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A Comprehensive Guide to Cyrodiilic Lore for use in Province: Cyrodiil; Lore Guide
Topic Started: Sep 11 2010, 04:18 PM (925 Views)
SamirA
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Here I will be creating as comprehensive a lore guide as I can for use when creating Cyrodiil. It will cover all aspects of Cyrodiil from culture to geography, as well as history and future events that we may elude to in our mod.

Most of the information included here may be found at The Imperial Library.

From this point forward, notes will follow this color scheme:
Red marks any notes that are added from me or any Admin regarding lore notes and how they may apply to P:C.
Gold is for the main title.
White is for a section heading.
Green is for sub-headings.
Orange is for timeline dates.
Blue shows the source of information when given.
Black is simply lore notes found in The Imperial Library or official sources. Some sections may be edited for spelling and grammar, which will not be marked in red as it does not change the meaning of the lore notes.

Cyrodiil Lore Notes:

Like the diamond in the center of the Amulet of Kings, Cyrodiil is the heart of the Septim Empire and Tamriel. Still largely forested and almost landlocked, the beauty of the land has been sung of since time immemorial. Three Empires have wielded their power from the strategic center of the continent, so it is little wonder that Cyrodiil is widely known simply as The Imperial Province.

Geography:
Most of Cyrodiil is covered in endless jungle. Its center, the grassland of the Nibenay Valley (This should include the Heartlands), is enclosed by an equatorial rain forest and broken up by rivers. As one travels south along these rivers, the more subtropical it becomes, until finally the land gives way to the swamps of Argonia and the placid waters of the Topal Bay. The elevation rises gradually to the west and sharply to the north. Between its western coast and its central valley there are all manner of deciduous forest and mangroves, becoming sparser towards the ocean. The western coast is a wet-dry area, and from Rihad border to Anvil to the northernmost Valenwood villages forest fires are common in summer. There are a few major roads to the west, river paths to the north, and even a canopy tunnel to the Velothi Mountains, but most of Cyrodiil is a river-based society surrounded by jungle.

Culture:
Colovia
The West is respected as Cyrodiil's iron hand: firm, unwavering, and ever-vigilant. The Cyro-Nords that settled it had relinquished the fertile Nibenay Valley long ago, determined to conquer the frontier. Their primitive ferocity was disinclined to magic or the need for industry, preferring bloody engagement and plunder instead. After they had captured the Nedic port-cities of the Strident coast, the Westerners embarked on a mastery of the sea. Their earliest voyages took them as far as the Iliac Bay and the Cape of the Blue Divide, whose ports they annually raided until the (then) superior Yokudan navies arrived, ca. 1E810. By the time of the Alessian Reformation, the Westerners were firmly in a position, both geographically and socially, to resist its doctrines. Hammerfell, its northern border state, was now protected by its own holy-avenging order, the Ra Gada, whose bloody intolerance for foreigners acted as West Cyrodiil's buffer against the Alessian priesthood. The pantheon of Eight Divines, therefore, survived unchecked in Western Cyrodiil, and relations with the increasingly Alessian East became strained. Ultimately, the West isolated itself from the theocratic hegemony of the Nibenay Valley, establishing an autonomous government, the Colovian Estates.

The Colovians today still possess much of the frontier spirit of their ancestors. They are uncomplicated, self-sufficient, hearty, and extremely loyal to one another. Whenever the East would tremble under the weakness of a leader, the Colovians would withdraw unto themselves, always believing they were keeping the national spirit safe until the storm passed. They realize that the Nibenay Valley is the heart of the Empire and the cultural center of its civilization, but it is a fragile center that only can be held together by the strength of character of its Emperor. When he falters, so do the Colovians. Yet when he is mighty, like Tiber Septim, they are his legions. Today, West Cyrodiils make up the majority of the soldiers in the Ruby Ranks. The Colovian nobility, all officers of the Imperial Legions or its West Navy, do not allow themselves the great expenditure of courtly life as is seen in the capital city. They prefer immaculate uniforms and stark standards hanging from the ceiling of their austere cliff-fortresses; to this day, they become a little perplexed when they must visit the grandly decorated assault of color that is the Emperor's Palace. Colovian officers have traditionally been appointed as provincial governors to the human regions of the Empire, as these often need the most forthright of the Emperor's men.

Nibenay
the East is regarded as the region's soul: magnanimous, tolerant, and administrative. It was in the rain forests of the Nibenay Valley that the original Cyro-Nordic tribes, the Nibenese, learned a self-reliance that separated them culturally and economically from Skyrim. The Elven harassment of the First Empire gave rise to an elite form of support troop for the Valley armies, the battlemage. By the time the Alessian Doctrines filtered down from the north along the river trade ways, these mages had become the ruling aristocracy. They were quickly superseded by the Alessian priesthood, whose inexplicably charismatic religion found purchase in the lower classes. The traditional Nordic pantheon of Eight Divines was replaced by a baroque veneration of ancestor spirits and god-animals, practices encouraged by the mutable-yet-monotheistic doctrines of the Alessian faith. The doctrines eventually codified nearly every aspect of Eastern culture. Restrictions against certain kinds of meat-eating, coupled with the sentiments of the blossoming animal cults, soon made agriculture and husbandry nearly impossible. Thus, many of the Eastern Cyrodiils were forced to become merchants, which, over time, allowed the Nibenay Valley to become the wealthiest city-state in the region. Yet, under Alessian rule, no matter how rich or powerful the merchant class became it was still a tenanted citizenry, and the tithes they were forced to pay the priesthood were constant reminders of the state's true masters.

The Nibenese people of Cyrodiil relish in garish costumes, bizarre tapestries, tattoos, brandings, and elaborate ceremony. Closer to the wellspring of civilization, they are more given to philosophy and the evolution of ancient traditions. The Nibenese find the numinous in everything around them, and their different cults are too numerous to mention (the most famous are the Cult of the Ancestor-Moth, the Cult of Heroes, the Cult of Tiber Septim, and the Cult of Emperor Zero). To the Colovians, the ancestor worship and esoteric customs of the East can often be bizarre. Akaviri dragon-motifs are found in all quarters, from the high minaret bridges of the Imperial City to the paper hako skiffs that villagers use to wing their dead down the rivers. Thousands of workers ply the rice fields after the floodings, or clear the foliage of the surrounding jungle in the alternate seasons. Above them are the merchant-nobility, the temple priests and cult leaders, and the age-old aristocracy of the battlemages. The Emperor watches over them all from the towers of the Imperial City, as dragons circle overhead.

(Eventually war with the Akaviri united the two distinct cultures, solidifying the Empire. The distinct culture of the Colovians and Nibenese still remain however and as such The Colovians still live in a more spartan manner while the Nibenese live lives in more extravagance and color.)

Places of Note:
The Imperial City
Refayj's famous declaration, "There is but one city in the Imperial Province,--" may strike the citizens of the Colovian west as mildly insulting, until perhaps they hear the rest of the remark, which continues, "--but one city in Tamriel, but one city in the World; that, my brothers, is the city of the Cyrodiils." From the shore it is hard to tell what is city and what is Palace, for it all rises from the islands of the lake towards the sky in a stretch of gold. Whole neighborhoods rest on the jeweled bridges that connect the islands together. Gondolas and river-ships sail along the watery avenues of its flooded lower dwellings. Moth-priests walk by in a cloud of ancestors; House Guards hold exceptionally long daikatanas crossed at intersections, adorned with ribbons and dragon-flags; and the newly arrived Western legionnaires sweat in the humid air. The river mouth is tainted red from the tinmi soil of the shore, and river dragons rust their hides in its waters. Across the lake the Imperial City continues, merging into the villages of the southern red river and ruins left from the Interregnum. The Emperor's Palace is a crown of sun rays, surrounded by his magical gardens. One garden path is known as Green Emperor Road-here, topiaries of the heads of past Emperors have been shaped by sorcery and can speak. When one must advise Tiber Septim, birds are drawn to the hedgery head, using their songs as its voice and moving its branches for the needed expressions. (Tiber Septim and Cuhlecain are two of the heads that should be included in the hedges lining Green Emperor Road...though we should perhaps rename it Green Emperor Way in the Oblivion style as we are only a few short years prior to those events.)

Cloud Ruler Temple
Cloud Ruler Temple, is a relic left over from the Akaviri invasion. This fortress built in the Akaviri style is now the home of the Blades. Like in Oblivion we should use this area to give quests from and many of the Oblivion Blades should be found here as well.

Temple of the Ancestor-Moths
The training center of the Ancestor-Moth monastic cult is a building that didn't make it into Oblivion unless I'm mistaken. The are is marked on some official maps though and can be found for us to approximate it's location in our Cyrodiil. At this temple and in the Imperial City we would do well to include very impressive looking monk NPC's to show off some of Cyrodiil's culture.

Sancre Tor
Sancre Tor was a fortified city once conquered by Tiber Septim that later fell into ruins. The mythical birthplace of Reman Cyrodiil, it is located in the Jerall Mountains in Colovia, north of the city of Chorrol. In 2E 852, the city was captured by invading forces from High Rock and Skyrim. General Talos, who would later become Tiber Septim, recaptured the city that winter, however as the city was in a strategically inconvenient position it was then abandoned. The old fortress of Sancre Tor was later corrupted by the Underking, prompting it to be sealed shut by the Grandmaster of the Blades in the 36th Year of the Reign of Tiber Septim. In the years after Tiber Septim's reign it was gradually forgotten, decaying into a haunted ruin. (In Oblivion's main plot the Player enters Sancre Tor and finds the Blood of Talos on Talos' armor. With this information we cannot then allow the player to obtain the armor of Talos. We can still use this location as a haunted grave sight with some powerful undead, many of which would be undead Blades. These Undead blades might hold some powerful unique weapons for the player to obtain.)
Timeline:
The Past
This timeline shows many past events that are of importance in shaping our Cyrodiil. Some items do not hold much interest and may be removed from the list but the Beginning point and the end point all have repercussions in our Cyrodiil.

3E 139
Sir Casimir, one of the remaining Knights of the Nine accidentally murders a beggar, and left the Gauntlet of the Crusader, one of the Crusader's Relics, on the floor of the Chapel of Stendarr of Chorrol. Nobody is able to move the gauntlets ever since.
Source: The Knights of the Nine. (The Gauntlet of the Crusader should be found lying on the floor in our version of the Chapel of Stendarr in Chorrol. It should be Static.)

3E 335
The city of Anvil is in uproar. One of its respectable citizens, Lorgren Benirus, is discovered practicing Necromancy. The people of Anvil band together with the Mages Guild and storm his manor. Lorgren Benirus is killed, but then after his death, Banirus Manor starts to be haunted.
Source: Scrap from Lorgren's Diary (For us this means the Benirus Manor should be in Anvil and is clearly haunted. The location should not be made available for the Player to enter, however, as it is not until the events in Oblivion that Benirus Manor is cleansed. It should merely serve as a location that people will recognize if they played Oblivion.)

3E 336
Nulfaga, a powerful sorceress and the mother to the future Daggerfall King Lysandus, is born.

3E 339
Morihatha dies. Morihatha's nephew, Pelagius IV, takes the throne and continues the campaign of Morihatha. An Argonian Councilman, Thoricles Romus, furious at Morihatha's refusal to send troops to his troubled lands, is believed to be the man who hired an assassin who claimed her life. Thoricles Romus is summarily tried and executed.
Source: A Brief History of the Empire.

3E 340
Eadwyre, future King of Wayrest and husband to Carolyna and Barenziah, is born.

3E 346
Uriel VII is born.

3E 353
Mynisera, future wife to Lysandus, King of Daggerfall, is born.

3E 354
Lysandus, future King of Daggerfall, is born to Arslan II and Nulfaga.

3E 368
Pelagius IV dies, his son Uriel Septim VII takes the throne.
Source: A Brief History of the Empire.

In Hammerfell, Cameron, the future King of Sentinel, is born.

3E 369
Akorithi, future Queen of Sentinel and wife to Cameron, is born.

3E 370
The future TES1: Arena Hero/Eternal Champion is born.

3E 375
The future TES2: Daggerfall Hero/Uriel Septim VII's Agent is born.

3E 376
Jagar Tharn manages to acquire the Staff of Chaos (Balac-thurm) from a dungeon below Mournhold city in Morrowind. Jagar Tharn in the guise of a bard known as Nightingale, tricks Queen Barenziah to open the way into an ancient dungeon below Mournhold city, the place where the powerful artifact was hidden.
Source: The Real Barenziah, The Final Lesson.

Helseth is born to Barenziah and Symmachus.

3E 377
King Arslan II, father to Lysandus, King of Daggerfall, dies. Lysandus becomes the King of Daggerfall.

Prince Geldall, the official heir of Uriel Septim VII is born.

3E 378
Prince Enman, one of the sons of Uriel Septim VII, is born.

3E 380
Prince Ebel, one of the sons of Uriel Septim VII, is born.

3E 381
Gothryd, son of Lysandus and Mynisera, rulers of Daggerfall, is born.

3E 384
Morgiah is born to Barenziah and Symmachus.

3E 385
In High Rock Province, the Duke of Camlorn and his entire family are assassinated, and his daughter, Princess Talara, is missing. The Duke of Oloine, the brother of Duke of Camlorn takes the throne of Camlorn.
Source: The Mystery of Princess Talara.

In this year, Arthago, the "first" prince of Sentinel, Hammerfell is born to Cameron and Akorithi. He has poor health and is weak. The name of this prince and his fate is never known to the public and it is just said that the Underking took him for no apparent reason.
Source: Daggerfall Storyline: The Third Prince of Sentinel, Night Falls On Sentinel.

3E 386
Aubk-i is born to Cameron and Akorithi, rulers of Sentinel.

3E 389
Elysana is born to Carolyna and Eadwyre, rulers of Wayrest.

3E 389-3E 399
Jagar Tharn uses his magic to guise himself as the Emperor Uriel Septim VII and rules the Empire, waving chaos in the name of order. Thus starts the Imperial Simulacrum. Jagar Tharn previously uses a powerful artifact known as Staff of Chaos to teleport Uriel Septim VII into another dimension. Then, Tharn breaks the Staff of Chaos into eight parts and manages them hidden in eight obscured places in eight different provinces. The places are Fang Lair, the Labyrinthian, Elden Grove, the Halls of Colossus, the Crystal Tower, the Crypt of Hearts, Murkwood, and the dreaded Dagoth-Ur. This is the start of TES1: Arena.
Source: Arena Storyline.

"During the 10-year rule of the Impostor Jagar Tharn, the provinces were shattered by four devastating wars, and the political policies of the Imperial administration fell into shambles. But for the Restoration, there would be no Empire today."
- from Niso's LIVES OF THE EMPERORS

In an unrecorded year in this decade, Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon overruns the Battlespire, the proving ground for Imperial Battlemages. One unknown hero, with the help of the surviving inhabitants of the Battlespire, daedric treachery and the old man Chimere Graegyn, manages to vanquish the daedra. In the process the Battlespire is also destroyed. The daedric invasion is the result of the deal between Jagar Tharn and Mehrunes Dagon. A necessary action for Tharn to smoothen his rule as false Emperor. This is the story of TESL: Battlespire.
Source: Battlespire Storyline.

"...for had not Jagar Tharn been robbed of the support of the archfiend Mehrunes Dagon and his fell minions, then Ria Silmane and her champion might never have revealed Tharn's imposture, and long might the rightful emperor have languished imprisoned in Dagon's dark prisons within the Void."
- From THE CHRONICLES OF JANISIERE

Chimere Graegyn himself, a powerful Direnni Summoner, had attempted to trick the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon for a certain profitable reward. He uses an artifact of Daedric Prince Malacath's creation (some says it's Hircine's creation), Armor of Savior's Hide to cast Mehrunes Dagon into Oblivion. In the last critical moment, instead of letting his power drained out, Mehrunes Dagon used all his remaining power to curse the Summoner. Chimere and the island where he lives are cast into the void; all the inhabitants are killed, except Chimere. In the tragic end, Chimere is condemned to live forever among the ruins of his greatest ambition.
Source: Tal Marog Ker's Researches.

3E 392
Greklith is born to Cameron and Akorithi, rulers of Sentinel. In the same year, Carolyna, Queen of Wayrest and wife of Eadwyre, dies.

3E 393
Lhotun is born to Cameron and Akorithi, rulers of Sentinel.

3E 394-3E 399
The Five Year War. Elswyer defeats Valenwood.

"The war started with the so-called "Slaughter of Torval." The Khajiit claim that the Bosmer invaded the city without provocation and killed over a thousand citizens before being driven off by reinforcements from a nearby jungle tribe. The Bosmer claim that the attack was in retaliation for Khajiti bandits who were attacking wood caravans headed for Valenwood."
- from Codus Callonus' MIXED UNIT TACTICS IN THE FIVE YEARS WAR, VOLUME ONE

Source: A Brief History of the Empire, Dance In Fire, Mixed Unit Tactics in the Five Years War, Volume One.

3E 396-3E 397
A series of regional wars break throughout Tamriel.

War of the Blue Divide. Summurset Isle defeats Valenwood. The war is ended with the Altmer win several new coastal islands from the Bosmer.
Source: A Brief History of the Empire, Dance In Fire.

The War of the Bend'r-mahk. Skyrim destroys the combined forces of Hammerfell and High Rock. The eastern part of Dragonstar city of Hammerfell falls to the Skyrim force led by General Duvais; while the Hammerfell force regroups and defends the western region of the city. Both forces build walls that separate the city permanently into two regions. The wall that separates the city still exists to these days, and the eastern region is still occupied by Skyrim – creating political obstacle between the two Provinces.
Source: A Brief History of the Empire, Shadowkey Storyline.

The Arnesian War, a war between Morrowind and Black Marsh. The death of one of the merchant leaders of Morrowind during a slave revolt in the border Morrowind-Black Marsh raises the sentiment against the Argonian. Morrowind attacks Black Marsh. During this chaotic war, King Symmachus is killed. Barenziah with her two children, fled to the Imperial City, pleading the help of the Emperor. During the audience with the Emperor, Barenziah awares that the person she faced is not the real Emperor. She stays in the Imperial City and manages to find the secret locations of the pieces of the Staff of Chaos. Together with King Eadwyre of Wayrest, and the ghost of Ria Silmane (a sorceress and former apprentice of Jagar Tharn), she plots to topple the imposter.
Source: The Real Barenziah, Biography of Queen Barenziah, Lives of the Saints, A Brief History of the Empire.

3E 397
Shadowmage Skelos Undriel is on the run, with agents of the Battlemage Jagar Tharn in close pursuit. He flees from the center of the Tamrielic Empire to the Western Reach, where the borders of High Rock, Hammerfell and Skyrim meet. These three regions are engaged in a bitter conflict, The War of the Bend'r-mahk. Undriel manages to recruit a young adventurer to collect magical objects called Shadowkey and in turn to gather Star Teeth. With the help from Azra Nightwielder (the greatest of Shadowmages), the young adventurer manages to collect all the Star Teeth, destroys Tharn's underlings and defeats the daunting shadow power of Umbra'Keth in the ancient dungeon of the Crypt of Hearts. This is the story of TEST: Shadowkey.
Source: Shadowkey Storyline.

3E 398
On 29th of Sun's Dusk of this year, the Archbishop Calaxes dissapeared in the Imperial City. It is rumored that Lady Allena Benoch and the Imperial Guard assassinated him due to the advocation a full-scale rebellion to establish a theocracy over the Empire.
Source: Lady Benoch's Words and Philosophy.

3E 399
A mysterious hero manages to go to eight obscured places in eight different provinces to recover the eight pieces of the Staff of Chaos with the guide of the ghost of Ria Silmane. The hero defeats Jagar Tharn in the final showdown in the Imperial Palace dungeon and releases Uriel Septim VII from the dimensional prison. The hero is awarded the title of the Eternal Champion. This is the story of TES1: Arena.
Source: The Real Barenziah, Arena Storyline.

On the same year, Gortwog wins the Orsinium area after he defeated Lord Bowyn of Wayrest in a fair competition. This marks the start of the rise of the Orcs. From that moment on, he works hard for Orsinium and the Orcs for them to be accepted as the official citizen of the Empire.
Source: How Orsinium Passed to the Orcs.

3E 400
Arthago, the Ill-fated first prince of Sentinel, Hammerfell, is sent to Castle Faalem. He was left there to die, to make a smoother way to the throne for his stronger brother Greklith. Lhotun (the official second prince of Sentinel) learns about the fate of his older brother from the mysterious Daggerfall hero. The name of this prince is Arthago.
Source: Daggerfall Storyline: The Third Prince of Sentinel, Night Falls On Sentinel.

At Vvardenfell, Morrowind, Kogoruhn is reoccupied by Dagoth Uthol and fortified as an advanced base for Sixth House operations. Blight storms become more frequent and widespread. Soul sickness spreads in regions close to Red Mountain.
Source: Dagoth Ur's Plans.

3E 401
Nulfaga of Daggerfall, High Rock, finds the exact location of the Mantella, the heart of Numidium. She makes a deal with the Blades, but the deal is not accepted. At this time the Blades has managed to collect most of the Numidium pieces, even the Totem of Tiber Septim has already in their grasp. The Emperor sends a letter to the spy who has infiltrate the Royal Family of Daggerfall in order to procure the information by any means necessary. The letter never arrives to the right hand, and causes some political intrigues between the Royal Families in the Iliac Bay.
Source: Daggerfall: A Narrative.

3E 402
War of Betony begins. A war between Sentinel of Hammerfell and Daggerfall of High Rock. Lord Mogref of Betony Island for monetary reasons agrees to vassal himself and the rest of Betony to King Lysandus of Daggerfall. King Camaron of Sentinel objects. The war is unavoided.

3E 403
The Lord of Reich Gradkeep tries to facilitate the peace negotiation between two warring city-states. In the appointed day, King Lysandus of Daggerfall and King Camaron of Sentinel meet at the Palace of Reich Gradkeep for a truce. The supposed peace meeting turns to be a bloody conflict after a dead lock, the whole city of Reich Gradkeep is erupted in battles. The entire family of Reich Gradkeep is killed. The only surviving member of the ruling family of Reich Gradkeep is a sickly infant. So the councilors of the state choose Lord Auberon Flyte to rule the lordship in regency. The name of the state is declared as Anticlere.

The war continues and takes its climax in the Cryngaine Field. King Lysandus falls. Gothryd, son of King Lysandus, is crowned King of Daggerfall. Lord Bridwell, the leader of the Knights of the Dragon, slays King Camaron. The Sentinel army retreat in disorder. On behalf of Sentinel, Lord Oresme, surrenders. He commits suicide on the way back to Sentinel.
Source: Vulper Newgate's The War of Betony, Fav'te's The War of Betony, Daggerfall Storyline.

3E 404
Gothryd marries Aubk-i, the daughter of King Camaron. Aubk-i is now the Queen of Daggerfall. The letter from The Emperor Uriel Septim VII arrives to her hand. Confused of the contents of the letter, eventually she sells the letter to the highest bidder, King Gortworg of the Orsinium. Gortworg has no idea what the Mantella is; he consults the King of Worms of the Necromancer. The confidential information about Numidium is spread out.

The former King of Daggerfall, Lysandus, rises as a ghost and with the army of specters and wraiths; he starts to haunt the streets of Daggerfall seeking for vengeance. The guards attempt to stop the haunting but eventually their souls soon join the unholy army. The popularity of King Gothryd decreases greatly as he cannot stop the undead army.

3E 405
A mysterious agent is sent by Uriel Septim VII to investigate the death of King Lysandus and to find the missing letter the Emperor sent to the Queen of Daggerfall.This is the beginning of the TES2: Daggerfall.
Source: Daggerfall Storyline.

Princess Talara takes the throne of Camlorn in High Rock after deposing her uncle, the Duke of Oloine.
Source: The Mystery of Princess Talara.

A civil war starts in city-state of Lainlyn in northern Hammerfell. Lord Kain, the leader of the Knights of the True Horn tries to dethrone Baron Shrike, his brother and the ruthless ruler of Lainlyn.

3E 407
A series of murders break out in Tear, Morrowind. Several major slave traders are killed. The serial killer is known as the Lopper. This killing finally ends when a minor noble slave-trader of House Dres, Dres Minegaur dies. The official record states that the noble is the Lopper himself, although there is another possibility. Nevertheless, the serial killing ends.
Source: The Last Scabbard of Akrash.

In Morrowind, The Tribunal starts to establish the Ghostfence, in order to prevent the threatened large-scale breakout of Dagoth Ur's blighted hosts.
Source: The Plan to Defeat Dagoth Ur.

3E 410
In Morrowind, Sixth House bases are extablishes near Gnaar Mok and in waterfront areas of Vivec. Sixth House operatives exploit smuggler organizations and communications to spread their influence among victims unbalanced by Dagoth Ur's dream sendings.
Source: Dagoth Ur's Plans.

3E 414
The Vvardenfell district of Morrowind starts to be colonized, after the Duke of Morrowind revokes the old Treaty of the Armistice. Originally, Vvardenfell was an exclusive district of Tribunal Temple who had banned the trade and additional settling. And almost immediately, the Imperials and three Great Houses (Hlaalu, Telvanni, and Redoran) begin to take the opportunity to settle the area.
Source: A Short History of Morrowind.

3E 415
There are now small cells of Sixth House cultists in every town in Vvardenfell, Morrowind. Larger Sixth House operations are concealed in remote dungeons where creatures are bred and cultists are trained for the coming struggle.

3E 417
Almalexia and Sotha Sil lose the artifacts Keening and Sunder to Dagoth Odros and Vemyn. Vivec rescues Almalexia and Sotha Sil, but fails to recover Keening and Sunder. The power of the Tribunal continues to grow weaker without access to the Heart of Lorkhan, and the resources required to support the Ghostfence.
Source: Dagoth Ur's Plans.

In the same year, in the west - Iliac Bay, the agent of the Emperor uncovers the truth about the death of King Lysandus. A minor lord of Wayrest, Lord Woodborne, murdered him for another twist of regional politics. After the agent avenged King Lysandus, the army of undead leaves Daggerfall.

The agent of the Emperor, manages to infiltrate Castle Daggerfall and retrieves the Totem of Tiber Septim. Learning this development, the factions of the High Rock and Hammerfell visited him offering wealth, power and fame for exchange for the Totem. No information of who received the Totem. After the agent gave the Totem to one of the factions, Nulfaga transports the agent to Mantellan Crux, a netherworld in Aetherius, to recover the Mantella.

To whom the Numidium is given, is still a big mystery, but the reports say that six Numidium are seen in six different places at once, each one carving out a different mortal's destiny. 'The Dragon Break' occurs in the Iliac Bay, resulting in:

* The fractured High Rock, with hundreds small squabbling kingdoms is no more; after the break, there are only three kingdoms, Daggerfall, Wayrest and Orsinium.
* The Orcs of Orsinium gain the acceptance of the Septim Empire and become full citizens of the Empire.
* Sentinel is still a major power; its power and territory expand significantly and encompasses all of northern Hammerfell.
* The Sloads of the coral kingdoms of Thras worship a new God of Worms.
* The Underking gets his long-missing heart, and dies a mortal death; giving him the peace that he desires.

This strange phenomenon is known as the Warp in the West and also known as the Miracle of Peace. This whole changes occur in just one day, 10th of Frostfall, 3E 417.
This is the end of TES2: Daggerfall.
Source: Daggerfall Storyline, Pocket Guide to the Empire (3rd Edition): High Rock, Skeleton Man's interview, Warp in the West.

"Among the most significant results of the Second Numidian Effect are the foundation of the orc city-state Nova Orsinium; the transfiguration and apotheosis of Mannimarco, King of Worms; and the return of Zurin Arctus, the Underking, to the affairs of men."
- from Niso's LIVES OF THE EMPERORS

In Lainlyn at northern Hammerfell, the Knights of the True Horn led by Lord Kain is defeated by Baron Shrike. Lord Kain decides to split into many small groups while waiting the message to regroup. A message that is never sent as the Warp in the West occurred; Lainlyn is removed from the Hammerfell map.
Source: Lord Kelvyn's Will.

Circa 3E 423
Corvus Umbranox, the Count of Anvil dissapears, no one knows what fate befallen to the Count. (We know! Umbranox is the Gray Fox, leader of the Thieves Guild in Cyrodiil. For us this means that the Player may not ascend all the way to Gray Fox in our game. The highest rank in the Cyrodiil Thieves Guild should be whatever title is given to the second in command. We will need to create a new NPC who is giving the Player quests as the second in command and once the Player reaches this rank he retires and moves on. The third in command of our Thieves Guild [he may not need such a title] will be the same as the second in command from Oblivion to show that once the Player leaves the Guild that NPC will be the second in command and this will all line up nicely for the Oblivion version. The Gray Fox may give quests in our Thieves Guild but will not relinquish his cowl nor give the Player command of the Thieves Guild at any time.)

3E 426-3E 427
Campaign of Sixth House assassinations of prominent Imperial citizens and Hlaalu Imperial sympathizers. Sudden increase in number and seriousness of attacks by cultists and victims deranged by soul sickness.

The Present:
3E 427-3E 432
The Empire is shaken from the questions of succession. The Emperor is old, and in poor health. He has two declared heirs, Enman and Ebel, but there are rumors of controversy over the succession in the Imperial City. Some say that they are doppelgangers placed in the household during Jagar Tharn's tenure as the Emperor.
Source: Savant's Note On Vvardenfell.

Meanwhile in Morrowind, a slave, with uncertain parent and born on certain sign, is freed by the Blades as an Imperial agent to uncover the prophecies of the Nerevarine, and also to find out more about the rumor of the new re-awakening Sixth House of the Dunmer, The House Dagoth. This is the start of TES3: Morrowind.
Source: Morrowind Storyline.

"Of humble birth, he entered the Emperor's service in the lowly status of courier. Dispatched to Balmora in the waning years of the Third Era, he arrived in Morrowind, ignorant of the role he was to play in that nation's history."
- from Hercurnian Baeboris' THE RIDDLE OF THE INCARNATE, IMPARTIALLY CONSIDERED

After a long perilous journey in Vvardenfell, the released slave is acknowledged as the Nerevarine by four Ashlander Tribes and selected as a Hortator by House Redoran, Hlaalu and Telvanni. And with the final help of Vivec, he eventually fulfills the Nerevarine prophecies by destroying Dagoth Ur, by severing his connection with the Heart of Lorkhan. With this action, he removes the blight that was haunting the Vvardenfell settlements, along with recovering the Kagrenac's Tools. Unfortunately, severing Dagoth Ur's connection to the heart also ultimately severing the connection of the Tribunal to the heart, thus leading to the undoing of their godhood. This is the story of TES3: Morrowind.
Source: Morrowind Storyline.

Realizing the new Nerevarine could be a threat to the new Morrowind throne, King Helseth hires the Dark Brotherhood to assassinate the Nerevarine. The action fails. Visiting Mournhold, the Nerevarine has to face the quarrel between the new monarch of King Helseth and the ancient goddess of Morrowind, Lady Almalexia. Furthermore, King Helseth takes another attempt to assassinate the Nerevarine, and again fails. He gives up and later he tries to pull the Nerevarine to his side. This is the start of the TES3 Exp: Tribunal.

Shaken by the changing of power in Morrowind and mostly the loss of her godhood, Lady Almalexia loses her sanity, and she kills Lord Sotha Sil. She lures the Nerevarine to the Clockwork City of Sotha Sil and tries to kill him there. She fails and is slain in the Sotha Sil's chamber by the Nerevarine. This is the story of the TES3 Exp: Tribunal.
Source: Morrowind Storyline: Tribunal.

Later on, historians record another great deed of the Nerevarine. On the island of Solstheim, the Nerevarine thwarts the murderous plot of the great Daedric Prince Hircine by fulfilling the Bloodmoon Prophecy (an ancient legend among the nordic tribe of the Skaal in Solstheim island). With this, he saves nearly all the inhabitants of the island from the ferociousness of Hircine's werewolves. This is the story of the TES3 Exp: Bloodmoon.
Source: Morrowind Storyline: Bloodmoon.

During this period there are some notable events occurred in Morrowind:

* The Grandmaster of Fighters Guild, Sjoring Hard-Heart, which is under influence of Camonna Tong, is defeated and the independence of the guild is restored by the guilds new Grandmaster.
* Bal Molagmer or "Stone Fire Men" who brought the light of justice to the land starts to reappear after their mysterious disappearance early in third Era.
* The Camonna Tong, local crime syndicate on Vvardenfell, is eventually absorbed and controlled by House Hlaalu.
* The Twin Lamps, an abolitionist group, operates secretly, releasing slaves throughout the Vvardenfell.
* The lost Sanguine artifacts (27 totals) are recovered to Morag Tong.
* The monopoly of magic services by Mages Guild is ended, and the House Telvanni, with the help of House Redoran, is officially permitted to offer the same services.
* The change of the top leader of several Vvardenfell factions such as the House Telvanni and, House Redoran, and Imperial Legion.
* Mages Guild, among other factions of Vvardenfell, is interested with the Dwemer disappearance. More and more artifacts are collected by the guild. Some of the recovered books provide translation to the ancient texts of the Dwemer.
* The head quarter of the vampire clan of Berne in Galom Daeus, along with its leader Raxle Berne is wipe out by the Tribunal Temple.
* Some time after the last Nerevarine's deed in the island of Solstheim, both the Nerevarine and Lord Vivec disappears and Morrowind is ruled solely by King Helseth. Some says that Vivec has departed to Aetherius joining the ancestors, while the Nerevarine is rumored leaving Tamriel in an expedition to Akavir.
* Helseth of Hlaalu forms an alliance with House Dres. Helseth then renounces the slave trade and reforms the Grand Council. Indoril and Redoran cannot embrace this new rule of Helseth and the power of both Great Houses reduced dramatically all these years. Furthermore, House Redoran is caught in the bloody dispute with the Nords of Skyrim.

Meanwhile, in other provinces:

* Skooma illegal trading has increase significantly in Elsweyr, masterminded by Renrijra Krin, a Khajiiti criminal group. The Imperial authority apparently has difficulties to suppress this illegal trading. (This is something we can reference in dialogue.)
* Summerset Isle is in the state of changing. The Daedra are always considered unholy to the Altmer, however report has it that Daedra worship had become increasingly prevalent in the Summerset Isle. Furthermore, the relations between the Imperials and the Altmer deteriorate. The syndicate of wizards, one of the powerful communities of the Altmer, start to boycott the Imperial goods. (This too can be mentioned in dialogue.)
* Many Argonians returns to Black Marsh while Fort Swampmoth is abandoned by the Imperials. Black Marsh has become more dangerous than ever. Many settlers have been lost, and most non-Argonians have left in fear. (More stuff that can be used in dialogue, speaking of these events adds some diversity as well as bringing current events into our game world making it more dynamic.)

The Future:
3E 432
The third edition of the Pocket Guide to the Empire is released.
Source: Pocket Guide to the Empire (3rd Edition)

3E 433-3E ???
A group of assassins attack the Imperial Palace. Uriel Septim VII's sons and heirs (Crown Prince Geldall, Prince Enman and Prince Ebel) are slain. (Which for us means that they should all be alive and well in the Imperial palace.) While in the escape route via Imperial City dungeon, the fate of the Emperor intertwines with a prisoner. Somehow Uriel has predicted the event and before his death, he entrusts the Amulet of Kings to the prisoner to be delivered to the Grandmaster of the Blades, Jauffrey, and to seek the last true heir of the Septim Dynasty. (Jauffrey should be the Grandmaster of the Blades for us as well and the Player should not be able to attain this rank, though perhaps a special rank can be invented such as Eternal Champion from the Arena story.)

The prisoner then plays a major role in recapturing Kvatch from the Daedric horde. The prisoner is then renowned as the Hero of Kvatch. The hero with the help of the Blades uncovers the plot of a Daedric Cult Mythic Dawn. (Perhaps we can allude these events somehow, maybe coming across a few Mythic Dawn members in a cave or something.) The cult tries to bring Mehrunes Dagon to Tamriel, and reshapes the Mundus. The hero successfully brings the heir of Uriel known as Brother Martin to the Cloud Ruler Temple; the Blades takes over the job to secure the heir. Unfortunately, the Mythic Dawn has successfully taken the Amulet of Kings. (Brother Martin should be placed where he is first found in game [I believe this is Kvatch right? If so then he should be in the Church in Kvatch that we will have built all nice and shiny pre-destruction].)

Shortly, the force of Oblivion is unleashed throughout Tamriel. In Skyrim, the force of Daedra strikes almost all Nordic cities, from the southern Falkreath to Windhelm in the east. The Old Holds (the collective Nordic cities in the north and west) have been defeated. In Morrowind, the force of Oblivion obliterates House Redoran city of Ald'ruhn. House Telvanni fights the Daedra and does their best to close the Oblivion gates, but little is gained.

In the Battle of Bruma, the prisoner-turned-hero single-handedly closes the Oblivion Great Gate by capturing the Great Sigil Stone. This effectively closes the gate, and cuts the dreadful Daedric Siege Engine in half. The battle is ended with victory on the Bruma alliance forces. Then the hero manages to recapture the Amulet of Kings and slays the leader of the Mythic Dawn, Mankar Camoran. (Maybe we can even run into this guy, if we decide on this they won't be hostile and will simply have dialogue that might tip the player off to future events.)

When Martin and the rest of the company in the route to relight the Dragonfire in the Imperial City Temple of the One, the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon has successfully crossed the barrier between realities and emerged in the Imperial City. Desperately Martin destroys the Amulet of Kings in order to unite the Blood of the Kings and the Divine Essence of Akatosh. Martin dies but his plan works. The Avatar Dragon of Akatosh materializes. The Aedra Akatosh battles the Daedra Mehrunes Dagon on the ruins of the Temple of the One.

The Avatar of Akatosh eventually defeats Mehrunes Dagon, but the Dragon Avatar is grievously wounded. With its remaining power the Dragon Avatar closes the barrier between realities once more. The Dragon Avatar is turned to stone after draining all its remaining power. The great Dragon statue now stands in the middle of the ruined Temple of the One. Martin, the last heir of the Septim Dynasty is no more, and the Empire is once again without an Emperor. The Elder Council under the leadership of Councilor Ocato tries to uphold the crumbling Empire. The hero is declared as the Champion of Cyrodiil. This is the end of the Third Era. This is the story of the TES4: Oblivion.
Source: Oblivion Storyline. (Councilor Ocato should be in our game.)

Several other events worthy of note:

* The eternal war between Necromancers and Mages Guild finally ended with the death of Necromancer king, the King of Worms Mannimarco (Mannimarco might be able to make an appearance in our game as well.) as well as the Archmage Hannibal Traven (Here again, the Player cannot attain the rank of Archmage and Traven should be around.). Hannibal Traven sacrificed himself in order to protect the champion of Mages Guild from the power of Mannimarco, thus the champion eventually manages to destroy the King of Worms. The future of Necromancer Guild is in question.
* The Thieves Guild under the Gray Fox has successfully stolen one of the Elder Scrolls. The Gray Fox needs the Elder Scrolls to lift Nocturnal's curse on the Cowl of Nocturnal. The curse made the wielder's personality be erased from history. With the power of Elder Scrolls to alter history the curse is eventually nullified, but the cowl wielder is still a number one target by any guard.
* After the great heist, Corvus Umbranox, the missing Count of Anvil mysteriously came back to Anvil.
* The Benirus Manor in Anvil is cleansed, after many decades being haunted by Lorgren Benirus, its previous owner, and his ghost minions.
* An obscured report states that there is strife in the underground assassin guild of Dark Brotherhood. Members of the Black Hand and the Listener himself are slain. A traitor to the guild manipulates a new member to systemically slay all the important members of the assassin guild. Although the traitor is finally defeated, but the Dark Brotherhood is more or less crippled by this internal strife.
* The Fighters Guild faces a direct competition from Blackwood Company. The new guild of fighters is more discipline, efficient and stronger. One of the members of the Fighters Guild uncovers the mystery behind the mercenary group. The Blackwood Company uses Hist Sap potions extracted from a sickly Hist tree that brought down to Leyawiin from Black Marsh. The potion makes the people who drank it ferocious, bloodthirsty and unable to think clearly. The Hist tree is finally destroyed as well as the Blackwood Company. (We should use the Blackwood Company and perhaps give quests for them in our game. At the least they should be giving the Fighters Guild some competition.)
* Agronak gro-Malog, the Grand Champion of Imperial City Arena is defeated. It turns out that the old Grand Champion is a son of a Vampire lord and an Orc female. This is the first known relation between a Vampire and a normal person that resulted a child. (The Player cannot attain the rank of Grand Champion of the Imperial City Arena unless we have it that Agronak is out sick or something and the Player can become temporary Grand Champion.)


This post will be further edited upon researching more notes, and given the time to write, as well as filtering out some of the information that is not pertinent for anything other than book writing.


Edited by SamirA, Sep 22 2010, 01:07 PM.
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zackg
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One thing Id really, really like to expand on is making the Imperials the Dragon Culture. Much like a cross or a star of david, its their universal symbol for their history and beliefs and they decorate everything with it. I once made a dragon ship, ones that Id hoped would flodd the Imperial City waterways but the model was pretty poor. That type of thing should continue, however, with a very dragon inspired arts and architecture and topics and whatnot.
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SamirA
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I agree 100% we should also create the water dragon creature that is spoken of in these notes. It wouldn't be a true dragon but more of a large red water dwelling lizard creature. Something like a comodo dragon or the Cyrodiilic version of a crocodile/alligator. The gondolas that we craft for the imperial city should have dragon designed hulls if you can make a better dragon boat.
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zackg
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Im sure I can make one, its really about having the concept art to put it together than it was me making the actual model though. Also, Ive edited theop to change the color of your notes so they arent mistaken for lore. If red isnt the best color let me know.
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SamirA
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That works for me. I may edit my other notes in other lore posts I recently made as well.

Edit: I will also begin some designs for the gondolas.
Edited by SamirA, Sep 13 2010, 11:33 AM.
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Osidian
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Very nice guide to the lore of the Imperial Province, SamirA!

You mixed up the paragraphs about Colovia (west) and Nibenay (east) though.

About not letting the Player be the head of factions like the MG or the TG, I think it’ll be a bit anticlimatic… While I think the player shouldn’t be the head of the Blades (even being unable to progress more than in Vvardenfall or just able to progress until Spy or Spymaster), I think there should be ways to put the player in charge of the Mages and Thieves Guilds. Just a couple of examples:

Corvus Umbranox can be second in command in the thieves guild (that is a Mastermind in MW and Master Thief in OB) and we can even make him jealous of the Player as he starts to gain ranks quickly. Then after the game’s time line, the Player would leave the TG and Umbranox would be the Gray Fox. That being said, not being able to reach the Gray Fox seems sound to me too and I get your point. And there’s all that loss of personality thing involved with being the Gray Fox…

For the Mages Guild the same thing could be done. Alternately the Arch-Mage could be the same as in Oblivion but would step down seeing you as a potentially better leader. Then he would recover his position after the Player Character has left.


I think the Hist tree could be arriving in Leyawiin during the time of TES3, maybe some quest involving this or something.
Also, if I recall correctly the wife of Count of Cheydinhal died in mysterious circumstances before the events of TES4, maybe a small storyline about that would be nice.

This is just me throwing some suggestions to the table, I know I’m new around here and was admitted as a modder right now. Just clarifying because it may seem arrogant of me to come here and suggest this and that. That surely wasn’t my intention (to be arrogant, that is).
Edited by Osidian, Sep 22 2010, 12:21 PM.
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SamirA
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Thanks for pointing out the mix up I will fix it. All the editing gets a bit difficult once things get to be so large. As for the Thieves Guild I have to say that the Gray Fox is the head of the guild and Umbranox is the Gray Fox and has been for some time so I will disagree with you on that account. The mages guild thing I might can agree to though. Your other two ideas are sound and when we get to that part of the map they will be explored in more detail. Do not feel arrogant. Many things are not set in stone and need good solid input from our members (you being about the only real member with fresh ideas at the moment), feel free to post anywhere you have an idea.

EDIT: Perhaps there is a way to become "head" of the TG. We could have The Gray Fox say something along the lines of "Finally I have someone who can watch over the guild for me so I can do some research for a great heist! My plan involves the Elder Council, but more I will not divulge at this time. Watch over the guild for me until I return <enter PC name here>. I am counting on you.
Edited by SamirA, Sep 22 2010, 03:55 PM.
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Osidian
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I really like that that idea. He probably wouldn't even need to refer the Elder Council, just be very secretive about his plan. It would be a nice way to solve this while also integrating the storyline with future events.
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SamirA
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Right something like "My plan will shake the foundations of Tamriel" or something of the sort.
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