Tamriel Rebuilt

Lady Nerevar wrote: If your showcase has not received a reply in over a week please bump it!

Okay! *bump*

My showcase ([url=http://tamriel-rebuilt.org/old_forum/viewtopic.php?t=21383]"Proofreader and Loremaster Available"[/url]) is also in need of review.

Thanks!

Okay, so I finally got around to writing something for you all... I noticed that there wasn't a whole lot written about the formation of the alliance between Chimer and Dwemer to drive out the Nords from Resdayn, so I decided to fill the gap a bit. This particular history leaves out the question of how Nerevar arranged for the Dwemer to show up to begin with, but of course we know how that happened from other sources (it was his friendship with Dumac). Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, and yes, I was somewhat intentionally channeling J.R.R. Tolkien here.

[Edit: forgot to mention, I am happy to discuss any questions of lore that may be raised; I've been pretty careful not to assume too much here, but it's always possible I've missed something somewhere.]

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Of the Battle of Valenvaryon
And the Alliance of Chimer and Dwemer

At last the outlanders thought with guile to put ashore with great force near to the Sheogorad, for there the armies of the Chimer came seldom and few indeed traveled to tell of the coming of the enemy. But the cunning of Nerevar was greater still, and he foresaw the tactic, saying to his counselors, “send mer fleet of foot and hardy to the edge of the Sea, but tell them there to remain until the camps of the outlanders dot the beaches. They will not see the ships, for the enemy is skilled at the finding of hidden places among the rocks; but the outlanders' fires are large and they know not what tinder smokes and what shall not. Once they have gathered in force, return with all haste and we shall make ready for them.â€Â￾

And so it was that the first of the runners returned to Valenvaryon, whither Nerevar had retired with a force of many hundred mer, and they said to him, “the beaches glow with the fires of the enemy, my lord, countless as the stars of Aetherius. Whence came they we know not, but we were afraid and did not wait for more to appear. My lord, unless there is some trick, the number of the enemy is beyond our strength; if we stand fast here it will be with our deaths only that we shall meet!â€Â￾ But Nerevar said, “speak not so quickly of such bleak ends. Stand we will, and both fear and death will be theirs to meet.â€Â￾ And so he rose and went out, and mustered to arms all those who dwelt within the walls. And still the runners were afraid, but they perceived that Nerevar spoke with the conviction of a one who has insight that others lack, and took up their bows and their spears with the rest.

In the morning the great gates of Valenvaryon were opened, and the host of Nerevar came forth to battle, arrayed in all the splendor of the Chimer. The banners of the Great Houses flew high and proud, and the hilts of fine ebony blades glinted darkly in the brightness of the sun. Still in sight of the fortress the army halted, and there they stood in ranks facing northward, and there was silence all about but for the blowing of the wickwheat in the breeze. And many grew restless and fearful, and hearkening to the edge of their senses thought yet that they heard the footfalls of the outlanders as a great rumbling of the earth, and were filled with dread. But soon there came a cry from a scout who had taken a position on a little hill, and he pointed to the east and shouted, “Dwemer! The Dwemer are come!â€Â￾ And all looked to the east, and as they watched they saw afar the glint of sun on metal and heard the great hissing of the steam centurions, and the Chimer despaired and upon the host of Nerevar settled a great hopelessness. And Almalexia turned to Nerevar saying, “we must retreat to Valenvaryon and prepare there our defense. All our hope has come to naught with this new treachery; I wonder only that we did not foresee it sooner. The Dwemer are full of hate and would sooner join with outlanders and risk their own servitude than see the Chimer victorious.â€Â￾ But Nerevar looked upon her sadly and said, “and how shall it be otherwise, when those with whom they might treat are so quick to condemn them as traitors! I feared that you would say such a thing, but it is not so: the Dwemer have come because I have asked it of them.â€Â￾

Almalexia heard this with astonishment, and in her anger almost called Nerevar for a traitor too, but in the end she could not meet his gaze, and looked at the ground in her shame. And Nerevar went before the assembled Chimer even as the Dwemer drew closer, and threw wide his arms and said, “hear me, for we stand this day not at an end, but at a beginning! It was told to me that the outlanders come in great number, and that to stand against them was folly. I said that the folly was theirs, and I show you now the reason for my defiance! It was told to me also that the Dwemer are treacherous, and that in their blasphemy they would never join us against those who would take our lands and our lives. Now I say this: such counsel is ill taken, and though their worship be profane and their ways not our own, they will spill their blood for Resdayn this day. And so shall the enemy discover, to his sorrow! So let us put aside now that which brings us to each other's throats, and let our blades and our arrows find their targets instead with those who seek to take from us our homes and our lives! For Resdayn!â€Â￾

And Nerevar drew his sword, and it sparkled in the sunlight, and the ring of Moon-and-Star upon his finger sparkled with living magicka, and a great cry of “Resdayn!â€Â￾ went up among the Chimer. And soon it was heard that the Dwemer, too, cried “Resdayn!,â€Â￾ and as the enemy came up over the hills to the north it was to the sound of a thunder of voices. And as Nerevar charged, so the Chimer and the Dwemer rushed forth together, and the sun glinted on the golden skin of the Chimer and the golden bronze of the Dwemer's centurions, and it was as a flood of golden light that the hosts of Resdayn set upon the enemy. And the faces of the invaders fell, and they faltered in their advance and were overwhelmed, and the blades of the Chimer and the Dwemer sang as they cut the enemy asunder. And as the outlanders fell upon the field to their utter destruction, so began the long age of peace and the glory of Resdayn.

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