tamriel. The language is strongly affiliated with magicka (Daedric letters are often referred to as sigils), with various scrolls and tomes (Such as the Mysterium Xarxes in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion) written in the Daedric alphabet. The exact source of the alphabet is unknown, it is believed to be the creation of the Daedra themselves, then passed down to the mortal realm.
In actuality, the Daedric alphabet is the creation of Bethesda Softworks, a video game studio located in Rockville, Maryland with a strong emphasis on Role Playing Games. In fact, the PC versions of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion shipped with a Daedric True Type Font.
Character Set
The Daedra use their own calligraphy, but the underlying language is closely similar to the Modern Cyrodiilic language. The following is the best known Daedric character set.
Some letters, such as Doht, Hekhem, and Jeb, have alternate forms. This is due to inconsistencies of these letters throughout the video game series. A possible fictional explanation is cultural differences between the provinces of Morrowind and Cyrodiil, the two areas of Tamriel Daedric writings are seen most. The naming convention of the Daedric lettering strongly resembles that of the real-world Phoenician alphabet.
Xayah and Yahkem
The Daedric letters Xayah (X) and Yahkem (Y) are usually omitted from the Daedric alphabet in scrolls and books found in the games. However, the letter Yahkem makes an appearance in sign and banners in Morrowind, such as the sign outside of Tel Fyr. The letter Xayah has yet to be seen in any Elder Scrolls game. Therefore, its aesthetics are purely speculation at this point and it is unknown why these letters are omitted from the alphabet in the first place.
Writing Customs
In Morrowind, a region of the fictional series, the Dunmer peoples often write words in a cluster form, instead of the standard left to right.
It should be noted that in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, none of the Daedric writings seen in the game are written in cluster form. It would seem that the word cluster is a Dunmeri custom, thus being found prominently throughout Morrowind.
Daedra worship
In the fictional universe, Daedra are widely worshipped in the realms of Tamriel with many shrines located throughout the Empire. Those who worship Daedra see them as gods, their conceptions of their respective Daedric gods varying widely. Mainstream religious authorities such as the Church of the Nine Divines disapprove of the practice. Thus, worshippers are often driven away from various localities in processes resemblant of witchhunts, though during the process many participants are often surprised at the sane, down to earth nature many of the Daedric worshippers (save Mehrunes Dagon's and Sheogorath's) possess, which contrasts greatly with the common perception of blood-drinking baby-eaters reminiscent of real-world notions of Satanic Panic. Historically, orcs and dark elves were common Daedra worshipers, but that has changed recently; The Orcs who live in Orsinium mostly worship Trinimac, the former aedric incarnation of Malacath from before the Velothi exodus, while Imperial endeavors into Morrowind have won converts to the Church of the Nine Divines.
Towards the end of the Third Era Daedra worship became increasingly more prevalent across Tamriel, with several new shrines being established in Cyrodiil and beyond. The popularity of such worship has created some speculation and rumor amongst citizens of Cyrodiil, some expressing alarm and fear, others curiosity. It is possible for one curious of the practice of worship to visit several Daedra shrines in Cyrodiil (or any other province of Tamriel).
In the video game series, Daedra worshippers often relate that they felt "called" to worship the Daedra, and thus worship by choice. Most times a worshipper follows a Daedra that most closely parallels their own conscience. For example, a follower of Nocturnal, the Daedric Prince of night, might feel a kinship with the darkness, whereas a follower of Mehrunes Dagon may have a great hunger for power.
Conjuring Daedra
In the video game series, worshippers may bind other daedric servants to this plane through rituals and pacts. Such arrangements result in the daedric servant remaining on this plane indefinitely - or at least until their bodily manifestations on this plane are destroyed, precipitating their supernatural essences back to Oblivion. Whenever daedra are encountered at daedric ruins or in tombs, they are almost invariably long-term visitors to the mortal plane.
Most daedric servants can be summoned by sorcerers only for very brief periods, within relatively fragile frameworks of command and binding. Another way daedra are summoned is by pacts made, often the daedric artifacts are lesser daedra bound to our realm by such pacts.
Entering the realm of Oblivion
In the fictional Elder Scrolls universe, the worshippers of Daedra have also tried to use their conjuring skills to enter their master daedra's realms but this is extremely dangerous even for high level summoners and warlocks. In the fourth entry in the video game series, deep within the Cyrodillic wilderness worshippers of the Daedra Peryite tried to enter his realm of Oblivion only to have it backfire and almost trap them into an eternal purgatory. The worshippers had their souls trapped on Oblivion and their bodies bound to Nirn. This results in a quest given to the player by Peryite to retrieve their souls from Oblivion. The souls could be found wandering in an eternal void without thought spouting out philosophical quotes as they wandered Oblivion.
The only safe mode of travel for worshippers of Daedra and travelers otherwise to enter Oblivion is through the stable portal of an Oblivion gate. These portals were constantly seen at the end of the third age of Tamriel as the daedra prince Mehrunes Dagon and his followers planned an invasion of Tamriel. The portals ranged in size from small gates that would open in the wilderness, to the large Great Gates which allowed the daedra to attack two cities directly. The portals are held open by a Sigil Stone at the top of a large tower inside of the Oblivion world that they linked to. The stone works as an anchor for the gate between the two realms. If the Sigil Stone is taken, the portal collapses, and any beings not native to Oblivion are sent back to Tamriel. In the Shivering Isles expansion, a new gate is opened to Sheogorath's realm of the Shivering Isles. The gate differs in appearance from Mehrunes Dagon's and can remain open indefinitely as the gate poses no threat to Nirn's or Mundus' fabrics of space. A barrier had existed between Nirn and Oblivion, kept alive by the Dragonfires in the temple in the Imperial City. Part of a new emperor's coronation was to relight the fires, which are extinguished upon the death of the old emperor. When Emperor Uriel Septim VII died during the events of Oblivion, the Dragonfires were extinguished, allowing Mehrunes Dagon to open portals to Oblivion. The Dragonfires can only be lit by an heir to the throne wielding the Amulet of Kings (the Amulet was stolen by Mankar Camoran in his plot to keep the Dragonfires dim, and thus, the way to Nirn from Oblivion remained open).
In the video game series, there has been one known exception to the aforementioned rule. This was when the currently deceased heir to the Septim bloodline, Martin Septim, opened a portal to Camoran's Paradise (a small island in Mehrunes Dagon's plane of Oblivion dedicated to and controlled by Mankar Camoran) to get the Amulet of Kings. From accounts of the Blades, Martin spent days contemplating the Mysterium Xarxes, the only book to ever be written in Oblivion itself by Mehrunes Dagon in the deserts of suffering and despair. From this, Martin determined that the portal would require four items of almost unbelievable rarity: a Great Sigil Stone, a Great Welkynd Stone, the blood of a Daedra, and the blood of an Aedra. The Champion of Cyrodiil (the player) gathered these through perilous journeys to give to Martin. Martin then opened a portal to Camoran's Paradise where the Champion retrieved the Amulet of Kings from the powerful Daedric worshipper, Camoran himself.
Hammerfell is a fictional province in The Elder Scrolls series of games and is home to Redguards.
History
The Elder Scrolls series lore surrounding the earliest history of Hammerfell is not entirely consistent, or perfectly clear. ' Before the Ages of Man provides two possible answers to the question of Hammerfell's earliest history, though both are vague. A first passage gives the possibility of 'beastfolk' as Hammerfell's first settlers, though by no means denying possible alternatives. "During the early Merethic Era, the aboriginal beastpeoples of Tamriel -- the ancestors of the Khajiit, Argonian, Orcish, and other beastfolk -- lived in preliterate communities throughout Tamriel." A second passage provides Aldmer, ancestors of the Elder Scrolls series' playable race Altmer, as a second possible choice. "In the Middle Merethic Era, the Aldmeri...refugees left their doomed and now-lost continent of Aldmeris...and settled in southwestern Tamriel. The first colonies were distributed at wide intervals on islands along the entire coast of Tamriel." Frontier, Conquest, and Accommodation is more exact in its terminology, giving "Hammerfell, High Rock, and Cyrodiil" as definites, rather than "Tamriel", and a "ME800-1000" rather than "Middle Merethic" and "early Merethic". The Aldmeri settlement of the region was predominantly coastal, as the Aldmer's inland settlements were "founded primarily in fertile lowlands in southwest and central Tamriel". It was the Nedes who were the majority inhabitants of Hammerfell at the time of the Redguard conquest, as it was primarily "beastfolk and Nedic villagers" who were slaughtered.
The Pocket Guide to The Empire relates the story of early Hammerfell history as a Dwemer holding. According to the Guide, Hammerfell's original name was Volenfell, taken from the name of the Dwemeri Rourken Clan settlement in the region, the "City of the Hammer". The Rourken were opposed to the creation of the joint Dwemer-Chimer state of Resdayn, which prompted their move westward, sometime during the First Era. A myth arose surrounding their exodus, wherein their chieftan is said to have thrown his "mighty hammer, Volendrung, across Tamriel, promising to lead his clansmer to 'wherever it should fall.'" Another source, by former Bethesda employee Douglas Goodall, contains characters who doubt the authenticity of the myth and its relation to the name "Volenfell", which is called, in any case, a "bad translation". Regardless of what fictional characters may or may not believe, the hammer certainly seems to exist.
The fate of the Volenfell Dwemer, like that of all Dwemer, remains a mystery, as they all disappeared at some time during the First Era. However, Hammerfell did not stay uninhabited for very long. A great cataclysm sank the continent of Yokuda to the west, forcing the ancestors of modern Redguards eastward, toward Tamriel. They originally landed on the isle of Herne, and the Ra Gada warriors, eventually anglicized to Redguard, went on to Tamriel, paving a bloody trail through the native Men and Mer for the Yokudans to settle. Assimilation into the rest of Tamriel began relatively quickly, as the Yokudans, while displacing the Men, had adopted many of their customs and traditions.
Hammerfell was conquered by the Second Empire in the Second Age, during which time the Ra Gada warriors were finally granted semi-equal rights to the Na-Totambu ruling class. During the Interregnum (See; Cyrodiil), however, the Na-Totambu regained control, making the Ra Gada a subservient class again. The capital was moved from Old Hegathe to the merchant power of Sentinel, capital of the province to this day.
After the death of Thassad II, the Ra Gada took Sentinel by force, resulting in the bloodiest massacre in Hammerfell history, at the hands of Crown Prince A'tor. Tiber Septim and the Third Empire were called to help, defeating A'tor's forces at the Battle of Hunding Bay. Hammerfell then became a province of the Third Empire.
Afterwards, in the year 397 of the age of the Third Empire (three years prior to the end of the events surrounding Arena), roughly around the time of Jagar Tharn, a rival of the nefarious battlemage would later take up refuge within the city of Dragonstar (located near the Skyrim border) who went by the name of Shadowmage Skelos Undriel. The events of Shadowkey cover the battles between Undriel and Jagar Tharn's proxy, Shadowmaster Pergan Asuul, as Asuul attempts to resurrect the evil monster, Umbra’keth. It would eventually be resolved by an unknown hero (the player) who hailed from Azra's Crossing (located near the western most border of High Rock) and would join forces with Undriel to prevent Tharn from gaining a foothold into Hammerfell.
Geography
Hammerfell is a barren and rocky place, the vast Alik'r desert taking up most of it, fertile grassland exists only on the coasts. As such, the major population centers are on the coastline, while the majority of the country is inhabited only by shifting sands and nomadic tribes. In the north are the Dragontail Mountains, home of the misunderstood groups of Orcs reviled by many Bretons and Redguards.
Politics
Redguards are divided between the mostly Imperial cosmopolitan Redguards, and the wild desert Redguards (Some, at one time, took to biting the heels of the guards, like snakes, as part of their religious beliefs). Many of the Desert people dislike Imperial rule, and as such have been banished from the cities, for the safety of the people.
Notable Places
Sentinel
Judging by its location, Sentinel could be nothing other than a Merchant power- it is situated on rocky, infertile hills overlooking Iliac Bay. It was built in the time of the first Redguard Colonization of Hammerfell, to serve as a base for their battles against the Bretons, but has since been expanded. Its main street is a great market leading from the docks to the front gates. Sentinel is an exotic retreat for the nobility of Daggerfall and Wayrest, who delight in its exotic cooking, craftsmanship, and bizarre plays.
Stros M'kai
Once the home of Crown Prince A'tor, Stros M'kai is an important island near the Cape of the Blue Divide, renowned for its Dwemer ruins, including the marvelous observatory known as the Orrery.
History
The Elder Scrolls series lore surrounding the earliest history of Hammerfell is not entirely consistent, or perfectly clear. ' Before the Ages of Man provides two possible answers to the question of Hammerfell's earliest history, though both are vague. A first passage gives the possibility of 'beastfolk' as Hammerfell's first settlers, though by no means denying possible alternatives. "During the early Merethic Era, the aboriginal beastpeoples of Tamriel -- the ancestors of the Khajiit, Argonian, Orcish, and other beastfolk -- lived in preliterate communities throughout Tamriel." A second passage provides Aldmer, ancestors of the Elder Scrolls series' playable race Altmer, as a second possible choice. "In the Middle Merethic Era, the Aldmeri...refugees left their doomed and now-lost continent of Aldmeris...and settled in southwestern Tamriel. The first colonies were distributed at wide intervals on islands along the entire coast of Tamriel." Frontier, Conquest, and Accommodation is more exact in its terminology, giving "Hammerfell, High Rock, and Cyrodiil" as definites, rather than "Tamriel", and a "ME800-1000" rather than "Middle Merethic" and "early Merethic". The Aldmeri settlement of the region was predominantly coastal, as the Aldmer's inland settlements were "founded primarily in fertile lowlands in southwest and central Tamriel". It was the Nedes who were the majority inhabitants of Hammerfell at the time of the Redguard conquest, as it was primarily "beastfolk and Nedic villagers" who were slaughtered.
The Pocket Guide to The Empire relates the story of early Hammerfell history as a Dwemer holding. According to the Guide, Hammerfell's original name was Volenfell, taken from the name of the Dwemeri Rourken Clan settlement in the region, the "City of the Hammer". The Rourken were opposed to the creation of the joint Dwemer-Chimer state of Resdayn, which prompted their move westward, sometime during the First Era. A myth arose surrounding their exodus, wherein their chieftan is said to have thrown his "mighty hammer, Volendrung, across Tamriel, promising to lead his clansmer to 'wherever it should fall.'" Another source, by former Bethesda employee Douglas Goodall, contains characters who doubt the authenticity of the myth and its relation to the name "Volenfell", which is called, in any case, a "bad translation". Regardless of what fictional characters may or may not believe, the hammer certainly seems to exist.
The fate of the Volenfell Dwemer, like that of all Dwemer, remains a mystery, as they all disappeared at some time during the First Era. However, Hammerfell did not stay uninhabited for very long. A great cataclysm sank the continent of Yokuda to the west, forcing the ancestors of modern Redguards eastward, toward Tamriel. They originally landed on the isle of Herne, and the Ra Gada warriors, eventually anglicized to Redguard, went on to Tamriel, paving a bloody trail through the native Men and Mer for the Yokudans to settle. Assimilation into the rest of Tamriel began relatively quickly, as the Yokudans, while displacing the Men, had adopted many of their customs and traditions.
Hammerfell was conquered by the Second Empire in the Second Age, during which time the Ra Gada warriors were finally granted semi-equal rights to the Na-Totambu ruling class. During the Interregnum (See; Cyrodiil), however, the Na-Totambu regained control, making the Ra Gada a subservient class again. The capital was moved from Old Hegathe to the merchant power of Sentinel, capital of the province to this day.
After the death of Thassad II, the Ra Gada took Sentinel by force, resulting in the bloodiest massacre in Hammerfell history, at the hands of Crown Prince A'tor. Tiber Septim and the Third Empire were called to help, defeating A'tor's forces at the Battle of Hunding Bay. Hammerfell then became a province of the Third Empire.
Afterwards, in the year 397 of the age of the Third Empire (three years prior to the end of the events surrounding Arena), roughly around the time of Jagar Tharn, a rival of the nefarious battlemage would later take up refuge within the city of Dragonstar (located near the Skyrim border) who went by the name of Shadowmage Skelos Undriel. The events of Shadowkey cover the battles between Undriel and Jagar Tharn's proxy, Shadowmaster Pergan Asuul, as Asuul attempts to resurrect the evil monster, Umbra’keth. It would eventually be resolved by an unknown hero (the player) who hailed from Azra's Crossing (located near the western most border of High Rock) and would join forces with Undriel to prevent Tharn from gaining a foothold into Hammerfell.
Geography
Hammerfell is a barren and rocky place, the vast Alik'r desert taking up most of it, fertile grassland exists only on the coasts. As such, the major population centers are on the coastline, while the majority of the country is inhabited only by shifting sands and nomadic tribes. In the north are the Dragontail Mountains, home of the misunderstood groups of Orcs reviled by many Bretons and Redguards.
Politics
Redguards are divided between the mostly Imperial cosmopolitan Redguards, and the wild desert Redguards (Some, at one time, took to biting the heels of the guards, like snakes, as part of their religious beliefs). Many of the Desert people dislike Imperial rule, and as such have been banished from the cities, for the safety of the people.
Notable Places
Sentinel
Judging by its location, Sentinel could be nothing other than a Merchant power- it is situated on rocky, infertile hills overlooking Iliac Bay. It was built in the time of the first Redguard Colonization of Hammerfell, to serve as a base for their battles against the Bretons, but has since been expanded. Its main street is a great market leading from the docks to the front gates. Sentinel is an exotic retreat for the nobility of Daggerfall and Wayrest, who delight in its exotic cooking, craftsmanship, and bizarre plays.
Stros M'kai
Once the home of Crown Prince A'tor, Stros M'kai is an important island near the Cape of the Blue Divide, renowned for its Dwemer ruins, including the marvelous observatory known as the Orrery.